'L'amour est bleu' was the 1967 Eurovision entry by Vicky Leandros, representing Luxembourg that year. She actually won the contest with the song, prompting chart success all over Europe - and a flurry of cover versions.
The most famous cover version is the one by Paul Mauriat and his Orchestra, although his version was entirely instrumental. It didn't bother the audiences in Europe, where it became a hit in 1968. Amazingly, his version became the best known version in the United States, where it ranked as the second best sold song of the year.
My collection: 7" single no. 5603 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'L'amour est bleu' / 'A banda'
'Can we still be friends' was written and originally recorded by Todd Rundgren. It appears on his 1978 album 'Hermit of Mink Hollow'. It was the only hit single from that album, reaching number 29 in the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
Robert Palmer was quick to cover the song, releasing it just a year later. He included it on his album 'Secrets'. Despite the fact that this is a very decent version, the single didn't chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 5601 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, January 16, 2015 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Can we still be friends' / 'Too good to be true'
It's hard to believe that this single was released in the summer of 1978, because the Human League's 'Being boiled' sounds a lot like early Eighties synthpop. But actually, it was one of the first pieces of electronic pop music produced in the UK. It was recorded on a domestic tape recorder, in mono, in an abandoned factory at a cost of £2,50.
The song was written by Martyn Ware and Ian Craig-Marsh before Philip Oakey joined the band. They gave him the music to listen to, and he returned two days later with lyrics for the track. Ware and Marsh liked the lyrics, and the song was born. The song was re-recorded in 1980, but this single contains the original version.
My collection: 7" single no. 5600 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, January 16, 2015 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Being boiled' / 'Circus of death'
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'
