Jennifer Jennings - Louis Neefs

Two years after Louis Neefs represented Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Ik heb zorgen', he returned with the song 'Jennifer Jennings' in 1969. Although the song was dedicated to a fictional girl, it turned out that there was an actual real-life Jennifer Jennings living in England. She contacted Louis Neefs and he invited her over to a concert, after which they kept in touch.

At the close of voting, 'Jennifer Jennings' received 10 points, and ended up in seventh place in a field of 16 competitors. This single was made in Italy, and considering its age it is in fine condition!

My collection: 7" single no. 6127
Found: Discogs.com, received June 21, 2019
Cost: 6 euro
Tracks: 'Jennifer Jennings' / 'Vanessa (I love you)'

Marcel - Heidi Brühl

And then, finally, I have found the Eurovision single I have been waiting for all my life. Who wouldn't love to have a Eurovision song dedicated to him- or herself? Well, back in 1963 - years before I was born - German singer Heidi Brühl performed the song 'Marcel', and it's a great one too: the song is sung from the perspective of a young woman telling her lover (the titular Marcel) that he is moving too quickly for her. She tells him that 'only a gentleman has a chance with me' and that he needs to respect that. The song ended up in ninth place out of 16 competitors.

Heidi didn't stop her involvement with Eurovision after this: in 1968 she recorded a cover version of that year's Spanish winning song, 'La la la'.

My collection: 7" single no. 6121
Found: Ebay, received June 11, 2019
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Marcel' / 'Das grosse Spiel'

Primaballerina - Siw Malmkvist

Germany was one of a few countries that didn't win that year's Eurovision Song Contest - 1969 is the year that came up with four winners after all. 'Primaballerina' was performed by Siw Malmkvist, a Swedish singer who was popular in Sweden and Germany during the Sixties. 'Primaballerina' ended up in ninth place in a field of 16 competitors.

Malmkvist went on to have some 40 hits on Swedish radio chart Svensktoppen and 20 on the German singles chart, she has altogether recorded about 600 songs (and has made recordings in ten different languages: Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, German, English, French, Italian and Spanish) throughout the past five decades, which makes her one of the most productive and successful Swedish female singers.

My collection: 7" single no. 6104
Found: eBay, received May 24, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Primaballerina' / 'Mir fehlt der Knopf am Pyjama'

Songfestival-successen - Various artists

I don't often post LP's on this blog, simply because I don't often buy them. And even the ones I did buy were not always that interesting for this blog. But here's an exception to that rule. 'Songfestival-successen' is a compilation album of Eurovision Song Contest songs, performed by various Dutch artists. The album presents twelve tracks in glorious mono sound.

Most of these tracks are familiar Dutch entries to the Contest, but there are a few interesting exceptions. 'Fernando en Filippo' is not performed by Milly Scott, who represented the Netherlands in 1966, but Conny van Bergen. There's also a cover version of 'Nous les amoureux', partly in Dutch, by Jan van der Most and a cover version of 'Non ho l'eta' by Sandra Reemer, also in Dutch ('Als jij maar wacht'). And finally, the songs 'Middellandse zee', 'Geweldig' and 'Niet voor mij 'were never performed on the Eurovision stage. 'Middellandse zee' was a hit for Anita Berry in 1962. Ronnie Tober reached second place in the Dutch national final for Eurovision with 'Geweldig' in 1965 and 'Niet voor mij' was performed at the Dutch national final for Eurovision in 1960. (Remarkably, Kauffeld ended up representing the Netherlands with the song 'Wat een dag' in 1961, but that song was never released on any record!)

My collection: LP [unnumbered]
Found: Marktplaats, received May 11, 2019
Cost: 6 euro
Tracks: 'Net als toen' (Corry Brokken), 'Katinka' (De Spelbrekers), 'Middellandse Zee' (Anita Berry), 'Geweldig' (Ronnie Tober), 'Niet voor mij' (Greetje Kauffeld), ''t Is genoeg' (Conny van den Bos) / 'Fernando en Filippo' (Conny van Bergen), 'Als jij maar wacht' (Sandra), 'Jij bent mijn leven' (Anneke Grönloh), 'Nous les amoureux' (Jan van der Most), 'Speeldoos' (Annie Palmen), ''n Beetje' (Teddy Scholten)

Se piangi, se ridi - Bobby Solo

Collecting Eurovision singles is a confusing business, especially when there are so many different releases of the same song in different territories. I didn't realise that I already had this song on an EP I bought two years ago when I found this one.

