Fantasy - Earth Wind & Fire

Maurice White saw the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind and became so inspired, that he wrote 'Fantasy', together with Eddie Del Barrio and Verdine White. The song was included on the album All 'n All and released as a single in January 1978. It reached number 32 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 14 in the UK singles chart. In the Dutch Top 40 it peaked at number 6. 

I found this single among a few dozen Earth Wind & Fire singles in the shop, but this was the only copy of 'Fantasy'. I wondered for a while whether I already had this single - EWF singles of that period have very similar sleeves - but thanks to this blog I found out I didn't. It was a good find.

My collection: 7" single no. 7828
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 29 October 2025
Tracks: 'Fantasy' / 'Be ever wonderful' 

 

We belong - Pat Benatar

Picture discs are, of course, always interesting. So whenever there's a little box of picture discs, I go through it to see if I can grab anything. In this case, I managed to find a beautiful little picture disc of Pat Benatar's 'We belong'. I never saw this one before. I bought the original single in 1994. 

The song earned Benatar a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance alongside Linda Ronstadt, Tina Turner, Madonna, and Whitney Houston. It was awarded a gold certification in Canada for sales in excess of 50,000 units.

My collection: 7" single no. 7827
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 29 October 2025
Tracks: 'We belong' / 'Suburban king' 

Comment te dire adieu - Jimmy Somerville featuring June Miles-Kingston

Back in 1990, I bought 'Comment te dire adieu' cheaply, without a picture sleeve. I wouldn't be at all surprised if that copy had originally been inside a limited edition gatefold sleeve, because the exact same sort of black sleeve appears within this rather more attractive packaging. The inside of the gatefold sleeve shows the full lyrics of the song alongside another picture of the duo singing it.

June Miles-Kingston was a founding member of the Mo-dettes, which lasted from 1979 to 1982. She later became a session drummer and backing vocalist for a variety of British post-punk, new wave, and pop artists. In the Nineties she studied fine art at St. Martin's and filmmaking at the University of Sussex. Her film Dear Miss Bassey was awarded a prize at the London 'Shorts' Film Festival.

My collection: 7" single no. 7826
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 29 October 2025
Tracks: 'Comment te dire adieu' / 'Tell the world' 

Waterfront - Simple Minds

The last record shop I visited during my stay in Vienna was actually the first one I visited when I was in Vienna back in September 2017. In the meantime, the shop had moved to a different address, although their stock was still the same: clothing and records. Unfortunately I didn't find a lot of interesting singles this time, and I was actually afraid that I would have to leave the shop after searching for 20 minutes and finding nothing. That's always a bit embarrassing.

But fortunately there was some 'Record Store Day' stock in a corner, and that's where I found this picture disc single. I knew it existed, but I hadn't been able to find it yet. It was released back in 2015, and features one of the Simple Mind's better singles. It was a nice item to finish the week with.

My collection: 7" single no. 7825
Found: Record Bag, Vienna, 18 October 2025
Tracks: 'Waterfront' / 'Hunter and the hunted' 

Gentlemen callers not allowed - Gilla

Although 'Gentlemen callers not allowed' was presented as a single by Gilla & Bobby at some point, but originally it was simply a single by Gilla on her own, as this sleeve demonstrates. So it isn't strange that I thought I didn't already have the track. Unfortunately the content of the single is identical, including the vocals of Bobby Farrell (or should I say, Frank Farian?). 

After the birth of her daughter, Gilla ended her career. Her husband, Helmut Rulofs, released several songs under the pseudonym Chris Denning and worked for Frank Farian. Under the pseudonym G. Winger she wrote the song 'I see a boat on the river' for Boney M. Later, she founded the group Vanilla.

My collection: 7" single no. 7824
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Gentlemen callers not allowed' / 'Say yes' 

Komm komm zu mir - Edina Pop

Edina Pop was born in Budapest as Marika Késmárki on 4 February 1941. She came to Germany in 1969 and forged a singing career in German. Some of her singles were actually cover versions of Eurovision singles, and this is one of them: 'Komm komm zu mir' is actually a version of Mary Hopkin's 'Knock, knock who's there' - and this is proudly proclaimed on the sleeve of this single.

