Ceol an ghrà - Sandie Jones

Sandie Jones was born in Dublin in 1951. She was one of 11 children. She began recording songs from 1969 onwards. Those singles were all in English. When she represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1972, she performed 'Ceol an ghrà', a song in Gaelic. It was a first for her, although she was obviously a native speaker. 

'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'

Teatro - Katja Ebstein

Germany's Katja Ebstein recorded her 1980 Eurovision entry 'Theater' in several languages, and it's a bit of a sport to get all the singles together in my collection. After the original German version in 1980 and the French and English versions in 1998, I finally managed to find a copy of the Italian version recently. 'Teatro' was translated into Italian by Cristiano Minellono, an Italian lyricist who wrote several songs for acts like Ricchi & Poveri, Al Bano & Romina Power and Toto Cutugno, amongst others. 

Now all I need to find is the Spanish version, but apparently that one is very rare!

My collection: 7" single no. 7040
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 October 2023
Tracks: 'Teatro' / 'It's showtime'

Brez besed - Berta Ambrož

Berta Ambrož was born on 29 October 1944 and was working as a typist while also performing live in the Slovene area of Yugoslavia. In 1966 she represented Yugoslavia with the song ‘Brez Besed’ (‘Without Words’). It was the first song to be sung in Slovenian at the Eurovision Song Contest.

The single is, once again, one of those hard to find ones, since it was released in former Yugoslavia only. But after many months I have finally been able to order a copy online. The EP features three more songs, including two cover versions. The second song, 'Moja baby', is a cover of the song 'My baby', which was created by the American songwriter and singer Sir Mack Rice. The closing track 'Ostani se nocoj' is a cover of the English piece 'And so we meet again', which was sung by the English singer Danny Williams in 1965. Berta's version of the song leans significantly more towards the musical arrangement sung by Cilla Black, who is actually credited as one of the writers of the song on the back cover of this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 7039
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 October 2023
Tracks: 'Brez besed', 'Moja baby (My baby)' / 'Jesenski ognji', 'Ostani se nocoj (And so we meet again)'

L'enfant que j'étais - Lys Assia

The legendary Lys Assia won the very first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956, but she returned the next year, representing Switzerland again with 'L'enfant que j'étais'. I was quite surprised to find this EP with a picture sleeve, featuring not only that song but also three others. Picture sleeves weren't all that usual back in the 1950's. 

'L'enfant Que J'étais' ('The Child I Was') was written by Émile Gardaz and composed by Géo Voumard, the same duo who wrote the previous year's Swiss entry and Eurovision winner. The song is about looking back at childhood.

My collection: 7" single no. 7038
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 October 2023
Tracks: 'Histoire d'un amour', 'L'enfant que j'étais' / 'Buenas noches mi amor', 'Scusami'

Amami se vuoi - Tonina Torrielli

The very first Eurovision Song Contest took place in 1956. Not all songs were released as a single, but some were. During this first edition every country was allowed two songs, and some countries also sent out two different artists. Italy sent Franca Raimondi with 'Aprite le finestre' and Tonina Torrielli with 'Amami se vuoi'. 

Both songs were released on single, but they are obviously quite hard to get these days. I was happy to find this EP featuring Tonina Torrielli's song. Torrielli wasn't necessarily impressed with her Eurovision song: “I never loved it very much", she said in an interview, "it was a little song. I loved poetry very much, I studied lyrics which was a whole other thing. Singing cheesy songs with lyrics like "I'm yours, forever yours in your arms," I didn't like.”

My collection: 7" single no. 7037
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 October 2023
Tracks: 'Andalucia', 'La violetera' / 'Amami se vuoi', 'L'edera'

Comme è ddoce 'o mare - Peppino di Capri

You would almost forget if you listen to the cheesy 'Insieme: 1992' or the infernal racket of Italy's most recent winners Maneskin, but besides these undeserved winners, Italy was capable of sending some outstanding songs to the Eurovision Song Contest. 

Take for instance 'Comme è ddoce 'o mare', performed by Peppino di Capri in 1991 - the year after Toto Cutugno's politically-motived win. Sung entirely in Neopolitan with a beautiful melody, it stunned TV audiences all over Europe. 

