This single was released in an attractive poster sleeve, in order to boost sales. It's one of many poster sleeves of Estefan in my collection!
My collection: 7" single no. 7273
Found: Discogs.com, received 13 July 2024
Tracks: '1 2 3' / 'Surrender'
This single was released in an attractive poster sleeve, in order to boost sales. It's one of many poster sleeves of Estefan in my collection!
My collection: 7" single no. 7273
Found: Discogs.com, received 13 July 2024
Tracks: '1 2 3' / 'Surrender'
What is of interest on this one, is the bit where they play 'Tom Pillibi', the song that gave Jacqueline Boyer her victory at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1960. And that is why I bought this one, of course.
My collection: 7" single no. 7269
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'Milord/Mustapha/Valentino/Tom Pillibi/Paper roses/Nur Charly schenkte mir Blumen' / 'Aan de Amsterdamse grachten/Lang geleden/Sie war nicht älter als 18 Jahr/Barcelona/Banjo Boy/Ramona'
Fact freaks may have noticed that the group is named 'The Three Jacksons' on the sleeve, but on the label they are still 'The 3 Jacksons'. Fortunately some things are still the same.
My collection: 7" single no. 7268
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'Tingeling/Wind me up (and let me go)/Nikkelen Nelis' / 'Fernando en Filippo/Marmer, staal en steen vergaan/Shame and scandal in the family'
Marilyn's first chart success came in late 1983 with his debut single 'Calling Your Name', which reached the Top 5 in the UK and Australia. 'Cry and be free' was less successful, as it only reached number 31 in the UK and number 24 in Australia. I found this perfect copy of the UK pressing, and I couldn't resist.
My collection: 7" single no. 7271
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'Cry and be free' / 'Running'
The song was written by Alannah Currie and Tom Bailey, and produced by Geoffrey Downes and Bailey. With the departure of band member Joe Leeway earlier in 1986, "Nothing in Common" was the Thompson Twins' first release as a duo. It reached number 54 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
My collection: 7" single no. 7267
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'Nothing in common' / 'Nothing to lose'
Susan Shirley released ten singles between 1968 and 1972, and this cover of 'Jealous guy' was not her most famous release. That would be 'True love and apple pie', a song she recorded in 1971 and which became known as 'I'd like to teach the world to sing (in perfect harmony)'. As for 'Jealous guy': the version by Roxy Music remains the best cover version.
My collection: 7" single no. 7266
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'Jealous guy' / 'Oh Yoko!'
This German version has a very different cover when compared to the other two, while the song remains pretty much the same. The German lyrics were written by German songwriter, journalist, author and yodel artist Gerd Thumser.
My collection: 7" single no. 7265
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'Liebelei' / 'Forte forte forte'
Eydie Gormé was born as Edith Gormezano on 16 August 1928. She was an American singer who achieved notable success in pop, Latin, and jazz genres. She sang solo and in the duo Steve and Eydie with husband, Steve Lawrence, on albums and television. She also performed on Broadway and in Las Vegas. She died on 10 August 10, 2013, aged 84, at Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center in Las Vegas following an undisclosed illness.
My collection: 7" single no. 7264
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'Touch the wind' / 'It takes too long to learn to live alone'
You have to wonder why the band's biggest UK hit wasn't released in the USA - but that's record company policy for you. Also, why didn't 'Are you man enough' come in an attractive picture sleeve? Again, I think the US record company didn't do a proper job on this one. Nice track though.
My collection: 7" single no. 7263
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'Are you man enough (7" remix version)' / 'Summer groove'
This single was released back in 1988, when Kylie was still working with Stock, Aitken and Waterman, and her voice sounded decidedly shrill. 'It's no secret' was released as the B-side of 'Wouldn't change a thing', but apparently it was a single in the USA around that time. It's a nice addition to the singles I already have, but I wouldn't have bought it if it weren't so cheap.
My collection: 7" single no. 7262
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 6 July 2024
Tracks: 'It's no secret' / 'Made in heaven'
This 12" single of 'Heart' features a dub mix and a 'remix', both of which don't appear on the CD-single of the same name. Unfortunately this copy is a bit crackly, but it still gives a good impression of these remixes which I would otherwise have missed out on.
My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Heart (remix)' / 'Heart (dub mix)', 'I get excited (You get excited too)'
Elastic Band recorded their version of the song in 1994 - a dance-infused track with lots of beats and thin vocals. It wasn't a patch on the original, of course, but it's an amusing take on the classic track nonetheless. And the cover is pretty beautiful, I have to say.
My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Running up that hill (Alex Party Version)' / 'Rolling down that mountain (Momentum mix)'
Yes, I told you there's something morbid about her lyrics.
The B-side is a bit more innocent: it's about a girl in prison, who finds some consolation in a guy who is waiting for her outside, while taking care of her child. Somehow I feel this story won't end well either - but that is not told in the lyrics this time.
Annie is a phenomenon, and certainly a singer who amused me a lot back in the day.
My collection: 7" single no. 2873
Found: Disco Market, 1985
Tracks: 'Als m'n moesje niet meer hier is' / 'Meisje in de Bijlmerbajes'
Les Djinns recorded two more Eurovision songs: 'Le chant de Mallory' and 'Tom Pillibi'. I'm sure those versions will eventually end up in my collection as well. It's just a matter of finding them for cheap as well.
My collection: 7" single no. 7261
Found: Discogs.com, received 4 July 2024
Tracks: 'Elle était si jolie', 'Voila, voila' / 'Voila le carnaval', 'Son vent ma jolie'
'Vragen' was released in 1987. It is a Dutch version of the song 'Rücksicht', performed by Hoffman & Hoffman at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1983. A remarkable choice, because the original never charted in the Netherlands. Predictably, this single didn't chart either. But the band still exists and plays live regularly.
