I still have faith in you - Abba

One of the most anticipated comebacks of all time: it's easy to see that when Abba announced not only a few new tracks (which were already announced a couple of years ago), but a full album, the music world shook on its foundations. During a live streamed press moment the music video for 'I still have faith in you' was shown - undoubtedly an emotional moment for Abba fans worldwide.

While it is easy to get caught up in this hype, the question remains: is the new song any good? Without reservation I would say, yes of course. Thankfully they remained true to their own sound and didn't employ rappers, modern producers or "big names". They just made their own music, and released it, thankfully, on 7" vinyl as well. The only disappointing thing is that they didn't include a B-side: that side is etched with the lyrics of the song. That's beautiful, of course, but another song would have been nicer.

My collection: 7" single no. 6444
Found: Platenzaak.nl, received 4 September 2021
Cost: € 9,99
Tracks: 'I still have faith in you'

You don't have to say you love me - Dusty Springfield

I do have versions of this song by Michael Ball and Guys and Dolls, but the version by Dusty Springfield remains the best of all times. The original version of the song comes from Italy and was introduced at the Sanremo Festival by Pino Donaggio as 'Io che non vivo (senza te)'. The song reached the final at Sanremo and, as recorded by Donaggio, reached No. 1 in Italy in March 1965.

Dusty Springfield, who participated at the 1965 Sanremo Festival, was in the audience when Donaggio performed the song and, although she did not know the meaning of the lyrics, the song moved Springfield to tears. She obtained an acetate recording of Donaggio's song, but allowed a year to go by before actively pursuing the idea of recording an English version. English lyrics were provided by her friend Vicki Wickham together with her own friend Simon Napier-Bell. Dusty's recording became a number 1 hit in the UK and went top 10 in most of the other countries around the world.

My collection: 7" single no. 6471
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 October 2021
Cost: $2
Tracks: 'You don't have to say you love me' / 'Little by little'

Having it all - Eighth Wonder feat. Patsy Kensit

Most people know the movie 'Absolute beginners' from the single 'Absolute beginners' by David Bowie, but this movie had so much more to offer. Who could forget Sade's beautiful song 'Killer blow'? It's a shame that was never released as a single.

I thought the same about 'Having it all', performed in the movie by Patsy Kensit from Eighth Wonder. I was surprised, and pleased, to find that this song was released as a single, albeit in Japan only. The jazzy track is a departure from their other material, which is much more synth-driven, but I guess that's what makes this track extra special.

My collection: 7" single no. 6467
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 October 2021
Cost: $5
Tracks: 'Having it all' / 'Stay with me (instrumental)'

Forever autumn - Vigrass & Osborne

'Forever autumn' is a rather familiar title on this blog: I own a UK single, a Dutch single and a re-released single from 1989. One thing was still missing, though: the original version by Paul Vigrass and Gary Osborne.

They wrote the song together with Jeff Wayne. It was Wayne who wrote the original melody as a jingle for a Lego commercial. Vigrass and Osborne, the performers of the original jingle, added lyrics to the song and recorded it for inclusion on their 1972 album 'Queues'. Their interpretation was also released as a single and gained moderate commercial success in Japan, selling more than 100,000 copies and becoming a top-20 hit on the country's record chart. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6466
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 October 2021
Cost: $3
Tracks: 'Forever autumn' / 'Men of learning'

En un mundo nuevo - Waldo de los Rios

In 1971, Karina represented Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest with 'En un mundo nuevo'. It was a successful entry for the country, because it finished in second place. The song was arranged and conducted by Waldo de los Rios, who was smart enough to also record a version of the song himself - albeit instrumental. This single presents that version.

Waldo de los Ríos (real name: Osvaldo Nicolás Ferraro Gutiérrez) was a native of Buenos Aires who relocated to the USA in 1958 and then Spain in 1962. He is best-remembered for his ability to transform European classical music into pop music. De los Ríos committed suicide in 1977. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6464
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 October 2021
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'En un mundo nuevo' / 'Pamperito'

Este mundo - Katja Ebstein

Katja Ebstein represented Germany in 1971 with the song 'Diese Welt'. And just like the song 'Wunder gibt es immer wider' (which she recorded in Spanish as 'Siempre hay algun milagro'), she recorded this song in Spanish. 'Este mundo' was released in Spain just after her Eurovision appearance. Strange thing is, the B-side was still in German, unlike that other Spanish single.

'Diese Welt' reached third place in the 1971 edition of Eurovision. In her autobiography, Ebstein wrote: "For me, this placement was the international breakthrough... I took bronze, with the eco-song 'Diese Welt' by Dieter Zimmermann and Fred Jay."

My collection: 7" single no. 6463
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 October 2021
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Este mundo' / 'Wind in der Nacht'

Popcorn - Popcorn Orchestra

This cheap looking sleeve hides the fact that the Popcorn Orchestra is actually French synth god Jean Michel Jarre. At least, that is what more knowledgeable people have told me. No wonder, then, that this single fetches some stunning prices online, especially when it is in pristine condition.

