Portugal no coração - Gemini

Although the Portuguese entry for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1977 was performed by Os Amigos, the song was performed twice during the Portuguese national final - seven songs were performed by 14 performers. 

The other performers of 'Portugal no coração' were Gemini. They ended up in sixth place, and so didn't get the ticket to represent their country. They would be more lucky the next year, when they won the national final with the song 'Dai li dou'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6853
Found: Discogs.com, received 31 January 2023
Tracks: 'Portugal no coração' / 'Cantiga de namorar'

La, la, la [Italian version] - Joan Manuel Serrat

Joan Manuel Serrat was the original performer of 'La, la, la', before he was replaced by Massiel after he announced that he would only perform his song in Catalan - something that was unacceptable in Spain at the time. 

His refusal to perform the song in any other language at the Eurovision Song Contest is all the more amazing when you realize that he actually recorded the song in several other languages. And this is one of them: the Italian version of 'La, la, la'. And yes, it does matter, because despite the simple title of the song it does actually contain a few wordy verses.

My collection: 7" single no. 6852
Found: Discogs.com, received 31 January 2023
Tracks: 'La, la, la [Italian version]' / 'Poema d'amore'

Skibet skal sejle i nat - Birthe Wilke & Gustav Winckler

Having bought 'Skibet skal sejle i nat' a year ago on a 78rpm record, it shouldn't be surprising that I would eventually get the 7" vinyl EP as well. It took some time because most copies are overly expensive and I am not one for paying three figure prices for 7" singles.

But lo and behold, here it is: the original 1957 EP of 'Skibet sjal sejle i nat', with four tracks by Birthe Wilke with different duet partners. The cover may show some wear, but that is no surprise after 65 years. It's just a pleasure to own one of those early Eurovision singles. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6846
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 January 2023
Tracks: 'Skibet skal sejle i nat' (Birthe Wilke & Gustav Winckler), 'Tre piger fra Jylland' (Birthe Wilke & Dirch Passer) / ''Militaer tango' (Birthe Wilke), 'Kaerlighedens cocktail' (Birthe Wilke & Gustav Winckler)

White face - Charta 44

The 10" format is an unusual one: sometimes it simply contains two or three tracks and it's just a bigger 7" single, and sometimes it's too small to be an LP but it still contains almost as much tracks. This release by the Swedish band Charta 77, released in 1988, falls into the latter category: with seven tracks, it's almost a full album.

Ricky Wilde's debut single 'I am an astronaut' was a big hit in Sweden. So much so, that various singers and bands have covered the song. It's the main reason why I wanted to have this 10" single, as it features Charta 77's version. It's quite heavy, like all the other tracks on this 10" single. Well worth a listen!

My collection: 10" single [unnumbered]
Found: 33|45 Records, Den Haag, 21 January 2023
Tracks: 'I am an astronaut', 'In circles', 'On the wall', 'Lottery of justice' / 'Can't stand it', 'Escape', 'Acid rain'

Uma flor de verde pinho - Carlos do Carmo

Some people think that, because it took them half a century to win the Eurovision Song Contest, Portugal never sent in worthwhile songs. Well, quite the contrary. Looking back, you can hear the most beautiful songs with delicious melodies. 

Take for instance 'Uma flor de verde pinho', the 1975 entry. In this ballad, singer Carlos do Carmo compares his love for his country with the love he would feel for a beautiful woman. He goes as far as to liken himself to Pedro I, famous in Portuguese history for his status as a lover. Sure, there are some nationalist tendencies here, but it was only less than two years since the dictatorship had been brought down, so who can blame them? As long as the music is this beautiful, who are we to object...

My collection: 7" single no. 6845
Found: Ebay, received 21 January 2023
Tracks: 'Uma flor de verde pinho' / 'Novo fado alegre'

Quel coeur vas-tu briser? - Geraldine

'Quel cœur vas-tu briser' was the Swiss entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1967 in Vienna, performed by Géraldine Gaulier. The song is a ballad in which Géraldine asks a former lover whose heart he is going to break now that hers no longer beats for him. She tells him that she has forgotten him and asks him who will be the next victim of his false passions. 

This EP features four songs by Géraldine, and they are quite varied. 'Jimmy' features rather weird vocals, whereas 'Neiges de printemps' is actually a very nice song. As for the title track, it finished in last place with zero points - which pretty much tells you how most juries felt about this song. It's actually not that bad. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6844
Found: Discogs.com, received 20 January 2023
Tracks: 'Quel coeur vas-tu briser?', 'Jimmy' / 'Jour a jour', 'Neiges de printemps'

Bring me closer - Altered Images

Last year saw a re-emergence of Altered Images, with Clare Grogan recording a whole new album. Alas, no vinyl singles were released, and so we're left with the old singles instead. I have all of them, but I recently found out about three picture discs. One is the picture disc of 'Don't talk to me about love', which I bought a little over four years ago, and here is another one: 'Bring me closer'. It really is the weakest track of the three, because as I wrote back in 2009, this single doesn't seem to go anywhere for some reason. 

I only have to buy the picture disc edition of 'I could be happy' to complete the set, and I am sure I will do that pretty soon. But visually, this one is without a doubt the most beautiful one of the three. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6843
Found: Discogs.com, received 14 January 2023
Tracks: 'Bring me closer' / 'Surprise me'