'Komm komm zu mir' was the first of two of her singles that made the charts in Germany. It reached number 35 in June 1970. The other one, 'Tomatenrote Lippen', followed in January 1971 and only got to number 39. In 1979 she was recruited by Ralph Siegel for his group Dschinghis Khan.

My collection: 7" single no. 7823
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Komm, komm zu mir' / 'Alle Tränen die ich weine' 

Sunset people - Donna Summer

Here's another Donna Summer single that I already have, but in an Austrian pressing with a different sleeve. I think this sleeve is better, actually, but also the fact that this one only cost me 50 eurocents was a factor.

'Sunset people' was written by Harold Faltermeyer, together with Pete Belotte and Keith Forsey. The song was produced by Giorgio Moroder and Belotte.

My collection: 7" single no. 7818
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Sunset people' / 'Our love' 

Carrie - Cliff Richard

Some singles by Cliff Richard have appeared on this blog recently, but there was always one single that I couldn't find anywhere. It's a track I remember from my childhood, and I guess I would have bought it back then if pocket money had been enough to finance it. 

I am talking about 'Carrie', a track from Cliff's album Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile. Playing this single 45 years later I can still remember the chorus and the last few seconds of the track. It's funny how brains seem to absorb music and can still replicate it after not having heard it for so long.

My collection: 7" single no. 7822
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Carrie' / 'Moving in' 

Everybody dance - Chic

After 'Dance, dance, dance (Yowsah, yowsah, yowsah)', Chic released 'Everybody dance', a song yet again squarely aimed at the visitors of discotheques around the world. The song is notable for its excellent bass line and the bass solo near the end of the track. It became a hit in the UK, peaking at number 9 in the singles chart, and in the USA, where it reached number 38 in the Billboard Hot 100.

According to Nile Rodgers, speaking for the BBC Four documentary How to Make It in the Music Business, the session during with the song was recorded cost the band $10, which went to bribing the elevator engineer not to tell the manager they were recording in there.

My collection: 7" single no. 7821
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Everybody dance' / 'You can get by' 

You make me feel (Mighty real) - Sylvester

'You make me feel (Mighty real)' was written by James Wirrick and Sylvester and released by Fantasy Records as the second single from the singer's fourth album, Step II (1978). The song was already a largely popular dance club hit in 1978, as the B-side of his previous single 'Dance (Disco Heat)', before it was officially being released in December. It rose to the number one position on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. 

The song was originally recorded as a mid-tempo piano-driven gospel song; however, after producer Patrick Cowley saw a rehearsal of the song at San Francisco's City Club, he offered to remix the song. The result was one of the pioneering disco records using some electronic instrumentation and effects, following closely on 'I Feel Love' by Donna Summer which heavily used electronic instrumentation ahead of its time. These Seventies songs using electronic instrumentation would have an influence on dance music in the Eighties and Nineties. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7820
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'You make me feel (Mighty real)' / 'Dance (Disco heat)'

Trödler & Co - Peter, Sue & Marc, Pfuri Gorps & Kniri

Fifteen years ago I bought 'Trödler & Co' by Peter, Sue & Marc, Pfuri Gorps & Kniri. It was the original Swiss pressing with a bright sleeve. The German version, shown here, comes in a considerably darker sleeve, but it is actually more stylish. 

'Stylish' isn't exactly a description of this song, because it was made with gardening tools and weird sounds. Pfuri, Gorps & Kniri were actually held up at the airport when they arrived in Israel on their way to the Eurovision Song Contest, because of the strange stuff they brought with them. Still, they made it to the stage and represented Switzerland in their own unique way.

My collection: 7" single no. 7819
Found: Wienyl, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Trödler & Co' / 'Groovy Musik' 

 

See that glow (NYC edit) - This Island Earth

After the 7" single and 12" single of 'See that glow', I thought I had all versions of the song by This Island Earth, so I was pretty surprised to find this single. I never knew it existed, and the last thing you would expect to find in an Austrian record store in a UK pressing of a single. It was actually the last thing I found there, coincidentally.

'See that glow' was originally released in 1984, but this remixed version was released three years later. It brings back great memories of what was essentially a one hit wonder.

