White and black blues - Joelle Ursull

'White and black blues' was composed by Georges Ougier de Moussac, with lyrics by legendary French songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. The song was originally titled 'Black Lolita Blues', however Joelle Ursull, who was chosen to represent France at the 1990 Eurovision Song Contest, declined to perform it with this title. Rewritten as 'White and black blues', the song deals with the need to overcome the prejudices of skin colour.

Eurovision songs were always difficult to get a hold of in record shops. 1990 was actually the first year that several songs were readily available: in a short amount of time I collected the entries of Belgium, France, Spain and even Portugal. Due to a lack of budget, I didn't buy the cd-single of this track - something I do regret, because I'm unable to find it now.

My collection: 7" single no. 1231

Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, May 11, 1990

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'White and black blues' / 'White and black blues (instrumental)'

Download: here

Crazy - Icehouse

The Australian band Icehouse found fame with 'Hey little girl' and 'Can't help myself' in the early Eighties. I was very impressed with these early singles, and the later hits 'No promises' and 'Crazy' took some more getting used to after that. 'Crazy' was drawn from their 1987 album 'Man of colours', Icehouse's best selling album worldwide.

It took me many years to finally buy this single. 15 years to be exact. It's one of those singles you come across regularly and you always think, 'nah, later'. So 'later' finally happened in 2003.

My collection: 7" single no. 3393

Found: Geest, Den Haag, 2003

Cost: 1 euro

Tracks: 'Crazy', 'Completely gone'

Download: 'Crazy', 12" single 'Crazy', including 'Completely gone'

Bring me closer - Altered Images

During the Here and Now Tour 2002 I saw Altered Images, or rather Clare Grogan, live in concert and immediately liked the songs she was performing. So I went to the nearest record shop in London and found 'I could be happy' and this single. I didn't know this song - she hadn't performed it - but the sleeve looked interesting enough and so I decided to buy it anyway.

It's one of those instances where you are a little too impulsive. 'Bring me closer' is a rather directionless song, and really doesn't end up anywhere. The same goes for the B-side. Clare Grogan's typical voice sounds a bit weird in these tracks. So not one of my most prized possessions this single. But it is a nice sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 3369

Found: Record Exchange, London, December 2002

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Bring me closer' / 'Surprise me'

Download: here

Uncertain smile - The The

After 'Uncertain smile' single version 1 and version 2, I quickly realised that I should also buy the 12" single. It would probably feature an extended version of this wonderful track. There was always the chance, of course, that it would simply contain the album track which is lengthy enough as it is, but it was a risk I was willing to take.

As it turned out, I was lucky: the 12" single features an extended version which goes on for more than nine minutes. It is based on the original version (single version 1) and then goes on for several minutes where the single fades out. Needless to say, I was very glad when I found this disc.

My collection: 12" single no. 122

Found: Record fair, 1991

Cost: 15 guilders

Tracks: 'Uncertain smile [extended version]' / 'Soul mining (Definitive Version)'

Download: here

4 films - Het Goede Doel

Het Goede Doel (The Good Cause) released their single '4 films' in 1987. It was a new track on the live album that was released after their tour across the Netherlands after the release of their third studio album 'Mooi en onverslijtbaar' (1986). It didn't become a hit and has since become a very rare track. A version sung by Ramses Shaffy was released on the album 'Iedereen is anders' (1988), but this original version wasn't released on cd for a long time.

The B-side is a live version of the track 'Atoombom' ('Atom bomb'), also taken from the live album mentioned above.

My collection: 7" single no. 3538

Found: Empire Records, January 9, 2009

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: '4 films' / 'Atoombom (live)'

Download: here

Don't go breaking my heart - Elton John and Kiki Dee

Elton John and Kiki Dee recorded and released the duet 'Don't go breaking my heart' in 1976. Like many of Elton John's singles from the Seventies, it was never included on any of his original albums (though it was recorded during the same sessions that produced 'Blue Moves'). The single was Elton John's first number 1 single in the UK. It was his sixth number one in the USA. In the Netherlands, it was just kept off the top spot by 'Kiss and say goodbye' (Manhattans) and 'Dancing queen' (Abba).

The song’s video is apparently one of the cheapest music videos ever produced. The director was found while filming a Rod Stewart television special. He was pulled aside, located an unused soundstage, hastily dressed it to give the appearance of a recording studio, set up three cameras and had the two singers pretend to record their vocals. Shot in a single take while being told to ‘improvise’, Elton John and Kiki Dee often missed their cues. Elton John’s attempt to lead Dee in a very haphazard dance sequence caught his companion off guard.

My collection: 7" single no. 3534

Found: Empire Records, January 9, 2009

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'Don't go breaking my heart' / 'The snow queen'

Download: Album 'Stay with me - The Rocket Years' (Kiki Dee), including both tracks (part 1 / part 2)

Hallelujah - Milk and Honey

'Hallelujah' was the winning song of the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest, performed in Hebrew by Milk & Honey, representing Israel. The group was created especially for the contest after the song's original performers, the band Hakol Over Habibi, declined the opportunity to sing the song. The song is a slow-building ballad, with the group praising God for the world and all the good things in it. This is, to date, the most religiously-themed song to win the Contest.

In the Netherlands, the single reached number 8 in the Dutch Top 40, and in many European countries, the song became a standard. It is even recognized by many North Americans who might never even have heard of Eurovision.

My collection: 7" single no. 3391
Found: Geest, Den Haag, 2003
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Hallelujah' / 'Lady sun'
Download: here