The title 'Alors je chante' may only seem familiar to those who have read about Rika Zarai's single on this blog almost six years ago. It is a cover of the 1969 Eurovision song Vivo cantando, one of four winners that year.
Dimitri Dourakine recorded this - instrumental - version of the song in 1969, not long after his single 'Casatchok' became a number one hit in France. It's kitsch, but Eurovision-related kitsch is always worthwhile of course.
My collection: 7" single no. 5599 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, January 16, 2015 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Alors je chante (and then I sing)' / 'Haifa'
'The man who sold the world' was written by David Bowie and recorded as the title track of his third album in 1970. The song was covered by the Scottish singer Lulu in 1974. Bowie invited her to a concert he gave after which he met her in his hotel room saying: "I want to make an MF of a record with you [because] you're a great singer." She didn't think Bowie would follow up, but a short time later she was actually in the studio, recording tracks with David Bowie and Mick Ronson producing.
When 'The man who sold the world' was released as a single, it reached number 3 in the UK singles chart, and also top 10 in the Netherlands and Ireland.
My collection: 7" single no. 5698 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, January 16, 2015 Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'The man who sold the world' / 'Watch that man'
In 1989, Leigh Jaeger sang a cover of Robert Palmer's 'Johnny & Mary'. The track was produced by Stephen Stewart-Short, but received an 'additional production and remix' treatment by Phil Harding and Ian Curnow for PWL. No wonder, then, that this track sounds suspiciously like a Stock/Aitken/Waterman production.
So who is Leigh Jaeger, actually? The internet fails to give any information about her, and her only claim to fame seems to be this single.
My collection: 7" single no. 5697 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, January 16, 2015 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Johnny & Mary (remix)' / 'Johnny & Mary (instrumental)'
Well, the following could become complicated... Dries Holten was born on January 30, 1936 in Cimahi, Dutch East Indies. He represented the Netherlands as Andres in the Eurovision Song Contest alongside Sandra Reemer. Sandra en Andres, as they called themselves, performed Als het om de liefde gaat. They were a duo until 1975, when Andres said he wanted to work behind the scenes more.
Sandra went on to participate in the Dutch national final in 1976 and was surprised to learn that Andres had teamed up with Rosy Pereira to form Rosy & Andres. Together they sang 'I was born to love', the song that is presented on this single. They were unsuccessful: Sandra won the national final with The party's over and went on to represent the Netherlands in The Hague.
My collection: 7" single no. 5596 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, January 16, 2015 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'I was born to love' / 'Why don't you phone me'
In the early Nineties, vinyl singles were becoming increasingly scarce. For some reason, singles from that era have become rather collectible. As a result, a single like this commands prices upwards of 8 euros on the internet. If they are offered at all, that is. Imagine my surprise when I found this copy in a big store filled with singles at 1 euro!
Sarah Bray represented Luxembourg in 1991 with 'Un baiser volé', a song composed by Patrick Hippert with lyrics by Mick Wersant and Linda Lecomte. At the close of voting, it had received 29 points, placing 14th in a field of 22 competitors.This single presents both the French and English versions.
My collection: 7" single no. 5595 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, January 16, 2015 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Un baiser volé' / 'One stolen kiss'
Frida Boccara used the melody of Vivaldi's Concerto for two mandolins in G major for 'Les quatres chemins de l'amour', a single released in 1970. It was the year after her impressive Eurovision win with 'Un jour, un enfant', one of the most melancholy Eurovision winners ever.
It's never fun and games with Frida Boccara, so this song sounds almost upbeat in comparison. Classical music can lend itself to modern interpretations, and this one is a good example.
My collection: 7" single no. 5693 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, January 9, 2015 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Les quatres chemins de l'amour' / 'La croix, l'étoile et le croissant'
After Vulcano participated in the Dutch national final of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1983, finishing second with Een beetje van dit, they were hopeful the next year, participating once again. They participated with the song '1 2 3', which, if you understand Dutch, has a very strange lyric for a Eurovision song. It's all about a party where things are a bit 'strange'. The song then progresses into a happy chorus, which seems to describe the joys of a swingers club.
The band wasn't successful: they lost out to Maribelle, whose Ik hou van jou represented the Netherlands in the 1984 Eurovision Song Contest. Vulcano, meanwhile, split up in 1986, only to reform 20 years later - without ever releasing any new records, focusing on live performances instead.
My collection: 7" single no. 5892 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, January 9, 2015 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: '1, 2, 3' / 'Ik wil je in een hokkie'
