Addio, addio (Good-bye) - Lou Monte

In 1962, Claudio Villa represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Addio, addio', a song composed by Domenico Modugno and lyrics by Franco Migliacci. The Italian American singer Louis Scaglione, better known as Lou Monte, was quick to jump on the bandwagon: his version of the song, translated into English by Carl Sigman, was released in May 1962.

Lou Monte (2 April 1917 – 12 June 1989) was an Italian American singer best known for a number of best-selling, Italian-themed novelty records which he recorded for both RCA Victor and Reprise Records in the late 1950s and early 1960s, most famously 'Lazy Mary' (1958) and the 1962/63 million-selling US single 'Pepino the Italian Mouse', plus the seasonal track 'Dominick the Donkey'.

My collection: 7" single no. 7330
Found: Discogs.com, received 18 September 2024
Tracks: 'Addio, addio (Good-bye)' / 'Please mr. Columbus (Turn the ship around)'

Mammie waar is pappa - Anny & Tosca

Tosca Verkooyen was born in 1969. She recorded her first single in 1979 together with Anny van de Ruit, the singer who would go on to record solo singles as Annie. I bought this single mostly as a curiosity, because it predates Annie's slightly legendary solo work.

Of course, there is an element of tragedy in this single as well: Tosca wonders where her dad is in this song, and Anny replies that he ran away with another woman. And so it fits in wonderfully with the repertoire we've come to know so well from Annie.

My collection: 7" single no. 7329
Found: Discogs.com, received 18 September 2024
Tracks: 'Mammie waar is pappa' / ''s Nachts langs de straat'

Romantica - Dalida

After recording 'Ciao ciao bambina (Piove)' in 1959, Dalida continued the next year with another cover version of an Italian Eurovision song: 'Romantica', originally performed by Renato Rascel. The version on this single was recorded in German, although a version in French also exists.

The other A-side (yes, this single actually has two A-sides) is the song 'Milord', which was another big hit around 1960. That song was recorded by a number of Eurovision artists, including Corry Brokken. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7328
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 September 2024
Tracks: 'Romantica' / 'Milord'

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'