Auf der grossen Himmelsstrasse - Margot Eskens

Here's another single I didn't buy for the A-side, but for the B-side! 'Damals war alles so schön' is a great German version of Corry Brokken's winning Eurovision song 'Net als toen', and unsurprisingly this single was released in 1957, the year of this song's success.

Margot Eskens (born on 12 August 1939 in Düren) was most popular in the 1950's and 1960's. She continued to be a frequent guest on television programs into the 2000s. In 1966, she represented Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Die Zeiger der Uhr'.

My collection: 7" single no. 6503
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received 12 November 2021
Cost: €1,5
Tracks: 'Auf der grossen Himmelsstrasse' / 'Damals war alles so schön'

Als je maar nooit bekent - Corry Brokken

'Als je maar nooit bekent' is a Dutch-language cover of 'N'avoue jamais', the song that was made famous by Guy Mardel, who represented France at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1965. It is perhaps no wonder that this single by Corry Brokken - herself a Eurovision winner in 1957 - was also released in 1965. 

The other side of this single, 'Tommy-Tom' is also a cover version: 'Laura Lee' was written by Forrest Wood and Liam Sullivan and recorded by Eddy Arnold in February 1965. Corry's version, recorded with Bert Paige's orchestra, was released in June of that same year.

My collection: 7" single no. 6502
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received 12 November 2021
Cost: €1,5
Tracks: 'Als je maar nooit bekent' / 'Tommy Tom'

 

Johnny Blue - Katri Helena

'Johnny Blue' was originally recorded by Lena Valaitis, and it was her entry for the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest, representing Germany. The song was written by the infamous duo Ralph Siegel and Bernd Meinunger, who together wrote many songs for the Contest. 

Katri Helena's version was translated into Finnish by Kaisu Liuhala, who was a rather prolific song translator. Katri Helena, of course, represented Finland at Eurovision twice, in 1979 with 'Katson sineen taivan' and in 1993 with 'Tule luo'.

My collection: 7" single no. 6501
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received 12 November 2021
Cost: €1,5
Tracks: 'Johnny blue' / 'Olet ystäväin'

Een sprookje - De Spelbrekers

De Spelbrekers represented the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1962 with 'Katinka'. However, this wasn't the first brush with Eurovision repertoire. In 1959, they released the single 'Een sprookje' ('A fairytale') with on the B-side a cover version of 'Oui, oui, oui, oui', Jean Philippe's entry for France at Eurovision. Obviously, this is what drew me towards this single, which I could buy for almost nothing from a Dutch seller. 

Between 1950 and 1968, the duo released many singles, but it didn't give them any chart placings. However, their song 'Katinka' remains a classic in the Netherlands. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6500
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received 12 November 2021
Cost: €1,5
Tracks: 'Een sprookje' / 'Oui, oui, oui'

Lied für einen Freund - Maxi & Chris Garden

I already own a copy of 'Lied für einen Freund', but the opportunity came up to buy a stack of singles (and cd-singles) from a Eurovision collector and this single was among them. It features a French version of the same song on the double A-side, instead of a different track (which appears on that other single).

Maxi and Chris Garden recorded their Eurovision song in a few different languages apparently and normally these singles command high prices. So I guess I was lucky to get this one. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6499
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received 12 November 2021
Cost: €1,5
Tracks: 'Lied für einen Freund' / 'Chant pour un ami'

Voulez-vous - Abba

With sales of over 5 million copies, 'Abba Gold' is the second highest selling album of all time in the UK, after Queen's 'Greatest Hits'. As of July 2021, "Gold" became the first album to reach 1000 weeks on the Official Charts in United Kingdom with pure sales of 5.61 million copies sold in United Kingdom.

When the album was first released, back in 1992, it was supported by a series of single releases. 'Dancing queen' was the first single, and this one was the second: 'Voulez-vous' backed with another single which didn't appear on Abba Gold: 'Summer night city'. This single didn't chart, but it still attracted some attention. These days it's very hard to get hold of a copy, and the third single is even more difficult. But it will appear here someday, I'm sure. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6486
Found: Discogs.com, received 19 October 2021
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Voulez-vous' / 'Summer night city'

Humanaho (Alle Menschen sind Brüder) - Roberto Blanco

Roberto Zerquera Blanco was born on 7 June 1937 in Tunis (Tunisia). He grew up in Beirut and Madrid, before coming to Germany in 1956. He forged a career for himself singing schlagers in German at the end of the 1960's. 

This single, 'Humanaho' is a cover version of Jean Gabilou's French Eurovision entry from 1981, 'Humanahum'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6497
Found: Discogs.com, received 10 November 2021
Cost: €2
Tracks: 'Humanaho (Alle Menschen sind Brüder)' / 'Sing ein Lied'