My copy is reasonably good, but the seller already warned that the B-side sounded a bit off. That was no problem: it was, after all, the A-side that I was after. You can tell from this blog that I am a bit of a Popcorn collector, and so the version by Jarre was one I just had to have.

My collection: 7" single no. 6462
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 October 2021
Cost: €2
Tracks: 'Popcorn' / 'Blackbird'

Ich hab' auf Liebe gesetzt - Marianne Rosenberg

German singer Marianne Rosenberg released this single in 1980, featuring not just one, but two cover versions in German of contemporary hits. The A-side featured a version of Barbra Streisand's evergreen 'Woman in love', and the B-side a version of the immortal 'The winner takes it all' by Abba. Quite why she thought this would improve those two songs is unknown.

Still, this single became a hit in Germany, reaching number 31 at the turn of the year. And she wasn't the only one to cover 'Woman in love' either: Gitte Haenning released 'Die Frau, die dich liebt' and Mireille Mathieu released 'Une femme amoureuse'. And that was just in 1980. There have also been lots of cover versions of 'The winner takes it all', although most of those were released after 1980.

My collection: 7" single no. 6460
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 2 October 2021
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Ich hab' auf Liebe gesetzt' / 'Nur Sieger stehn im Licht'

Walk away - Matt Monro

When Matt Monro participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1964 with 'I love the little things', he was quite impressed with the Austrian entry by Udo Jürgens, 'Warum nur warum?'. He decided to record a cover version, with English lyrics by Don Black. This became 'Walk away', released before the end of the year. It became a hit for him, peaking at number 4 in the UK singles chart and even number 6 in Australia. Monro would go on to record a cover version of Udo Jürgens' Eurovision winner, 'Merci Chérie', in 1966.

This EP features four tracks by Monro. The two tracks on side one are quite enjoyable, the two on the other side... not so much.

My collection: 7" single no. 6461
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 2 October 2021
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Walk away', 'Around the world' / 'Fools rush in', 'Walk into the dawn'

Dancing queen / Fernando - Abba

This single was released in the GDR, or 'East Germany' as we called it until 1990, when that part of Germany was under communist rule. The state-run label Amiga released singles for the wealthier part of the public - although there were, apparently, also lots of illegal tapes doing the rounds.

I bought this single because it feels a bit like a rarity. It's not really that rare - it is available regularly online - but it's always nice to own a piece of history, and this is it. Amiga released a couple of Abba singles, and this one features two of their biggest hits: 'Dancing queen' and 'Fernando'. Who knows I may find those other Amiga singles someday too.

My collection: 7" single no. 6459
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 2 October 2021
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Dancing queen' / 'Fernando'

Hotel California - Eagles

Although I do own 'Hotel California' on one of those re-release singles from the 'Old Gold' series, it always feels a bit like cheating to just have that. I wasn't exactly inclined to buy the original single, until I saw this Japanese beauty at the record fair. This is the original Japanese single from 1976, and it features a slightly edited version of that classic track: it's 20 seconds shorter than the orginal album version.

It's no wonder that the guitar solo at the end of this track is often quoted as one of the best guitar solos of all time. It takes up the last two minutes of the track (which originally runs at 6½ minutes) and includes some impressive twists and turns. Would such a track still become a hit these days? When hell freezes over, perhaps.

My collection: 7" single no. 6458
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 2 October 2021
Cost: €6
Tracks: 'Hotel California' / 'Pretty maids all in a row'

Here in my heart / Aldri i livet - Finn Kalvik

For the first time in two years, I went to a real record fair this weekend. It was quite great to see a bunch of dealers at the Ahoy in Rotterdam, not in open air (like the minor record fairs in Den Haag of recent months) but in a real hall. There was still a relatively limited amount of international sellers, but the atmosphere was great and it almost felt like old times. I actually scored a few rare items, too.

The first rare item I saw was this single by Norwegian singer Finn Kalvik, who represented his country at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1981 with 'Aldri i livet'. The single was produced by Benny Andersson from Abba, which makes it a collectors item for certain fans I guess. I was quite shocked by the price on this one - until I saw that the dealer was selling everything at half price! Considering I have been looking for this one for years, it was a great find.

My collection: 7" single no. 6457
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 2 October 2021
Cost: €7,50
Tracks: 'Here in my heart' / 'Aldi i livet'

Oxygene 2 - Jean Michel Jarre

It's time for a much needed break from the Eurovision repertoire on this blog, and it comes in the shape of French synthesizer god Jean Michel Jarre. His single 'Oxygene IV' is probably his best known track. I was quite surprised to find out there was also a single of 'Oxygene 2', another track from his album 'Oxygene'. The tune is very different, but just as arresting. 

