Colorado - Xandra

Sandra Reemer renamed herself Xandra for the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest, singing 'Colorado'. I already owned the Dutch version of 'Colorado' and the English version of 'Colorado'. So when I saw this single, it was mainly the different sleeve that attracted me. The english version, announced on the sleeve, wasn't new to me, but I loved the sleeve variation, so I quickly decided to pick this single up.

I got home, looked at the singles a little closer, and suddenly I noted the other side of the sleeve, announcing a "deutsch. Version". And so I ended up buying a different version of this Eurovision song without really knowing it!

My collection: 7" single no. 6250
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, January 24, 2020
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Colorado (English version)' / 'Colorado (Deutsche Version)'

The freeze - Spandau Ballet

I thought I already owned all Spandau Ballet singles, but somehow this one stayed under my radar until now. 'The freeze' was the band's second single release, peaking at number 17 in the UK singles chart in early 1981. Taken from their debut album 'Journeys to glory', it has a cold, hard sound that was the band's trademark at the time.

The single also features a nice alternative version of the track on the B-side, a trick they would employ a few more times in later singles. I was glad to find a fine UK pressing of this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 6249
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, January 24, 2020
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'The freeze' / 'The freeze (version)'

Volare - Rosario e i Giaguari

This is the Belgian pressing of 'Volare' by Rosario e i Giaguari, and it differs from the other one. Not only because the sleeve says '45 extended mix', but also because both the tracks on the single are... shorter. Confusing? I should say so.

This version of 'Volare' was not a hit, but it will probably have served a certain amount of dance and/or Italo afficionados in discotheques back in 1989. I can't say that I dreamed of having these singles, but they're a nice curiosity nonetheless.

My collection: 7" single no. 6248
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, January 24, 2020
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Volare (radio version)' / 'Volare (dub version)'

Volare - Rosario e i Giaguari

There's no information about Rosario e i Giaguari anywhere, so there really isn't much to say about this band. All I know is that they released one album called 'Maccaroni & Pizza' in 1989, and it featured three singles that were released around that time.

The first of those singles was 'Volare', a 1989 version of the classic Eurovision song by Domenico Modugno. It contains all the hallmarks of the dance tracks from around that time, including the worn out James Brown sample. It is an interesting addition to my collection of Eurovision singles, simply because I love cover versions - and 'Volare' has been covered by half the world.

My collection: 7" single no. 6247
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, January 24, 2020
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Volare (radio version)' / 'Volare (dub version)'

Puisque tu l'aimes dis-le lui - Raffaella Carra

Another purchase that is explained by the artwork only. This French edition of Raffaella Carra's biggest hit, 'A far l'amore comincia tu' swaps the two sides to present the French version as the A-side track. Both the disc and the sleeve were made in France.

Raffaella Maria Roberta Pelloni was born on June 18, 1943 and became successful as a singer, dancer, TV presenter and actress. After her boom in the Italian market of the early 1970's, she moved to Spain, doing television and releasing records in the Spanish language. This led her to move to South America, where her records had been heard for some years. In 1979, she established her headquarters in Buenos Aires, which was under a military dictatorship. Raffaella Carrà was one of the figures of the ATC, the official television network of Argentina.

My collection: 7" single no. 6246
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, January 24, 2020
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Puisque tu l'aimes dis-le lui' / 'A far l'amore comincia tu'

If there is one thing that's forever - Nino de Angelo

Nino de Angelo represented Germany during the 1989 Eurovision Song Contest with a song written by Dieter Bohlen and Joachim Horn-Bernges, entitled 'Flieger'. Despite the star quality of both Bohlen (one half of Modern Talking) and Nino de Angelo, the song ended up in 14th place in a field of 22 competitors.

The song was also recorded in English as 'If there is one thing that's forever'. Dieter Bohlen made this version without the help of Horn-Bernges, so presumably Bohlen had more faith in his own capabilities when it came to writing songs in English.

My collection: 7" single no. 6245
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, January 24, 2020
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'If there is one thing that's forever' / 'Flieger'

Winds of chance - Stephanie

Stéphanie Marie Elisabeth Grimaldi, or princess Stephanie of Monaco as she is better known is a regular appearance on this blog, because she had a nice little music career in the second half of the 1980's and the beginning of the 1990's. Her last single 'You don't die from love' was featured here in 2016, and now I have found the last missing single, the equally ill-fated 'Winds of chance'.

Produced by Michael Verdick and Ron Bloom, this song reveals the rather thin voice of the princess, and some auto-mutant drum beats that do little to improve the song. Certainly not her best effort.

My collection: 7" single no. 6244
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, January 24, 2020
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Winds of chance' / 'Winds of chance (instrumental)'