My collection: 7" single no. 7817
Found: Lenny's Music Store, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'See that glow (NYC edit)' / 'Euroglow (edit)' 

Oh baby - Münchener Freiheit

According to Wikipedia, 'Oh baby' was the first single by Münchener Freiheit, released in 1984. In reality it was actually their fourth single, taken from their second album Licht, released in 1983. The single is notable for its slightly primitive pop sensibility; the track isn't as polished as their later work. 

'Oh baby' was, however, the first hit the band had. It reached number 23 in Germany in the year before 'Ohne dich (schlaf ich heut Nacht nicht ein', which became number 2 and a charttopper in Austria and Switzerland. Good things were ahead for the band, but how were they to know?

My collection: 7" single no. 7815
Found: Lenny's Music Store, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Oh baby' / 'Melancholie' 

Boom boom - Mabel

While it is lovely to have a French copy of Mabel's 'Boom boom', after fifteen years I saw this German version and I was impressed by the design of this sleeve. Quite why the band wanted to be seen inside a heart was not immediately clear to me, but of course the lyrics speak of 'a feeling in my heart'.

The other side of this single contains 'I'm only here to rock 'n' roll', which was a hit for the band in 1977. 'Boom boom' was, of course, their Eurovision entry for Denmark in 1978, which made this release an attractive package for German record buyers.

My collection: 7" single no. 7812
Found: Lenny's Music Store, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Boom boom' / 'I'm only here to rock 'n' roll' 

Dim all the lights - Donna Summer

'Dim all the lights' was written by Donna Summer herself, which means that this is the only hit single that she wrote on her own. The single reached number 2 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 29 in the UK singles chart, whereas it didn't chart in the Netherlands. 

This version is a German pressing, with a different sleeve compared to other territories. During my week in Vienna I saw various copies, and I finally bought one, impressed as I was with the design of this sleeve. Of course, I already owned another copy of 'Dim all the lights', but that shouldn't bother us too much, should it? 

My collection: 7" single no. 7811
Found: Lenny's Music Store, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Dim all the lights' / 'There will always be a you' 

Rise - PIL

'Rise' was written by John Lydon (a.k.a. Johnny Rotten) and Bill Laswell about apartheid in South Africa, specifically about Nelson Mandela as Lydon stated in a 2013 Glastonbury interview. Lydon also referred to alleged Royal Ulster Constabulary interrogation techniques, such as electric torture, in an MTV interview in 1987. The song contains the phrase 'may the road rise with you', which is a direct translation of the old Irish blessing "go n-éirí an bóthar leat" (usually translated as "may the road rise up to meet you"). The phrase "anger is an energy" became the title of Lydon's 2014 autobiography. 

It was one of the group's biggest commercial hits, peaking at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart. I remember being impressed with the song when it came out, but somehow I never bought the single. So finally, here it is, almost four decades later.

My collection: 7" single no. 7810
Found: Lenny's Music Store, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Rise' / 'Rise (instrumental)' 

Jones the rhythm - Grace Jones

Perhaps it's no wonder that I bought this single because the sleeve is much more interesting than the 'Jones the rhythm' single I bought in 2009. The picture is a crop from the album which this track is traken from: Slave to the rhythm, the experimental remix album released in 1985, circling around 'Slave to the rhythm', Grace Jones's hit single from that year.

'Jones the rhythm' was not a charting success, having been somewhat overshadowed by the huge success of the lead single, and partially due to lack of promotion.  

My collection: 7" single no. 7809
Found: Lenny's Music Store, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Jones the rhythm' / 'Junkyard' 

Master and servant - Depeche Mode

During the first few years of their career, Depeche Mode released many singles and the German record company released them on red vinyl for the first edition. I started buying them recently - 'Blasphemous rumours / Somebody' being the first one - and I was lucky enough to find another one in Vienna.

'Master and servant' is a rather blunt song that Depeche Mode would never play live again these days. In fact, a live album is released soon, and this track is missing once again. It's not a bad song, but I think Martin and Dave are a bit embarrassed by it now. Pretty red disc though.

My collection: 7" single no. 7808
Found: Lenny's Music Store, Vienna, 17 October 2025
Tracks: 'Master and servant' / '(Set me free) Remotivate me' 

Musik klingt in die Welt hinaus - Egon Egemann

Two singles by Egon Egemann made it into my collection until now: 'A song goes out around the world', featuring the English and German version and 'A song goes out around the world' with an instrumental version on the B-side. But the original version is of course this Swiss pressing, featuring 'Musik klingt in die Welt hinaus' on the A-side and the English version on the B-side.