The record-buying public seemed less interested at the time: whereas 'Oxygene IV' was a major hit worldwide, this second single only managed to reach number 61 in Australia (and didn't even chart in his native France!). His career was far from over: Jarre continues to release music to this day.

My collection: 7" single no. 6456
Found: Discogs.com, received 29 September 2021
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'Oxygene 2' / 'Oxygene 6'

A force de prier - Nana Mouskouri

For the longest time I have been searching for a good and cheap copy of 'A force de prier'. I bought the English version, 'The one that got away' for almost nothing 2½ years ago, but finding the original version has been much more difficult. I am glad to say that I finally succeeded, for only slightly more than I wanted to pay for this.

'A force de prier' was Nana Mouskouri's Eurovision entry for Luxembourg back in 1963. According to her: "It was a beautiful song, but when I listened to the other participants, I understood that I would not win". It must have been a disappointment to land on 8th place. It has to be said that the winning song, 'Dansevise' was a true classic, but this song should at least have been in the top 5.

My collection: 7" single no. 6455
Found: Discogs.com, received 29 September 2021
Cost: €6
Tracks: 'A force de prier', 'Ensemble' / 'Laissez-moi pleurer', 'Les yeux pour pleurer'

Ballare stretti - Sergio Dalma

Sergio Dalma represented Spain with 'Bailar pegados' in 1991. By that time, recording songs in other languages had become less fashionable (it was pretty common especially in the Sixties and Seventies), but he decided to record his song in Italian as well. This version was entitled 'Ballare stretti'. 

There are a few releases of this song. The commercially-released version fetches some amazing amounts these days, but this Italian promo, amazingly, was quite cheap. There's also the added bonus of a track by a certain Federico Vassallo on the other side of this single, and it is a nice contrast to the rather downbeat ballad by Sergio.

My collection: 7" single no. 6454
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 September 2021
Cost: €5.50
Tracks: 'Siamo qua' (Federico Vassallo) / 'Ballare stretti' (Sergio Dalma)

Ho sognato te / La danza delle note - Sandie Shaw

When I wrote an entry on 'Wiedehopf im Mai' last month, I already promised that the Italian version of 'Puppet on a string' would follow soon. And indeed it does: I received this single just a few days ago. Incredibly, that Italian version entitled 'La danza delle note' appeared on the flipside of 'Ho sognato te', which is the Italian version of 'Had a dream last night', which was the B-side of 'Puppet on a string' in most territories.

It has to be said that the sleeve of this single is probably the most beautiful one of all the international versions of 'Puppet on a string'. I'm satisfied that I now have all the versions of that song. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6453
Found: Discogs.com, received 28 September 2021
Cost: €2.20
Tracks: 'Ho sognato te' / 'La danza delle note'

A la folie ou pas du tout - Christian Lorant

Serge & Christine Ghisoland performed 'A la folie ou pas du tout' at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1972. Apparently there was some interest in this song in Belgium, because it was actually covered by Christian Lorant almost at the same time.

This Christian Lorant remains a mysterious figure, since he doesn't appear on the sleeve and he only released this one single. Needless to say, this single wasn't a hit and it has become a bit of a curiosity. There are actually more cover versions of the song; these may appear in this blog in the future yet. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6452
Found: Discogs.com, received 23 September 2021
Cost: 4 euro
Tracks: 'A la folie ou pas du tout' / 'Madame'

Un peu de poivre, un peu de sel - Tonia

Arlette Antoine Dominicus was born in Anderlecht on 25 July 1947. She released her first single as Tonia in 1963, and continued to release singles throughout the decade. A lot of her releases were Dutch and French covers of popular German songs.

In 1966 she was chosen to represent Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest. Her song, 'Un peu de poivre, un peu de sel' ('A little pepper, a little salt') deals with the singer's quest to impress the object of her affections, whom she sees every day but can't make look at her twice. In desperation, she enlists the help of "the local sorceress", who gives her a recipe to create a love potion. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the potion does its job. Tonia also recorded the song in Dutch, then under the title 'Een beetje suiker' ('A little sugar'). The song finished in fourth place in a field of 18 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 6451
Found: Discogs.com, received 23 September 2021
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Un peu de poivre, un peu de sel' / 'Tu pourrais m'emmener danser'

Waarom - Jacques Raymond

Jacques Raymond was born as Jozef Remon in Temse (Belgium) on 13 October 1938. He represented Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 1963 with the song 'Waarom?' ('Why?'). The song poses rhetorical questions, with Raymond wondering why the question 'I love you – do you love me too?' is so powerful in the human experience. The song was not particularly successful, as it finished in 10th place in a field of 16 competitors.

I was lucky to find a copy on the Dutch website Marktplaats, because everywhere else this single commands rather high prices. I didn't actually know the song but I have to say it is a charming piece.

