Tattoo - Mike Oldfield

I guess I should save this single for December because of its seasonal B-side, but heck, this is Mike Oldfield and this is Tubular Bells, so I couldn't really wait that long. 'Tattoo' was released in 1992 and charted in - you guessed it - December of that year, peaking at number 33 in the UK singles chart.

It was one of three single releases taken from his album 'Tubular Bells II', a different take on his classic 1970's album. Years later, he would also make 'Millennium Bells' and 'Tubular Bells III', and we're all still waiting for 'Tubular Bells IV', which is rumoured to be an interactive thing. We can't wait.

My collection: 7" single no. 6280
Found: Discogs.com, received May 12, 2020
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Tattoo (edit)' / 'Silent night'

Ka' du se hvad jeg sa'? - Kirsten & Søren

After Det' lige det in 1984 and Sku' du' spørg fra no'en? in 1985, Kirsten & Søren returned to the Eurovision stage in 1988 with 'Ka' du se hvad jeg sa'?', another breezy Danish pop tune in their all too familiar style. It was their most successful attempt, finishing in third place.

I was quite surprised to find that I did have the single Who is wrong and who's right, featuring both the English and French versions, but the original Danish version was still lacking. I was lucky to find this single with the same dealer who was selling Brandenburger Tor, which eased the pain of having to shell out postage from Finland a little.

My collection: 7" single no. 6279
Found: Discogs.com, received April 23, 2020
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Ka' du se hvad jeg sa'?' / 'Lullaby (Sang til Kaj)'

Brandenburger Tor - Ketil Stokkans Pop Band

The Eurovision Song Contest suffered a bit after the Berlin Wall came down in 1989. Suddenly songs about freedom and happiness ran rampant, and every country wanted to profit from the glee that suddenly engulfed Europe. This is how we got 'Keine Mauern mehr', 'Frei zu leben' and the terrible winner of 1990, 'Insieme'.

Even Norway went along: they sent in Ketil Stokkan with the shameless song, dedicated to that famous Norwegian landmark 'Brandenburger Tor'. But at least, this was a rather funny song. At least, it sounded funny because Norwegian is hard to understand, so the only surviving lyric for foreign ears was that very title. It didn't help matters much: at the close of voting, Ketil ended up in a shared last place in a field of 22 competitors. The single, meanwhile, is incredibly rare, so I was glad to get my hands on a copy.

My collection: 7" single no. 6278
Found: Discogs.com, received April 23, 2020
Tracks: 'Brandenburger Tor (Norsk version)' / 'Brandenburger Tor (English version)'

Kids in America - Lawnmower Deth

I was familiar, of course, with the cover version of 'Kids in America' by Lawnmower Deth, released in 1991. I bought the cd single somewhere in the 1990's and even bought the album 'Billy' with the same track on it. This 7" single, however, is a recent discovery. For all this time I believed the track was never released on this format. So when I spotted it online recently, I got hold of it rather quickly, thanks to a Belgian seller.

It is amusing to note that this version is Kim Wilde's own favourite, and she went on to record 'F U Kristmas' with the band a few years ago, as well as performing live with them. Their loud music is offset by the fact that they don't really take themselves very seriously.

My collection: 7" single no. 6277
Found: Discogs.com, received April 18, 2020
Cost: 8 euro
Tracks: 'Kids in America' / 'Bone yank blisters'

Frank Boeijen - Twee gezichten

The last few vinyl singles by Frank Boeijen have become rare oddities. Released in 1992, this is one of them. 'Twee gezichten' ('Two faces') was released in Belgium in an edition of a few thousand copies, and they're almost impossible to get hold of nowadays.

I actually own the Dutch pressing of this single, but this one is special for the fact that it has a different sleeve and a live cover of Leonard Cohen's 'Suzanne' in Dutch. Frank's version was recorded for the Dutch TV programme Rotland, broadcast a few months before the release of this single. Confusingly, that track also appears on the B-side of the Dutch single 'Ze geeft om mij'.

My collection: 7" single no. 6276
Found: Discogs.com, received April 8, 2020
Cost: 10 euro
Tracks: 'Twee gezichten' / 'Suzanne (live)'

Eurovision medley - Esperanto

With an ever growing Eurovision collection, it is inevitable to stumble upon some strange and rare oddities. This single represents a Nineties take on various Eurovision classics, with all the hallmarks of a cheap Nineties production. The Belgian ensemble seems to consist of M. Lossso, D. Huppermans and R. Marino, who remain rather anonymous.

The songs included in this medley are 'Insieme (1992)', 'Waterloo', 'Puppet on a string', 'Non ho l'eta', 'Hold me now', 'Poupée de cire, poupée de son', Hallelujah', 'Merci chérie', 'Ein Bisschen Frieden', 'Apres toi', 'Save all your kisses for me' and 'J'aime la vie'.