The song was of course the Swiss entry of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1990. Egon Egemann made 11th place with it.

My collection: 7" single no. 7803
Found: Seven Star Records, Vienna, 14 October 2025
Tracks: 'Musik klingt in die Welt hinaus' / 'A song goes out around the world' 

Ant rap - Adam and the Ants

'Ant rap' was written by Adam Ant and Marco Pirroni, the song was remixed from the version on the group's 1981 album Prince Charming. It entered the UK Singles Chart in December 1981 at number 9 before rising to a peak position of number three. While widely panned by critics, it was one of the earliest rap singles to chart in the UK.

Ant boasts of his success and his ability to dance, and calls out the anarchists of the music scene, affirming he was never concerned with receiving their "credibility". The song ended up being the band's penultimate single; in 1982 they only released 'Deutscher Girls' from the Jubilee soundtrack.

My collection: 7" single no. 7801
Found: Seven Star Records, Vienna, 14 October 2025
Tracks: 'Ant rap' / 'Friends' 

Love is in the air (Ballroom mix) - John Paul Young

John Paul Young released 'Love is in the air' in 1978, and it became such a big hit that people still remembered it throughout the Eighties. Then in 1992, when the movie Strictly Ballroom was made, a new mix of the song was created just for the soundtrack. And thus the 'Ballroom mix' of this song came to be. This new version reached number 3 in the Australian singles chart. 

Apparently there was also a 12" single featuring an eight minute 'Strictly Dance Mix'. Maybe that's just a little bit too much. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7800
Found: Seven Star Records, Vienna, 14 October 2025
Tracks: 'Love is in the air (Ballroom mix)' (John Paul Young) / 'Scott & Fran's Paso Doble' (David Hirschfelder & The Bogo Pogo Orchestra) 

Liebe auf den ersten Blick - Münchener Freiheit

As shown on this sleeve, 'Liebe auf den ersten Blick' was the title song of the TV show of the same name. The song was the last big hit for the German band Münchener Freiheit in 1992, after they had international success during most of the Eighties. It reached number 16 in the German singles chart and number 31 in Switzerland.

The band still exists, in a different lineup, and is currently touring Germany. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7799
Found: Seven Star Records, Vienna, 14 October 2025
Tracks: 'Liebe auf den ersten Blick' / 'Lass mir den Traum' 

The winner takes it all - Abba

The story of 'The winner takes it all' was told on this blog in 2008. I wanted to buy the single during a holiday in Vienna when I was just nine years old, but I was talked out of it. I bought the Dutch pressing of the single a few months later for half price. 

But the story continues! I bought the Austrian pressing last week, during my stay in Vienna. And so it all comes full circle, after 45 years. That's pretty impressive. Even more impressive: this is by far the most colourful version of the sleeve. The blue is deeper than on any other sleeve pressed in Europe.

A good example of this is the French edition, which I bought last year. Instead of the Polydor logo the Vogue logo appears in the bottom left corner, but the photographs look dull and greyish.

My collection: 7" single no. 7797 / no. 7377
Found: Seven Star Records, Vienna, 14 October 2025 / Record fair, Rotterdam, 5 October 2024
Tracks: 'The winner takes it all' / 'Elaine' 

Band on the run - Paul McCartney & Wings

When I was in Vienna I was really there for a conference. But after hours I managed to visit a few record shops - mainly thanks to the generous opening hours. The first was Seven Star Records, situated near the shopping heart of the city, Mariahilferstrasse. It was a small, chaotic shop where singles, LP's and CD's were scattered around and where I spent a little time looking for goodies.

The first find was also the best: 'Band on the run', the title track of the Wings album from 1973. Originally, Paul McCartney planned not to release any singles from Band on the run, a strategy he compared to that used by the Beatles. However, he was convinced by Capitol Records vice president Al Coury to release singles from the album. The single ended up topping the US Billboard Hot 100, Canada and New Zealand. In the UK singles chart it reached number 3; in the Dutch Top 40 it reached number 7. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7796
Found: Seven Star Records, Vienna, 14 October 2025
Tracks: 'Band on the run' / 'Nineteen hundred and eighty five' 

A million in 1, 2, 3 - Dream Express

Dream Express was pretty successful when they participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1977. They ended up being 7th in a field of 18 participants and the single reached number 2 in the Belgian singles chart. This German edition of the single has a rather efficient sleeve.