I happened to be in Italy for one day in 1991, and searched the local music stores for this single, but without any luck. For years I even doubted the existence of it, until I saw it listed on Discogs a couple of years ago. I had to wait until very recently to find a copy for a somewhat reasonable price. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7036
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 October 2023
Tracks: 'Comme è ddoce 'o mare' / ''O Sole'

The lamentations of Jeremiah - Vince Clarke

Since I live in the Netherlands I tend to get very jealous of Germans and British people, who can just go to the shop and buy those magazines with free singles on them. I did it myself in July, when I was in Germany, but throughout the year these magazines keep coming up with the goodies, and all I can do is order them and pay for postage. 

Anyway, the most recent one is this single by Vince Clarke, featuring a track from his forthcoming instrumental album. It comes in a clear vinyl disc and with an exclusive B-side that's not on the album. Of course I had to order it!

My collection: 7" single no. 7035
Found: Electronic Sounds magazine, received 3 October 2023
Tracks: 'The lamentations of Jeremiah' / 'The cave'

Warum es hunderttausend Sterne gibt - Peter Horten

On 22 September Austrian singer-songwriter Peter Horton passed away, aged 82. His 'Warum es hunderttausend Sterne gibt' was on my wishlist for some time now and this fact caused me to buy this single the same evening. You could expect that the man's singles would only become more expensive, and this one wasn't particularly cheap to begin with. But I lucked out, because I found a French copy for a reasonable price.

Why 'Warum es hunderttausend Sterne gibt', you ask? Well, because it was the song he performed on the Eurovision Song Contest in 1967. It is perhaps his biggest claim to fame, because the rest of his career brought him mainly fame in Austria and surrounding countries. His Eurovision song is marvellously oldfashioned.

My collection: 7" single no. 7034
Found: Discogs.com, received 27 September 2023
Tracks: 'Warum es hunderttausend Sterne gibt', 'Lass sie laufen' / 'Nur im traum', 'Ich weiss nicht wie'

Oui, oui, oui, oui / Ciao, ciao, bambina (Piove) - Frédérica

Not much is known about Frédérica Pietra, except the release of her singles between 1956 and 1960. She even released one album (on a 10" disc) in 1953.

This EP from 1959 features four tracks by the singer, including two from the Eurovision Song Contest of that year. They are 'Oui, oui, oui, oui', originally performed by Jean Philippe for France, and 'Ciao, ciao, bambina (Piove)', originally performed by Domenico Modugno for Italy. Both songs were incredibly successful that year, and so it's no surprise that Frédérica also tried her luck with these tracks.

My collection: 7" single no. 7031
Found: Discogs.com, received 16 September 2023
Tracks: 'Rendez-vous à cinq heures, chéri', 'Oui, oui, oui, oui' / 'Les innocents', 'Ciao, ciao, bambina (Piove)'

Liebe - Laurent Voulzy

Slowly but steadily I am getting more and more singles by Laurent Voulzy; tracks that apppear on his compilation album 'Carib islander' which started my love affair with the man's music. One of the tracks on that compilation is 'Liebe', which turns out to be a single from 1983. 

The B-side of this single consists of two very short songs (90 and 110 seconds respectively) that Laurent  wrote with Elain Rowen and D. McNeil respectively. Usually he collaborates with Alain Souchon (as with the A-side), so this is a bit of a surprise.

My collection: 7" single no. 7029
Found: Discogs.com, received 16 September 2023
Tracks: 'Liebe' / 'Cadillac cruise', 'Meu samba pra voce'

Albatross - Fleetwood Mac

'Albatross' was released on a red vinyl 12" single for Record Store Day earlier this year. Obviously this was on the occasion of the fact that the single was originally released 55 years ago. It's a curious choice because both tracks aren't especially long, so why press a 12" single? It must have been inspired by the higher price you could give the item. Record companies simply think that way. 

