Piano piano - Mariella Farré & Pino Gasparini

Switzerland won the very first Eurovision Song Contest, but after that... nothing. For decades they tried and tried, but nothing ever became as successful. When you listen to some of those entries, you understand why: it regularly borders on the inane.

This entry from 1985 is a good example. 'Piano piano' is a good show tune, but couldn't compete with some of the other songs in that year's edition (although it still amazes me that the boring 'La det swinge' won that year). The song was performed by Mariella Farré and Pino Gasparini. Gasparini was previously on the Eurovision stage with the Pepe Lienhard Band in 1977, and Farré in 1983 with 'Io così non-ci sto'. This new attempt was rewarded with a mediocre 12th place. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7118
Found: Discogs.com, received 30 January 2024
Tracks: 'Piano piano' / 'Donna'

Macedomienne - Philippe Lafontaine

Philippe Lafontaine (born 24 May 1955) spent a short time in a Jesuit college that he left at 17 to pursue a career in music.His first successes came from the writing and recording of jingles for television commercials, including Stella Artois and Coca-Cola. The song 'Cœur de loup' was his first big hit and launched his career. 

In 1990 he represented Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest in Zagreb with his own composition 'Macédomienne', dedicated to his Macedonian wife, ending in 12th place. Although a limited edition of singles was pressed - featuring only one track; the B-side remained empty - Lafontaine famously smashed the matrix of the disc, proclaiming that he didn't want the song to be commercialized. And so, this 7" single of 'Macedomienne' became a true collectors item, since only these promotional singles were ever made. Obviously these singles now command extremely high prices, but I still managed to buy a copy. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7117
Found: Discogs.com, received 30 January 2024
Tracks: 'Macedomienne'

Heroes (live) - David Bowie

'Heroes' is undoubtedly one of the highlights of David Bowie's genre, perhaps bridging the gap between lovers of 'Seventies Bowie' and 'Eighties Bowie'. This particular single seems to be an unofficial released by Reel to Reel Records, featuring two different live versions of the track.

The first recording was made live at Montreal Forum on 13 July 1983, the second was recorded live at the Tokyo Dome, 16 May 1990. The two don't sound very different really, but it's a nice item for fans nonetheless. The added attraction of it being a picture disc drew me in - after all, there have been quite a few picture disc releases of Bowie during the last decade.

My collection: 7" single no. 7116
Found: Sounds, Delft, 27 January 2024
Tracks: 'Heroes (live at Montreal Forum, Montreal, Canada, 13th July 1983)' / 'Heroes (live at Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan, 16 May 1990)'

Every breath you take - The Police

Record Store Day has been vilified on this blog a few times before, just like it should be. Singles one could buy for a few quid in the Eighties are sold for extortionate prices four decades later. Certainly the popularity of vinyl has grown since the turn of the century, but record companies are all too eager to earn money from vinyl discs, even going as far as declaring the CD dead, while that is still the format on which the most units are sold (but since CD's are much cheaper, record companies make more money from vinyl, get it?) 

Anyway, on last year's Record Store Day this double single of 'Every breath you take' was sold, featuring a second disc with the previously unreleased track 'Every bomb you make'. That track was recorded for Spitting Image in 1985 with new vocals by Sting. The instrumental version of 'Every breath you take' is an added bonus.

My collection: 7" single no. 7115
Found: Sounds, Delft, 27 January 2024
Tracks: 'Every breath you take' / 'Murder by numbers' // 'Every bomb you make' / 'Every breath you take (instrumental)'

Melodie einer Nacht (T'en vas pas) - Esther Ofarim

With 'T'en vas pas' Esther Ofarim represented Switerland at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1963. I bought the single in January 2020, just before the whole Covid thing had its way with the world. 

I didn't know at the time that Ofarim also recorded her song in German. I was happy to find a copy of 'Melodie einer Nacht' along with a few Eurovision CD-singles in the Discogs account of one of my oldest and best known dealers. Here's to good old Bea Records!

My collection: 7" single no. 7114
Found: Discogs.com, received 19 January 2024
Tracks: 'Melodie einer Nacht (T'en vas pas)' / 'Komm doch zu mir'

Populaire Hoogtepunten Op-De-Plaat Van 1960 - Concertgebouworkest o.l.v. Dolf van der Linden

The esteemed orchestra of Amsterdam's Concertgebouw recorded many things, mainly classical music, but in 1960 they filled two EP's that were sold during a record promotion week in the Netherlands. One EP was devoted to classical music (of course), the other to a more popular genre. This is the latter.