My collection: 7" single no. 6450
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received 20 September 2021
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Waarom' / 'Eens'

Catherine - Daniele Vidal

Daniele Vidal was born on 27 June 1952. She was born in Morocco when it was a French colony. She debuted in 1969 at age seventeen with the record 'Aime ceux qui t'aiment', a French-language cover of Edita Piekha's Russian song 'Nash sosed' with different lyrics. 

An EP of this song featured a cover version of the song 'Catherine', which was performed at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1969 by Romuald, who represented Luxembourg. That song was subsequently also released as a single in Japan. Although I am still looking for the original version by Romuald, I thought it would be nice to own this cover version. 

Daniele moved to Japan in the early 1970s and lived there for several years, while also releasing many singles over there. In 1980 Vidal married musician Shibata (Japanese name: 柴田功) of the Japanese group sounds band Chaco & Hell's Angel. They had one son and later divorced. Vidal now lives in France.

My collection: 7" single no. 6449
Found: Discogs.com, received 9 September 2021
Cost: £2.99
Tracks: 'Catherine' / 'Je suis comme toutes les filles'

On and on and on - Abba

The song 'On and on and on' was taken from the album 'Super Trouper' and in Europe it was never released on a 7" single. A 12" single was released at the time, featuring the track on the B-side, but it was almost a double A-side, condisering both 'Lay all your love on me' and this track were pretty popular at the time. 

That 12" single was the first 12" single I ever bought, and now, forty years later, I found a Japanese 7" single featuring 'On and on and on' on the A-side. Strangely, it is coupled with 'The piper', which was the B-side of 'Super trouper' in the rest of the world. As always, this Japanese single is a thing of beauty and in almost impeccable state, despite all the decades that passed since its release.

My collection: 7" single no. 6448
Found: Discogs.com, received 9 September 2021
Cost: £2.99
Tracks: 'On and on and on' / 'The piper'

L'amour est bleu - Vicky

Vicky Leandros was just 17 when she was offered to represent Luxembourg at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1967 with 'L'amour est bleu'. The song eventually finished in fourth place, but became a classic despite not winning - a fate shared with songs like 'Volare' and 'Eres tu'. 

For the longest time I have been searching for a copy of the single but it is very hard to find - if you're not willing to pay an unreasonable price. So imagine my surprise when I recently stumbled on a Japanese pressing of this single for just £3.99! You would even think it was a bad copy, but both the disc and the sleeve are in pristine condition. Add to that the fact that I really love Japanese singles, and you can imagine that I am pretty happy with this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 6447
Found: Discogs.com, received 9 September 2021
Cost: £3.99
Tracks: 'L'amour est bleu' / 'Le soleil a quitte ma maison'

夢みるシャンソン人形 日本語盤 - France Gall

It ain't easy to decipher the title on this particular single, but that's because it is written - and sung! - in Japanese. If you use Google Translate on this one, you get 'Dreaming Chanson Doll Japanese Edition' as the result, but fortunately we can listen to the track and find out that this is the Japanese version of 'Poupée de cire, poupée de son', the Serge Gainsbourg-penned track that propelled France Gall to worldwide stardom. 

France Gall only recorded a French and Japanese version of the song, as far as I know, but quite why she recorded the song in Japanese remains unknown. We do know, however, that the song was covered numerous times and in no less than 20 different languages. Thank you Wikipedia!

My collection: 7" single no. 6446
Found: Discogs.com, received 9 September 2021
Cost: £7.99
Tracks: '夢みるシャンソン人形 日本語盤' (France Gall) / 'ドナ・ドナ・ドーナ 日本語盤' (Claude François)

Stop - Bang

The Greek band Bang was formed in 1987 consisting of members Thanos Kalliris, Vasilis Dertilis and Michalis Capoulas. The band's first release was 'Run for your love'. Capoulas left soon after and the band became a duo. In 1987, the duo competed in the Greek selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 1987. Their song, 'Stop', a pop/funk dance anthem was a success and the duo, along with Thanos' sister Katerina Kalliri, Mariana Efstratiou (who competed for Greece in Eurovision 1989) and Laura Burke doing the backing vocals, travelled to Brussels for the contest. 

The song started in Brussels with high hopes and good reviews, but scored only 64 points, reaching the 10th place. That however was a good result for a Greek entry at the time and the band was a massive hit back home. It was released on 7" and 12", but bizarrely the 12" single is available for a lot less than the 7" single. So I decided on ordering the 12" single for now - hopefully I will be able to get the 7" one day for a reasonable price (i.e. for less than 70 euros, which seems to be the average going rate for this one).

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 September 2021
Cost: 6 euro
Tracks: 'Stop (English version)' / 'Stop (Greek version)'

Charlie Chaplin - Tania Tsanaklidou

In 1973 the Eurovision Song Contest dropped the rule that artists had to perform songs in (one of) the official language(s) of their country. When the rule was reinstated in 1977 various countries started being creative to work around this rule. And since there were no rule about singing about wellknown persons, the Greek song from 1978 was particularly inventive: they simply sang about Charlie Chaplin.

