San Remo 59 - Bruno Martino

In december 2021 I bought a single by Bruno Martino featuring a cover version of 'Piove'. Of course, while I was ordering some singles this month I had forgotten all about it and when I saw this great EP I ordered it instantly. Well, at least this one has a picture sleeve and two extra tracks.

His first recording, 'Mocambo Bongo' was released on a 78rpm shellac record. He continued to release music until the early Nineties, and passed away on 12 June 2000. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8356
Found: Discogs.com, received 21 July 2026 
Tracks: 'Piove', 'Li per li' / 'Sempre con te', 'Un bacio sulla bocca'

Piove - Los Españoles

The five members of Los Españoles were Manuel Perez ("Lito") on saxophone, clarinet, guitar and violin; José Luis Muñoz on guitar and bass; Marcelino López ("Candelas") on drums, trumpet, and violin, all from La Coruña; Miguel Laiz on piano and accordion, from León; and Antonio Moldes, on trumpet, guitar, violin, and bass, from Pontevedra.

Together they released a handful of albums during the Sixties and Seventies, as well as 50 singles and EP's. This EP was released in 1959, shortly after Domenico Modugno participated in the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Piove'. That song appears as the final track on this EP, but obviously this was the reason why I bought it.

My collection: 7" single no. 8355
Found: Discogs.com, received 21 July 2026
Tracks: 'Sevilla mambo', 'S'agapó (Ti ein avtó pou to lene agápi)' / 'La paloma', 'Piove (Ciao ciao bambina)' 

I've been waiting for you - Joan Ellis

If this title seems familiar to you, then you're a true Abba fan. I am not, because the only reason I found this single is that I was looking for 'Ulvaeus' in the sales collection of a Discogs seller. It's a habit, of course, because I like to find Abba cover versions, but this one was unexpected. 

Joan Ellis was born as Annemarie van Splunteren in Amsterdam in 1952. This single was her debut. Famous Dutch musician and presenter Jan Rietman arranged and produced it. Joan released three singles in three years, then released her debut album Not the first mistake in 1981. Her take on the Abba song is admirable, but not as refined as the original.

My collection: 7" single no. 8357
Found: Discogs.com, received 21 July 2026
Tracks: 'I've been waiting for you' / 'Nobody knows' 

Merci Cherie - Ray Anthony

Ray Anthony (born Raymond Antonini on 20 January 1922) is an American retired bandleader, trumpeter, songwriter and actor. He is best known for his tenure as a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, from 1940 to 1941, and later for successfully leading his own big band. Anthony continued to tour around the United States in big bands before retiring in 1998. At the age of 104, he is the last living member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

Back in 1966 he recorded this instrumental cover version of 'Merci Cherie', the famous song by Udo Jurgens. And that is, of course, a great way to end up in my record collection.

My collection: 7" single no. 8354
Found: Discogs.com, received 21 July 2026
Tracks: 'Merci Chérie' / 'Goodbye my love (Il silenzio)' 

Respectable / Showing out (Get fresh at the weekend) - Mel & Kim

Mel & Kim Appleby didn't release a lot of singles, but I managed to buy quite a few copies through the years with different sleeves and configurations. The latest addition is this single in the Atlantic Oldies Series, presumably released some time after their success in 1986 and 1987. 

The single brings together 'Respectable' and 'Showing out', their first two singles under the professional guidance of Stock, Aitken & Waterman. There's an interesting exhibition of Mel & Kim memorabilia at the V&A museum in London right now, check it out if you can.

My collection: 7" single no. 8353
Found: Discogs.com, received 21 July 2026
Tracks: 'Respectable' / 'Showing out (Get fresh at the weekend)'

Someone's in love - Five Star

'Someone's in love' was a track from Five Star's 1988 album Rock The World, and it was released as a single in the US only. The 12" single had an interesting picture sleeve, but the 7" single was more modest and came in an RCA record company sleeve.

The single presented a '7" radio mix' which was also on the US pressing of the album. Doris sang the lead vocals on this track rather than sister Denise, who was lead singer on all of Five Star's singles up to this point. The single only charted in the specialized R&B chart in the USA.

My collection: 7" single no. 8352
Found: Discogs.com, received 21 July 2026
Tracks: 'Someone's in love (7" radio mix)' / 'Rare groove'

Gimme some love - Gina G

Earlier this year I bought the promotional 10" single of Gina G's 'Gimme some love' and when I wrote the entry about it on this blog I discovered there was also a 7" single of that song. It took me a while to find a good (and cheap!) copy of that single, but here we are.

This 7" single presents the album version and the Eurobeat mix of the song, and as you can hear they are very similar. The CD-singles presented more remixes of the song, and they were all collected in an impressive little box set released by Cherry Red last year.

My collection: 7" single no. 8351
Found: Discogs.com, received 21 July 2026
Tracks: 'Gimme some love' / 'Gimme some love (Eurobeat mix)'