The orchestra plays a medley (well, two, actually) of popular songs, of which Domenico Modugno's 'Piove' is one, and Jacqueline Boyer's 'Tom Pillbi' is another. It's very interesting to hear a more classical rendition of these two Eurovision songs. It's a good deal, too: if you bought this for 1 guilder (approx. 45 eurocents these days, but more like 5 eurocents if you take inflation into account) you got this EP with almost 15 minutes of music!

My collection: 7" single no. 7113
Found: De Schatkamer, Leidschendam, 3 January 2024
Tracks: 'Sleighride in Alaska, Tom Pillibi, Piove, Marina, Kriminal Tango, Una Marcia in Fa' / 'Kleine Lucienne, Morgen, Elisabethan Serenade, Mack the Knife, Petite Fleur, Milord'

Accordeon Potpourri no. 41 - The 3 Jacksons

In December 2021 I bought two singles by the 3 Jacksons; one because of their version of 'Abergavenny', and one because of their version of 'Nel blu dipinto di blu'.This month I added one more single by this accordeon-crazy group, because of their inclusion of no less than two Eurovision songs in the 41st potpourri. 

'Piove' opens the proceedings, and it is followed by 'Sing little birdie'. Both songs were performed in the 1959 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. I wouldn't say that I am exactly a fan of music on accordeons, but this single is a nice curiosity nonetheless.

My collection: 7" single no. 7112
Found: De Schatkamer, Leidschendam, 3 January 2024
Tracks: 'Piove, Sing Little Birdie, Una Marcia in Fa' / 'Tom Dooley, Mandolins in the moonlight, Li per li'

Which way you goin' Billy? - The Poppy Family

Seventeen-year-old Susan Pesklevits met Terry Jacks in the mid-1960s when he appeared as a guest on the national teen TV show Music Hop where she was a regular performer. She later called Jacks to accompany her on rhythm guitar for one of her live appearances. Eventually, although she continued to do solo shows on television, with the addition of Craig McCaw on lead guitar, Susan decided that all her live performances would be as part of her newly formed trio. Susan and Terry married in 1967 and Susan Pesklevits became Susan Jacks. Craig McCaw later introduced Satwant Singh on tabla drums from India and the Poppy Family's unique sound was complete. 

'Which way you goin' Billy?' was their first big hit. Although they'd released two singles before that, those two only reached the lower part of the Canadian singles chart, but this single became a charttopper. It also reached number 2 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 7 in the UK singles chart. The B-side, 'Endless sleep', had been a hit for Marty Wilde in 1958.

My collection: 7" single no. 7111
Found: De Schatkamer, Leidschendam, 3 January 2024
Tracks: 'Which way you goin' Billy?' / 'Endless sleep'

Tom Pillibi - Les Scarlet

Back in 1960, Jacqueline Boyer won the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Tom Pillibi'.You wouldn't think so these days - Loreen's 'Tattoo' came and went and no other artist even tried to cover the song - but back then artists were scrambling all over the place to record their own versions of songs that won the Contest.

Les Scarlet was a French girl group that was quick to try their hand at the song, using the services of an orchestra directed by James Award. It isn't necessarily a very original take on the song - with the exception of the intro that starts with a nice harmony from the girls.

My collection: 7" single no. 7110
Found: De Schatkamer, Leidschendam, 3 January 2024
Tracks: 'Tom Pillibi' / 'Rossel Cadet'

Little lies / Songbird - The Corrs

I didn't have any 7" singles of the Corrs yet, although I do have all their CD's and a lot of their CD-singles. The Irish band of the four siblings named Corr was very successful just after the turn of the century, before going on hiatus in 2006. When they returned as a band in 2015 with the albums 'White light' (2015) and 'Jupiter calling' (2017), their success was not quite as big, and for some reason they recently only play live in Australia and surrounding countries. 

But there was one new release recently: this double A single of Fleetwood Mac covers, as a tribute to Christine McVie who passed away on 30 November 2022. The single did not chart, but it's a nice one nonetheless.

My collection: 7" single no. 7108
Found: Dig! webstore, received 3 January 2024
Tracks: 'Little lies' / 'Songbird'

Fairytale of New York - The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl

Shane MacGowan, the illustrious frontman of the Pogues, passed away last year after an eventful drug- and drink-filled life. Whatever you might think of him, he certainly wasn't a boring character. On 30 November 2023, after receiving last rites, MacGowan died from pneumonia at his home in Dublin with his wife by his side; he was 65.