Chaplin had died the year before, and so it seemed a tribute to the wellknown actor and comedian. Tania Tsanaklidou, who performed the song, described his comic appearance (she was dressed in a similar style for her performance) and wishing that there were more of him. Of course, since she was singing in Greek, nobody made sense of the lyric - only the title. She finished in eighth place in a field of 20 competitors. Not bad!

My collection: 7" single no. 6445
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 September 2021
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Charlie Chaplin' / 'Charlie Chaplin (instrumental)'

Let's go crazy - Tajči

Tajči, a.k.a. Tatjana Matejaš, was born on 1 July 1970 in Zagreb, Croatia. She represented Yugoslavia in 1990 with the song 'Hajde da ludujemo'. This 12" single features three remixes of the song, of which two are in English, and called 'Let's go crazy'. Presenting herself as a Balkan version of Marilyn Monroe, she certainly made an impression on the European juries, who awarded her 81 points, which gave her a 7th place in the competition.

Since 1992 Tatjana lives in the USA, where she has since taken up citizenship and residence.She continued to release albums, although they are certainly not all in the upbeat style of this disc.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 September 2021
Cost: 6 euro
Tracks: 'Hajde Da Ludujemo (Party Extended)', 'Let's Go... (Jack Mix D.J. Got Crazy)' / 'Let's Go Crazy (Total Madness)', 'Moj Mali Je Opasan / Let's Twist Again'

Jamas, jamas - Guy Mardel

Guy Mardel was one of many Eurovision artists who recorded his song for the competition in different languages. His 1965 entry 'N'avoue jamais' appeared in Spanish as 'Jamas, jamas'. What's more, he recorded an entire EP in Spanish, as you can see here.

The Spanish version of 'N'avoue jamais' was translated by a certain Salina, who remains otherwise uncredited. The other three songs were translated by a certain Mapel, who also remains unknown to me.  

My collection: 7" single no. 6443
Found: Discogs.com, received 1 September 2021
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Jamas, jamas', 'Si lloviendo está' / 'La primera vez', 'Sera muy grande el mundo'

Wiedehopf im Mai - Sandie Shaw

I've no idea why Ernst Bader, who provided the German lyric of 'Puppet on a string', decided on 'Hoopoe in May' when he wrote this translation, but that is what 'Wiedehopf im Mai' means.

Sandie Shaw recorded the song in several different languages and I thought this was the last version that I still needed to get as a single. But there is still an Italian version to go...  You may find it on this blog soon.

My collection: 7" single no. 6442
Found: Discogs.com, received 1 September 2021
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Wiedehopf im Mai' / 'Was kann ich dafur'

Eins zwei drei - Catherine Ferry

I don't know exactly how unusual it is for a French artist to record a German version of their song, but I think it doesn't happen very often. Catherine Ferry does a good job with her German version of '1, 2, 3', the song with which she represented France during the Eurovision Song Contest. I think she pronounces everything just right - although German readers and listeners may think otherwise. I do think it is a pity she didn't bother to record a German version of the B-side, 'Petit Jean', as well.

There is a Spanish version of this song as well, but from what I've seen the sellers seem to want more for it than I am willing to pay. So I guess I'll have to be patient. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6441
Found: Discogs.com, received 1 September 2021
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Eins, zwei, drei' / 'Petit Jean'

Sámiid Aednan - Sverre Kjelsberg & Mattis Haetta

The Norwegian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1980 was 'Sámiid Aednan', and I found that single seven years ago after a long search. I didn't know at the time, but there was also this version of the single, featuring an English version of the song on the B-side. This pressing comes from Portugal, although a Scandinavian version also exists. 

Sverre Kjelsberg was found dead in his home in June 2016. Mattis Haetta is still alive and has worked in pantomimes and yoiks in Alta, Kautokeino and Luleå. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6440
Found: Discogs.com, received 1 September 2021
Cost: 9 euro
Tracks: 'Sámiid Aednan' / 'Sámidd Earth'

Need your love so bad - Fleetwood Mac

Strictly speaking, I already had 'Need your love so bad' on a single, as it appeared on the flipside of 'Albatross', a single I bought some time ago. But this is the original version that reached the charts in 1968 and predates 'Albatross' by four months. 

The song was originally recorded by Little Willie John in 1955. When Fleetwood Mac recorded the song, producer Mike Vernon suggested adding strings to the track. It was also Vernon who contacted Mickey Baker, who provided the guitar on John's original version, to write an orchestral score for the song. The single became a minor hit in the UK (peaking at number 31) but reached number 7 in the Dutch Top 40. A much longer version of the track appeared on the 2002 compilation album 'The Best Of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6439
Found: Flea market, Voorburg, 29 August 2021
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Need your love so bad' / 'Stop messin' round'

Eurovision '69 - Various artists

In 1969, the Eurovision Song Contest was organized in Spain, after Massiel's controversial win in 1968. The Spanish record company Belter did a lot to promote the event: various entries were released in attractive themed sleeves (See this one, for instance) and this EP is further evidence. 

