Love is blue - Jeff Beck

The song 'L'amour est bleu' competed in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1967, performed by Vicky Leandros, and it became a big hit worldwide, especially when Paul Mauriat released his version in 1968. But he wasn't the only one to cover the song.

Jeff Beck released his version in 1968 as well. He had some success, as the single reached number 23 in the UK singles chart. The single is quite a catch, because I've never seen a copy before.

My collection: 7" single no. 7160
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'Love is blue' / 'I've been drinking'

Ein Lied ist wie ein Vogel - Ilanit

It doesn't happen very often that two versions of a single appear with the same seller, especially when you're after both versions. But that's exactly what happened earlier this month when I finally found 'Ahava hi shir lishnayim' and its German counterpart, 'Ein Lied ist wie ein Vogel'. It was a bit of a relief to find both singles in quick succession.

Ilanit recorded her 1977 Eurovision entry in several languages, but the original version and this German version are possibly the hardest to get hold of.Of course, now there is still the English version to go.

My collection: 7" single no. 7153
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'Ein Lied ist wie ein Vogel' / 'Lass dich mal gehen'

Yo soy aquel - Willy Alberti

Although the A-side of this single is really the Italian song 'Nessuno mi puo giudicare', all the attention has to be focused on its B-side, a version of 'Yo soy aquel', one of the most impressive Spanish Eurovision entries ever. 

The original was performed on the Eurovision stage on 5 March 1966. Dutch singer Willy Alberti was quick to recognize the quality of the song and released his version just two months later, on 9 May 1966. Finding this single was a real surprise for me - and the fact that the original picture sleeve was included was very fortunate.

My collection: 7" single no. 7159
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'Nessuno mi puo giudicare' / 'Yo soy aquel'

La la la (She gives me love) - Joan Manuel Serrat

Like I wrote when I bought the French version of 'La, la, la', I only had the Portuguese and English version of Joan Manuel Serrat's version of the song to go. And this month the day has come that I can present the English version.

'La, la, la (She gives me love)' is basically the male version of 'La, la, la (He gives me love)' which was recorded by Massiel when Joan Manuel Serrat was replaced after he refused to perform his song in Catalan. The colourful sleeve of this single is a bit of a bonus.

My collection: 7" single no. 7158
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'La la la (She gives me love)'  / 'Mis gaviotas'

L'amour est bleu - Vicky Leandros

Having already bought 'L'amour est bleu' and 'A taste of Vicky', I thought I had a pretty decent selection of Japanese singles of this song, but it turns out there was one more: this re-release from 1980 featuring Vicky's Eurovision song and a cover version in French of Mary Hopkin's 'Those were the days'. 

It's interesting that even this single doesn't complete the collection: these two tracks were originally released on a Japanese single in 1971. Something tells me that version will land in my collection pretty soon as well.

My collection: 7" single no. 7154
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'L'amour est bleu' / 'Les temps des fleurs'

Dios mio, como te quiero - Domenico Modugno

It's funny how Domenico Modugno keeps popping up on this blog, while I'm really only after three of his songs. However, 'Volare', 'Piove' and 'Dio, come ti amo' have all become classics and they have been covered by many artists as well. 

In the case of the latter, it was Domenico himself who recorded a different version. He recorded 'Dio, come ti amo' in Spanish and released it in Spanish-speaking countries as 'Dios mio, como te quiero'. Whether it was a big success in those territories, I don't know, but it is certainly as good as the original version.

My collection: 7" single no. 7157
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'Dios mio, como te quiero' / 'Es una cosa grande'

Dance butterfly - Milestones

The Milestones represented Austria at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1972 with 'Falter im Wind'. It remains one of the most underrated and undiscovered gems of Eurovision history, with its combination of dreamy lyrics and - a first on the Eurovision stage, I reckon - the use of a transverse flute. 

The band also recorded the song in English. That single is very rare, and I was lucky enough to pick up a copy that apparently used to be in the archives of Radio Miramar in Spain. It is, of course, a Spanish pressing of the single. 'Dance butterfly' sounds even better in English, I think.

My collection: 7" single no. 7156
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'Dance butterfly' / 'Oh fairy day'