Warner Records thought it was a fitting idea to rush-release this vinyl single with the man's most famous performance, on the Christmas song 'Fairytale of New York'. It would of course have been great if this song was the UK's Christmas number 1 of 2023, but that honour went to another dead man: George Michael of Wham! Still, this single is a great item because it features an instrumental version of that famous Christmas tune. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7109
Found: Dig website, received 3 January 2024
Tracks: 'Fairytale of New York' / 'Fairytale of New York (instrumental)'

 

Mile after mile - Jahn Teigen

Although Jahn Teigen wasn't exactly successful with his 'Mil etter mil' at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1978, he did record the song in English. It was surprisingly difficult to get this single for a reasonable price, even online. In the end, I wound up buying this copy together with three rarer Norwegian singles from a Norwegian seller late last year.

Jahn even recorded the B-side 'Claudius' in English. This copy was made in Norway; the single was also released in Germany with a different sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 7107
Found: Discogs.com, received 3 January 2024
Tracks: 'Mile after mile' / 'Claudius'

Småting - Grethe og Benny

'Småting' is a Norwegian pop song that won the Melodi Grand Prix 1972, and was Norway's entry to the Eurovision Song Contest the same year. The melody and lyrics were written by Kåre Grøttum and Ivar Børsum, and the song was performed by Grethe Kausland (3 July 1947 - 16 November 2007) and Benny Borg (born 13 November 1945 in Gothenburg). The song is a ballad, where the duo compares the great successes of human life ("inheriting a castle, landing on the moon") with small things, such as watching the sunset, which they sing are higher experiences.

In the international final, the song received 73 points, placing it 14th out of 18 contestants. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7106
Found: Discogs.com, received 3 January 2024
Tracks: 'Småting' / 'Har du noengang'

Kom sol, kom regn - Inger Jacobsen

'Kom sol, kom regn' is a Norwegian ballad that won the Melodi Grand Prix 1962, and was Norway's entry to the Eurovision Song Contest the same year. The song was sung by Laila Dalseth in the Norwegian final, and by Inger Jacobsen in the Eurovision Song Contest. The song was composed by Kjell Karlsen, with text by Ivar Andersen.  

In the song, Jacobsen sings about her feelings for her lover and says that "come sun, come rain" she will always be happy when she is with him. In the international final, the Norwegian entry received 2 points and came in joint tenth place among 16 participants. This was Norway's worst position in the competition until then. Inger Jacobsen was born in Christiania on 13 October 1923 and passed away on 21 July 1996 in Oslo.

My collection: 7" single no. 7105
Found: Discogs.com, received 3 January 2024
Tracks: 'Kom sol, kom regn' / 'Nå har jeg gjort hva som gjøres kan'

Stress - Odd Børre

The new year started with the receipt of an order I placed with a Norwegian seller. Four rare singles finally came to me after a delay of about a week (thanks, Dutch mail!). The first of the four was Odd Børre's 1968 Eurovision entry 'Stress', a song so fast that it actually could cause stress. The song starts with the lines "Must must must must must hurry up / Go go go go go go so I can / Now now now now last bus home / Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha that's right / Good good good good good don't forget to / Take, take, take, take sleeping pills / Small doses are good, need to relax a bit / Turn on your radio, you're asleep". In Norwegian, of course!

Odd Børre Sørensen (born on 9 August 1939) was a Norwegian pop singer. He retired from full-time professional singing in 1970 and became an insurance company agent (although he did perform in the Norwegian national finals in 1971 and 1977 and was one of the judges in the 1978 final). After retiring in the early 2000s, Odd Børre teamed up again with Kjell Karlsen and performed with him.  Børre died on 28 January 2023, at the age of 83.

My collection: 7" single no. 7104
Found: Discogs.com, received 3 January 2024
Tracks: 'Stress' / 'Jeg har aldri vært så glad i noen som deg'

Penthouse and pavement (The Tommy D remix) - Heaven 17

In 1993, Heaven 17 released a series of singles featuring remixes of their Eighties hits. 'Temptation (Brothers in Rhythm remix)' and '(We don't need this) Fascist groove thang (Rapino Brothers remixes)' were quite accomplished, but I feel that 'Penthouse and pavement (The Tommy D remix)' doesn't quite hit the spot. 