A few things are interesting about this EP: all four songs are in Spanish. Ivan & M's (a.k.a. M4) and Frida Boccara recorded these Spanish versions themselves - and they were also released on separate singles - but since there was no Spanish version of 'Desfolhada Portguesa' by Simone, it was recorded by a certain Madalena Iglesias, a Portuguese actress and singer who actually represented her country in 1966 with the song 'Ele e ela'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6438
Found: Discogs.com, received 12 August 2021
Cost: 4 euro
Tracks: 'Vivo cantando' (Salomé), 'Desfolhada Portuguesa' (Madalena Iglesias) / 'Un dia, un niño' (Frida Boccara), 'Saludos al mundo' (Ivan & M's)

Los dias del arco iris - Nicola di Bari

Just two years ago I got 'I giorni dell'arcobaleno', a single by Nicola di Bari and his Eurovision entry from 1972. It's a beautiful song, and I was interested when I saw that Nicola also recorded this song in Spanish. The music is still as beautiful, the lyrics - obviously - sound different. 

Have a listen to the B-side as well, though. 'Vagabundo' does not appear on that other single, not even in the Italian version, and it's a strong song that would not have been out of place on the Eurovision stage as well. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6437
Found: Discogs.com, received 12 August 2021
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Los dias del arco iris' / 'Vagabundo'

Party for everybody - Buranovskie Babushki

The Buranovksie Babushki formed in the 1970s in Buranovo, a small rural locality in the Udmurt Republic of Russia. They became famous when they participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012 (although they also tried to represent Russia in 2010, when they ended up in third place). In 2010, the group started a fund for the rebuilding of Trinity Church in Buranovo and all of the group's income is donated into this fund. The Trinity Church was originally built, of stone, in 1865, but was closed on 19 September 1939 by the Soviet administration and demolished. The present wooden church is in poor condition. The church was finally opened and consecrated on June 20, 2016.

Meanwhile, 'Party for everybody' became a cult classic, best known for the fairly ridiculous stage act involving six elderly women and an oven in which they were baking cookies. This picture disc 12" single features no less than 10 versions of the song, with remixes by various Russian DJ's. 

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 27 August 2021
Cost: $10
Tracks: 'Party For Everybody (Original Version)', 'Party For Everybody (Official Eurovision 2012 DJ Slon Party Remix)', 'Party For Everybody (DJ Karas Remix)', 'Party For Everybody (Music People Deejays Remix)', 'Party For Everybody (T.V.M. Remix (Radio Cut))' / 'Party For Everybody (Ed Mortel & Michel Nekoz Remix)', 'Party For Everybody (KJ AIGer Remix) (DFM Version)', 'Party For Everybody (DJ Smash Remix)', 'Party For Everybody (DJ Sanya_JC Remix)', '    Party For Everybody (Doberman Remix (Radio Edit))'

 

Due grosse lácrime bianche - Iva Zanicchi

Iva Zanicchi was born on 18 January 1940. Her career started in 1962 when she participated in the Castrocaro music festival, where she ended up in third place. Five years later she won the San Remo festival with the song 'Non pensare a me'. 

In 1969 she represented her country with 'Due grosse lacrime bianche' ('Two big white tears'). It didn't persuade the juries: she ended up in 13th place in a field of 16 competitors. 

This single is the Spanish pressing, which incidentally comes in a more beautiful sleeve than the original Italian version. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6436
Found: Discogs.com, received 12 August 2021
Cost: 4 euro
Tracks: 'Due grosse lácrime bianche' / 'Tienimi con te'

Playback - Carlos Paião

Carlos Manuel de Marques Paião was born on 1 November 1957. While studying medicine, he represented Portugal in 1981 with the song 'Playback', which is all about miming to pre-recorded music. The English version (on the B-side of this single) makes it easier to follow the rather deadpan lyrics. When you listen to the recording you can't help thinking about the famous Gershon Kingsley composition 'Popcorn'.

In August 1988, Carlos Paião died in a car accident while returning from a concert. The Datsun Urvan that Carlos Paião was travelling in collided head-on with a truck that was irregularly overtaking a broken car. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6435
Found: Discogs.com, received 12 August 2021
Cost: 4 euro
Tracks: 'Playback (Portuguese version)' / 'Playback (English version)'

Sol de inverno - Simone

According to the sleeve of this single, Simone was the "Queen of the Portuguese Radio". You can just imagine her singing a lot during Portuguese radio broadcasts during the Sixties. Simone de Macedo e Oliveira was born on 11 February 1938 in Lisbon, Portugal and represented her country twice. The second time was in 1969 with 'Desfolhada Portuguesa', this single contains the first attempt: 'Sol de inverno'.

