The winner takes it all - Abba

The story of 'The winner takes it all' was told on this blog in 2008. I wanted to buy the single during a holiday in Vienna when I was just nine years old, but I was talked out of it. I bought the Dutch pressing of the single a few months later for half price. 

But the story continues! I bought the Austrian pressing last week, during my stay in Vienna. And so it all comes full circle, after 45 years. That's pretty impressive. Even more impressive: this is by far the most colourful version of the sleeve. The blue is deeper than on any other sleeve pressed in Europe.

A good example of this is the French edition, which I bought last year. Instead of the Polydor logo the Vogue logo appears in the bottom left corner, but the photographs look dull and greyish.

My collection: 7" single no. 7797 / no. 7377
Found: Seven Star Records, Vienna, 14 October 2025 / Record fair, Rotterdam, 5 October 2024
Tracks: 'The winner takes it all' / 'Elaine' 

Band on the run - Paul McCartney & Wings

When I was in Vienna I was really there for a conference. But after hours I managed to visit a few record shops - mainly thanks to the generous opening hours. The first was Seven Star Records, situated near the shopping heart of the city, Mariahilferstrasse. It was a small, chaotic shop where singles, LP's and CD's were scattered around and where I spent a little time looking for goodies.

The first find was also the best: 'Band on the run', the title track of the Wings album from 1973. Originally, Paul McCartney planned not to release any singles from Band on the run, a strategy he compared to that used by the Beatles. However, he was convinced by Capitol Records vice president Al Coury to release singles from the album. The single ended up topping the US Billboard Hot 100, Canada and New Zealand. In the UK singles chart it reached number 3; in the Dutch Top 40 it reached number 7. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7796
Found: Seven Star Records, Vienna, 14 October 2025
Tracks: 'Band on the run' / 'Nineteen hundred and eighty five' 

A million in 1, 2, 3 - Dream Express

Dream Express was pretty successful when they participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1977. They ended up being 7th in a field of 18 participants and the single reached number 2 in the Belgian singles chart. This German edition of the single has a rather efficient sleeve.

Patricia Maessen left the group in 1979, and Luc Smets, Bianca Maessen and Stella Maessen continued as LBS until 1980. Stella represented Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest again as a solo artist with 'Si tu aimes ma musique'.

My collection: 7" single no. 7795
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'A million in 1, 2, 3' / 'Spinning top' 

Fantastic day - Haircut One Hundred

Although I bought 'Fantastic day' back in 2009, I didn't know that there was also a picture disc edition. So I stand corrected! Of course, this picture disc contains a live version instead of the studio version, so it is a worthwhile addition to my collection in more ways.

'Fantastic day' peaked at number 9 in the UK singles chart and a more modest number 85 in Australia.

My collection: 7" single no. 7794
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Fantastic day (live)' / 'Ski club' 

The fool on the hill - Alice

Italian singer Alice has an impressive career in Italy, but because she records almost exclusively in Italian she never managed to build a career in the rest of Europe. Almost, because occasionally she includes an English language song in her albums. 

'The fool on the hill' is of course a cover version of the Beatles song, and it is reasonably well done. Of course there is always the Italian accent, and the music was a bit synthetic, but the melody stands strong. It's a lovely little single.

My collection: 7" single no. 7793
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'The fool on the hill' / 'Il vento caldo dell'estate' 

Raggio di luna - Matia Bazar

Although 'Raggio di luna' already ended up in my collection back in 2017, I was quite surprised to find a German pressing of that same single with a slightly different sleeve. The funny thing is that on both sleeves the same photograph was used, but on this one it is shown entirely, whereas on the French edition it is cropped.

All this aside, 'Raggio di luna' was a daring Eurovision entry from Italy back in 1979, as the decision was made not to use the orchestra. As a result, the song ended up sounding a bit 'empty' and became 15th in a field of 19 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 7792
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Raggio di luna' / 'Pero che bello' 

Could it be magic - Donna Summer

The German sleeve of 'Could it be magic' is very different from the Dutch one, so I could be forgiven for thinking that I didn't already have this single. Fortunately this single comes with a different B-side as well. 'Come with me' is a track from the album A Love Trilogy, which was released in 1976, just like this single.

On the album 'Come with me' has a duration of 4 minutes and 20 seconds, and that is also the time listed on the label of this single. A full minute is left off this single version, as it fades out at 3 minutes and 20 seconds. The same happens on the A-side: 'Could it be magic' should be 5'20, but actually is two minutes shorter! German record buyers have been duped.

My collection: 7" single no. 7791
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Could it be magic' / 'Come with me'