Patricia Maessen left the group in 1979, and Luc Smets, Bianca Maessen and Stella Maessen continued as LBS until 1980. Stella represented Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest again as a solo artist with 'Si tu aimes ma musique'.

My collection: 7" single no. 7795
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'A million in 1, 2, 3' / 'Spinning top' 

Fantastic day - Haircut One Hundred

Although I bought 'Fantastic day' back in 2009, I didn't know that there was also a picture disc edition. So I stand corrected! Of course, this picture disc contains a live version instead of the studio version, so it is a worthwhile addition to my collection in more ways.

'Fantastic day' peaked at number 9 in the UK singles chart and a more modest number 85 in Australia.

My collection: 7" single no. 7794
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Fantastic day (live)' / 'Ski club' 

The fool on the hill - Alice

Italian singer Alice has an impressive career in Italy, but because she records almost exclusively in Italian she never managed to build a career in the rest of Europe. Almost, because occasionally she includes an English language song in her albums. 

'The fool on the hill' is of course a cover version of the Beatles song, and it is reasonably well done. Of course there is always the Italian accent, and the music was a bit synthetic, but the melody stands strong. It's a lovely little single.

My collection: 7" single no. 7793
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'The fool on the hill' / 'Il vento caldo dell'estate' 

Raggio di luna - Matia Bazar

Although 'Raggio di luna' already ended up in my collection back in 2017, I was quite surprised to find a German pressing of that same single with a slightly different sleeve. The funny thing is that on both sleeves the same photograph was used, but on this one it is shown entirely, whereas on the French edition it is cropped.

All this aside, 'Raggio di luna' was a daring Eurovision entry from Italy back in 1979, as the decision was made not to use the orchestra. As a result, the song ended up sounding a bit 'empty' and became 15th in a field of 19 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 7792
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Raggio di luna' / 'Pero che bello' 

Could it be magic - Donna Summer

The German sleeve of 'Could it be magic' is very different from the Dutch one, so I could be forgiven for thinking that I didn't already have this single. Fortunately this single comes with a different B-side as well. 'Come with me' is a track from the album A Love Trilogy, which was released in 1976, just like this single.

On the album 'Come with me' has a duration of 4 minutes and 20 seconds, and that is also the time listed on the label of this single. A full minute is left off this single version, as it fades out at 3 minutes and 20 seconds. The same happens on the A-side: 'Could it be magic' should be 5'20, but actually is two minutes shorter! German record buyers have been duped.

My collection: 7" single no. 7791
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Could it be magic' / 'Come with me' 

Mathema solfege - Pascalis, Marianna, Robert and Bessy

For a long time, 'Mathema solfege' was Greece's most successful Eurovision entry. Its chorus of 'do fa fa fa, sol fa sol fa mi do ti mi mi mi, do ti do ti sol ti do' was recognizable for people all over Europe, even if they didn't understand Greek. These tricks were often employed back when countries had to enter songs in their own national languages. A trick like that wouldn't work anymore these days, but it certainly did in 1977: the song ended up in fifth place in a field of 18 competitors.

The quartet performing the song consisted of Paschalis Arvanitidis (born on 24 August 1946), Marianna Tolli (3 October 1952), Robert Williams (4 December 1949) and Bessy Argyrake (4 April 1957). They recorded one album together and then followed their own solo careers, with Bessy being the most successful one of the four.

My collection: 7" single no. 7790
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Mathema solfege' / 'I love, I love, I love you' 

Se piangi, se ridi - Bobby Solo

I already have an EP and a single featuring 'Se piangi, se ridi', so why buy this one? Well, the answer is simple: because I really prefer this sleeve. It's in colour, for one thing, and Bobby Solo looks a lot like the rock 'n' roll stars of his days on this one. Adding to that, this is the original Italian single, where we find out that the song is recorded with 'orchestra diretta da Gianni Marchetti, con il Coro di Nora Orlandi'. 