To be honest, I am more content with this original single of 'Albatross', which features the same two tracks. I already own this single, with two of the band's early hits, but nothing beats the original release, of course. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7026
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 10 September 2023
Tracks: 'Albatross' / 'Jigsaw puzzle blues'

Erotica - Man

Man is a rock band from Wales. Formed in November 1968 as a reincarnation of the Welsh vocal group the Bystanders, Man is renowned for the extended jams during their live performances. Man was initially signed to Pye Records, for which it recorded its first two albums with John Schroeder. Their debut album 'Revelation' (January 1969) was noted for the simulated orgasm on the track 'Erotica'. 'Erotica' was released as a single, amazingly, and caused a stir in the UK, where it was banned.

I heard this track some 30 years ago for the first time, and searched for the single for some time. I wasn't successful and forgot all about it... until last week when I suddenly saw a copy during an outdoors record fair! Sometimes life throws you some unexpected surprises.

My collection: 7" single no. 7025
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 10 September 2023
Tracks: 'Erotica' / 'Don't just stand there'

Light my fire - Jose Feliciano

Nothing beats the original by the Doors, of course, but Jose Feliciano still made some waves when he recorded his version of 'Light my fire' in 1968. The Puerto Rican vocalist and guitarist got to number 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts for three consecutive weeks, and also peaked at number 6 in the UK singles chart and number 24 in the Dutch Top 40.

In a 1969 interview, Feliciano said that he liked the song when he first heard it, but felt that he should wait a year before releasing the song. Songwriter Robby Krieger said in an interview about the cover: "It's really a great feeling to have written a classic. I think I owe a big debt to Jose Feliciano because he is actually the one, when he did it, everybody started doing it. He did a whole different arrangement on it." 

My collection: 7" single no. 7024
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 10 September 2023
Tracks: 'Light my fire' / 'California dreamin''

I ain't gonna stand for it - Stevie Wonder

Through the years I've bought some Stevie Wonder singles, sometimes even without knowing the song. You can't really go wrong with acts like Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and the Bee Gees; they always deliver.

This single was completely unknown to me, Still, 'I ain't gonna stand for it' reached number 31 in the Dutch Top 40 in early 1981. It was even more successful in the UK, where it reached number 10 in the singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 7023
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 10 September 2023
Tracks: 'I ain't gonna stand for it' / 'Knocks me off my feet'

International - Lys Assia

When Lys Assia won the very first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956 it wasn't immediately clear that she'd performed a classic song, but 'Refrain' has definitely acquired the title 'legendary'. I was happy to buy the German version 'Refrain, du goldner Traum aus meiner Jugendzeit' two years ago, but I was still searching for this EP. Mainly because it's the only version I know that actually has a picture sleeve. 

This EP features 'Refrain, du gold'ner Traum', as well as three other songs also performed in German. I think my collection of 'Refrain' singles is complete now - although you never know!

My collection: 7" single no. 7020
Found: Discogs.com, received 31 August 2023
Tracks: 'Jolie Jacqueline', 'Blaue Veilchen, weisser Flieder' / 'Refrain, du gold'ner Traum', 'Nachts in Paris'

A song goes out around the world - Egon Egemann

I bought a copy of 'A song goes out around the world' in 2009, on a cold winter's day in Amsterdam - a visit I remember all too well because the shop offered a whole box of Eurovision singles I didn't have yet. 

When I ordered a few singles from a Swedish seller recently, this one appeared on offer and the B-side caught my eye. Where the other single offered the original version of the song in German, this single features an instrumental version. Now, if this single would have been very expensive I wouldn't have bought it of course, but it was interesting enough to pick up for a few euros. As kitchy as the song is, the melody is just irresistible.

My collection: 7" single no. 7021
Found: Discogs.com, received 31 August 2023
Tracks: 'A song goes out around the world' / 'A song goes out around the world (instrumental)'

I want 2 B U - The The

Occasionally The The releases a new single, and then it takes a while for me to buy it due to the insane prices commanded by new singles these days. You could easily spend at least 20 euros if you consider postage and import charges from the UK. 

This time I lucked out because a Dutch seller had a copy, combined with another item I was interested in. And so I've finally got this single, which was released in 2020 - three years after 'We can't stop what's coming'. It's a great little song, borrowing some inspiration from The The's early single 'This is the day'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7019
Found: Discogs.com, received 31 August 2023
Tracks: 'I want 2 B U' / 'Velvet muscle scream'

Theme from 'The Deer Hunter' - The Shadows

If for some reason (probably lack of space) I'll ever need to let go of this double groove 12" single of the Shadows' 'Theme from 'The Deer Hunter'', I can now fall back on the 7" version, which includes two of the three tracks.

