In 1996, Prince recorded another version of the song, which leaned a lot on the Stylistics' version.
My collection: 7" single no. 7065
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 November 2023
Tracks: 'Betcha by golly wow' / 'Ebony eyes'
In 1996, Prince recorded another version of the song, which leaned a lot on the Stylistics' version.
My collection: 7" single no. 7065
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 November 2023
Tracks: 'Betcha by golly wow' / 'Ebony eyes'
This single is rather rare, which is why it was also under the table at the record fair last Saturday. Fortunately the price wasn't very steep, and so I was able to pick up this UK promo, which features both the English and the original version. Oddly, both labels feature the prominent 'A' on them.
My collection: 7" single no. 7063
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 November 2023
Tracks: 'Freedom is today' / 'Libera'
We'll have to made do with Micha's cover version of 'En un mundo nuevo', Spain's Eurovision entry from 1971. She recorded it as 'Die heerlijke wereld' ('That delicious world') in 1971, and it sounds as joyful as the original - even if the lyrics sound rather naff if you can understand Flemish/Dutch.
My collection: 7" single no. 7060
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 November 2023
Tracks: 'Die heerlijke wereld' / 'Die ring'
Some people wonder why Israel even takes part in Eurovision. I think the world would be a better place if Arabic countries would also participate. Morocco tried it once, other countries never dared to. I guess there's a lot of unresolved hate in the world, and some people (both in Israel and elsewhere) are just not interested in peace and unity.
My collection: 7" single no. 7048
Found: Discogs.com, received 27 October 2023
Tracks: 'Ey sham' / 'Bifrot nevel ve'ugav'
It comes from a slightly expensive seller in France, who happened to have more than a few collector's items on sale. I decided to buy this one because it isn't offered for any low price online - and don't think you'll ever find it during record fairs or anything. Collecting Eurovision singles can be frustrating, but it's always an exciting feeling when a particularly rare item ends up in your collection!
My collection: 7" single no. 7049
Found: Discogs.com, received 27 October 2023
Tracks: 'Anna rakkaudelle tilaisuus' / 'Pieni hymy'
He stopped his musical career to travel around the world. Antoine published the first book of his adventures, Globedrifter (French: Globe Flotteur) in 1977; several more have followed, including his book on distance navigation Setting Sail (French: Mettre les Voiles).
My collection: 7" single no. 7045
Found: Discogs.com, received 10 October 2023
Tracks: 'Pop corn' / 'Feuilles d'automne'
'Ceol an ghrà' ('The music of love') remains the only time Ireland contributed a Eurovision song in Gaelic. The song ended up in 15th place in a field of 18 competitors.
My collection: 7" single no. 7041
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 October 2023
Tracks: 'Ceol an ghrà' / 'Cry cry again'
The sleeve of this single, released in 1979, actually features a still from the movie on the cover. The other side of the sleeve is an advert for an album by Cliff and the Shadows, a recording of their reunion concerts at the London Palladium.
My collection: 7" single no. 7017
Found: 33|45 Records, Den Haag, 26 August 2023
Tracks: 'Theme from 'The Deer Hunter'' / 'Bermuda triangle'
Take 'Part time love' by Elton John for example. I never saw a copy of this single before - I think - and I was quite surprised to find out it actually reached number 15 in the UK singles chart in October 1978. By comparison, the single did not chart in the Netherlands at all.
My collection: 7" single no. 7015
Found: 33|45 Records, Den Haag, 26 August 2023
Tracks: 'Part time love' / 'I cry at night'
According to Ann Wilson: "That song was written in about '79 or '80, and it was definitely a response to being obstructed as women in the rock field. There are so many systemic things that get thrown up in front of you, different glass walls and stuff. We were speaking out against it then." The single reached number 33 the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 56 in Canada.
My collection: 7" single no. 6999
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 3 June 2023
Tracks: 'Even it up' / 'Pilot'
The first one is 'Dog & butterfly', the title track of the band's fourth studio album, released in 1978. Ann Wilson said she was inspired when she looked out a window and saw a dog relentlessly chasing a butterfly. She saw the song as an inspiration when things get tough to "keep going after it." Although it enjoyed only moderate chart success - it reached number 34 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 51 in Canada only - the song has remained a setlist staple for Heart consistently through the years.
