Populaire Hoogtepunten Op-De-Plaat Van 1960 - Concertgebouworkest o.l.v. Dolf van der Linden

The esteemed orchestra of Amsterdam's Concertgebouw recorded many things, mainly classical music, but in 1960 they filled two EP's that were sold during a record promotion week in the Netherlands. One EP was devoted to classical music (of course), the other to a more popular genre. This is the latter.

The orchestra plays a medley (well, two, actually) of popular songs, of which Domenico Modugno's 'Piove' is one, and Jacqueline Boyer's 'Tom Pillbi' is another. It's very interesting to hear a more classical rendition of these two Eurovision songs. It's a good deal, too: if you bought this for 1 guilder (approx. 45 eurocents these days, but more like 5 eurocents if you take inflation into account) you got this EP with almost 15 minutes of music!

My collection: 7" single no. 7113
Found: De Schatkamer, Leidschendam, 3 January 2024
Tracks: 'Sleighride in Alaska, Tom Pillibi, Piove, Marina, Kriminal Tango, Una Marcia in Fa' / 'Kleine Lucienne, Morgen, Elisabethan Serenade, Mack the Knife, Petite Fleur, Milord'

Accordeon Potpourri no. 41 - The 3 Jacksons

In December 2021 I bought two singles by the 3 Jacksons; one because of their version of 'Abergavenny', and one because of their version of 'Nel blu dipinto di blu'.This month I added one more single by this accordeon-crazy group, because of their inclusion of no less than two Eurovision songs in the 41st potpourri. 

'Piove' opens the proceedings, and it is followed by 'Sing little birdie'. Both songs were performed in the 1959 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. I wouldn't say that I am exactly a fan of music on accordeons, but this single is a nice curiosity nonetheless.

My collection: 7" single no. 7112
Found: De Schatkamer, Leidschendam, 3 January 2024
Tracks: 'Piove, Sing Little Birdie, Una Marcia in Fa' / 'Tom Dooley, Mandolins in the moonlight, Li per li'

Which way you goin' Billy? - The Poppy Family

Seventeen-year-old Susan Pesklevits met Terry Jacks in the mid-1960s when he appeared as a guest on the national teen TV show Music Hop where she was a regular performer. She later called Jacks to accompany her on rhythm guitar for one of her live appearances. Eventually, although she continued to do solo shows on television, with the addition of Craig McCaw on lead guitar, Susan decided that all her live performances would be as part of her newly formed trio. Susan and Terry married in 1967 and Susan Pesklevits became Susan Jacks. Craig McCaw later introduced Satwant Singh on tabla drums from India and the Poppy Family's unique sound was complete. 

'Which way you goin' Billy?' was their first big hit. Although they'd released two singles before that, those two only reached the lower part of the Canadian singles chart, but this single became a charttopper. It also reached number 2 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 7 in the UK singles chart. The B-side, 'Endless sleep', had been a hit for Marty Wilde in 1958.

My collection: 7" single no. 7111
Found: De Schatkamer, Leidschendam, 3 January 2024
Tracks: 'Which way you goin' Billy?' / 'Endless sleep'

Tom Pillibi - Les Scarlet

Back in 1960, Jacqueline Boyer won the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Tom Pillibi'.You wouldn't think so these days - Loreen's 'Tattoo' came and went and no other artist even tried to cover the song - but back then artists were scrambling all over the place to record their own versions of songs that won the Contest.

Les Scarlet was a French girl group that was quick to try their hand at the song, using the services of an orchestra directed by James Award. It isn't necessarily a very original take on the song - with the exception of the intro that starts with a nice harmony from the girls.

My collection: 7" single no. 7110
Found: De Schatkamer, Leidschendam, 3 January 2024
Tracks: 'Tom Pillibi' / 'Rossel Cadet'

Little lies / Songbird - The Corrs

I didn't have any 7" singles of the Corrs yet, although I do have all their CD's and a lot of their CD-singles. The Irish band of the four siblings named Corr was very successful just after the turn of the century, before going on hiatus in 2006. When they returned as a band in 2015 with the albums 'White light' (2015) and 'Jupiter calling' (2017), their success was not quite as big, and for some reason they recently only play live in Australia and surrounding countries. 

But there was one new release recently: this double A single of Fleetwood Mac covers, as a tribute to Christine McVie who passed away on 30 November 2022. The single did not chart, but it's a nice one nonetheless.

My collection: 7" single no. 7108
Found: Dig! webstore, received 3 January 2024
Tracks: 'Little lies' / 'Songbird'

Fairytale of New York - The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl

Shane MacGowan, the illustrious frontman of the Pogues, passed away last year after an eventful drug- and drink-filled life. Whatever you might think of him, he certainly wasn't a boring character. On 30 November 2023, after receiving last rites, MacGowan died from pneumonia at his home in Dublin with his wife by his side; he was 65.

Warner Records thought it was a fitting idea to rush-release this vinyl single with the man's most famous performance, on the Christmas song 'Fairytale of New York'. It would of course have been great if this song was the UK's Christmas number 1 of 2023, but that honour went to another dead man: George Michael of Wham! Still, this single is a great item because it features an instrumental version of that famous Christmas tune. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7109
Found: Dig website, received 3 January 2024
Tracks: 'Fairytale of New York' / 'Fairytale of New York (instrumental)'

 

Mile after mile - Jahn Teigen

Although Jahn Teigen wasn't exactly successful with his 'Mil etter mil' at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1978, he did record the song in English. It was surprisingly difficult to get this single for a reasonable price, even online. In the end, I wound up buying this copy together with three rarer Norwegian singles from a Norwegian seller late last year.

Jahn even recorded the B-side 'Claudius' in English. This copy was made in Norway; the single was also released in Germany with a different sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 7107
Found: Discogs.com, received 3 January 2024
Tracks: 'Mile after mile' / 'Claudius'