My collection: 7" single no. 6275
Found: Discogs.com, received April 8, 2020
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Eurovision medley' / 'Get up and dance'

No estas solo - Patricia Kraus

Patricia Kraus was born on January 4, 1964 in Milan, Italy as the daughter of Alfredo Kraus, a Spanish tenor. She was selected to represent Spain during the Eurovision Song Contest in 1987 with 'No estas solo'. As you can hear, the song is a bit messy and really doesn't go anywhere. No wonder, then, that it finished in 19th place in a field of 22 competitors.

Kraus released her first self-titled album shortly after her Eurovision appearance. Further albums followed, including two of experimental electronica in collaboration with Daniel Assante, which were critically well-received although modest sellers. In 1999 she formed the group Waxbeat with Juan Belda and Juan Gómez Acebo, and two albums were released. Kraus, along with Assante and Italian musicians Enrico Barbaro and Gherardo Catanzaro, is currently working under the name of Vintage Club Band.

My collection: 7" single no. 6274
Found: Discogs.com, received April 8, 2020
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'No estas solo' / 'With love'

Wuthering heights / The man with the child in his eyes - Kate Bush

There's not much to write about Kate Bush that hasn't already been written a thousand times. She is undoubtedly one of the most talented women to have appeared on the music scene in the last century and her music is likely to last for decades to come.

Old Gold was quick to realize this when they released this double A-sided single featuring her first two hit singles in 1983, just five years after they were originally released. 'Wuthering heights' and 'The man with the child in his eyes' appear on this disc in their original single versions, which for the latter is quite unique, as that version has rarely appeared on a physical format since.

My collection: 7" single no. 6154
Found: Discogs.com, received August 9, 2019
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Wuthering heights' / 'The man with the child in his eyes'

No more lonely nights - Paul McCartney

Even a music legend can't get it right every time. Paul McCartney has been a victim of ridicule for his single 'We all stand together', the syrupy duet 'Ebony and ivory' and even his treatment of his deluxe editions of past albums, where digital files were sometimes favoured over physical releases.

A more personal example of failure for me is the extended version of 'No more lonely nights'. It is one of my favourite McCartney tracks, but the ballad version - present here on the B-side - is many times better than the so-called 'playout version'. And then there's the extended version... what a mess! I wanted to hear this version, which was my reason for buying this 12" single, but it turned out to be a disappointment. It will probably be up for sale soon. Any takers?

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, January 24, 2020
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'No more lonely nights (extended version)' / 'Silly love songs', 'No more lonely nights (ballad)'

No more winds to guide me - Maywood

In 1990, the Dutch duo Maywood participated in the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Ik wil alles met je delen'. It was their attempt to win back some of the popularity they had in the first half of the Eighties. Although the international audience probably didn't understand the sentimental and frankly trite lyrics, it didn't do the song any favours.

This English version of the song, 'No more winds to guide me' at least features better lyrics. The single was released internationally, but didn't achieve chart success. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6273
Found: Discogs.com, received March 25, 2020
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'No more winds to guide me' / 'I was born to love you'

Popcorn - Jam

This single is actually quite exciting for me, because it is the first time that I bought a single on the BASF label. We all know this manufacturer of tapes and such, but I've never actually seen a 7" single with a BASF label.

And then there is the track: another cover version of Gershon Kingsley's 'Popcorn'. There are so many versions of this single, and I just love adding to my collection for some reason.

Then there is the artist. According to the sleeve, this is 'the big hit from France'. Knowing that Kingsley was a German-American composer, we have to assume that Jam is a band from France. Assume, because there is no information about Jam. Just that this is one of only two singles they released. The other one? 'Jingle bells'....

My collection: 7" single no. 6270
Found: Discogs.com, received March 25, 2020
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Popcorn' / 'Ecco'

The woman and the girl in me - Kate

I already bought the original Norwegian version of 'The woman and the girl in me' by Kate, titled 'Mitt liv', six month ago. But while ordering some singles this German pressing turned up and I couldn't resist buying this.

So what happened to Kate after Eurovision? She performed the song 'Welcome to Lillehammer' at the 1994 Winter Olympics. Then in 1998, Jørn Hansen's 'Med gullet for øyet' was the official song for the Paralympic Winter Games in Nagano in Japan in 1998.
 
She was previously married and took the surname Gulbrandsen Syversen. The couple had one child together and separated in 2006.

My collection: 7" single no. 6269
Found: Discogs.com, received March 25, 2020
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'The woman and the girl in me' / 'Touch my fantasy'

Liebe gibt und nimmt - Corinne Hermès

In 1983, Luxembourg managed to win the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Si la vie est cadeau', performed by Corinne Hermès. I remember seeing the programme live - it was one of the first times that I was allowed to stay up until the end - and wondering why this song, out of all the songs that were performed that night, was rewarded with the prize.

This single presents the song in German and English. It is a nice curiosity, but listening to these two versions I am strengthened in my opinion that this really isn't a good composition. It's hard to listen to the cold, emotionless vocals of Hermès and the lyrics do little to improve the song. If it were me, any of the runners up would have been better winners.