My collection: 7" single no. 6998
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 3 June 2023
Tracks: 'Dog & butterfly' / 'Mistral wind'
The original version was a hit for the Bee Gees. They reached number 5 in the UK singles chart and number 23 in the Dutch Top 40.
The original studio version was included on the soundtrack of 'Saturday Night Fever', as it was used in a scene that was cut from the final film. Later pressings of the album used the live version of 'Jive Talkin''; from the Bee Gees 1977 album, 'Here at last... Bee Gees... Live', due to contractual distribution changes. The CD version restores the use of the studio version.
My collection: 7" single no. 6996
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 3 June 2023
Tracks: 'Jive talkin'' / 'Wind of change'
Albert Hammond's 'The free electric band' is one of those songs. Heard this a lot back then, but not for over twentyfive years. It's a good song but I was getting a bit sick of it. The song reached number 3 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 19 in the UK singles chart - his only hit in the UK!
My collection: 7" single no. 6994
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 3 June 2023
Tracks: 'The free electric band' / 'You taught me to sing the blues'
This EP is a good example. All four songs are performed by Claudio Villa, who is an accomplished singer, but it was not him who performed 'Corde della mia chitarra' at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957; it was Nunzio Gallo. Still, I wanted this one because it's really hard to find Gallo's version on a 7" single. A cover version is better than nothing, I suppose!
My collection: 7" single no. 6991
Found: Discogs.com, received 12 May 2023
Tracks: 'Luna rossa', 'Addio, sogni di gloria!' / 'Serenata celeste', 'Corde della mia chitarra'
'Od man fiddle' is the English version of 'Viulu-ukko', the song they won the Finnish national final with. Thanks to the relaxed language rules that year they could at least perform in English, and so they didn't totally bewilder the juries. 'Old man fiddle' reached seventh place in a field of 19 competitors.
My collection: 7" single no. 6982
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 May 2023
Tracks: 'Old man fiddle' / 'Summer call'
Still, like the original version this song is only partly in Spanish: some parts are still in English. For a while during the 1970's it was allowed to sing in different languages than the country's own, just like in more recent times. Despite this, the Italian duo didn't manage to get higher than 7th place.
My collection: 7" single no. 6960
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 22 April 2023
Tracks: 'Viviremos todo de nuevo' / 'Na, na, na'
Obviously I've already got the English and Swedish versions, as well as a beautiful picture disc (and cover versions by Dr. and the Medics, the Gerd Michaelis Chor, Lecia & Lucienne and a certain Swedish Group!) but this single was one I'd been searching for some time already. Now I only want the French version, but I'd rather not pay 100 euros for it...
My collection: 7" single no. 6959
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 22 April 2023
Tracks: 'Waterloo (Deutsche originalaufnahme)' / 'Watch out'
Micha never recorded the song. In the end, composer Charles Dumolin recorded the song himself and released it as a single. I wonder if it reached the charts... but probably not.
My collection: 7" single no. 6957
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 22 April 2023
Tracks: 'Hey nana' / 'Queen Cherbourg'
'Never can say goodbye' was originally recorded by the Jackson 5 in 1971, but Gloria released her version in 1974 to similar success, reaching number 2 in the UK singles chart and number 6 in the Dutch Top 40.
'I will survive' is the song that Gloria is most remembered for. It topped the UK singles chart in 1978, and reached number 4 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 6943
Found: Vinyl & zo, Rijswijk, 15 April 2023
Tracks: 'I will survive' / 'Never can say goodbye'
Jackson turned 12 one day after the song was released. The single sold 4.2 million copies in the USA, and 6.1 million copies worldwide. It was the group's final number 1 hit in the Billboard Hot 100 chart. For the rest of their career as a major-label act, Jackson 5 singles would climb no higher than number 2. The song was famously butchered by Mariah Carey during her MTV Unplugged session in 1992.
My collection: 7" single no. 6941
Found: Vinyl & zo, Rijswijk, 15 April 2023
Tracks: 'I'll be there' / 'One more chance'