Dansevise - Lars H.U.G.

If you would ask me what the most beautiful winning songs of the Eurovision Song Contest are, it is likely that my answer would include 'Dansevise'. It's quite impressive how they managed to win the Contest (in 1963) in a language nobody outside Denmark understands, and with a melody that really stands the tests of time.

In 1989, a cover version was recorded by Lars Haagensen. His stage name was Lars Hug until an impending lawsuit from a Danish entrepreneur out of the Hug family made him change it to Lars H.U.G. Not the best outcome, but there you go. His version of 'Dansevise' was a great update of that familiar song. I don't know if it was a hit in Denmark, but it should have been anyway. I got to know this version through Napster (remember those days?) and I am glad to have finally found a physical copy. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6706
Found: Discogs.com, received 14 April 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Dansevise' / 'Smuk og dejlig'

Eurovisie songfestival - Teddy Scholten

Although I already own 'n Beetje and 'n Beetje, two singles by Teddy Scholten, this EP is the one that rules them all. It features all three tracks that are found on those two singles, plus a Dutch cover of 'Oui oui oui', the song with which Jean Philippe participated in the 1959 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest - the one that was won by Teddy Scholten.

On this EP Teddy Scholten performs four songs from that Song Contest: cover versions in Dutch from the British, French and Italian entries, plus of course her own winning song. It comes in a beautiful picture sleeve, which has survived the 63 years since its release. That is an impressive feat in itself.

My collection: 7" single no. 6703
Found: Discogs.com, received 14 April 2022
Cost: €5
Tracks: ''n Beetje', 'Zing kleine vogel' / 'Oui, oui, oui', 'Li per li'

Pale shelter (You don't give me love) - Tears for fears

Owning Pale shelter, Pale shelter, Pale shelter and Pale shelter was not quite enough. While that last one is the 12" single of the re-released version of 'Pale shelter', the accompanying 7" single was still missing from my collection. But here it is, after some searching, and it was the last single I bought at the record fair in Den Bosch earlier this month - exactly at 5pm when the fair closed. 

Buying one Tears for fears single every year seems to have become a trend - see this page - although I seem to have missed out last year. Guess I will have to make up for that this year. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6702
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Pale shelter (You don't give me love)' / 'The prisoner'

Boum badaboum - Minouche Barelli

During the Sixties there was – not for the last time – fear for a nuclear disaster. The Cuban missile crisis in 1962 was still fresh in everyone’s memory and the Cold War would rage on for two more decades.When Monaco asked Serge Gainsbourg to write a song for their representative Minouche Barelli, he played on these fears and wrote a song that would really shock the audience. Minouche almost shouted her lines and at regular intervals an ominous countdown is heard, which counts down the seconds to the big bomb.

The song was rewarded with a fifth place during the Eurovision Song Contest of 1967, and Minouche went on to record her song in English, German and Italian, with the same title. I've been searching for this single for a long time, and was glad to find a copy during the big international record fair in Den Bosch earlier this month. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6700
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'Boum badaboum' / 'Il faut dire'

I have a dream - Nana Mouskouri

After Nana Mouskouri covered Abba's hit single 'Chiquitita' in 1984, she probably thought she could take on another song from the Swedish band. It would have been refreshing if she had chosen an uptempo song this time, but instead she went for 'I have a dream', a song that was pretty similar to 'Chiquitita' in atmosphere and tempo. 

This cover version was released as a single after the worldwide hit 'Only Love', that had reached number one in Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands. The album, from which this single and 'Only Love' were taken, reached number 14 in the Netherlands and number 19 in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 6697
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'I have a dream' / 'Recuerdos'

I don't wanna take this pain - Dannii Minogue

MCA Records was pretty smart when it came to selling their singles. They probably knew that the interest in Dannii Minogue was at least in part driven by her visual appeal, and so her singles usually came in limited edition poster sleeves, in order to drive sales. This 1991 single of 'I don't wanna take this pain' is a good example: it promises a poster sleeve and a 1992 calendar. 

The tactic seems to have worked out: the single entered the UK singles chart on 14 December 1991 and reached number 40 during a five week run. It wasn't a very big hit, but at least she got noticed.

My collection: 7" single no. 6696
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'I don't wanna take this pain' / 'I don't wanna take this pain (saxstrumental)'

Baby love - Dannii Minogue

'Baby Love' is a 1986 song by American singer Regina. The song was written by Stephen Bray, Regina Richards & Mary Kessler and shouldn't be confused by the song of the same name by the Supremes. Bray had written several hits for Madonna, and "Baby Love" was actually intended for her to record. After she declined, Regina recorded the vocal herself in late 1985, though with Bray's production it sounded similar to Madonna's other recordings of the time and was sometimes mistaken for one.

The song was covered by Dannii Minogue (Kylie's little sister) for her debut album, 'Love and Kisses' (1991). The single reached number 14 in the UK singles chart - partly thanks to this limited edition booklet sleeve with a pull out poster. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6695
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'Baby love (Smoove radio edit)' / 'Baby love (Album edit)'