Oh well - Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac were formed in 1967 in London by Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood, Jeremy Spencer and John McVie. They released their self-titled debut album in February 1968. Six months later, 'Mr Wonderful', their second album was released. Both albums were very blues-oriented. Shortly after the release of their second album Fleetwood Mac added guitarist Danny Kirwan to their line-up. With him they recorded their third album 'The pious bird of good omen'. They soon made their last all-blues recordings, as they changed label and changed style.

Even though The Beatles wanted the band on Apple Records (Mick Fleetwood and George Harrison were brothers-in-law), the band's manager Clifford Davis decided to go with Warner Bros. Records, the label they have stayed with ever since. Their first album for Warner, released in September 1969, was the well-regarded 'Then play on'. This album contained the single 'Oh well', a single that became a number 1 hit in the Netherlands and a number 2 hit in the UK singles chrat in the autumn of 1969.

My collection: 7" single no. 4532
Found: Any old time, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 0,1 euro
Tracks: 'Oh well (part 1)' / 'Oh well (part 2)'

Lay down - Melanie

Melanie Anne Safka-Schekeryk was born on February 3, 1947. She made her first public appearance at four on the radio show 'Live like a millionaire', performing the song 'Gimme a little kiss'. Her biggest successes followed in the late Sixties, when she had a hit in the Netherlands with 'Beautiful people', before performing at the famous Woodstock festival.

The inspiration for 'Lay down (Candles in the rain)' apparently arose from the Woodstock audience lighting candles during her set. She recorded the track with the Edwin Hawkins Singers, who provide gospel vocals in the background of each chorus. The single reached number 1 in the Netherlands and was a top 10 hit all over the world.

My collection: 7" single no. 4531
Found: Any old time, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 0,1 euro
Tracks: 'Lay down' / 'Animal crackers'

When I fall in love - Nat 'King' Cole

'When I fall in love' was written by Victor Young and Edward Heyman and was introduced in the 1952 movie 'One minute to zero'. It has since been recorded by lots of artists, most famously (these days) by Nat 'King' Cole and Rick Astley.

Nat 'King' Cole recorded his version in 1956. It was released on the album 'Love is the thing' and released as a single in the UK in 1957. It reached number 2 in the UK singles chart. The song was actually re-released in 1987, competing with Rick Astley's version for a chart position. While Astley reached number 2 with his single, Nat 'King' Cole peaked at number 4.

My collection: 7" single no. 4530
Found: Any old time, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 0,1 euro
Tracks: 'When I fall in love' / 'Calypso blues'

Zabadak - Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich

Dave 'Dee' Harman, Trevor 'Dozy' Ward-Davies, Anthony Stephen 'Beaky' Carpenter, Michael 'Mick' Wilson and Ian 'Tich' Amey formed 'Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich', an amalgam of their nicknames in the late Sixties.

One of their many successful singles between 1965 and 1969 was the nonsensical 'Zabadak!', released in the autumn on 1967. The single reached number 3 in the UK singles chart and the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4529
Found: Any old time, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 0,1 euro
Tracks: 'Zabadak!' / 'The sun goes down'

In the year 2525 - Zager and Evans

Denny Zager and Rick Evans got together in Lincoln, Nebraska in the late Sixties as Zager & Evans. Their biggest hit was the 1969 single 'In the year 2525', the lyric of which warned of the dangers of technology, portraying a future in which the human race would at length be destroyed by its own technological and medical innovations and divine wrath. The last stanza of the song intimates a continuing cycle of birth, death and rebirth of mankind.

The song was originally written in 1964 and recorded and released in 1968. After a radio station in Odessa, Texas popularized the record, RCA Records distributed the song nationwide - and subsequently worldwide. The single reached number 1 in the UK, the USA and the Netherlands, as well as several other countries.

My collection: 7" single no. 4528
Found: Any old time, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 0,1 euro
Tracks: 'In the year 2525' / 'Little kids'

Canta y se feliz - Peret

When you hear 'Canta y sé feliz' ('Sing and be happy') it's hard to believe this song was performed on the same night as the winning song of the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, 'Waterloo' by Abba. But it's exactly what happend: Pedro Pubill Calaf, a.k.a. Peret represented Spain with this song.

What's more, the Spanish Catalan Romaní gypsy singer finished in third position in the Contest, behind Abba (for Sweden) and Olivia Newton-John (for the United Kingdom). While Abba and Newton-John became international stars, Peret was mainly known in Spain for the rest of his career.

My collection: 7" single no. 4527
Found: Any old time, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 0,1 euro
Tracks: 'Canta y se feliz' / 'Mi Papá'

Non, je ne regrette rien - Edith Piaf

What is an original Dutch copy of 'Non, je ne regrette rien' ('No regrets') by Edith Piaf from 1961 worth? I don't know, but I was very surprised when I saw this 50 year old single in the bargain bin. The track was composed by Charles Dumont, with lyrics by Michel Vaucaire. It was written in 1956, and Edith Piaf's 1960 recording is the best known version.

The song was a Europe-wide success, even in non-Francophone countries. In the Netherlands, the single was a number 1 hit while it stayed in the (monthly) chart for 10 months.

My collection: 7" single no. 4526
Found: Any old time, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 0,1 euro
Tracks: 'Non, je ne regrette rien', 'Les mots d'amour' / 'Jerusalem'