So this is the Dutch release of 'Se piangi, se ridi', the song that represented Italy during the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest, performed by Bobby Solo. This single presents two songs, as opposed to the Festival San Remo 65 EP that I bought in 2017.

My collection: 7" single no. 6095
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, March 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Se piangi, se ridi' / 'Saro' un illuso'

Romantica - Renato Rascel

While at Chelsea Records last week, I naturally checked out the Eurovision boxes, but there wasn't that much in there that I didn't already have. But to my surprise and amusement, there were a handful of old Eurovision singles in the 'Italian' section. One of the first I found was the 1960 entry 'Romantica', performed by Renato Rascel.

The song was first performed at the 1960 San Remo Festival, by Rascel and Italian singer Tony Dallara. Dallara's version was more powerful, but the slow, romantic version by Rascel made it to the Eurovision stage. The song ended up in eighth place in a field of 13 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 6099
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Romantica' / 'Dimmelo con un fiore'

Non ho l'eta' per amarti - Patricia Carli

The song 'Non ho l'eta' is best known in the version by Gigliola Cinquetti, who won the 1964 Eurovision Song Contest, representing Italy. During the San Remo festival, which was organised in Italy almost two months before Eurovision, she sang the song together with Patricia Carli as per the rules of San Remo. Both Cinquetti and Carli released the song as a single, although only Cinquetti's version became an international hit.

Patricia Carli was born on March 12, 1938 in Taranto, a coastal city in southern Italy. She grew up in Belgium, where her parents had emigrated for work. After studying music and singing, she began performing in public and in a few years she became well known in Belgium and in France, where she performed at the prestigious Olympia music hall in Paris. She released dozens of singles during the Sixties, but only one album.

My collection: 7" single no. 6096
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Non ho l'eta' per amarti' / 'Cosi' felice'

Ik heb zorgen - Louis Neefs

It ain't easy to find a copy of Louis Neefs' first Eurovision entry, so it is only appropriate that I should find one in Belgium. After all, Belgium was the country he represented when he performed 'Ik heb zorgen' in Vienna in 1967.

His participation was quite successful, since he finished in seventh place in a field of 17 competitors. Neefs recorded the song in English ('I got troubles') and German ('Ich habe Sorgen'). He would return to the Eurovision stage in 1969, with the song 'Jennifer Jennings'. I am still looking for that single...

My collection: 7" single no. 6079
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Ik heb zorgen' / 'Alleen met z'n twee'

La, la, la - Digno Garcia y sus Carios

Spain won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1968 with the song 'La la la', as performed by Massiel. Such was the success of the song that several cover versions happened. One of them already appeared on this blog, recorded by Heidi Brühl. And here is another one, recorded by Digno Garcia y sus Carios.

Digno Garcia was a Paraguayan harpist, who formed his own group, sus Carios, with Lonardo Aquino, Antonia Alvarez and Arnaldo Peralta. 'La la la'  appeared in 1968, right about the time when Massiel had stormed the charts with that song.

My collection: 7" single no. 6076
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'La la la' / 'Costa Brava'

Eurovision 1966 - Caravelli et ses violons magiques

Caravelli was a French orchestra leader, born in Paris on September 12, 1930. Born as Claude Vasori, he was the son of an Italian father and a French mother. Vasori took his stage name in 1956 from the newly introduced twin-jet Caravelle from Caravelle Aerospatiale. This plane was the first jet created for the short-haul market. The first Caravelle entered service for Air France on May 9, 1959. He made it more Italianate in honor of his father's origins, changing the last letter: 'Caravelli et son Violons Magiques' ('Caravelli and his magnificent strings').

In 1959 with the help of the French jazz musician Ray Ventura, he obtained a contract to form his own orchestra oriented to popular music. He signed a contract with the French record label Versailles. His first album Dance Party was recorded. In 1963, he composed 'Accroche-toi Caroline!' which was used by the BBC as the theme to the Vision On television series.