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'

In neon - Elton John

Continuing on the theme of 'unknown singles by Elton John', here's an American promotional 7" of 'In neon'. The song was taken from his album 'Breaking hearts', which also featured the considerably more successful 'Sad songs (say so much)' and one of my personal favourites, 'Too low for zero'. 

By contrast, 'In neon' only reached number 12 in New Zealand, number 38 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and an underwhelming number 92 in Canada. This promotional single features the track on both sides.

My collection: 7" single no. 7016
Found: 33|45 Records, Den Haag, 26 August 2023
Tracks: 'In neon' / 'In neon'

Part time love - Elton John

Some artists have become so legendary that you would almost forget that not all of their singles have been huge hits. At least, some singles are certainly not what they are remembered for.

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'

Taschenrechner - Kraftwerk

The fascinating story of Kraftwerk is something that entertained me during my holiday in Germany last month, thanks to a magazine published by the makers of Uncut. As a result I became interested in buying some of those missing Kraftwerk singles. Which isn't easy, because usually they command rather high prices.

Anyway, I found this copy of 'Taschenrechner' for a reasonable price, and it made me happy because it is one of my favourite Kraftwerk tracks. The English version is pretty great too - but this single only features the German and Japanese versions. Still, a great catch!

My collection: 7" single no. 7013
Found: Bennies Fifties, received 18 August 2023
Tracks: 'Taschenrechner' / 'Dentaku'

Al di la - Umberto Marcato

I actually found two versions of 'Al di la' on one day, both in the original record company sleeves, which I guess is a plus. Umberto Marcato appeared on this blog once before, with his version of 'Volare', so it's no surprise that he would cover 'Al di la' a few years later. 

In contrast to the Peter Kreuder version this is not an instrumental version, but actually sung - and sung very well too. For me it's one of the better versions of this particular song.

My collection: 7" single no. 7012
Found: Bennies Fifties, received 18 August 2023
Tracks: 'Al di la' / 'Il nostro concerto'

Al-di-la - Peter Kreuder

Some of the standard phrases I use when I buy records online are 'Volare', 'Piove' and 'Al di la', because you never know if a seller has some extra singles that might be of interest. And these three songs have been covered many times.

One of those covers is this instrumental version by Peter Kreuder. He was an German-Austrian pianist, composer and conductor. Born on 18 August 1905, he started his career as a very young man, playing his first compositions as a teenager. He passed away on 28 June 1981.

My collection: 7" single no. 7011
Found: Bennies Fifties, received 18 August 2023
Tracks: 'Al-di-la' / 'Einmal sehen wir uns wieder'

Again - Janet Jackson

A lot of years have passed by since I originally bought the single 'Again' by Janet Jackson. Back in 1994 I thought it was a brilliant heartfelt ballad, and I loved the fact that it was released as a single. (I already owned the album at that point.) 

Flash forward almost three decades and things have changed a bit. I don't listen to Janet as much as I did, the sexually-charged albums that followed after 1993 were a bit weird (although some tracks on there were still very catchy) and listening to this song again it sounds a bit, I don't know, too polished, too calculated. But I can only say this having listened to this single which I recently bought online.

Why did I buy it in the first place? Well, I am a sucker for coloured vinyl, of course!

My collection: 7" single no. 7010
Found: Bennie's Fifties, received 18 August 2023
Tracks: 'Again' / 'Again (piano, vocal)

Be kind to my mistakes - Kate Bush

I am very thankful that I am not a bona fide Kate Bush collector. I mean, I do have all her albums and singles, but I don't need all the various pressings from countries all over the world. There are many variations, especially of those early albums, that would easily cost many thousands of euros to get them all these days. 

That said, there are a few items that are on my wish list. A perfect copy of the UK single of 'Wuthering Heights' is one, and this German promotional single is another. Fortunately, I finally got hold of a copy recently. It features two tracks from the soundtrack of the movie 'Castaway'. Kate Bush's song, 'Be kind to my mistakes', also appears on the B-side of her 1989 single 'This woman's work', but in a different version. This is the original - and longer! - version.

