Magical Mystery Tour - The Beatles

For a few years I have been checking out this double 7" single package of the Beatles called 'Magical Mystery Tour'. Most people know the tracks on this collection of songs, but the packaging is what makes the difference here. It's essentially a booklet of photographs with two EP's thrown in for extra enjoyment. It is the soundtrack to the Beatles television film of the same name. 

I got a little frustrated when I saw a few copies at the record fair in Den Bosch last month, and they were all tattered and torn - and dealers were still asking high prices for it! So I gave up, and I ordered a copy online. Luckily, this one is in "very good plus" shape, and when I received it, it exceeded my expectations. I don't really collect Beatles singles - you've got to draw the line somewhere - but this one is simply too good to let it pass.

My collection: 7" single no. 7462
Found: Discogs.com, received 21 November 2024
Tracks: 'Magical mystery tour', 'Your mother should know' / 'I am the walrus' // 'The fool on the hill', 'Flying' / 'Blue Jay way'

Meneer Tarzan - Rubberen Robbie

Dutch music is a strange beast. These days there aren't that many artists from the Netherlands that I enjoy, but back in the Eighties there seemed to be more creativity all around. Rubberen Robbie was a group that seemed to enjoy making parodies on wellknown songs, combined with humour all about being without a job and having to depend on benefits. 

'Meneer Tarzan' ('Mister Tarzan') is about someone who decides to leave the country and go living in the jungle. It is the chance to "finally meet mister Tarzan". It turns out that Tarzan has become quite old and is looking for his dentures. Sounds weird? Well, yes, and it's set to the tune of 'It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7460
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, 16 November 2024
Tracks: 'Meneer Tarzan' / 'Opa, ik zie tranen op uw wangen'

ABBA hits in Hindi - Various artists

Having hunted Abba singles throughout this year, I thought I'd seen most of them by now, but then I found myself bumping into this rarity. 'ABBA hits in Hindi' is an EP featuring four cover versions of Abba songs, but in Hindi. This single was actually made in India but somehow copies made it into the rest of the world, as evidenced by the 12 copies that are available online even right now. 

The artists on this EP are all from India, obviously, and the tracks sound like those radio stations you could bump into on the AM or FM band back in the day. But it's weird rarities like this that really excite me. Also, I wonder if they got permission to print that photograph on the sleeve.... I would hazard a guess that nobody cared back then.

My collection: 7" single no. 7455
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, 16 November 2024
Tracks: 'Abhi Nahin (Honey Honey)', 'Hasta Mastana (Hasta Mañana)' / 'Na jaane mere dil mein (Move on)', 'Mil mil sapnon mein aake (Ring Ring)'

Heart of stone - Bucks Fizz

Bucks Fizz had a succesful decade - the Eighties - but by the end of that decade things were starting to unravel. 'Heart of stone' was the group's 20th single and their last one to chart, reaching number 50 on the UK singles chart.

It was included in their greatest hits collection The Story So Far, released shortly after the release of this single, but since the single didn't get that high up in the singles chart, other recordings never saw the light of day. After that, Bucks Fizz fragmented and at some point there were even two versions of the group. Some members are still soldiering on as 'The Fizz' right now, but the old Eighties magic is long gone.

As for 'Heart of stone', it became a hit for Cher, who recorded it for her 1989 album of the same name.

My collection: 7" single no. 7454
Found: Discogs.com, received 13 November 2024
Tracks: 'Heart of stone' / 'Here's looking at you'

Land of La La - Stevie Wonder

I wouldn't exactly qualify this single as one of Stevie Wonder's best songs, but even an average Stevie Wonder song beats most other artists' output. 'Land of La La' is a song best described as 'wordy', because the lyrics - printed on the back cover of this single - take up most of the space there.

The song was written, produced and arranged by Stevie himself. Although the single was released worldwide, it only reached number 86 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and failed to chart everywhere else.

My collection: 7" single no. 7453
Found: Discogs.com, received 12 November 2024
Tracks: 'Land of La La' / 'Land of La La (instrumental)'

Love at first sight - Sounds Nice

Most people will be familiar with 'Je t'aime... moi non plus', the sensual single by Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin. This single presents a different version of that song, as it's an instrumental take.

Sounds Nice is an instrumental group consisting of organist Tim Mycroft with the arranger Paul Buckmaster and a host of session musicians. Besides the sighing and moaning on the original, it is the melody that impresses, and this version does take it centre stage. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7452
Found: Discogs.com, received 12 November 2024
Tracks: 'Love at first sight' / 'Love you too'

Bombers in the sky - Thompson Twins

Thompson Twins had reached the peak of their career in the mid-Eighties, but things weren't so successful when the decade drew to an end. The album Big Trash couldn't match the success of Into the gap, and the song 'Bombers in the sky' wasn't even released commercially in the UK. It passed most of Europe by also, by the way.

Cue the Spanish record company WEA, who created this promotional 7" single. It features the same song on both sides. This disc represents the only European 7" vinyl of the track.

My collection: 7" single no. 7451
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Bombers in the sky' / 'Bombers in the sky'