God only knows - The Beach Boys

This is a classic song and the single is very hard to find. I can't remember when I first heard the song, and I think it didn't even make much of an impression on me back then, but as the years went by, I grew to appreciate it more and more. When I finally decided I wanted to own this single, I couldn't find it anywhere, obviously. Thank god there's online sellers now - even if they tend to charge too much for their wornout singles.

Many songwriters, including Paul McCartney and Jimmy Webb, have cited 'God only knows' as their favorite song of all time. They're not wrong: it's a beautifully crafted piece of music.

My collection: 7" single no. 7481
Found: Discogs.com, received 30 November 2024
Tracks: 'God only knows' / 'Wouldn't it be nice'

Primary - The Cure

The Cure have finally released a new album, and it made me curious about their output all over again. Then I started to realise that I don't have all of their singles - and I'm not even familiar with all of them. I heard 'Primary' and decided that I wanted to have that single.

It was actually the only single taken from their album Faith, released in 1981. It was their seventh single, but only the second to chart in the UK after 'A forest'. It only reached number 43. The song is unusual in that both Simon Gallup and Robert Smith play bass, with the effects pedals on Smith's giving the leads a unique sound. There are no guitars (other than bass) or keyboards played in the song. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7480
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 November 2024
Tracks: 'Primary' / 'Descent'

Strange - Boney M

Like the title indicates, this single is indeed strange. In Germany, the B-side 'Felicidad' was released as a single, and it was quite successful too. However, a few months after its release, the B-side became the A-side and 'Strange' saw the light of day.

'Strange' was originally recorded by Dobby Dobson in 1969. He was a Jamaican reggae singer and producer who released over a hundred singles between the Sixties and Nineties. Dobson died on July 21 2020 from COVID-19 in Florida, aged 78.

My collection: 7" single no. 7479
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 November 2024
Tracks: 'Strange' / 'Felicidad'

Du kennst die Liebe nicht - Nena

As popular as Nena was in Germany during the first half of the Eighties, things became a lot quieter when the year 1984 arrived. Most of their singles didn't chart, and although the album 'Feuer und Flamme' reached number 2 in the German albums chart, the singles didn't fare as well. The title track made it to number 8, 'Haus der drei Sonnen' scraped to number 43 and the two remaining singles didn't even chart. 

The last single taken from the album was 'Du kennst die Liebe nicht', released in 1985. The single features a live version of the same track on the B-side.

My collection: 7" single no. 7475
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 November 2024
Tracks: 'Du kennst die Liebe nicht' / 'Du kennst die Liebe nicht (live)'

Live and let die - Paul McCartney & Wings

One of the singles I've been after for a couple of years now is 'Live and let die', the theme song of the 1973 James Bond film of the same name. Originally, the movie's producer Harry Saltzman was interested in having Shirley Bassey or Thelma Houston perform it instead of Wings. George Martin said McCartney would allow the song to be used in the movie only if Wings was able to perform the song in the opening credits. The recording contract specified that McCartney would "perform the title song under the opening titles".

After the release of the single, it reached number 2 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 9 in the UK singles chart. Amazingly, it only reached number 27 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 7470
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 November 2024
Tracks: 'Live and let die' / 'I lie around'

Love her madly - The Doors

Band guitarist Robby Krieger wrote 'Love her madly' during the period of Jim Morrison's trial in September 1970. He composed the music while experimenting on a twelve string guitar, and he was inspired to write the lyrics from his troubles and fights with his then-girlfriend and later-wife Lynn. Ray Manzarek has said that the song's title was taken from Duke Ellington's line 'We love you madly', a catchphrase which he used to utter to the audience at the end of his concerts.

The B-side of the single, '(You need meat) Don't go no further', is the only studio recording released by the Doors during Jim Morrison's tenure with the group to feature a lead vocal by keyboardist Ray Manzarek. It is also one of only three non-album B-sides by the Doors, the other two being 'Who scared you?' (B-side of 'Wishful sinful') and the relatively rare post-Morrison track 'Treetrunk' (B-side of 'Get up and dance'). '(You need meat) Don't go no further' met its first official album release on the compilation album Weird scenes inside the gold mine. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7469
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 November 2024
Tracks: 'Love her madly' / '(You need meat) Don't go no further'

Have a cigar - Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd became one of the most famous bands in the world because of the album Dark side of the moon, released in 1973. After this, they continued making remarkable records, and 'Have a cigar' appeared on the next album Wish you were here. 

