Sámiid Aednan - Sverre Kjelsberg & Mattis Haetta

The Norwegian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1980 was 'Sámiid Aednan', and I found that single seven years ago after a long search. I didn't know at the time, but there was also this version of the single, featuring an English version of the song on the B-side. This pressing comes from Portugal, although a Scandinavian version also exists. 

Sverre Kjelsberg was found dead in his home in June 2016. Mattis Haetta is still alive and has worked in pantomimes and yoiks in Alta, Kautokeino and Luleå. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6440
Found: Discogs.com, received 1 September 2021
Cost: 9 euro
Tracks: 'Sámiid Aednan' / 'Sámidd Earth'

Need your love so bad - Fleetwood Mac

Strictly speaking, I already had 'Need your love so bad' on a single, as it appeared on the flipside of 'Albatross', a single I bought some time ago. But this is the original version that reached the charts in 1968 and predates 'Albatross' by four months. 

The song was originally recorded by Little Willie John in 1955. When Fleetwood Mac recorded the song, producer Mike Vernon suggested adding strings to the track. It was also Vernon who contacted Mickey Baker, who provided the guitar on John's original version, to write an orchestral score for the song. The single became a minor hit in the UK (peaking at number 31) but reached number 7 in the Dutch Top 40. A much longer version of the track appeared on the 2002 compilation album 'The Best Of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6439
Found: Flea market, Voorburg, 29 August 2021
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Need your love so bad' / 'Stop messin' round'

Eurovision '69 - Various artists

In 1969, the Eurovision Song Contest was organized in Spain, after Massiel's controversial win in 1968. The Spanish record company Belter did a lot to promote the event: various entries were released in attractive themed sleeves (See this one, for instance) and this EP is further evidence. 

A few things are interesting about this EP: all four songs are in Spanish. Ivan & M's (a.k.a. M4) and Frida Boccara recorded these Spanish versions themselves - and they were also released on separate singles - but since there was no Spanish version of 'Desfolhada Portguesa' by Simone, it was recorded by a certain Madalena Iglesias, a Portuguese actress and singer who actually represented her country in 1966 with the song 'Ele e ela'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6438
Found: Discogs.com, received 12 August 2021
Cost: 4 euro
Tracks: 'Vivo cantando' (Salomé), 'Desfolhada Portuguesa' (Madalena Iglesias) / 'Un dia, un niño' (Frida Boccara), 'Saludos al mundo' (Ivan & M's)

Los dias del arco iris - Nicola di Bari

Just two years ago I got 'I giorni dell'arcobaleno', a single by Nicola di Bari and his Eurovision entry from 1972. It's a beautiful song, and I was interested when I saw that Nicola also recorded this song in Spanish. The music is still as beautiful, the lyrics - obviously - sound different. 

Have a listen to the B-side as well, though. 'Vagabundo' does not appear on that other single, not even in the Italian version, and it's a strong song that would not have been out of place on the Eurovision stage as well. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6437
Found: Discogs.com, received 12 August 2021
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Los dias del arco iris' / 'Vagabundo'

Party for everybody - Buranovskie Babushki

The Buranovksie Babushki formed in the 1970s in Buranovo, a small rural locality in the Udmurt Republic of Russia. They became famous when they participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012 (although they also tried to represent Russia in 2010, when they ended up in third place). In 2010, the group started a fund for the rebuilding of Trinity Church in Buranovo and all of the group's income is donated into this fund. The Trinity Church was originally built, of stone, in 1865, but was closed on 19 September 1939 by the Soviet administration and demolished. The present wooden church is in poor condition. The church was finally opened and consecrated on June 20, 2016.

Meanwhile, 'Party for everybody' became a cult classic, best known for the fairly ridiculous stage act involving six elderly women and an oven in which they were baking cookies. This picture disc 12" single features no less than 10 versions of the song, with remixes by various Russian DJ's. 

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 27 August 2021
Cost: $10
Tracks: 'Party For Everybody (Original Version)', 'Party For Everybody (Official Eurovision 2012 DJ Slon Party Remix)', 'Party For Everybody (DJ Karas Remix)', 'Party For Everybody (Music People Deejays Remix)', 'Party For Everybody (T.V.M. Remix (Radio Cut))' / 'Party For Everybody (Ed Mortel & Michel Nekoz Remix)', 'Party For Everybody (KJ AIGer Remix) (DFM Version)', 'Party For Everybody (DJ Smash Remix)', 'Party For Everybody (DJ Sanya_JC Remix)', '    Party For Everybody (Doberman Remix (Radio Edit))'

 

Due grosse lácrime bianche - Iva Zanicchi

Iva Zanicchi was born on 18 January 1940. Her career started in 1962 when she participated in the Castrocaro music festival, where she ended up in third place. Five years later she won the San Remo festival with the song 'Non pensare a me'. 

In 1969 she represented her country with 'Due grosse lacrime bianche' ('Two big white tears'). It didn't persuade the juries: she ended up in 13th place in a field of 16 competitors. 

This single is the Spanish pressing, which incidentally comes in a more beautiful sleeve than the original Italian version. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6436
Found: Discogs.com, received 12 August 2021
Cost: 4 euro
Tracks: 'Due grosse lácrime bianche' / 'Tienimi con te'

Playback - Carlos Paião

Carlos Manuel de Marques Paião was born on 1 November 1957. While studying medicine, he represented Portugal in 1981 with the song 'Playback', which is all about miming to pre-recorded music. The English version (on the B-side of this single) makes it easier to follow the rather deadpan lyrics. When you listen to the recording you can't help thinking about the famous Gershon Kingsley composition 'Popcorn'.

In August 1988, Carlos Paião died in a car accident while returning from a concert. The Datsun Urvan that Carlos Paião was travelling in collided head-on with a truck that was irregularly overtaking a broken car. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6435
Found: Discogs.com, received 12 August 2021
Cost: 4 euro
Tracks: 'Playback (Portuguese version)' / 'Playback (English version)'