Verona - Koit Toome & Laura

It's always nice when Eurovision songs are released on 7" or CD-single. Somehow, a 12" release is always a bit of a pain - especially when a song is released on 12" only. This was the case with one of the best entries in the Eurovision Song Contest of 2017 - 'Verona' by Koit Toome and Laura from Estonia. For a long time, this 12" single was only available for premium prices, and sad to say, the price hasn't really dropped in the years that followed.

Still, this particular 12" single was worth obtaining, because it offers six different versions of the song. I can't help but wonder why this was not released on a CD-single as well, but we know by now that record companies are not interested in consumer preferences. 

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 21 September 2022
Tracks: 'Verona (radio version), 'Verona (Italian version)', 'Verona (Moon Taxi remix)' / 'Verona (Eurovision 2017 version)', 'Verona (club remix)', 'Verona (1985 version)'

Popcorn - Danny Danova

Danny Danova is the stage name of Danny Boddin, a Belgian producer and keyboard player, who released a couple of singles in the mid-1970s. Not much is known about this man, unfortunately. 

This single is a bit of a strange one: it features the wellknown Kingsley composition Popcorn, as performed by Danova, but it is released in the 'Golden 45's' series, which is all about re-releasing old hits. Except: there is no other (original) release of Danova's 'Popcorn'! The B-side, 'Pagoda', was originally released in 1975. Both tracks are very enjoyable, with spacey sounds and great melodies. It's just weird that some artists seem to have vanished off the face of the earth...

My collection: 7" single no. 6767
Found: Discogs.com, received 18 August 2022
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'Popcorn' / 'Pagoda'

Verão - Carlos Mendes

I already owned 'A festa da vida', Carlos Mendes' second Eurovision song from 1972, but six years earlier he represented Portugal for the first time with the song 'Verão'. The song, composed by Pedro Vaz Osório and written by José Alberto Diogo, was about a man with a broken heart who realises that summer is over and he can’t wait until summer starts again. It was a very short song, clocking in at just over two minutes. 

This EP presents three more songs, of which 'I'll get over it' is the most enjoyable. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6766
Found: Discogs.com, received 13 August 2022
Cost: €6
Tracks: 'Verão', 'Nobody wants you when you're down and out' / 'I'll get over it', 'Mensagem'

Ensemble - Ilanit

It's impossible to find copies of Ilanit's two Eurovision songs in Hebrew, so for now I have to be satisfied with versions in other languages, which are sometimes available for more affordable prices. Like for instance this one: 'Ensemble' is the French version of  'Ahava Hi Shir Lishnayim', the song she performed at the 1977 edition when she represented Israel for the second time.

The French translation was contributed by Patrick Loubié, who would also deliver a translation for the Turkish song 'Pet'r Oil' in 1980. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6765
Found: Discogs.com, received 13 August 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Ensemble' / 'Bon voyage bonne chance'

Dansevise - The Cousins

The Belgian band The Cousins formed in the late Fifties. They started under the name Les jeunes équipes, but inspired by their frequent performances in the dance club Les Cousins ​​near the Brussels Grand-Place, they changed the name to The Cousins. In 1960 the band was discovered by record executive Jean Kluger. They had a big hit that year with 'Kili Watch', which sold a million singles. The success of 'Kili Watch' caused disputes in the band over royalties. After composer Gustave Derese had registered the copyright of the gigantic hit with SABAM, he left the group. He later founded the less successful band The Killy Jacks. 

The Cousins continued their career but couldn't match the success of 'Kili Watch'. In 1963 they released this single, a cover version of the winning song of that year's Eurovision Song Contest, 'Dansevise'. It was an instrumental version. In 1966 the band broke up. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6763
Found: Discogs.com, received 12 August 2022
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'Dansevise' / 'Boomeranga'

Bien plus fort - Tereza

Tereza Ana Kesovija was born on 3 October 1938. She graduated from the flute program at the Zagreb Music Academy, and as a student began appearing in amateur music events. In 1962, shortly after the start of her professional career, she won her first international contest at Saint-Vincent, Italy. After this success, Tereza had a tour in USSR and she recorded one EP with Italian songs for the biggest Russian music company – Melodiya. She spent 1963 and 1964 touring USSR, Poland, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Norway and Sweden. She also had a lot of TV appearances in these countries. 

In 1965, she moved to France. One year later, she was chosen by Grace Kelly to represent Monaco in the Eurovision Song Contest. Her song was 'Bien plus fort'. She also recorded the song as 'Još Mnogo Jače', in Serbo Croat. I had that version earlier than this original French version - but it's good to finally own it now.

My collection: 7" single no. 6762
Found: Discogs.com, received 12 August 2022
Cost: €6
Tracks: 'Bien plus fort', 'Tu viens de très loin' / 'Demain', 'Et c'est pour toi'

Leila - Seid Memic Vaita

Sometimes it seems like I am buying things multiple times, but this single is a good example how that makes sense. I already own the single 'Leyla' by Vayta, which was released internationally after he represented Yugoslavia at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1981. 

However, in Yugoslavia itself, this single was released. 'Leila' is the original version of the song, which is very different from the Yugoslavian version on that other single. As a bonus, this single features another song by the singer - and a totally different sleeve. This is one of the things that make a Eurovision singles collection so great: there's always something to discover.

My collection: 7" single no. 6689
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Leila' / 'Covjek bez problema'