'Se piangi, se ridi' was a number 1 hit in Italy and Brazil, and also reached number 2 in Belgium, number 3 in Uruguay (of all places!) and number 4 in Argentina. Why this didn't chart in the Netherlands and the UK I don't know. It's a classic song.

My collection: 7" single no. 7789
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Se piangi, se ridi' / 'Saro' un illuso'

Dancing in the sheets - Shalamar

In 1983, Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel left Shalamar due to conflicts within the group as well as issues with their record company. They were replaced by Micki Free and Delisa Davis and continued by recording 'Dancing in the sheets' for the soundtrack of the movie Footloose. The single was released in 1984 and reached number 41 in the UK singles chart and number 17 in the US Billboard Hot 100. 

'Dancing in the sheets' was included on Shalamar's eighth album, Heartbreak, released before the end of 1984. Hewett departed the group in 1985 to begin a solo career. Sydney Justin took over as lead vocalist for Circumstantial Evidence (1987) and Wake Up (1990), Shalamar's final pair of albums before they disbanded. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7788
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025 
Tracks: 'Dancing in the sheets' / 'Dancing in the sheets (instrumental)'

Magic touch - Mike Oldfield

Although Mike Oldfield has become famous for his albums Tubular Bells, Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn and his hit singles 'In dulce jubilo', 'To France', 'Moonlight Shadow' and 'Shadow on the wall', he's also released a few duds during his career. It makes buying Mike Oldfield singles a bit adventurous when you're not familiar with all of his work, like me.

'Magic touch' is, unfortunately, one of those singles I bought on a whim and when I played it I thought 'what the hell is this?'. A certain Max Bacon delivers some vocals on this track; it turns out he was the lead singer for 1980s rock group GTR. It doesn't really help this 1988 single; it didn't chart in any territory. And rightfully so, if I may say so.

My collection: 7" single no. 7787
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Magic touch' / 'Music for the video wall'

S.O.S. - Abba

I could continue my collection of Abba singles with this Austrian pressing of 'S.O.S.', an early single by Abba released in 1975. It's one of my favourite tracks from the band, and this sleeve was again notably different from the Dutch, French, German and Japanese versions.

I remember visiting Moses Records nine years ago, but I don't remember that there was this little corner with singles sorted by artists. The main singles department was in a separate room of the store, and that's where I bought the other singles during my visit this year. It was interesting that nothing seemed to have changed in all those years - although the owner said that he had thousands of singles stored somewhere else, so the amount of singles in store may have been the same, but there were definitely other titles on offer this time.

My collection: 7" single no. 7786
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'S.O.S.' / 'Man in the middle' 

So long - Abba

Since I have been on the prowl for different versions of Abba singles recently, it was lovely to end up in Vienna and find a few Austrian pressings with different sleeves last week. It turns out that the record company in Austria had a knack for creating beautiful, colourful sleeves that were much more beautiful than the ones in Germany and the Netherlands.

Take for instance this version of 'So long'. The sleeve looks as new, which is a credit to the record store owner I guess, and the layout of this sleeve is simply stunning. I was very happy with this new addition.

My collection: 7" single no. 7785
Found: Moses Records, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'So long' / 'I've been waiting for you' 

Won't you hold my hand now - King

'These are heavy times', sighs Paul King on this single, and that message is as true now as it was back in 1985. Still, the band was always able to create melodic pop songs and package them in attractive sleeves and limited edition posters. 

'Won't you hold my hand now' was released as a double pack featuring a bonus second single, and also in this free colour poster version. I was actually aware of this poster version, but didn't want to spend any postage costs on this, and so I was happy to find a copy in one of Vienna's biggest record shops.

My collection: 7" single no. 7784
Found: Alt & Neu, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Won't you hold my hand now' / 'Fish (reprise) live' 

Eeny meeny miny moe - Luv'

The Dutch girl trio Luv' had considerable success all over Europe near the end of the Seventies, so it may not be surprising that their singles were released in different countries - and sometimes with different sleeves. The Dutch version featured the girls on a bike, whereas the French one preferred an uncredited muscle man while also flipping the sides of the single.

