You light up my life - Debby Boone

Debby Boone was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, the third of four daughters born to singer-actor Pat Boone and Shirley Foley Boone, daughter of country music star Red Foley. When Boone was 14 years old, she began touring with her parents and three sisters: Cherry, Lindy, and Laury. The sisters first recorded with their parents as The Pat Boone Family and later as the Boones or Boone Girls. They primarily recorded gospel music, although the sisters also released singles that were remakes of secular pop music featuring Debby as the lead vocalist.

With her older sisters married and younger sister Laury in college, Boone was actively encouraged by producer Mike Curb to launch a solo career. Boone released her first solo effort, 'You light up my life' (which had been featured in the film of the same name), in 1977. The song became the biggest hit of the Seventies, lasting ten consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart – longer than any other song in the Hot 100 history to that point. The B-side of the single features a cover version of the Abba song 'Hasta mañana', which was the main reason for me to buy this single. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8341
Found: Gaga Music, Goch (Germany), 15 July 2026
Tracks: 'You light up my life' / 'Hasta mañana' 

Rock me - Riva

'Rock Me’ was composed by Rajko Dujmić, with lyrics by Stevo Cvikić. Dujmić performed with his own band Novi Fosili in 1987 and composed both the Yugoslav entries ‘Ja zam sa ples’ in 1987 and ‘Mangup’ in 1988. His entry from 1989 would turn out to be a winner. Dujmić recalled: ‘Back then, the songs were sung in the language of the country you represented. There was no option to choose the English language, so I suggested to Cvikić to put two or three words in the lyrics in English.’ 

Emilija Kokić was only 21 years old. With Dalibor Musap (keyboards and vocals), Nenad Nakic (bass and vocals), Zvonimir Zrilic (guitar and vocals), and Boško Colic (drums), she formed Riva, the act that would win the Eurovision Song Contest this year. They were young and inexperienced, and certainly nervous during rehearsals. But after the rehearsals in the days leading up to the broadcast, those nerves slowly disappeared. Just like ‘La det swinge’ four years earlier, the juries were likely captivated by the song's retro feel. Riva was, despite being the winners of the competition, quite unpopular in Europe. ‘Rock Me’ did not sell in many countries and was not even released in some. Terry Wogan, the commentator for the United Kingdom, called it ‘the death knell’ for the competition.

My collection: 7" single no. 8340
Found: Gaga Music, Goch (Germany), 15 July 2026
Tracks: 'Rock me (English version)' / 'Rock me (Original version)' 

Head up to the sky - Spargo

'Head up to the sky' was Spargo's second hit in the Netherlands after 'You and me'. That first single was a good start for the band, because it topped the Dutch Top 40. Compared to that, this single was slightly disappointing, as it only made it to number 5. And while 'You and me' was a hit all over Europe, 'Head up to the sky' only made the charts in Belgium and Germany. 

I bought the single a long time ago, but I also culled it from my collection when I grew up, because I felt the song was not good enough. In fact, I threw away a lot of Dutch productions during the mid- to late-Eighties. It's good to have this single back again.

My collection: 7" single no. 8339
Found: Gaga Music, Goch (Germany), 15 July 2026
Tracks: 'Head up to the sky' / 'Inside your heart'

Mana mana - M.O.B.

Piero Umiliani wrote and recorded 'Mah-na mah-na', but the best known version was recorded by The Muppets. That wasn't the end of the song, however: many different cover versions exist, recorded by, amongst others, Hot Butter, Cake and Carlos Perón. 

This version by M.O.B. went unnoticed by most, because the title underwent a change: this version is called 'Mana mana' and includes some rapping and a steady Nineties beat. It was their only release.

My collection: 7" single no. 8338
Found: Gaga Music, Goch (Germany), 15 July 2026
Tracks: 'Mana mana' / 'Perfect move' 

Girls just want to have fun - Cyndi Lauper

In 1983, 1984 and beyond, Cyndi Lauper's 'Girls just want to have fun' was unavoidable. It was on the radio, on Music Box and Sky Channel, and everywhere else, so it seemed. I became sick of the song.

It's taken four decades, but I can finally listen to the song again. It's odd that I have quite a bit of Cyndi Lauper singles, but not her biggest hit. I finally got the chance to rectify that, because this copy popped up and I didn't even have to pay much for it. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8337
Found: Gaga Music, Goch (Germany), 15 July 2026
Tracks: 'Girls just want to have fun' / 'Right track, wrong train' 

Amiga Quartett - Ofra Haza

Readers of this blog will be familiar with the formula of the Amiga Quartett EP's: a collection of hits from a certain artist, like A-ha, Nena or Sandra. In the case of Ofra Haza, there was only one hit that really counted: the remixed version of 'Im nin' alu'. Three other tracks were added on this disc, but they were never chart hits in most territories - although 'Galbi' actually reached number 20 in the West German singles chart. 

Amiga, of course, was the state-owned record company of East Germany, before the Berlin wall fell. These days it's not too difficult to get your hands on these EP's, but obviously before the Nineties they were strictly available in the German Democratic Republic only.

My collection: 7" single no. 8336
Found: Gaga Music, Goch (Germany), 15 July 2026
Tracks: 'Im nin' alu', 'Galbi' / 'Eshal', 'Love song'

The runner - Three Degrees

'The Runner' was taken from the album New Dimensions by the Three Degrees. The single would be their penultimate hit in the Netherlands: only 'The heaven I need' in 1985 would reach the Dutch Top 40 after this. 

 

One of the members of the trio, Sheila Ferguson, wrote 'The Runner', together with Giorgio Moroder, who also produced the track. The German single came in this colourful picture sleeve.

 

My collection: 7" single no. 8335
Found: Gaga Music, Goch (Germany), 15 July 2026
Tracks: 'The runner' / 'Woman in love'