Love kills - Freddie Mercury

Giorgio Moroder made a restoration and new edit of 'Metropolis', the 1927 movie by Fritz Lang. Moroder’s version of the film introduced a new contemporary pop music soundtrack for the film. Although it restored a number of previously missing scenes and plot details from the original release (in particular, Moroder's version restores the character of Hel, who was omitted from the original release version of the film), his version of the film runs to only 80 minutes in length, compared to the original 153 minute version.

The lead single for the soundtrack was Freddie Mercury's 'Love kills', a Moroder-produced track that sounded very similar to Queen tracks that were released around the same time. The single reached number 10 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in Ireland. It also reached the charts around Europe, but peaking at lower positions.

My collection: 7" single no. 5053
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Love kills' / 'Rotwang's party (Robot dance)' (Giorgio Moroder)

Take a chance on me - Erasure

In 1992, Erasure released the Abba-esque EP, featuring four covers of Abba songs. All formats were released with four tracks on them, so one would think no other formats would exist.

But here it is: a Spanish promotional one-track single, featuring the track 'Take a chance on me'. Probably worth something to a Erasure fan, but I just happened to stumble across this copy while browsing the racks.

My collection: 7" single no. 5052
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Take a chance on me'

Band of gold - Freda Payne

Freda Charcilia Payne was born on September 19, 1945. She's an American singer and actress best known for her million selling, 1970 hit single, 'Band of Gold'. The song, written by the famous writing team Holland-Dozier-Holland, tells a story of a recently married woman whose husband is incapable of loving her (even though he tried), resulting in the couple sleeping in separate rooms on their honeymoon, to her dismay. It would appear that the marriage ended in the husband's abandoning his bride, leaving her with no more than the titular 'band of gold'.

The single reached number 1 in the UK singles chart and remains a wellknown classic to this day.

My collection: 7" single no. 5051
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Band of gold' / 'The easiest way to fall'

T'aimer encore une fois - Romina Power and Al Bano

'We'll live it all again' (Italian title: 'Noi lo rivivremo di nuovo') was the Italian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1976, performed in Italian and English by Al Bano & Romina Power. So far, this the country's only ever entry not to be sung entirely in Italian (although this year's entry will also be in English, I understand).

Bano and Power also recorded the song in French, entitled 'T'aimer encore une fois'. This single contains the original English/Italian version and the French version. At the close of voting, the duo's song had received 69 points, placing 7th in a field of 18 contenders.

My collection: 7" single no. 5050
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'T'aimer encore une fois' / 'We'll live it all again'

La vie a 25 ans - Dani

In 1974, France did not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. Still, here it is: a single of the 1974 entry by Dani. How come?

France had been going to enter the contest with the song 'La vie à vingt-cinq ans' by Dani, but they withdrew after the French President, Georges Pompidou, died during the week before the contest. Since his funeral was held the day of the contest, it was deemed inappropriate for the French to take part. Dani was seen by viewers in the audience at the point the French song should have been performed, after the Irish and before the German entry.

My collection: 7" single no. 5049
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'La vie a 25 ans' / 'Pour que ça dure'

Tubular bells - Mike Oldfield

'Tubular bells' is Mike Oldfield's signature theme and he has released several versions around the theme of the thunderpipes, as well as several singles. The original album was released in 1973 and at the time it came with a single in the UK and a different single in the US.

The American single was released when Mike Oldfield's music was used in the motion picture for 'The Exorcist', and this single features an extract from the album that differs from the UK single. I never knew this, of course, and so when I found out, I had to have this single. It's a bit of a shame it's not in better shape.

My collection: 7" single no. 5044
Found: eBay.com, received March 23, 2011
Cost: 4 euro
Tracks: 'Tubular bells (Now the original theme from 'The Exorcist')' / 'Tubular bells'

To love somebody - Jimmy Somerville

'To love somebody' was originally recorded and released by the Bee Gees in 1967, back when they were still a quintet. The song was written on a boat in Monte Carlo the day the Beatles manager, Brian Epstein was found dead (August 1967) after manager Robert Stigwood encouraged Barry Gibb to write a soul song for Otis Redding. Redding, however, died in an airplane crash before he could record the song.

In 1990, Jimmy Somerville released a reggaefied cover version of the track. Released as a single in November of that year, it reached number 8 in the UK singles chart, his last top 10 hit until now.

My collection: 7" single no. 5043
Found: Kringloop, Haarlem, March 11, 2011
Cost: 0,25 euro
Tracks: 'To love somebody' / 'Rain'