In some markets, the song was issued as a single. English folk-rock singer Roy Harper provided lead vocals on the song. In his book Pigs Might Fly: The Inside Story of Pink Floyd, author Mark Blake recounts that Gilmour had been unwilling to sing the lead vocal as he did not share Waters' opinions, as expressed in the lyrics, on the nature of the music industry. Waters has since said he dislikes Harper's version, saying he would have liked it to emerge 'more vulnerable and less cynical', adding that Harper's version was too parodic while Gilmour loved Harper's vocal delivery and called it the 'perfect version'. I'm inclined to take Gilmour's side, since Waters has since proved to be a lunatic.

My collection: 7" single no. 7468
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 November 2024
Tracks: 'Have a cigar' / 'Shine on you crazy diamond (part 1)'

Lola (live) - The Kinks

Around the time of John Lennon's death, the Kinks released a live version of their song 'Lola'. I remember this quite vividly, because a picture of the sleeve appeared in the printed version of the Dutch Top 40 and I always thought it was an image of a big cross. It seemed like quite a biblical sleeve. Of course, upon closer inspection - weeks later - I saw this was actually a live photograph of Ray Davies!

I didn't really like the song a lot back then, but as things go, you get to appreciate things decades later sometimes. And the added attraction of a colour vinyl edition - in this case, blue - also helped. And so I was glad to find a good copy, finally, after having failed to do so for a few years. The fact that the single arrived together with that Beatles one, really made my day.

My collection: 7" single no. 7464
Found: Discogs.com, received 21 November 2024
Tracks: 'Lola (live)' / 'Celluloid heroes'

Let it be me - Hep Stars

It has become common practice for me, when I buy singles online, to search for 'Ulvaeus', because you never know when you might pick up some obscure Abba release, or a cover version. But this time the Hep Stars turned up, thanks to the B-side of this single. I knew the title 'Let it be me' somehow, but I didn't really know the song. And so I listened to it online - and that's when I remembered that song from very long ago. Obviously I had to have it. 

'Let it be me' was released in 1968, and it was based on 'Je t'appartiens', which was written in by Gilbert Bécaud and his frequent collaborator, lyricist Pierre Delanoë. Delanoë reportedly wrote the lyrics for Bécaud as an apology for missing one of the singer's performances at the Olympia in Paris. The most famous version was recorded by the Everly Brothers in 1959 - but the Swedish band were actually a year earlier! So which version did I know? I can't recall. Lovely song, though.

My collection: 7" single no. 7463
Found: Discogs.com, received 21 November 2024
Tracks: 'Let it be me' / 'A flower in my garden'

Magical Mystery Tour - The Beatles

For a few years I have been checking out this double 7" single package of the Beatles called 'Magical Mystery Tour'. Most people know the tracks on this collection of songs, but the packaging is what makes the difference here. It's essentially a booklet of photographs with two EP's thrown in for extra enjoyment. It is the soundtrack to the Beatles television film of the same name. 

I got a little frustrated when I saw a few copies at the record fair in Den Bosch last month, and they were all tattered and torn - and dealers were still asking high prices for it! So I gave up, and I ordered a copy online. Luckily, this one is in "very good plus" shape, and when I received it, it exceeded my expectations. I don't really collect Beatles singles - you've got to draw the line somewhere - but this one is simply too good to let it pass.

My collection: 7" single no. 7462
Found: Discogs.com, received 21 November 2024
Tracks: 'Magical mystery tour', 'Your mother should know' / 'I am the walrus' // 'The fool on the hill', 'Flying' / 'Blue Jay way'

Meneer Tarzan - Rubberen Robbie

Dutch music is a strange beast. These days there aren't that many artists from the Netherlands that I enjoy, but back in the Eighties there seemed to be more creativity all around. Rubberen Robbie was a group that seemed to enjoy making parodies on wellknown songs, combined with humour all about being without a job and having to depend on benefits. 

'Meneer Tarzan' ('Mister Tarzan') is about someone who decides to leave the country and go living in the jungle. It is the chance to "finally meet mister Tarzan". It turns out that Tarzan has become quite old and is looking for his dentures. Sounds weird? Well, yes, and it's set to the tune of 'It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7460
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, 16 November 2024
Tracks: 'Meneer Tarzan' / 'Opa, ik zie tranen op uw wangen'

ABBA hits in Hindi - Various artists

Having hunted Abba singles throughout this year, I thought I'd seen most of them by now, but then I found myself bumping into this rarity. 'ABBA hits in Hindi' is an EP featuring four cover versions of Abba songs, but in Hindi. This single was actually made in India but somehow copies made it into the rest of the world, as evidenced by the 12 copies that are available online even right now. 