I bought this single to complete the set, but upon playing the A-side I was left wondering what, exactly, Tommy D had added to the original version. It looks like more people were left with the same question, as this single didn't do as well as the other two: it peaked at number 54 in the UK singles chart. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7103
Found: Discogs.com, received 27 December 2023
Tracks: 'Penthouse and pavement (Tommy D's master edit)' / 'Penthouse and pavement (original version)'

There's the girl - Heart

After the success of 'Alone' and 'Who will you run to', Heart released a third single from their 1987 album 'Bad Animals': 'There's the girl'. It wasn't quite as successful as the two previous singles, but still peaked at number 12 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, while it also rose to number 34 in the UK singles chart. The single version was remixed when compared to the original album version.

The B-side of the single features the title track of the album, 'Bad animals', which is also a strong track. Personally I feel the band were at their peak in 1987, but I recently read an article in which Ann and Nancy Wilson expressed some regret about this period, feeling they were being used as puppets by the record company. Still, the earnings must have made up for something, as they never equalled the success of 'Bad Animals' again.

My collection: 7" single no. 7102
Found: Discogs.com, received 27 December 2023
Tracks: 'There's the girl' / 'Bad animals'

What about love - Heart

It occurred to me that I didn't have the original single of 'What about love' by Heart yet. I do have a re-release from 1988, but that's not the original version of course. This one is, and it's the US pressing with an original Capitol record company sleeve. (There is a picture sleeve version, but unfortunately the seller I got this single and several others didn't have it.)

The single marked a change of style for the band and landed them a top 10 hit in the USA for the first time since 'Tell it like it is' in 1980. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7101
Found: Discogs.com, received 27 December 2023
Tracks: 'What about love' / 'Heart of darkness'

Tell it like it is - Heart

'Tell it like it is' was written by George Davis and Lee Diamond and originally recorded and released in 1966 by Aaron Neville. It was later recorded by Andy Williams and John Wesley Ryles, among others, and the most famous version for younger people is probably Don Johnson's version from the late Eighties.

In 1980, however, the song was also recorded by Heart, and included on their 'Greatest Hits/Live' album. The song peaked at Number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 during the winter of 1981 and became their highest-charting single in the United States to that point. It had higher success in Canada, reaching Number 4. On this side of the world, the single probably wasn't even released.

My collection: 7" single no. 7100
Found: Discogs.com, received 27 December 2023
Tracks: 'Tell it like it is' / 'Strange Euphoria'

Magazine - Heart

After Heart's very successful debut album 'Dreamboat Annie', they had a falling out with their label Mushroom over an advert for that album that was too suggestive for their liking. Legal wrangles followed, during which Mushroom released the second album 'Magazine' prematurely. After the dispute was resolved, Heart still had to deliver a second album proper, and so they re-recorded 'Magazine'. 

The title track was released as the third single from the album in 1979. It failed to chart in all territories, after which Heart's ties with Mushroom Records were broken. In the early 1980s, Mushroom Records went out of business. Ownership rights to Heart's two albums for Mushroom were purchased by Capitol Records, which reissued the recordings. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7099
Found: Discogs.com, received 27 December 2023
Tracks: 'Magazine' / 'Devil delight'

Hold on to now - Kylie

Most people who have reviewed Kylie's latest album 'Tension' have singled out 'Hold on to now' as one of its strongest tracks. They're not wrong: it's a euphoric, positive pop song that presses all the right buttons. Minogue wrote the song together with producers Jon Green, Duck Blackwell, and longtime collaborator Richard "Biffco" Stannard. 

This single was pressed on white vinyl and, like the other two singles from the album, features an extended mix on the B-side. The extended mixes have been released on an LP called 'Extension' (clever!) but I hope that will get a CD release as well, because those LP's take up too much space in my room, to be honest...

My collection: 7" single no. 7097
Found: Kylie website, received 23 December 2023
Tracks: 'Hold on to now' / 'Hold on to now (extended mix)'

Tension - Kylie

Kylie Minogue co-wrote 'Tension' with Anya Jones, Camille Purcell, Jon Green, and producers Duck Blackwell and longtime collaborator Richard Stannard. The idea to collaborate with Jones and Purcell came after Minogue spent a week in Surrey working on new music with Blackwell, Green, Stannard, and Minogue's A&R Jamie Nelson. Nelson had proposed working with Jones and Purcell, the latter of whom had mentioned being a big fan of Minogue's work and career. According to Minogue, the collaboration with the two provided her with the "female energy" she needed for the record. 