It's not a happy song. The English translation, which is provided on the back cover, reads as follows: 'All I dreamed, all I wanted, all I enjoyed in life, is lost forever / Now, you are happy and I always will miss my forsaken love'. Fortunately, there's always the sun in winter who provides a little warmth. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6434
Found: Discogs.com, received 11 August 2021
Cost: 4 euro
Tracks: 'Sol de inverno', 'A rua do desencontro' / 'De degrau em degrau', 'Silhuetas ao luar'

Für den Frieden der Welt - Petra Frey

It was 1994, and Austria decided to send an old-fashioned schlager song to the Eurovision Song Contest. Petra Frey, who was born on 27 June 1978, was chosen to do the job, after releasing her debut album 'Bloß Träume im Kopf' the year before. The song didn't do too well: it ended up in 17th place in a field of 25 competitors.

At the time, the vinyl 7" single was becoming very nearly extinct, and so 'Für den Frieden der Welt' was one of only a handful of Eurovision songs that were released on this format.

My collection: 7" single no. 6433
Found: Discogs.com, received 11 August 2021
Cost: 4 euro
Tracks: 'Für den Frieden der Welt' / 'Wenn ich je mein Herz verliere'

Perdon cariño mio - Massimo Ranieri

In 1971, Massimo Ranieri represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest with 'L'amore è un attimo'. He recorded the song in French and Spanish. This single features the Spanish version: 'Perdon cariño mio'. 

Ranieri actually recorded his song in Spanish, French, German and English. So there's two more versions left for me to find!

My collection: 7" single no. 6430
Found: Discogs.com, received 11 August 2021
Cost: 4 euro
Tracks: 'Perdon cariño mio' / 'A Lucia'

Oliver - Anita Skorgan

Norway didn't have the best track record in Eurovision in the Seventies and early Eighties. A lot of that had to do with the artists that seemed to reappear almost every year: Jahn Teigen and Anita Skorgan. They usually ended up somewhere near the bottom of the list, even if their song were, in hindsight, not really that bad.

This contemporary dance track 'Oliver', for instance, has aged well. It is, of course, certainly of its time, but it sounds like a lot of music that was popular at that time. However, at the close of voting, it had received 57 points, placing 11th in a field of 19 competitors. Anita would appear on stage again in 1981, 1982 and 1983, once in a duet with Jahn, and the other two times as a backing singer.

My collection: 7" single no. 6431
Found: Discogs.com, received 11 August 2021
Cost: 4 euro
Tracks: 'Oliver' / 'Together'

The Mike Oldfield EP - Mike Oldfield

When Mike Oldfield went on tour in Germany in 1982 (remember tours?) this limited edition EP was released. It is an interesting collection of songs, because it brings together the A- and B-sides of the singles 'Mistake' and 'Family Man', which were released separately in the same year. 

The tour took Mike all through Western Germany on 26 dates between 30 September and 29 October 1982. This we learn from the back cover, where all the albums he'd released up until then were shown as well. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6429
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 7 August 2021
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Mistake', '(Waldberg) The Peak' / 'Family Man', 'Mount Teide'

Romantica - Achille Togliani

If the title 'Romantica' seems familiar, it's because it was performed at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1960 by Renato Rascel. This cover version by Achille Togliani, an Italian singer and actor who released an enormous amount of singles between 1950 and 1966. He also participated in the Italian San Remo festival - the festival that usually delivered the artist who would represent Italy on the Eurovision Song Contest. 

I'm not in the habit of buying every cover version of every Eurovision song - it would take a while and lots of money to do that - but when I come across one, for instance at a record fair, I can't resist.

My collection: 7" single no. 6425
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 7 August 2021
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Romantica' / 'Perderti'

Bold as brass - Split Enz

About 25 years ago I had a friend with whom I shared the same sense of appreciation for certain kinds of music. During one of my visits she played me the album 'Dizrythmia' by Split Enz. Most of that album went past me, but the opening track 'Bold as brass' certainly made an impression. So much so that I contemplated buying that LP a couple of times over the past decades.

Imagine my surprise when I suddenly saw this single at a record fair recently. (Yes, a real record fair! We haven't had one of those in a long time either...) Obviously I bought this single. And obviously I never saw it before - nor did I ever think this track was released as a single, for some reason. It's great to have this now. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6428
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 7 August 2021
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Bold as brass' / 'The woman who loves you'

Made in Spain (La chica que yo quiero) - La decada prodigiosa

It's been a long time since I last posted a 12" single on this blog, so I am happy that I have a good find right now. It's the extended remix of Spain's 1988 Eurovision entry by La decada prodigiosa, 'Made in Spain (La chica que yo quiero)'. For the longest time I didn't know there was an extended version of this song, but here it is.

Perhaps the funniest aspect of this song is that the group consistently sings 'Made in Espain', which is logical from a Spanish point of view, but it sounds a bit strange to those of us who are more acquainted with the English language. This extended version is a delightful Eighties-style remix: adding instrumental parts instead of replacing almost everything but the vocals. 