The artists on this EP are all from India, obviously, and the tracks sound like those radio stations you could bump into on the AM or FM band back in the day. But it's weird rarities like this that really excite me. Also, I wonder if they got permission to print that photograph on the sleeve.... I would hazard a guess that nobody cared back then.

My collection: 7" single no. 7455
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, 16 November 2024
Tracks: 'Abhi Nahin (Honey Honey)', 'Hasta Mastana (Hasta Mañana)' / 'Na jaane mere dil mein (Move on)', 'Mil mil sapnon mein aake (Ring Ring)'

Heart of stone - Bucks Fizz

Bucks Fizz had a succesful decade - the Eighties - but by the end of that decade things were starting to unravel. 'Heart of stone' was the group's 20th single and their last one to chart, reaching number 50 on the UK singles chart.

It was included in their greatest hits collection The Story So Far, released shortly after the release of this single, but since the single didn't get that high up in the singles chart, other recordings never saw the light of day. After that, Bucks Fizz fragmented and at some point there were even two versions of the group. Some members are still soldiering on as 'The Fizz' right now, but the old Eighties magic is long gone.

As for 'Heart of stone', it became a hit for Cher, who recorded it for her 1989 album of the same name.

My collection: 7" single no. 7454
Found: Discogs.com, received 13 November 2024
Tracks: 'Heart of stone' / 'Here's looking at you'

Land of La La - Stevie Wonder

I wouldn't exactly qualify this single as one of Stevie Wonder's best songs, but even an average Stevie Wonder song beats most other artists' output. 'Land of La La' is a song best described as 'wordy', because the lyrics - printed on the back cover of this single - take up most of the space there.

The song was written, produced and arranged by Stevie himself. Although the single was released worldwide, it only reached number 86 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and failed to chart everywhere else.

My collection: 7" single no. 7453
Found: Discogs.com, received 12 November 2024
Tracks: 'Land of La La' / 'Land of La La (instrumental)'

Love at first sight - Sounds Nice

Most people will be familiar with 'Je t'aime... moi non plus', the sensual single by Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin. This single presents a different version of that song, as it's an instrumental take.

Sounds Nice is an instrumental group consisting of organist Tim Mycroft with the arranger Paul Buckmaster and a host of session musicians. Besides the sighing and moaning on the original, it is the melody that impresses, and this version does take it centre stage. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7452
Found: Discogs.com, received 12 November 2024
Tracks: 'Love at first sight' / 'Love you too'

Bombers in the sky - Thompson Twins

Thompson Twins had reached the peak of their career in the mid-Eighties, but things weren't so successful when the decade drew to an end. The album Big Trash couldn't match the success of Into the gap, and the song 'Bombers in the sky' wasn't even released commercially in the UK. It passed most of Europe by also, by the way.

Cue the Spanish record company WEA, who created this promotional 7" single. It features the same song on both sides. This disc represents the only European 7" vinyl of the track.

My collection: 7" single no. 7451
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Bombers in the sky' / 'Bombers in the sky'

Nee, je moet het je broer laten doen - Rubberen Robbie

Last month my brother passed away and it was one of those things you expect to happen, except you just don't know when exactly. He wasn't an easy person to live with, my brother, and during these last few years there were multiple complications with his declining health and a big (and I do mean BIG) collection having to move from one house to another. It was a huge undertaking. 

With most of the moving done, he passed away. I faced another apartment that needs to be emptied out - by someone or another. I remembered this little single, hiding away in my collection. I don't often post Dutch music on my blog, because listeners overseas can't really understand the music, but this one by the group Rubberen Robbie was too appropriate for my recent predicament. 'Nee, je moet het je broer laten doen' ('No, you must let your brother do it') is something that came back in my head almost instantly. 

My collection: 7" single no. 930
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1989
Tracks: 'Nee, je moet het je broer laten doen' / 'Onder me klomp'

Remixes - Human League

Although the Human League were important players in the early Eighties synthpop movement, their 12" single output was less than impressive. They did release some extended versions of their singles, but for some reason it took a turn of the century to come up with more radical remixes.