My collection: 7" single no. 7260
Found: Discogs.com, received 4 July 2024
Tracks: 'Vragen' / 'Terug in de tijd'
'You'll never know' was co-written by Phil Hurtt and Giuliano Salerni, who gathered a team of session players to produce something mid-tempo enough to induce movement, but smooth enough to allow strangers to make the most of the dark. Bonita Taylor sang the lead vocal, with in-demand future star Luther Vandross among the backing vocalists.
The song was popular with club DJs and soul-friendly sections of the music press. In August 1981 the song entered the UK singles chart, eventually peaking at number 12. In the Dutch Top 40 the single reached number 21. I heard the track on a CD compilation recently and was interested enough to want to have the 7" single. Because of the song, mind you, although the sleeve is certainly quite appealing as well.
My collection: 7" single no. 7259
Found: Discogs.com, received 4 June 2024
Tracks: 'You'll never know' / 'I'm totally yours'
Shirley is Dutch vocalist Shirley Zwerus, who was born on 22 May 1946. She recorded her first single already in 1958, when she sang 'Maar ondanks dat (ben jij mijn lieve schat)' together with Godert van Colmjon, three years her senior. Although her career continued throughout the Seventies, she only ever had two hit singles: 'It's me' (1977) and 'Heel even' (1981). Since 1996 she resides in Spain.
My collection: 7" single no. 7257
Found: Discogs.com, received 4 June 2024
Tracks: 'Ik wist allang (dat jij zou komen)' / 'Georgia'
Information about William Carlos is scarce. It seems this EP was all he ever released. According to the text on the back sleeve: "The Canberra newspapers say wonderful things about him. However, this EP shows us little of his true potential, especially since it responds to a "request" made by the Australian market, where his music is beginning to receive attention. Let us therefore welcome this young man with enthusiasm and demand from him everything he can give us."
My collection: 7" single no. 7256
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'You and me', 'Sun keep on shining' / 'Semente', 'Tourada'
Alice's version is a bit faster and more electronically-driven. Remarkably, the logo of RTP, the Portuguese broadcaster, appears on the sleeve of the single, although Alice was not even one of the performers during the Portuguese preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest. It was probably an attempt to make the version look like the official one.
My collection: 7" single no. 7255
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Sobe, sobe, balão sobe' / 'Zé Brasileiro Portuguese de Braga'
This single presents two songs from the Eurovision Song Contest 1979: the winning song 'Hallelujah', as well as the Danish entry, the pleasantly quirky 'Disco Tango'. Both versions are well done, but also very different from the originals - mainly because of the language.
My collection: 7" single no. 7254
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Hallelujah' / 'Disco Tango'
Inger was no stranger to Eurovision songs: she would also record 'Rör vid mej', a cover version of 'Eres tu' two years later. In 1974 she teamed up with Torsten Wallin to record 'Du hör en sang', a cover version of 'I see a star'.
My collection: 7" single no. 7250
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Den är din, denna jord' / 'Du gör att livet är skont'
The song is actually more catchy than I remember it from almost 40 years ago, when I felt this duo was a bit stupid and the song was rather vacuous. Getting milder as we're getting older, I guess.
My collection: 7" single no. 7253
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Sku' du spørg' fra no'en' / 'Du ka' tro nej'.
In the case of Östen Warnerbring, he recorded a Swedish version of the song. 'Vi gratulerar!' with lyrics by Bo Göran Torulf Edling, a Swedish saxophone-player and composer. His version is almost as spirited as the original.
My collection: 7" single no. 7251
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Vi gratulerar!' / 'Hej här har du mej!'
Lilian Inger Elisabeth Öst was born on 1 February 1949 into a musical family and already at the age of ten she toured together with her mother on the weekends. She was exempted from ninth grade to tour with the singing group Family Four. In the late 1960s, she began her career as a solo artist. In 1969 participated for the first time in Melodifestivalen with the song 'Du ser mig inte'. Five years later, she participated again, this time with 'En grön dröm om mej'.
During the first half of the 1970s, she toured with, among others, Siw Malmkvist and Marie Bergman. She had several hits on the Svensktoppen, the biggest one was called 'Rör vid mej', the Swedish version of Spain's ESC entry 'Eres tu' which was on the list for 19 weeks in 1973, including seven weeks in first place.
My collection: 7" single no. 7252
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Rör vid mej' / 'Det kallar jag kärlek gosse'
The Swedish band Emigranterna thought they could do something with the song, and so they recorded a version in Swedish. Not only that, they also added the popular song 'Eviva España' on the flipside. I don't know how well the song did in Sweden at the time - there were no official charts in Sweden at the time - but I bet it was at least more accessible for most Scandinavians.
My collection: 7" single no. 7249
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 July 2024
Tracks: 'Tom tom tom' / 'Eviva España'
I heard the track on a compilation album some 30 years ago, but I never actually bought the single. When I bought some 12" singles online I spotted this one and decided I wanted to check out the 'extended dance remix' on this disc. It sounds more like an extended version, but it's an interesting addition to my collection nonetheless.
My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 June 2024
Tracks: 'Stand by me (extended dance remix)' / 'Stand by me (instrumental)'
There are at least two slightly different versions of this mix. The original version appears on this 12" single and on the album Essential. A remastered version with a slightly longer fade (mostly silence) on the Further Listening bonus disc with the Please reissue.
My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 June 2024
Tracks: 'West End girls (dance mix)' / 'A man could get arrested', 'West End girls'