One down, one to go.

My collection: 7" single no. 7009
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 August 2023
Tracks: 'Be kind to my mistakes' (Kate Bush) / 'Chemistry' (Brian Eno)

Il est là - Paule Desjardins

The very first Eurovision Song Contest took place in 1956 and every participating country (seven in total) performed two songs each. Some countries chose to send two different performing artists as well. In the case of France, they were Mathé Altéry with 'Le temps perdu' and Dany Dauberson with 'Il est là'. For some inexplicable reason, both songs were not released on disc at the time.

A version of 'Il est là' appeared on an EP, however, and it was performed by Paule Desjardins (who would go on to represent France the next year). This EP is quite rare, and I was lucky enough to find a copy from a Portuguese seller online. Sometimes you never know where those rare records come from!

My collection: 7" single no. 7008
Found: Discogs.com, received 5 August 2023
Tracks: 'Il est là', 'Mango-rumbo' / 'Casino blues', 'Viens plus près'

Tour de France - Kraftwerk

I went on a holiday in Germany and bought a single about France. That, in a few words, sums up my most recent acquisition. But obviously there's a little bit more to the story: this single came free with the magazine Musikexpress, which contains a cover story about Kraftwerk and their 2003 album 'Tour de France'. In it, there's an interview with Ralf Hütter and a description of every track on that album.

The single contains a new edit of 'Tour de France', which does not appear on the single 'Tour de France' which I bought 14 years ago and which was released 40 years ago. The B-side is, unfortunately, empty.

My collection: 7" single no. 7007
Found: Eckert, Hbf Landau (Germany)
Tracks: 'Tour de France'

Silencio e tanta gente - Maria Guinot

Since their first participation, Portugal has entered many songs into the Eurovision Song Contest without ever winning until just a few years ago. In the mean time they managed to send in some boring, but mostly interesting and beautiful songs. Unfortunately they are forgotten by most, because they were rarely rewarded with high scores.

One example is 'Silencio e tanta gente' by Maria Guinot, Portugal's entry in 1984. You know, the year Sweden won yet again with one of their most inane songs, 'Diggi-loo diggi-ley'. Guinot's song is almost the complete opposite to that poppy, singalong track with golden shoes: it's dramatic, melodic and beautifully orchestrated. But it ended up in 11th place in a field of 19 competitors. I ordered my copy of this single from a Portuguese seller. Because it's actually quite hard to find a copy of this one!

My collection: 7" single no. 7004
Found: Discogs.com, received 14 July 2023
Tracks: 'Silencio e tanta gente' / 'Estimo que esta carta te encontre de saude'

If you could read my mind - Viola Wills

30 years ago I bought 'If you could read my mind' on 7" vinyl. The single featured two versions of the song, including a 'short US Disconet version'. Disconet was always renowned for their long remixes of disco songs, and so it was intriguing enough for me to buy this 12" single which features the full length Disconet remix of the same track. The remix is a whopping 12 minute trip, but it's an extended version rather than the kind of remixes that are being done these days, where the music is usually replaced by something anonymous - and sometimes the vocals too. 

What's more, this 12" single also presents a 'regular' extended version of the track, which is almost seven minutes long. By comparison, it is short, of course.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, 2 July 2023
Tracks: 'If you could read my mind (Special US Disconet version)' / 'If you could read my mind [extended]'

Ljiljana Petrovic - Ljiljana Petrovic

In 1961 Yugoslavia debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest as the first country from Eastern Europe. Back then there was still an iron curtain between the capitalist west en and socialist east. Yugoslavia was always more focused on the Western European countries than other Eastern European countries and joining in on the song competition was one way to get closer to them. 

Petrovic, who was just 21 years old at the time, competed with the song 'Neke davne zvezde' ('Some distant stars') and it was only ever released on this album on 10" vinyl. The album is a bit of a mixed bag, with covers of 'Itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini' and 'Les enfants de Piree' two songs with a 'Cha cha cha' theme and very different sounding songs alltogether. In between the eight songs 'Neke davne zvezde' stands out as a more classic chanson - albeit in the Serbo-Croatian language. The song reached eighth place in a field of 16 competitors.