In 2003 the album The Very Best of The Human League was released, a double CD with 17 of their biggest hits plus a bonus CD with 11 remixes. One of the remixes was 'Open your heart (The Strand remix)', which appears on the A-side of this 10" single. The B-side is a remix that doesn't appear on the CD: an 'Extended Family Vocal Mix' of 'The Sound of the crowd'. There was no excuse to leave this disc behind.

My collection: 10" single [unnumbered]
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Open your heart (The Strand remix)' / 'The sound of the crowd (Extended Family vocal mix)'

Sevince - Nazar

'Sevince' ('When I'm in love') was the Turkish entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1978 in Paris, performed by Nilüfer & Nazar in the country's first appearance since 1975. The song is an up-tempo number about the power of love and the song talks about love and how it is good when we are loved by someone.  

Nazar included Olcayto Ahmet Tuğsuz who went on to compose Turkey's Eurovision entries in 1982 and 1987 and San Marino's entries in 2016 and 2019. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7449
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Sevince' / 'Darling'

Oui, oui, oui, oui - Jean-Paul Mauric

Jean Philippe represented France at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1959 with 'Oui, oui, oui, oui'. Such was the popularity of the song that many other artists recorded versions of the song. The most famous version was recorded by Sacha Distel.

But Jean-Paul Mauric also had a shot at the song. It appears on this EP, which also features three other songs. Mauric would get his own chance to represent his country two years later with 'Printemps (Avril carillonne)'.

My collection: 7" single no. 7448
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Mon ange gardien', 'Ne m'oublie pas' / 'Oui oui oui oui', 'La marche des gosses'

Ik wil gelukkig zijn - Micha Marah

Micha Marah participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1979 with the song 'Hey nana'. She never recorded the song, until last year. Unfortunately it wasn't released on a 7" single.

In 1986 she did record a Eurovision song: a cover version of 'Über die Brücke geh'n' in Dutch. In this version it is called 'Ik wil gelukkig zijn' ('I want to be happy'). 

My collection: 7" single no. 7447
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Ik wil gelukkig zijn' / 'Iedere dans'

Sprattelgumma - Siw Malmkvist

The song 'Puppet on a string' by Sandie Shaw won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1967, and what followed was a tsunami of cover versions in many different languages. It's quite interesting how many versions there are - and some of them have appeared on this blog already.

Siw Malmkvist's version is performed in Swedish, just like the other three tracks on this EP. It also features a version of 'Downtown', which was another big hit in 1967. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7446
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Sprattelgumma', 'Nanting fanigt' / 'Arvid', 'Downtown'

Hou toch van mij - Maurice Hymans with the Westonians

As far as I know, the Belgian Eurovision entry from 1959 was only covered twice: once by Koen Crucke in 1996 (released on CD-single only) and this one by Maurice Hymans with the Westonians. They were considerably quicker to record the song: this single was released in 1959 already.

The group only released a few singles, all of them released in 1959.Not much is known about them. All I know is that it's nice to have a cover version of such an early Eurovision song.

My collection: 7" single no. 7445
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Hou toch van mij' / 'Monisima'

Posle tebe - Lola Novakovic

After Vicky Leandros won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1972 with 'Après toi', several artists recorded cover versions of that song. None was more remarkable than the Yugoslavian cover, recorded by Lola Novakovic. 

Released on the state-run Radio-Televizija Beograd label, this EP features 'Posle tebe', a Serbian version of the song. I saw this single online quite a few times and even wanted to order it from somewhere, but I'm glad I didn't - I bought a copy for just a few euros at the record fair last week. Saves a lot of shipping costs!

My collection: 7" single no. 7444
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Znam Zašto Živim', 'Posle Tebe (Après Toi)' / 'Malo Tražim', 'Kao Ljubičice (Come Le Viole)'

Ja, ja, ja - Louis Neefs

Louis Neefs recorded a cover version of Jean Philippe's 'Oui, oui, oui, oui', the French Eurovision entry of 1959. He did so incorrectly, because he named his version 'Ja, ja, ja', omitting the last 'oui' from the title. Otherwise it's a great version, sung in that typical style of his.