This single was released in 1966 and features cover versions of two Eurovision songs: 'Chez nous' (originally performed by Dominique Walter representing France) and ' Dio come ti amo' (performed by Domenico Modugno representing Italy).

My collection: 7" single no. 6075
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Chez nous'  / 'Dio como ti amo'

Som en dröm - Östen Warnerbring

In 1967, Sweden was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest by Östen Warnerbring, the kind of artist you wouldn't find in the contest these days anymore. He started out as a jazz musician but over the years, he became known as a singer of popular music, schlager music, and of Swedish poetry put into music by himself.

His first record was released in 1952. His talents as a singer were discovered by Arne Domnérus in the mid-1950s, and in 1964 he started touring folkparks. His major breakthrough came in 1965, when he sang 'En röd blomma till en blond flicka', a Swedish version of 'Red Roses for a blue lady'. In 1967, on the Eurovision stage, he sang 'Som en dröm' ('Like a dream'). At the close of voting, it had received 7 points, placing eighth in a field of 17 competitors.


Warnerbring died in San Augustin, Canary Islands on January 18, 2006.

My collection: 7" single no. 6056
Found: Discogs.com, received April 30, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Som en dröm', 'En valsfan' / 'En serenad till dej', 'Tänk ej mer pa mej'

Man gratuliert mir - Cliff Richard

In 1968, Cliff Richard sang the UK's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest, 'Congratulations', written and composed by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter. He came second behind Spain's infamous winning song 'La La La'. Nevertheless, 'Congratulations' was a huge hit throughout Europe and Australia, and another number 1 hit for Cliff in April 1968.

Cliff Richard also recorded his Eurovision song in German: the lyrics in German for 'Man gratuliert mir' were written by Klaus Fleming. The song was only released in Germany, which makes this single a bit of a one-off.

My collection: 7" single no. 6054
Found: Discogs.com, received April 30, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Man gratuliert mir' / 'Ich kann treu sein'

If I could choose - Sean Dunphy

In 1967, Ireland was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest by Sean Dunphy, who was 29 years old at the time. Born on November 30, 1937, he became famous in his home country as lead singer with The Hoedowners, a showband led by trumpeter Earl Gill. Between 1966 and 1973, fourteen singles by Sean Dunphy and The Hoedowners entered the Irish Charts including, in 1969, two number ones: 'Lonely Woods of Upton' and 'When The Fields Were White With Daisies'.

'If I could choose' narrowly missed winning the Contest in 1967, finishing in second place behind Sandie Shaw's 'Puppet on a string'. Dunphy went on to have two further hits as a solo artist. He died at his home in Baldoyle, County Dublin on May 17, 2011.

My collection: 7" single no. 6053
Found: Discogs.com, received April 30, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'If I could choose' / 'Yellow bandana'

Non ho l'eta - Dora Manganello

The Eurovision Song Contest brought forth many evergreens in the Sixties, and one of them was 'Non ho l'eta', the Italian song that won the 1964 edition. Many cover versions of the song exist, and this is one of them.

Dora Manganello didn't really become a household name, but she sang this version of the song on an EP that was released by Grosjean, a French manufacturer of cheeses. Perhaps this is why this EP is a bit cheesy, with a French cover of Bob Dylan's 'Blowin' in the wind' and two instrumentals on the B-side.

My collection: 7" single no. 6038
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 13, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Non ho l'eta' (Dora Manganello), 'Écoute dans le vent' (Fiona) / 'Ne te moque plus', '23 heures 30' (Hully-Gully Party)

Sag ihr, ich lass sie grüssen - Udo Jürgens

After competing in the Euovision Song Contest 1964 with Warum nur, warum, Udo Jürgens represented his country Austria again the next year. The song 'Sag ihr, ich lass sie grüssen' has a strong melody and a rather sad message. Jürgens is telling a friend what to tell a former lover. He explains that the lover must be told that he sends his regards and that he is doing fine, but that his hope that she might come back to him must not be mentioned. He ends, however, with the instruction that 'in spite of that, tell her I love her'.