Petrovic continued to record music until the late 1970s, at which point she retired from public life until the late 1980s, when she became an author, releasing a book of poetry in 1991. She passed away on 4 February 2020.

My collection: 10" vinyl [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 23 June 2023
Tracks: 'Deca pireja', 'Jolly Jocker', 'Crni andjeli', 'Mambo cha-cha-cha' / 'Bikini sa zutim tackicama', 'Neke davne zvezde', 'Bongo cha-cha-cha', 'More u kutiji'

Perfect - The The

Some singles that I never bought are a mystery to me. I was always a fan of The The, ever since I heard 'Uncertain smile', but somehow 'Perfect' never made it into my collection. I think it's because whenever I saw a copy the price was just too high. Even back in the late Eighties and early Nineties, when I discovered record fairs, dealers were charging quite a lot for this early single.

Now that I have a slightly better budget I can afford to buy this single - not least because the price has gone down! I almost bought a European copy but then I was buying a few singles from a UK dealer online and this one popped up. 'Perfect' reached number 79 in the UK singles chart and appeared on the band's 1983 album 'Soul mining'.

My collection: 7" single 7002
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 June 2023
Tracks: 'Perfect' / 'The nature of virtue (version 1)'

Dizzy miss Lizzie - Flying Lizards

A big music collection comes with its own challenges. Over the past few years I have been eliminating certain 7" and 12" singles - most of which are still featured on this blog. I have done so quite carefully: most of the discs I sold or threw out were replaced by CD versions or better copies. After all, who needs sleeves that are written or stickered on? 

Certain 12" singles were only taking up space when there were better versions in smaller formats. This is a good example. I recently sold my 12" single of 'Dizzy miss Lizzie', and the money I got for it went towards finally buying the 7" single! I am pleased to say that the copy I bought is in mint state as well, so I'm quite happy with this particular exchange.

My collection: 7" single no. 7001
Tracks: 'Dizzy miss Lizzie' / 'Dizzy'
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 June 2023

Even it up - Heart

'Even it up' was the next single by Heart, after 'Dog & butterfly', but now released on the Epic label instead of Portrait. It was the first single of the band's fifth album 'Bebe le Strange'. Lyrically it is about a woman who is demanding that her lover "even it up" by reciprocating the effort that she has put forth in their relationship. 

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'

Dog & butterfly - Heart

It's quite unusual to find two perfect American 7" singles by the band Heart in between rows of German singles by German artists, but that's exactly what happened this month. Those singles by Heart were also quite unusual: both of them were never hits over here in Europe.

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'

Loving you's a dirty job but somebody's gotta do it - Bonnie Tyler & Todd Rundgren

Producer Jim Steinman has a penchant for long titles - just think of 'Paradise by the dashboard light', 'You took the words right outta my mouth' and 'Making love out of nothing at all'. 'Loving you's a dirty job but somebody's gotta do it' fits into that style, but unfortunately the song itself is not as classic as the other three. Even with experienced vocalists Bonnie Tyler and Todd Rundgren, the single only managed to reach number 73 in the UK singles chart back in December 1985.

This Dutch single came with an image of the painting 'Phyllis and Demophoön' by Edward Burne-Jones.

My collection: 7" single no. 7000
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 3 June 2023
Tracks: 'Loving you's a dirty job but somebody's gotta do it' / 'Under suspicion'

Congratulations - The Mertens Brothers Style

The popularity of the Eurovision Song Contest is easily measured by the amount of cover versions certain songs get. Measured by that criterium, the Sixties and Seventies were certainly the peak of the Contest's popularity. 

'Congratulations', the number 2 song of the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest, was covered by various artists even in the same year. One of those cover versions was this instrumental one by the Mertens Brothers Style, a duo consisting of Albert and Theo Mertens. They recorded several trumpet-based instrumental albums and even one more Eurovision cover: 'Puppet on a string', which will appear in this blog someday as well I would think.