This single came without a picture sleeve, unfortunately, and it was apparently a promotional copy, as the sticker is still on the label. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7443
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Ja, ja, ja' / 'Zigeunerkind'

Walkin' in Lee Jeans - Claire Torry

In 1975 it was Ann Christy's turn to represent Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest. She did this with the song 'Gelukkig zijn', written by Mary Bouduin. Ann also recorded the song in English, titled 'Could it be happiness'.

Those exact words also appear in the song 'Walkin' in Lee Jeans', a single that was also released in 1975 and a promotional vehicle for, you guessed it, Lee Jeans. Bouduin explained that she originally wrote the song for this commercial, and then wrote Dutch lyrics for Ann Christy. Since the Eurovision rules stipulate that songs need to be original in order to enter, one has to wonder if this entry was entirely in line with the regulations!

My collection: 7" single no. 7442
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Walkin' in Lee Jeans' / 'Mean jeans'

Nee, nee laat dat - The Strangers

In 1964 the Antwerp group The Strangers released this 4 track EP featuring a cover version of Gigliola Cinquetti's 'Non ho l'eta', the winning song of that year's Eurovision Song Contest. Titled 'Nee, nee laat dat', it was rewritten by Lex Colman in Antwerp dialect. 

As far as I can gather, this is the oldest Eurovision cover by the Strangers. The group started in 1952. Their first performance took place on 7 January 1953 in Hoboken. By 1965 they had already performed 1000 times. They owed their popularity mainly to the fact that everyone could hum along to the original melodies and their translations were more understandable to most Flemish people than the original languages ​​in which the hits were sung. Yet their songs were never literal translations, but always completely new lyrics about often completely different subjects.

My collection: 7" single no. 7441
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'De nieuwe tram', 'Nee, nee laat dat' / 'Reutenkenteut', 'Georgette'

Vaer som du var - Birthe Wilke

When Corry Brokken appeared on the Eurovision stage to perform 'Net als toen' in 1957, Danish singer Birthe Wilke was one of her fellow contestants. She sang 'Skibet skal sejle i nat' for Denmark. After returning to her home country, she recorded this EP, featuring a Danish version of 'Net als toen'. 

'Vaer som du var' was given Danish lyrics by Knud Pheiffer. The rest of the EP is interesting too: it presents a variety of styles, from ballads to poppy light music. Birthe went on, of course, to represent Denmark once again in 1959 with 'Uh jeg ville ønske jeg var dig'.

My collection: 7" single no. 7440
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Huset i Canada', 'Vaer som du var' / 'Hvide syrener', 'Chocolata'

Elle était si jolie - Rika Zaraï

Rika Zaraï was 25 years old when she recorded this EP. It features four tracks and it included a version of the French entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 1963, 'Elle était si jolie'. 

The beautiful colour picture sleeve of this EP is intact, but unfortunately the disc comes with its flaws. Fortunately 'Elle était si jolie' can be played on this, otherwise I would have been very disappointed.

My collection: 7" single no. 7439
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Tournez manèges', 'Elle était si jolie' / 'Demain c'est dimanche', 'Pourquoi je t'aime'

Que bueno, que bueno - Los Sirex

Los Sírex is a Spanish rock band founded in 1959 in Barcelona and active until 1972. In 1977 they got together again and were active until 2012. It was initially formed by three members: Guillermo Rodríguez Holgado, Antonio Miers and Manuel Madruga (Manolo), then briefly joined by the vocalist Santi Carulla in 1960. By the end of 1960, the band consisted of Antoni Miquel Cerveró ("Leslie" or "L'Anxoveta") as lead vocalist, Lluís Gomis (Lluís Gomis de Prunera, 1944-2012) on the drums, Josep Fontseré Portolés (Pepe or Pep, Barcelona, 1945) on the rhythm guitar, Guillermo Rodríguez Holgado on the bass and Manolo Madruga on the lead guitar. They named the band after a component of eyeglasses: Guillermo worked at his father's glasses factory, where they used a filament called Sírex to adjust the lenses to the frames of the glasses.

In 1965 they recorded a version of that year's Spanish entry for the Eurovision Song Contest: 'Que bueno, que bueno', originally performed by Conchita Bautista. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7438
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Que bueno, que bueno' / 'Chao chao (Downtown)'

Guarda tus besos para mi - Los Mismos

Brotherhood of Man won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1976 with 'Save your kisses for me'. Two guys and two girls was a success formula introduced by Abba in 1974 and it would continue to be a success in later years as well (just think of Bucks Fizz, for example). 