The song was slightly more successful in the Eurovision jury system: while 'Warum nur, warum' made it to sixth place, this 1965 entry made it to fourth place. It may have contributed to sending Jürgens to the Eurovision stage again in 1966 with 'Merci Cherie', with which he finally won the contest. This French EP features the Eurovision song along with three more German language songs.

My collection: 7" single no. 6042
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 13, 2019
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Sag ihr, ich lass sie grüssen', 'Du darfst nicht geh'n' / 'Frag' nie', 'Ich traum' noch von Jenny'

Warum nur, warum - Udo Jürgens

Udo Jürgens made a name for himself in Eurovision history by winning the 1966 edition with 'Merci Chérie'. What many people don't know or seem to forget is that he actually represented Austria in three consecutive editions. He started in 1964 with 'Warum nur, warum'.

In the song, Jürgens wonders why flowers are dying and the object of his affection is ignoring him. The song finished in sixth place in a field of 16 competitors. This French EP features two songs in German and two in English, showing the multilingual qualities of the singer.

My collection: 7" single no. 6040
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 13, 2019
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Warum nur, warum', 'Beautiful dreamgirl' / 'Kiss me quick', 'Tausend Träume'

Un día, un niño - Frida Boccara

One of the most beautiful Eurovision melodies of the Sixties must surely be 'Un jour, un enfant' by Frida Boccara. She was one of four winners in the 1969 edition, together with the Spanish, Dutch and UK entries.

Boccara recorded the beautiful ballad in five languages: the original French version, English, German, Italian - and this Spanish version. It is not easy to find these versions for a reasonable price, so I was happy to snap up this Spanish single for the tiny amount of 1 euro.

My collection: 7" single no. 6037
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 13, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Un día, un niño' / 'Bella de dia'

Que bueno, que bueno - Conchita Bautista

'Qué bueno, qué bueno!' was the Spanish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1965, performed in Spanish by Conchita Bautista. This was Bautista's second appearance on the Eurovision stage, in the 1961 Contest she had performed Spain's very first entry, 'Estando contig', then placing ninth in a field of 16.

In 1965, Bautista came through a very convoluted selection process to win the national finals in the end with 'Qué bueno, qué bueno!'. On the Eurovision stage, the song was performed third on the night. At the close of voting, it had received the dreaded nul points, 0 points, placing 15th (equal last together with Germany, Belgium and Finland) in a field of 18 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 6029
Found: Discogs.com, received April 10, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Que bueno, qué bueno!', 'Yenca flamenca' / 'Reina por un dia', 'Tienes duende'

Pop corn - Gershon Kingsley and the Moog

So here it is, finally.... the original version of 'Popcorn', the synth-pop instrumental composed and performed by Gershon Kingsley. You have seen and heard many cover versions of this tune on this blog, but the original was only released on 7" vinyl in a few countries. This is the Spanish single, ordered last week from Spain.

Composer Gershon Kingsley (born on October 28, 1922 and apparently still alive) first recorded 'Popcorn' for his 1969 album 'Music to Moog By'. In 1971 the track was re-recorded by Kingsley's band 'First Moog Quartet', later he released a version under the name of The Popcorn Makers, this was the version that was the most successful in the charts.

My collection: 7" single no. 6028
Found: Discogs.com, received April 10, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Pop corn' / 'For Alisse Beethoven'

Ein Hoch der Liebe - Wencke Myhre

Wencke Myhre was born on February 15, 1947 in Kjelsås, Norway, and became a popular singer after signing her first recording contract at the age of 13. In 1964 and 1966 she participated in the Norwegian national finals for Eurovision, but in the end she appeared on the international Eurovision stage for Germany with the song 'Ein Hoch der Liebe' ('A toast to love'). The song ended up in sixth place in a field of 17 competitors.

After her Eurovision appearance, she managed to have four more top 10 hits in Germany between1969 and 1978. Myhre tried her luck in Norwegian national finals again in 1982 and 1983, and finally in 2009.

My collection: 7" single no. 6025
Found: Discogs.com, received March 28, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Ein Hoch der Liebe' / 'Jägerlatein'