In Austria, the record company was comparatively lazy, simply using the album sleeve with the song titles slapped over it. But it's a cute sleeve, and so I decided to buy it anyway. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7783
Found: Alt & Neu, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Track: 'Eeny meeny miny moe' / 'I.M.U.R.' 

Love machine '88 version - Supermax

'Love machine' was quite a remarkable track in 1978, with its low vocals and repetitive music. The Austrian band was fronted by lead singer Kurt Hauenstein, who died on 21 March 2011. He is buried on Zentralfriedhof in Vienna, near Falco's grave - something I didn't know when I was actually in Vienna last week. 

Before that, Supermax released an '88 version' of 'Love machine'. It is an updated version of the track, which like the original is split up in two parts for the single release. Two years ago a 12" single was released for Record Store Day, bringing both parts together on one side. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7782
Found: Alt & Neu, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Love machine '88 version (part 1)' / 'Love machine '88 version (part 2)' 

Witch's promise - Jethro Tull

'The witch's promise' was recorded by All About Eve as a B-side for 'December', but it was originally recorded by Jethro Tull and written by their frontman Ian Anderson. When you've heard All About Eve's version, the original version pales in comparison, to be honest. But still, I wanted to have this single because I was curious about this track.

'Witch's promise' is one of the few recorded by Jethro Tull to feature the Mellotron, a tape replay keyboard that could emulate a string section, and the only single released by the band to feature the instrument. It was intended to be the last standalone single from the band that was not taken from an LP. Anderson said the band would issue singles from future albums in order to gain radio play, but he was not particularly interested in promoting them.

My collection: 7" single no. 7781
Found: Alt & Neu, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Witch's promise' / 'The teacher'

Rovers return - The Korgis

During the Eighties, the Korgis were at the top of their game. I can easily say that, because I heard some of their later recordings and they had neither crack nor taste, as we say in Dutch. I thought I had all of their singles from that decade, but then I saw this one, featuring not one, but two A-sides: both 'Rovers return' and 'If it's alright with you baby' were released as singles in their own right. This single was released in Germany, and it brings both tracks together. It's not a chore to listen to these again; it's pop music at its most brilliant.

My collection: 7" single no. 7780
Found: Alt & Neu, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Rovers return' / 'If it's alright with you baby' 

Tightrope ride - The Doors

Buying singles can be confusing sometimes, when you have a big collection. Did I already buy this one? It does look familiar, but I am still not sure. Well anyway, it isn't that expensive so I guess I'll just take it. And then you get home and... 'd'oh!', it's already there. 

Fortunately this version of 'Tightrope ride' comes in a slightly different sleeve, and that's because this is the German pressing, whereas the other one was a Dutch one. Maybe I'll let go of one of them at some point, but meanwhile it is here for you to enjoy.

My collection: 7" single no. 7779
Found: Alt & Neu, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Tightrope ride' / 'Variety is the spice of life' 

Džuli - Daniel

I never knew that the original version of 'Julie' was released in Germany, but then I saw this single. It comes in a sleeve that is quite similar to the one featuring the English version, but it announces that this one features the 'Jugoslawische originalversion' and the 'Jugoslavenska originalnaverzija', which is German and Croatian for 'Yugoslavian original version'. 

After a few seconds of being very surprised by this one, I checked the label of the disc, and it did indeed announce 'Džuli' as the A-side track. What's more, the B-side includes another original track by Daniel, which doesn't appear on the Yugoslavian single. I guess my collection is now complete.

My collection: 7" single no. 7777
Found: Alt & Neu, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'Džuli' / 'Bio sam naivan'

You think you're a man - Divine

"You Think You're a Man" is a song by American performance artist Divine, released as a single in 1984. The song appeared on the compilation album The Story So Far, released the same year. It was written by Geoff Deane, formerly the lead singer and main songwriter with both the Leyton Buzzards and Modern Romance, and his occasional songwriting partner Keith Miller. Deane later went on to write the cross dressing-themed film Kinky Boots.

The single was a hit in the UK, where it peaked at number 16 in the UK singles chart. Oddly, the single didn't chart in the Netherlands. I rediscovered the track when it was included in a 12" singles compilation recently, and when I saw the single, that was my cue to buy it.