Although 'Tension' was released digitally on 31 August 2023, the 7" vinyl only came to light in December. It's pressed on green vinyl, which nicely ties in to the the sleeve artwork. The single reached number 19 in the UK singles chart but, oddly, failed to chart in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 7096
Found: Kylie website, received 23 December 2023
Tracks: 'Tension' / 'Tension (extended mix)'

Padam padam - Kylie

One of the big surprises of 2023 was the success of Kylie's lead single from her new album 'Tension'. 'Padam padam' is not a very spectacular pop song, but it appealed to many. So much so, that it appears in many end-of-year lists despite the fact that it didn't reach number 1 in any chart, except in Israel, Serbia and in the UK Indie chart. 

I ordered the 7" single directly from Kylie's website along with two other singles, and they all landed on my doormat just before Christmas. This single was pressed on red vinyl, which is a very nice touch.

My collection: 7" single no. 7095
Found: Kylie website, received 23 December 2023
Tracks: 'Padam padam' / 'Padam padam (extended mix)'

Tattoo - Loreen

Winning the Eurovision Song Contest is always controversial. In 2022 the winner was chosen by the viewers - the overwhelming majority of votes for the Ukrainian band came from televoters - and some complained that the jury should have done more to have a winning song based on its quality, not pity for the country that sent it in. This year, the winning song was based on the jury's votes, and suddenly the critics went the other way: the televoters should have had a bigger say in the eventual outcome. My own position has always been the same: no matter who decides, it's never the best song that wins. If anything, much more attention should have been given to the Latvian band Sudden Lights. 

Anyway, Swedish singer Loreen went away with the prize, even though her singing was more like screaming and the act with the toaster became tiresome after a few views. Fortunately it doesn't sound as bad on record. This picture disc was released at the tail end of 2023, and the B-side features the new single 'Is it love', which is a bit more subtle.

My collection: 7" single no. 7094
Found: Platenzaak.nl, received 23 December 2023
Tracks: 'Tattoo' / 'Is it love'

Sunday girl - Blondie

I've complained about Record Store Day on this blog before: it's too expensive, too limited and too attractive for scalpers. That's not to say that the releases are always bad: there's been quite a few interesting items over the years - the trick is just to find them, years later, and hopefully for lower prices.

This double single of Blondie's 'Sunday girl' was released in April 2022, so not too long ago. One disc is pressed on yellow vinyl, the other on red vinyl. The second disc actually presents a previously unreleased live version, recorded at the Paramount Theatre in Portland in January 1979. Unfortunately that's a rather low-fi recording. But anyway, it's a nice release and it looks great.

My collection: 7" single no. 7090
Found: A&O, Düsseldorf, 16 December 2023
Tracks: 'Sunday girl' / 'Sunday girl (French version)' // 'Sunday girl (demo)' / 'Sunday girl (live)'

You're all I need to get by - Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams

'You're all I need to get by' was written by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson. It was originally recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell and released on Motown Records' Tamla label in 1968.

Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams recorded the song for their 1978 duet album 'That's what friends are for'. It was the follow-up to their US number 1 hit 'Too much, too little, too late'. Their version of 'You're all I need to get by' reached number 47 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 45 in the UK singles chart. The copy I bought is a UK promotional single, which is a nice find!

My collection: 7" single no. 7091
Found: 33|45 Records, Den Haag, 22 December 2023
Tracks: 'You're all I need to get by' / 'You're a special part of my life'

Soerabaya / Junge Komm Bald Wieder / Bachelor Boy - De Accordo's

Released in 1963, this single features two medley's of popular songs from that time, as performed by the Accordo's, apparently a Dutch group although this single seems to have been made in Germany.

Not that I suddenly became a fan of music played on accordeons, but the B-side medley features a bit of 'Uno per tutte', the song which was performed by Emilio Pericoli at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1963. In other words, it's another cover version of a Eurovision song, and so an interesting addition to my collection.

My collection: 7" single no. 7082
Found: 33|45 Records, Den Haag, 22 December 2023
Tracks: 'Soerabaya / Junge Komm Bald Wieder / Bachelor Boy' / 'Uno Per Tutte / Limbo Rock / Blame It On The Bossa Nova'

Atomic city - U2

It's been a while since I bought a U2 single, but it's also a while since I heard something interesting from the band. I sort of drifted off after 'All that you can't leave behind', and that's 2000. 

