A little bit slower (Do it again) - Herman & Dorothy

One of the singles Ricky Wilde recorded when he was a teenager was 'Do it again, a little bit slower'. It was obviously a cover version, but I'm having a hard time finding the original. This single by Herman & Dorothy predates Ricky's version by five or six year, but it is only one version of the many released back in 1967. 

The original version was actually performed by Jon & Robin and The In Crowd; a version that will undoubtedly pop up on this blog at some point. But meanwhile, this version by Herman & Dorothy is amusing as well, especially with the ending actually slowing down. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7695
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 15 June 2025
Tracks: 'A little bit slower (Do it again)' / 'Charing Cross' 

High noon / Jezebel - Frankie Laine

'High Noon', also known as 'The Ballad of High Noon', was the theme song of the 1952 movie High Noon, starring Gary Cooper. In the movie the song was performed by Tex Ritter, but the American singer Frankie Laine also recorded a version of the song. It actually became the bigger hit of the two.

However, I bought this single because of the other side, an original version of the song 'Jezebel', later also recorded by Marty Wilde. In Laine's words, the song uses "flamenco rhythms to whip up an atmosphere of sexual frustration and hatred while a guy berated the woman who'd done him wrong." The song ends with Laine shouting 'Jezebel!' at the woman who has destroyed him.This is still done by Wilde during his live concerts, to great effect.

My collection: 7" single no. 7694
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 15 June 2025
Tracks: 'High Noon' / 'Jezebel' 

Autobahn - Kraftwerk

The Kraftwerk album Autobahn celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and so it is very cool that I managed to buy the single of the same name exactly this year. I already own a UK copy, of course, but this German edition with a picture sleeve is the real deal!

Curiously this single advertises with the banner 'From the U.S. Top LP', but it is rather wellknown that Kraftwerk was always more successful outside of Germany than it was within the country. Hence the decision to record their albums both in German and English after this one. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7685
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 15 June 2025
Tracks: 'Autobahn' / 'Morgenspaziergang' 

So long - Abba

Abba released four new picture disc 7" singles of the songs associated with their self-titled album from 1975. Abba was their third album, and the first single to be taken from that album was 'So Long', a rockier track than usual from the quartet. The single was released in most of Europe and in Australia and New Zealand in November 1974. Spain and Japan followed suit in early 1975. 

The B-side of this picture disc, 'I've been waiting for you' was actually also released as a single back in 1975, but only in Australia and New Zealand. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7680
Found: Platenzaak.nl, received 15 June 2025
Tracks: 'So long', 'I've been waiting for you' 

Wichita lineman - Glen Campbell

Somehow I can vaguely recall hearing this song on the radio when I was much younger. It's one of those songs that you fail to identify until many years later. I think I really 'got into' this song when it was performed by Glenn Gregory during some live concert in London which I attended maybe ten years ago.

Glen Campbell recorded the song back in 1968 and it reached number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. I stumbled on a copy by chance, and remembering the song almost instantly after having forgotten all about it once again, I snapped it up.

My collection: 7" single no. 7684
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 15 June 2025
Tracks: 'Wichita lineman' / 'Back in the race'