Showing posts with label Fifties. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fifties. Show all posts

Thursday 7 January 2010

I wanna be loved by you - Marilyn Monroe

If you were to compare Madonna with Marilyn Monroe, there are actually some similarities: both tried their hand at singing despite not having a very good singing voice, for instance. Both are American women and both were perceived as sex symbols, although in the case of Madonna you can wonder whether that is a just perception.

Marilyn Monroe oozed sexiness all through her career until her tragic death in 1962. She recorded 'I wanna be loved by you' for the 1959 movie 'Some like it hot'. It was re-released in 1989 during the hype of remixed oldies that went down at the time. This remix of 'I wanna be loved by you' adds some unnecessary rhythms, and sounds very dated by now as a result. The original version, which fortunately is included on the B-side of this single (and was my reason for buying it in the first place), stands out as one of the best recordings from that era.

My coollection: 7" single no. 828
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, May 20, 1989
Cost: 4 guilders
Tracks: 'I wanna be loved by you (Mr. President mix)' / 'I wanna be loved by you'

Thursday 31 December 2009

Sing little birdie - Teddy Johnson and Pearl Carr

So yesterday I went on another shopping spree, this time in Amsterdam. I visited two shops I have been before, plus three new addresses, of which one was particularly of interest. As the shop's website announced, some Eurovision singles were just in, and I bought a whole stack of them. Some unique stuff, discs I've never even seen before!

So I thought I would finish this year by writing an entry on the last 7" single I bought in 2009. Interestingly enough, it's a single from 50 years ago. In 1959, the United Kingdom was represented by the husband and wife duo Teddy Johnson and Pearl Carr with the song 'Sing little birdie'. They finished in second place.

See you next year!

My collection: 7" single no. 4412
Found: Second life music, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Sing little birdie' / 'If I could live my life again'

Wednesday 6 May 2009

Dors mon amour - André Claveau

André Claveau represented France during the 1958 Eurovision Song Contest. Mind you, that was only the third edition of this annual event. He was born on December 17, 1915 and died on July 4, 2003. 'Dors, mon amour' ('Sleep, my love') was the first entry sung by a male soloist to win the contest.

I bought this single online and received it in the mail today. I had to wonder how this single came out in such good shape after 51 years. It's really great to be able to play this beautiful song after half a century.

My collection: 7" single no. 3707
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received May 6, 2009
Cost: 6,76 euro
Tracks: 'Dors mon amour' / 'Le coeur en plâtre'

Thursday 22 January 2009

'n Beetje - Teddy Scholten

Teddy Scholten represented the Netherlands in the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest with this song, ''n Beetje' ('A little bit'). The song won the contest, and the Netherlands became the first country to win the contest, which had started in 1956, twice. The song was written by Willy van Hemert, just like 'Net als toen', the song performed by Corry Brokken, who won the 1957 contest.

''n Beetje' is sung from the perspective of a young woman being asked by her lover if she is 'true' and 'faithful', to which she answers 'A little bit'. This unusual admission is then justified by the comment that 'everyone is in love at least once', hence nobody can be said to be entirely faithful to anyone.

My collection: 7" single no. 3545
Found: Private seller, January 22, 2009
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: ''n Beetje' / 'Li per li'
Download: here
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