My collection: 7" single no. 6272
Found: Discogs.com, received March 25, 2020
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Liebe gibt und nimmt' / 'Words of love'

Popcorn - Orchester Volkmar Schmidt

Now that many countries are in some form of isolation, either self-isolated or instructed by their respective governments, there may be some sense of what people in the German Democratic Republic were going through for some decades after World War II. Despite their disappearance behind the iron curtain, music penetrated the country, either as performed by the original artists or as a cover version.

This single, released by state record company Amiga features a cover version of the popular Gershon Kingsley tune Popcorn, as performed by the Orchester Volkmar Schmidt. It was one of the singles I received in a package of six today. I'm glad that despite all the quarantines, international mail is still functioning.

My collection: 7" single no. 6270
Found: Discogs.com, received March 25, 2020
Cost: 3 euro

Tracks: 'Popcorn' (Orchester Volkmar Schmidt) / 'Eine neue Liebe ist wie ein neues Leben' (Peter Albert & Orchester Günter Gollasch)

Kiss me - Marty Wilde

I've already got a lot of singles by Marty Wilde - you have seen them on this blog no doubt - but there are still some missing. For instance, this one. 'Kiss me' was released in 1964. After having been signed to Philips for years, he switched labels in the early Sixties, for an unsuccessful run of singles on the Columbia label.

Unsuccessful in terms of chart success, because artistically these songs stand the test of time very well. Both sides of this single were written by Wilde himself, and recorded with his own backing band, the Wild Cats.

My collection: 7" single no. 6267
Found: Discogs.com, received March 20, 2020
Cost: 7 pounds
Tracks: 'Kiss me' / 'My what a woman'

Sensitive - Mick Karn

I already owned a 7" single and a 12" single of 'Sensitive' by Mick Karn, but this latest addition is a recent discovery. Much to my surprise, this Dutch pressing of the single features a remix version of the track - a different remix from the one that appeared on the 12", surprisingly enough. While the 12" version has a duration of 4 minutes and 15 seconds, this single version is half a minute shorter and also appears to have been released some time after the single's original release. And of course, it has a slightly different sleeve!

You can understand this was the latest addition to my ever expanding 'Wilde' collection, because both sides of this single were produced and mixed by Mick Karn and Ricky Wilde.

My collection: 7" single no. 6266
Found: Discogs.com, received March 19, 2020
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Sensitive (remix)' / 'The sound of waves'

Boogaloo - Lotta Engberg

I bought '4 bugg & en coca cola' last year, fully aware that there was another version of this song as well. 'Boogaloo' was released shortly after that single, after the Eurovision officials decided that using a trademark name was not allowed on their stage. And so, not only the title of the song was changed, but also some of the lyrics.

The result is heard on this single: 'Boogaloo', released in time for the 1987 Eurovision Song Contest. The song ended up in twelfth place in Eurovision, in a field of 22 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 6265
Found: Discogs.com, received March 19, 2020
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Boogaloo (English version)' / 'Boogaloo (Swedish version)'

Kun olen yksin - Tomi

Tom Jones recorded 'All I can say is goodbye', written by Marty Wilde and Ronnie Scott, on his 1968 album 'Help yourself'. That track was not released as a single - but it should have been - but other artists have had a go at the song, and Finnish singer Tomi was one of them.

He released 'Kun olen yksin' in 1969. The lyrics were translated by Finnish musician, producer and songwriter Reino Bäckman (1937-1990), who also translated the B-side: a version of 'Through the eyes of love', made famous by Engelbert Humperdinck that same year. When you listen to 'Kun olen yksin', you can almost hear Tom Jones in this version, but I doubt Tom Jones has ever recorded a song in Finnish...

My collection: 7" single n. 6264
Found: Discogs.com, received March 12, 2020
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Kun olen yksin' / 'Toinen tie'

Jezamine - Tommy Körberg

As a fan of Marty Wilde's songwriting, I have made a point of collecting cover versions of his songs whenever I get a chance to buy a copy for a not-too-ridiculous amount. Tommy Körberg's version of 'Jezamine' certainly qualifies as one of the more interesting ones, since it is sung in Swedish; the lyrics were translated by producer, lyricist and lyrics translator Per-Anders Boquist (1931-2014). The musical accompaniment was provided by Lars Samuelson's Orchestra.

And if you think the B-side, 'En som du' sounds familiar, it is the song 'Red red wine', written by Neil Diamond and made famous during the 1980's by UB40.

My collection: 7" single no. 6263
Found: Discogs.com, received March 12, 2020
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Jezamine' / 'En som du'

Burn it up (Mr. DJ) - Risqué

Although I already own a 12" single of Risqué's 'Burn it up (Mr. DJ)', there was still another one worth seeking out. This one is the original 12" single, released in the Netherlands when the single was released. And the remix is created by Dutch remix legend Ben Liebrand.

Fans will have been disappointed by the sleeve of this record, because it doesn't come in the same picture sleeve as the 7" single. But I do know that Risqué fan Jos will be excited by this extended version nonetheless.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received February 28, 2020
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Burn it up (Mr. DJ) [extended]' / 'Burn it up (Mr. DJ) [extended instrumental]'