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 12 August 2021
Cost: 7,5 euro
Tracks: 'Made in Spain (La chica que yo quiero) [extended version]' / 'Sí, sí, mañana'

Don't ever cry - Put

When Yugoslavia fell apart in a wave of violence, the separate provinces were quick to enter into Eurovision separately. In 1992, Yugoslavia was still there (represented by Extra Nena), a year later we had Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia all competing side by side.

Croatia was represented by Put, a group put together by Vivien Galletta, Angela Jeličić, Melita Sedić, Naim Ajra, Petar Cucak Migliaccio and Olja Desic.Their song 'Don't ever cry' was a rather sentimental tune, pleading for peace and ending with the line 'Don't ever cry, my Croatian sky'. It was a kind of nationalism that hadn't really been seen on the Eurovision stage before - but several Eastern European countries would follow in these footsteps in the following years and decades. In the English version, the line in the chorus suddenly changes from 'Don't ever cry' to 'Why should we cry?'. I wonder why.

My collection: 7" single no. 6423
Found: Bea Records, received 3 August 2021
Cost: 6 euro
Tracks: 'Don't ever cry (original version)' / 'Don't ever cry (English version)'

Hot summer - Prince

The prolific Prince has recorded so much music during his lifetime that we can probably expect new albums to appear regularly for decades to come. Not everything will be great, but it's usually enjoyable nonetheless.

This single was released in Germany with the August issue of Rolling Stone magazine, and I happened to come across it on the last day of my holiday there, in Cologne. A cover single is usually a good reason to buy a magazine, and the fact that this is a 'worldwide exclusive' made it even more attractive. Fortunately, 'Hot summer' is a nice song, taken from the new album 'Welcome 2 America', which was released a week ago. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6422
Found: Köln Hbf, 28 July 2021
Cost: 9,90 euro (with the magazine 'Rolling Stone')
Tracks: 'Hot summer' / 'The bird (live)'

Notre vie c'est la musique - Laurent Vaguener

Laurent Vaguener is actually a pseudonym: his real name was Jean Baudlot. He was born in Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine on 16 February 1947, and died only recently, on 24 March 2021. During the 1970's he was best known as a composer, writing songs for Joe Dassin, Michele Torr and Gérard Croce among others.

In 1979 he wrote 'Notre vie c'est la musique' for the Eurovision Song Contest, and ended up performing the song on stage as well, using the pseudonym Laurent Vaguener. At the close of voting, it had received 12 points, placing 16th in a field of 19. Following this result, Monaco withdrew from the Contest for 25 years. 

Meanwhile, Baudlot continued to compose music in the following decades, eventually also composing for video games during the Nineties and for documentaries during the last two decades. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6420
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 July 2021
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Notre vie c'est la musique' / 'Israel connection'

Singing this song - Renato

Malta has an interesting history at the Eurovision Song Contest. The country first participated in 1971 and 1972 with songs in Maltese. Both entries finished in last place. They took two years off, and then returned in 1975 with Renato's 'Singing this song'. It was the first Maltese entry in English, and they were rewarded with a better placing: the song finished in 12th place. 

Despite this, Malta disappeared from Eurovision for no less than 15 years. Since their return in 1991, Malta has consistently chosen to enter songs in English and this was a good decision for them: during the Nineties they rarely finished outside the top 10. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6421
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 July 2021
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Singing this song' / 'Without your tenderness'

E2 - Emiliana Torrini

I've been critical about the Emiliana Torrini remix singles that were released two decades ago. It could have been a fun project, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. Take this single for instance: the A-side takes one line from the song 'Fingertips' ('From the oceans to the skies') and repeats it throughout the remix. After that, there's the first track of the B-side. A certain Adam Pierce, who calls himself Mice Parade, thinks it's a great idea to deliver three minutes of noise. And the third track bears no resemblance to the original song 'To be free' whatsoever. 

My collection is almost complete, but I can't really claim that I enjoy these singles. It's a shame, because the Emiliana Torrini albums that these remixes vaguely allude to is an excellent album.

My collection: 7" single no. 6412
Found: Discogs.com, received 30 June 2021
Cost: 4 pounds
Tracks: 'Fingertips (The Phone Home remixes)' / 'Unemployed in summertime (Unemployed butcher in the summertime)', 'To be free (Mùm remix)'

Maman (German version) - Jean-Jacques

Back in 1969, Jean-Jacques represented Monaco at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Maman'. I actually bought the single back in 2010, and then the Spanish version in 2015. With mathematical precision (well, almost!) the German version became mine recently. 

No fancy photo sleeve on this single, but at least the title of the song is clear (why didn't they change it into the German 'Mama'?) and the name of the performer is also hard to miss. However, somehow they forgot to mention that this was the German 'Originalaufnahme' of this song.

My collection: 7" single no. 6417
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 July 2021
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Maman (German version)' / 'Paris, du meine Liebe'