If we only have love - Paul Andrews

Who is Paul Andrews? Try as you might, you will not get an answer to this question, because the web lists a lot of Paul Andrews-es, but not this one. He released two singles: 'My Girl Maria' (1970) and this one, 'If we only have love' (1972), a cover version of Jacques Brel's 'Quand On N'a Que L'amour'.

But it's the B-side I was really interested in: it features a cover version of Marty Wilde's song 'Lullaby', which appeared on his 1969 album 'Diversions'. That album is fabulous and 'Lullaby' is one of the more gentle and touching tracks on it. This single was released in Angola, and so this marks the first time I ever bought a single that was pressed in that country. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6750
Found: Discogs.com, received 13 July 2022
Cost: €8
Tracks: 'If we only have love' / 'Lullaby'

Moitié-moitié - Carol Rich

The synthesizer became increasingly popular during the Eighties, and although it took a little while, the Eurovision Song Contest also caught on. During the second half of the decade many entries were so synth-heavy that the records almost couldn't cope with the walls of sound that were built. And this single is a good example.

Anne-Lyse Caille (stage name: Carol Rich) represented Switzerland in 1987 with a song called 'Moitié-moitié', which means either 'so so', 'half half' or 'fifty-fifty'. It highlights the good and bad aspects of love. All the synthesizers couldn't really help the song: it ended up in 17th place in a field of 22 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 6756
Found: Ebay, received 21 July 2022
Cost: €6
Tracks: 'Moitié-moitié' / 'Fou dans la tête'

The first day of love - Anne-Karine

Norway was an unlucky country when they participated in the Eurovision Song Contest. Although they started competing in 1960, their songs only made it to the top 3 once, in 1966. But they kept on trying, and by 1974 they depended on one man for their success: Arne Bendiksen delivered the majority of their songs during the 1970s. 

Anne-Karine Strøm was one of the Bendik Singers, who performed 'It's just a game' in 1973, and in 1974 she was back as a solo artist (with the other three members acting as her backing singers!). 'The first day of love' was performed in English.

My collection: 7" single no. 6754
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 July 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'The first day of love' / 'Harmony'

Der Sommer ging vorüber - Grethe & Jørgen Ingmann

When Grethe & Jørgen Ingmann won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1963 with 'Dansevise', it was the first time a Scandinavian country went away with the prize. The duo recorded two versions of their song in other languages: 'I loved you' in English and this one, 'Der Sommer ging vorüber' in German.

It's interesting that only the German version came with a colour picture sleeve. The B-side is a cover of the song 'The end of the world', written by Sylvia Dee and Arthur Kent and originally recorded by Skeeter Davis.

My collection: 7" single no. 6752
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 July 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Der Sommer ging vorüber' / 'Das Ende der Welt'

Look good tonite - ABC

ABC haven't had a vinyl single out since 1991, and that's why I almost jumped out of my seat when I saw the announcement of Electronic Sound magazine, that their latest issue would feature a free gold vinyl 7" of two unreleased ABC tracks. To be fair, 'Look good tonite' was released as a digital download for one day - which by chance I managed to download back then - but a digital release is not a release in my book.

And so, after waiting a couple of weeks, I received the magazine with the single from the UK. It is a real pleasure to have a new ABC single, and the two tracks are rather fabulous. I'm just waiting for them to release 'The Lexicon Of Love III'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6751
Found: Electronic Sounds magazine website, received 13 July 2022
Cost: £11.99 (with magazine)
Tracks: 'Look good tonite' / 'Sixty seconds later'

Genghis Khan - 5 Carat

5 Carat is a rather anonymous Japanese act that only ever released two singles. This is one of them: a cover version of the song Dschinghis Khan, performed at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1979 by the group of the same name. The song was composed by Ralph Siegel.

For this version, an arrangement was apparently made by Tachio Akano, a Japanese composer best known as the composer of the Machine Robo series. As a cover version it is quite accomplished. The lyrics are a mix of Japanese and English.

My collection: 7" single no. 6748
Found: Discogs.com, received 11 July 2022
Cost: $4
Tracks: 'Genghis Khan' / 'Genghis Khan (instrumental)'

Tubular bells - Mystic Sounds

When the movie 'The Exorcist' was released in 1973, it was quite a sensation. Despite initial mixed critical reviews, audiences flocked to it, waiting in long lines during winter weather and many doing so more than once. Some viewers suffered adverse physical reactions, fainting or vomiting to scenes in which the protagonist undergoes a realistic cerebral angiography and later violently masturbates with a crucifix. Even heart attacks and a miscarriage were reported.

This single was released in 1974, featuring a version of the Mike Oldfield composition 'Tubular Bells', performed by Mystic Sounds, an unidentified act who were able to replicate the original recording quite well. To me it's unclear if this version was also used in the movie - I haven't seen it in a long time.

My collection: 7" single no. 6747
Found: Discogs.com, received 11 July 2022
Cost: $3
Tracks: 'Tubular bells' / 'Iraq'