My collection: 7" single no. 7776
Found: Alt & Neu, Vienna, 13 October 2025
Tracks: 'You think you're a man' / 'Give it up' 

Strange way - All About Eve

Those limited editions kept coming when All About Eve released their third album, Touched by Jesus. There was no 10" single for the lead single, but when they released 'Strange way', there it was again. I was lucky enough to buy number 5111 of the limited edition of 10,000 copies (still an impressive number by today's standards) and found a photo card inside, advertising the fanclub which I never joined.

Musically this disc was a little underwhelming, since two tracks were taken from the album and the third one was also included on other formats. As far as All About Eve's 10" singles go, this was probably the least interesting of the lot. Still, it's a keeper.

My collection: 10" single [unnumbered] 
Found: Wreckastow, Rotterdam, 1991
Tracks: 'Strange way' / 'Share it with me', 'Drawn to earth'

Child of earth - Karoline Krüger

There have been several 'environmentally friendly' Eurovision songs, but the Norwegian entry from 1988 was not recognized as such by most people because of the difficult language Karoline Krüger had to sing in. So she did what any sensible artist would do: she also recorded an English version.

I bought 'For vår jord' in 2022, thinking I might never get this English version because it was a bit on the expensive side. But look, a few years later the single isn't that expensive anymore and I got to order a copy from Norway. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7775
Found: Discogs.com, received 9 October 2025
Tracks: 'Child of earth' / 'For vår jord'

Voulez-vous - Abba

If you're confused about this sleeve, then I can help you. It is indeed the photograph that was used for the single 'Does your mother know', but it features 'Voulez-vous' on the A-side, and 'Kisses of fire' on the B-side - originally the B-side of 'Does your mother know' (and a track from the album Voulez-vous). 

Why did the Japanese choose to replace the track 'Does your mother know' on this single? I don't know. I do know that it's this kind of variation that I really like. And it's a nice addition to my subcollection of Japanese Abba singles of course.

My collection: 7" single no. 7774
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 October 2025
Tracks: 'Voulez-vous' / 'Kisses of fire' 

Flowers - Zaine Griff

‘Flowers’ is a song written by Zaine Griff. It was released on Zaine Griff’s second album Figures (1982). The lyrics explicitly refer to the theatre play Flowers, written by Jean Genet and is meant to be a tribute to his old mime and movement teacher, Lindsay Kemp, who produced the play during the Seventies. Zaine asked Kate Bush to sing backing vocals on this song, and she did.

Quite why I never managed to buy this single before has to have something to do with the price of it. I can't recall that I ever saw it for a low price anywhere, but when I thought of this single recently, there it was, for just a few quid. Of course I had to have it. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7773
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 October 2025
Tracks: 'Flowers' / 'Turn out the light'

Don't take my mind on a trip - Boy George

Some years ago I bought the 3" cd-single (yes, that's also a collection I have) of Boy George's 'Don't take my mind on a trip'. I didn't know the song at the time, but it came with a rather good cover version of 'What becomes of the broken hearted'. I didn't give it a second thought for some time, but then I bumped into this 7" single. It was interesting (and cheap) enough for me to want to take it home.

The single wasn't very successful, peaking as it did on number 68 in the UK singles chart. But the two tracks on this disc are varied: the A-side sounds like a Teddy Riley or Jam & Lewis production (it was produced by Gene Griffin, but actually arranged by Teddy Riley) and the B-side sounds like a Stock, Aitken & Waterman (in their good days) production (it was producted by Vlad Naslas). 

My collection: 7" single no. 7772
Found: Record fair, Rijswijk, 5 October 2025
Tracks: 'Don't take my mind on a trip' / 'Girlfriend' 

In all honesty - Breathe

Obviously I'm familiar with the band Breathe, because I have quite a few of their singles. But I never saw this one before, and I had a little trouble finding out where this one belongs in their discography. As it turns out, this was their second single release, before the original release of 'Don't tell me lies', back in 1986. 

Unlike that song, 'In all honesty' did not end up on the band's debut album All that jazz. Actually, that album is going to be re-released by Cherry Red in December this year in a deluxe 2cd edition, which adds the two tracks on this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 7771
Found: Record fair, Rijswijk, 5 October 2025
Tracks: 'In all honesty' / 'Take a little time'