My collection: 7" single no. 6997
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 3 June 2023
Tracks: 'Congratulations' / 'Jingle march'

Jive talkin' - Bee Gees

Back in 2011 I put a lot of effort into finding old Bee Gees singles. They all ended up on this blog, but one famous song still eluded me: 'Jive talkin'', a song younger viewers might know from Boogie Box High, who covered this song in the Nineties (it was rumoured that George Michael lent his voice to that version).

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'

The free electric band - Albert Hammond

Sometimes I buy a single of a song that has already been called a classic numerous times. Often I never bought it before because it was played on the radio so often, back when I still owned a radio (during the Seventies, Eighties and early Nineties). 

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'

Fool's paradise - Rosie Vela

The strange thing about collecting records is that you always discover something new. I thought I had every track by Rosie Vela when I bought this 12" single of 'Fool's paradise', featuring a 'new 12" mix'. All the other tracks appeared on the album 'Zazu' and the singles never presented other versions. 

Behind this single, the 7" version of that 12" single. It presents a 'new version' on the B-side, which like the 'new 12" mix' is remixed by Eric Thorngren. This, of course, is the UK 7" single which is different to the German 7" single I bought in 2009. It looks like my work is finally done on this artist now.

My collection: 7" single no. 6993
Found: Discogs.com, received 31 May 2023
Tracks: 'Fool's paradise' / 'Fool's paradise (new version)'

Worlds apart - Cock Robin

'Worlds apart' is arguably Cock Robin's best single overall, eclipsing their biggest hit 'The promise you made' easily as far as I'm concerned. The strange thing about the late Eighties is that many acts that were so popular during the earlier years of that decade suddenly couldn't interest the general public anymore despite still making great music.

Anyway, I own that single obviously, but here's a Spanish promo edition that has a different sleeve, only one playable side and the full length version of the track (instead of the edit that appears on the commercial single). A must have single. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6992
Found: Discogs.com, received 31 May 2023
Tracks: 'Worlds apart'

La canzone Italiana 41 - Claudio Villa

'La canzone Italiana' is, apparently, a series of 50 EP's presenting Italian songs, all released in 1970 - the year of my birth, incidentally. Some of them are interesting because they contain Italian Eurovision entries, although not all of them are included in the original versions.

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'

Promise - Voyager

It's time to give Australia some love. While the Finnish entry was certainly the winner and I quite liked some of the other songs, the Australian performance yesterday was awesome. The band Voyager staged an Eighties-themed show and added in some metal ingredients as well, while still presenting a very melodic song.

And then there's this very limited edition 7" single! Only 300 copies exist of this magenta-coloured vinyl (there's a black vinyl version, also limited to 300 copies as well). I managed to obtain number 30. The B-side, 'Dreamer', is pretty good as well. This is a band that impressed. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6990
Found: Band website, received 12 May 2023
Tracks: 'Promise' / 'Dreamer'

Burning daylight - Mia Nicolai & Dion Cooper

The Dutch duo Mia Nicolai and Dion Cooper have had so much filth thrown towards them in the Dutch media that I was wondering at some point why they even bothered going to Liverpool. They probably should have said to all those who were so critical that they should take their place. A little bit of support from your own country wouldn't be too much to ask for, wouldn't it?

The song was written by former Eurovision winner Duncan Laurence and his boyfriend Jordan Garfield, with additions by Loek van der Grinten and Mia & Dion themselves. Back in March the song reached number 21 in the Dutch Top 40, and that was just before all the mayhem started. We know how it ended now: the duo performed in the first semifinal and got a lousy seven points, ending up in 13th place in their semifinal against 15 competitors, finishing in 32rd place (against 37 competitors) overall.  

My collection: 7" single no. 6989
Found: Platenzaak.nl, received 12 May 2023
Tracks: 'Burning daylight' / 'Burning daylight (instrumental)'

Hawaii - PiL

The annual disappointment of an undeserving winner - in my opinion and most of the televoters I could say this year - has happened last night and the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 is history. But the whole thing actually already started with a disappointment!

