1 2 3 - Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine

'1 2 3' is a 1988 song by American singer and songwriter Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine. The song was written by the band's drummer and lead songwriter Enrique "Kiki" Garcia along with Estefan and appears on the multi-platinum album Let It Loose. Released as the fifth and final single from that album in early summer of 1988, it peaked at number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in July 1988, and was the band's 7th and last Top 10 hit. On the UK Singles Chart it peaked at number 9. 

This single was released in an attractive poster sleeve, in order to boost sales. It's one of many poster sleeves of Estefan in my collection!

My collection: 7" single no. 7273
Found: Discogs.com, received 13 July 2024
Tracks: '1 2 3' / 'Surrender'

All hits on deck - The 3 Jacksons

Although the 3 Jacksons issued lots of singles as 'Accordeon Potpourri no. [x]', this one is called 'All hits on deck', despite it being number 44 and 45 in the series. It's odd, especially when you see that this single seems to consist of two singles, as most potpourri's are split across two sides and these two have a silent bit in the middle. It's all technicalities, of course, and of little interest to most.

What is of interest on this one, is the bit where they play 'Tom Pillibi', the song that gave Jacqueline Boyer her victory at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1960. And that is why I bought this one, of course.

My collection: 7" single no. 7269
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'Milord/Mustapha/Valentino/Tom Pillibi/Paper roses/Nur Charly schenkte mir Blumen' / 'Aan de Amsterdamse grachten/Lang geleden/Sie war nicht älter als 18 Jahr/Barcelona/Banjo Boy/Ramona'

Accordeon Potpourri no. 57 - The 3 Jacksons

The productive trio The 3 Jacksons released quite a lot of their Accordeon Potpourri's, and this is number 57. Obviously I'm selective about which ones I buy; they either have to be linked to Marty Wilde (like number 62) or the Eurovision Song Contest (like all the other ones). This one features a piece of 'Fernando en Filippo', the song that appeared in the 1966 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Fact freaks may have noticed that the group is named 'The Three Jacksons' on the sleeve, but on the label they are still 'The 3 Jacksons'. Fortunately some things are still the same.

My collection: 7" single no. 7268
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'Tingeling/Wind me up (and let me go)/Nikkelen Nelis' / 'Fernando en Filippo/Marmer, staal en steen vergaan/Shame and scandal in the family'

Cry and be free - Marilyn

I was only vaguely familiar with Marilyn's second single 'Cry and be free', released just before his only Dutch hit 'You don't love me'. 

Marilyn's first chart success came in late 1983 with his debut single 'Calling Your Name', which reached the Top 5 in the UK and Australia. 'Cry and be free' was less successful, as it only reached number 31 in the UK and number 24 in Australia. I found this perfect copy of the UK pressing, and I couldn't resist. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7271
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'Cry and be free' / 'Running'

Nothing in common - Thompson Twins

After the album Here's to future days, the one that yielded the singles 'Don't mess with doctor dream' and 'King for a day', Thompson Twins recorded 'Nothing in common' for the movie of the same name. It was the only single they released in 1986. 

The song was written by Alannah Currie and Tom Bailey, and produced by Geoffrey Downes and Bailey. With the departure of band member Joe Leeway earlier in 1986, "Nothing in Common" was the Thompson Twins' first release as a duo. It reached number 54 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

My collection: 7" single no. 7267
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'Nothing in common' / 'Nothing to lose'

Jealous guy - Susan Shirley

This copy of 'Jealous guy' by Susan Shirley is far from perfect: the sleeve is tattered and torn, but at least the disc itself plays reasonably well. I was curious enough about this John Lennon cover to want to buy this single - it helped that it was so cheap, of course. 

Susan Shirley released ten singles between 1968 and 1972, and this cover of 'Jealous guy' was not her most famous release. That would be 'True love and apple pie', a song she recorded in 1971 and which became known as 'I'd like to teach the world to sing (in perfect harmony)'. As for 'Jealous guy': the version by Roxy Music remains the best cover version.

My collection: 7" single no. 7266
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'Jealous guy' / 'Oh Yoko!'

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'