Los Mismos was a Spanish trio, featuring two guys and one girl. (Perhaps they couldn't find a second girl!) They recorded a cover version of 'Save your kisses for me' in Spanish: 'Guarda tus besos para mi'.

My collection: 7" single no. 7437
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Guarda tus besos para mi' / 'Tiene tu cuerpo tres amantes'

Dès qu'un enfant chante - Bruno Guillain

Betty Missiego represented Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1979 with 'Su canción'. It was a big success: the song finished in second place, behind Israel's 'Hallelujah'. 

The French singer Bruno Guillain (born 9 January 1961) was born in Tizi Ouzou (Algeria).After a childhood in the Parisian suburbs, in Savigny-sur-Orge, he enrolled in 1977 at the Cours Cochet. In 1978, he landed a role in Michel Lang's film L'Hôtel de la plage. At the same time, he performed the songs 'Génération 78' and 'Ça me fait rêver' as a duet with Dalida. In 1979, he began a solo career with Dalida's authors and composers (Michel Jouveaux, Jeff Barnel, Tony Rallo, etc.) and the Petits chanteurs d'Asnières. 'Dès qu'un enfant chante' was his version of 'Su canción'. 

Struck by lung cancer, he succumbed to the consequences of his illness on 14 December 2011, aged 50.

My collection: 7" single no. 7436
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Dès qu'un enfant chante' / 'Je leur dis'

Bara sexton år - Gitte

With 'Lille dukke' I thought I had the oldest Eurovision cover version by Gitte Haenning, but she was already active in 1961, at the age of fifteen. This EP features four tracks, and the last one is a version of 'Allons, allons, les enfants', the entry of Monaco at the Eurovision Song Contest that year.

Gitte recorded the song with Swedish lyrics by Bo Eneby: 'Bara sexton år' ('Only sixteen years'). It's a charming piece of music, adding something that wasn't there in the original version.

My collection: 7" single no. 7435
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Varje stjärna i det blå', 'Borta bra, hemma bäst' / 'Gör vad du vill', 'Bara sexton år'

Lille dukke - Gitte Haenning

Throughout her career Gitte Haenning has been associated with the Eurovision Song Contest. She appeared on the Eurovision stage once, with 'Junger Tag', but she also recorded her share of covers of Eurovision songs. One of those cover versions appeared on this blog before: 'La, la, la' from 1968. 

This single predates that cover version by three years. 'Lille dukke' is a version of 'Poupée de cire, poupée de son', with Danish lyrics by Thøger Olesen.

My collection: 7" single no. 7434
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Lille dukke' / 'Hvorfor tænke på i morgen'

Wenn ich dich verlier - Hoffman & Hoffmann

Alan Sorrenti represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1980 with 'Non so che darei'. The song had a certain hit potential, and this was recognized by other artists as well. Some years before Hoffman & Hoffman would represent Germany at the same event, they recorded a cover version of the song in German.

'Wenn ich dich verlier' was given German lyrics by Bernd Meinunger and released as a single by the German duo.

My collection: 7" single no. 7433
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Wenn ich dich verlier' / 'Nimm den nächtsten Zug nach Wuppertal'

Non, à jamais sans toi - Patricia Carli

'Non, à jamais sans toi' was the Swiss entry for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1965. The song was performed by the Greek singer Yovanna, but the song was never released as a single. (It did appear on a 'greatest hits' album by Yovanna many years later.)

Rosetta Ardito (born 12 March 1938), known by her stage name Patricia Carli, is an Italian and Belgian origin French singer, songwriter, lyricist and composer. She grew up in Belgium, where her parents had emigrated for work. After studying music and singing, she began performing in public and in a few years she became well known in Belgium and in France.

In 1965 she recorded 'Non, à jamais sans toi', hoping to cash in on the success of the song on the Eurovision stage. During last week's record fair I actually scored two copies of the single. First I found a two track single in the offiical 'Bel Air' record company sleeve. After a walk through the record fair I returned to the same seller, and as it turned out, he also had a four track EP with a picture sleeve! Luckily, both singles weren't very expensive, so I decided to buy that one as well. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7409, no. 7432
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Ce que tu es pour moi' / 'Non (a jamais sans toi' (no. 7409); 'Non (a jamais sans toi)', 'Ce que tu es pour moi' / 'Oublie que je t'aime', 'Pagliacci (Comme des pantins)' (no. 7432)