Qu'est-ce qu'une autre annee - Noelle Cordier

Johnny Logan won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1980 with 'What's another year'. Noelle Cordier, herself a Eurovision veteran having represented France with 'Il doit faire beau la-bas' in 1967, decided to record a cover version of the song - in French.

'Qu'est-ce qu'une autre annee' is a faithful reproduction of the original song, but with less feeling. The French lyrics were provided by Claude Lemesle.

My collection: 7" single no. 7327
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 September 2024
Tracks: 'Qu'est-ce qu'une autre annee' / 'Un peu d'amour'

Een paljaske van ne vent - The Strangers

The Belgian band The Strangers have appeared on this blog before, and most of their singles I own are covers of Eurovision songs. This one is no exception, and it's the oldest one of the lot: 'Een paljaske van ne vent' is a version of 'Puppet on a string', the song with which Sandie Shaw won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1967. 

This song turns the original idea of the lyric around: while the woman in the original version is a 'puppet on a string', in this song the man is a 'clown of a guy', because he is suppressed by his wife. He comes up with an idea to hook her up with another man but the same night she comes back, the other man by her side. As always, the song is probably better understood by those who speak the Antwerp dialect.

My collection: 7" single no. 7326
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 September 2024
Tracks: 'Een paljaske van ne vent' / 'Een plat tangoke'

Ik ben verliefd - Ronny Temmer

Ronny Temmer (Oudenaarde, 23 April 1942) is a Flemish pop singer, who was popular during the 1960s. His name remains associated with the song 'De Ranke Roos'. This baker's son - born as Jean-Pierre De Temmerman - was initially a postman, but became a professional singer after his success in Canzonissima. Canzonissima was the biennial selection competition for participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, when it was the Flemish broadcaster's turn. 

In 1970 he recorded a Flemish version of the Luxembourg entrance to that year's Eurovision Song Contest, 'Je suis tombé du ciel'. It was translated as 'Ik ben verliefd' ('I'm in love') by Yves de Vriendt.

My collection: 7" single no. 7325
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 September 2024
Tracks: 'Ik ben verliefd' / 'Mam'selle'

Voi-Voi - Nora Brockstedt

In 1988, Nora Brockstedt re-recorded 'Voi Voi', the song with which she represented Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1960. The reason for thsi re-recording is unknown, but it does have all the trademarks of an Eighties recording, and sounds more 'modern' than the 1960 version.

In her last years, Brockstedt focused more on the jazz genre, with successful albums like As Time Goes By (JazzAvdelingen, 2004) and Christmas Songs (JazzAvdelingen, 2005). She sang jazz in the 1960s, but was more known for her 'conventional' pop songs. She died after a short illness at Ullevaal Hospital in Oslo on 5 November 2015, aged 92.

My collection: 7" single no. 7324
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 September 2024
Tracks: 'Voi-Voi' / 'Oslo - Oslo'

Come-Comedie - Nicole Josy & Hugo Sigal

Nicole Josy and Hugo Sigal represented Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1971 (with 'Goeiemorgen morgen') and in 1973 (with 'Baby baby'). In 1972 they didn't compete, because in Belgium the Flemish and Walloon broadcasters take turns when they represent their country. Still, the Eurovision bug was scratching the duo, and so they decided to record a Flemish cover of the French entry of 1972: 'Come-comedie', originally performed by Betty Mars.

The lyrics for this version were written by Ernie Frank, a prolific songwriter in Belgium during the Sixties and Seventies.

My collection: 7" single no. 7323
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 September 2024
Tracks: 'Come-comedie' / 'Hello my love'

Marcel - Margot Eskens

Although Heidi Brühl was selected internally to sing five songs for the German national final for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1963, other artists were quick to jump on that bandwagon. The winning song, 'Marcel', which Heidi went to London with, was quickly covered by Margot Eskens, in the hopes of having a hit with it as well.

While Heid Brühl recorded 'Das grosse Spiel' as the B-side, a song she didn't perform at the national final, Margot did a smarter thing and recorded 'Ein schöner Tag' on the B-side - the song that was the runner-up during the national final. In the end, both versions of 'Marcel' only reached number 36 in the German chart during a one week run.

My collection: 7" single no. 7322
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 September 2024
Tracks: 'Marcel' / 'Ein schöner Tag'

Mijn moesje - Annie

A lot has been written about Annie on this blog, particularly the lyrics of her Eighties singles which were a bit morbid at times. Those lyrics can't be followed by those of you who can't understand Dutch, which is why I try to describe them.

'Mijn moesje' ('My mum') is very different from previous singles, because it is a bit of a tribute to mothers. The singer expresses her love and gratitude to her mum, but in the last verse it turns out that mum is old and parked in a retirement home. The B-side, 'Je bent toch mijn zoon' ('You're still my son') sounds like a lament of a mum who has a son that never comes to visit. "Why don't you come and see me?", she complains.

This was Annie's last single, released in 1986. Annie passed away in 2013.

My collection: 7" single no. 7258
Found: Discogs.com, received 4 July 2024
Tracks: 'Mijn moesje' / 'Je bent toch mijn zoon'