It was announced, some months ago, that Public Image Limited, the band of ex-Sex Pistol John Lydon, would participate in the Irish national final. 'Hawaii' was a song dedicated to Lydon's wife who was suffering from Alzheimer's. It would have been quite fabulous to see PiL representing Ireland this year, but somehow the Irish chose for a middle of the road, 'once heard quickly forgotten' song by a young band. Well, at least there's this 7" single which presents the song in two versions. I didn't know Lydon was also a visual artist, but it was he who created the artwork. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6988
Found: Amazon, received 11 May 2023
Tracks: 'Hawaii' / 'Hawaii (edit)'

Because of you - Gustaph

Somewhere in the next few days (well, Thursday actually), Gustaph will perform in the second semifinal of this year's Eurovision Song Contest with 'Because of you'. Overused James Brown-samples aside, this is a decent song that deserves a place in the final, if you ask me.

I'm also impressed that finally, after many years, a Belgian entry has been released on a vinyl single again. It's time that record companies realize that Eurovision fans will buy any Eurovision track on a physical medium, and although only a handful of singles are being released these days, it is a promising sign that the Netherlands (yes, the Dutch song will also be released on 7"!) and Belgium are doing what they should. Hopefully there's more to come.

My collection: 7" single no. 6986
Found: Official website, received 4 May 2023
Tracks: 'Because of you' / 'Because of you (DJ edit)'

Caracola - Los TNT

During the Eurovision Song Contest 1964, Spain was represented by Italian-Uruguayan band Los TNT with the song 'Caracola', written by Fina de Calderón. The song was chosen through a national final, while the performers were chosen internally by TVE. They received a single point from Italy, coming 12th in a field of 16 competitors.

It's not easy to find a copy with a picture sleeve for a reasonable price. This single is the next best thing: a single in an official Belter record company sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 6987
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 May 2023
Tracks: 'Caracola' / 'Camino de la felicidad'

Non ho l'eta per amarti / Près de ma rivière

This single could only be bought by those who bought Expo Bread, in Belgium during the Sixties. This combination of music and bread is one I didn't know before, but apparently it was quite successful, as this single was number 45 in a series. Without exception the singles contained cover versions of existing songs, and in the case of this single both are Eurovision tracks from 1964: the winning song and the runner-up. 

'Non ho l'eta' was the Italian winning song, and the Belgian entry 'Près de ma rivière' ended up just behind it. On this single the songs are performed by Patricia Smith and Eric Richard respectively, together with Jack Say's orchestra. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6984
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 May 2023
Tracks: 'Non ho l'eta per amarti' (Patricia Smith) / 'Près de ma rivière' (Eric Richard)

Walking the streets in the rain - Butch Moore

If you want to buy singles of Irish Eurovision entries, you're likely to find lots of Dana, Linda Martin and the unavoidable Johnny Logan. The really good songs are much harder to find. The very first Irish Eurovision song from 1965, for example, is almost impossible to find. A copy with a picture sleeve will set you back €75, apparently, so you're lucky to find a disc in a generic disc for a lower price. And so, that's what I did.

'Walking the streets in the rain' is one of the best Irish Eurovision entries ever: a ballad with lyrics that set a scene almost immediately. You can almost picture the singer walking in the rain and crying. There was fierce competition that year, but the song still ended up in sixth place in a field of 18 competitors. Butch Moore (10 January 1938 - 3 April 2001) enjoyed a successful career in Ireland until he emigrated to the USA in 1970. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6983
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 May 2023
Tracks: 'Walking the streets in the rain' / 'I stand still'

Old man fiddle - Pihasoittajat

Finland has regularly stunned Eurovision audiences with eccentric entries. This year's 'Cha cha cha' is reasonably modern, but I wonder if Pihasoittajat wasn't totally out of step when they performed this in 1975. 

'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'

Don't give in - Snow Patrol

Sometimes when you wait long enough records become affordable. Take for instance this 10" single from Snow Patrol, released on Record Store Day in 2018. It features only two tracks, but it was pressed on off black colour recycled vinyl in commemoration of International World Earth Day 2018. Hence the price target of almost 20 euros. 

However, during the last record fair I visited, a stack of these records were on sale for only 5 euros. Obviously that was what I was waiting for. I like Snow Patrol, but not so much that I am willing to shell out 20 euros for two tracks. 5 euros? Better.

My collection: 10" single [unnumberd]
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 22 April 2023
Tracks: 'Don't give in' / 'Life on earth'