Liebelei - Raffaella Carrá

It had to happen, of course: after 'A far l'amore comincia tu' and 'Puisque tu l'aimes dis-le lui', I came across 'Liebelei', the German version of the original Italian song by Raffaella Carrá. I wouldn't actually hunt for it, but finding a copy for just one euro does make it a very attractive proposition.

This German version has a very different cover when compared to the other two, while the song remains pretty much the same. The German lyrics were written by German songwriter, journalist, author and yodel artist Gerd Thumser.

My collection: 7" single no. 7265
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'Liebelei' / 'Forte forte forte'

Touch the wind - Eydie Gormé

Whenever I see a single called 'Touch the wind', I immediately think of 'Eres tu', the famous Eurovision anthem from 1973 by Mocedades. They actually recorded the song in English with that title, and I am still looking for that particular single. Meanwhile, I found this version by Eydie Gormé.

Eydie Gormé was born as Edith Gormezano on 16 August 1928. She was an American singer who achieved notable success in pop, Latin, and jazz genres. She sang solo and in the duo Steve and Eydie with husband, Steve Lawrence, on albums and television. She also performed on Broadway and in Las Vegas. She died on 10 August 10, 2013, aged 84, at Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center in Las Vegas following an undisclosed illness.

My collection: 7" single no. 7264
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'Touch the wind' / 'It takes too long to learn to live alone'

Are you man enough - Five Star

I have a lot of singles by Five Star, but I've never come across this one. 'Are you man enough' was only released in the USA and features 'Summer groove' on the B-side - the track that appears on the B-side of 'Rain or shine' in the UK. 

You have to wonder why the band's biggest UK hit wasn't released in the USA - but that's record company policy for you. Also, why didn't 'Are you man enough' come in an attractive picture sleeve? Again, I think the US record company didn't do a proper job on this one. Nice track though.

My collection: 7" single no. 7263
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'Are you man enough (7" remix version)' / 'Summer groove'

It's no secret - Kylie Minogue

Kylie Minogue has just released a new single with two other female artists I've never heard of. It's not the best pop song I've ever heard but it will probably be a big hit, because it's a clever combination of popular names, apparently.

This single was released back in 1988, when Kylie was still working with Stock, Aitken and Waterman, and her voice sounded decidedly shrill. 'It's no secret' was released as the B-side of 'Wouldn't change a thing', but apparently it was a single in the USA around that time. It's a nice addition to the singles I already have, but I wouldn't have bought it if it weren't so cheap.

My collection: 7" single no. 7262
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'It's no secret' / 'Made in heaven'

Heart - Pet Shop Boys

It's worth hunting down Pet Shop Boys 12" singles if they contain one or more tracks that aren't available on CD. (Someday there will be a full box set of every track they've ever released, but I'm not sure if that will happen during my lifetime, so it's best to be on the safe side.)

This 12" single of 'Heart' features a dub mix and a 'remix', both of which don't appear on the CD-single of the same name. Unfortunately this copy is a bit crackly, but it still gives a good impression of these remixes which I would otherwise have missed out on.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Heart (remix)' / 'Heart (dub mix)', 'I get excited (You get excited too)'

Running up that hill - Elastic Band

Kate Bush's 'Running up that hill' was very popular two years ago, thanks to a certain Netflix series, but the song has always attracted some attention. There are many cover versions of the song, and this 12" single features just one of them.

Elastic Band recorded their version of the song in 1994 - a dance-infused track with lots of beats and thin vocals. It wasn't a patch on the original, of course, but it's an amusing take on the classic track nonetheless. And the cover is pretty beautiful, I have to say.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Running up that hill (Alex Party Version)' / 'Rolling down that mountain (Momentum mix)'

Als m'n moesje niet meer hier is - Annie

I think I mentioned before that the repertoire of Dutch singer Annie is full of morbid lyrics. A good example is this single, 'Als m'n moesje niet meer hier is' ('If my mum is no longer among us'). A guy meets a girl, they dance a lot, and suddenly the girl is pregnant and says that they have to get married. But the guy refuses, saying that he doesn't want to leave his mum alone, and she'd have to wait until 'my mum is no longer among us'. The girl gets angry and says she doesn't ever want to see him again. When the guy gets home, he finds his mum... dead. 

Yes, I told you there's something morbid about her lyrics.

The B-side is a bit more innocent: it's about a girl in prison, who finds some consolation in a guy who is waiting for her outside, while taking care of her child. Somehow I feel this story won't end well either - but that is not told in the lyrics this time.

Annie is a phenomenon, and certainly a singer who amused me a lot back in the day.

My collection: 7" single no. 2873
Found: Disco Market, 1985
Tracks: 'Als m'n moesje niet meer hier is' / 'Meisje in de Bijlmerbajes'