But the band has been making waves with their appearance in Las Vegas in a truly strange venue, and released a new song dedicated to the city to boot. It was released on a "photoluminescent transparent 7" vinyl with bespoke etching on side B', which is marketing speak for "we only have this one track and no B-side so we will try to make it appealing by throwing a lot of adjectives at you". Still, I like the track and so this single ended up in my collection.

My collection: 7" single no. 7089
Found: A&O, Düsseldorf, 16 December 2023
Tracks: 'Atomic city'

Tainted love (demo) - Soft Cell

While the Dutch magazine scene is still boring as hell, more exciting things happen in the UK and Germany, where music magazines regularly come with free 7" singles. 

In this case, it's the UK magazine Electronic Sounds that came up with the goods. This single features two tracks by Soft Cell (you wouldn't have guessed it, looking at the sleeve) from 1981. The A-side is a demo of the duo's biggest hit, 'Tainted love', while the B-side is a version of 'Bedsitter' that was previously released on a flexidisc with the magazine Flexipop - yes, even four decades ago UK magazines were more interesting than Dutch ones. It's high time this country catches up.

My collection: 7" single no. 7088
Found: Electronic Sounds website, received 15 December 2023
Tracks: 'Tainted love (demo)' / 'Bedsitter (Flexipop version)'

Pocket calculator - Kraftwerk

Just four months ago I bought the German version of 'Pocket calculator' by Kraftwerk, 'Taschenrechner'. Besides that original version they also recorded the track in English, and that version appears on this single. 

'Pocket calculator' reached number 39 in the UK singles chart during a six week chart run in May and June 1981. At the same time, the album 'Computer world', from which this single was taken, reached number 15 in the albums chart in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 7087
Found: Discogs.com, received 13 December 2023
Tracks: 'Pocket calculator' / 'Dentaku'

Pianos, strings and some other things - Jeff Wayne

Recently Jeff Wayne announced another live tour of his 'War of the worlds' epic, planned for 2025. It's both impressive and a little sad that the entire career of the man has become synonymous with this one double album, originally released in 1978 - a whopping 45 years ago. 

Another example of his enduring obsession with the project is this Record Store Day release from 2019. 'Pianos, strings and some other things' is, and I am being irreverent here, an elevator music adaptation of four of the tracks from that very same album, 'War of the worlds'. After remix albums and a 'new generation' version this was the latest new take on the music. Well, at least the tracks are very well done, I have to admit. So I am still glad I managed to pick up a copy of this 12" single.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: 33|45 Records, Den Haag, 26 August 2023
Tracks: 'The eve of the war', 'Forever autumn' / 'The red weed', 'Brave new world'

Two to the power - Janet Jackson & Cliff Richard

While Janet Jackson was still a relatively unknown pop star back in 1984, releasing quite run-of-the-mill dance music, she did manage to rope in an unlikely duet partner on her second album 'Dream street': Cliff Richard. You have to wonder why he participated in this song, because it doesn't sound like anything else he recorded until then. But maybe that was part of the fun for him.

Like the rest of Janet's material on her first two albums, the song isn't spectacular and just seems to pass the listener by without making much of an impression. It's obvious that the record company believed in the track, though: there's even a 12" single - although it doesn't contain an extended or remixed version of the song. 

'Did it chart, though?', I hear you ask. Well, it reached number 83 in the UK and number 7 in South Africa. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7085
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 December 2023
Tracks: 'Two to the power' (Janet Jackson & Cliff Richard) / 'Fast girls' (Janet Jackson)

Vi gratulerer - Kirsti, Oddvar og Arne

1968 was a famous year in Eurovision history: Cliff Richard, who seemed destined to win the competition with his song 'Congratulations', was beaten by a young singer called Massiel with the deceptively simple-sounding 'La, la, la'. This single by Kirsti, Oddvar and Arne presents both songs, with Norwegian lyrics provided by Arne Bendiksen.

The trio Kirsti Sparboe, Oddvar Sanne and Arne Bendiksen didn't just record this single: they also released the singles 'Hver Lördag En Fest' (1967) and 'Du Er Det Aller Kjæreste Jeg Har' (1965), the latter of which contained a Norwegian version of the Beatles' 'Yesterday'.

My collection: 7" single no. 7084
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 December 2023
Tracks: 'Vi gratulerer' / 'La, la, la'

Jeg er en astronaut - Anne Mette Torp

It's almost eight years ago that I found a copy of 'Jag är en astronaut' by Anne Mette Torp, the Swedish cover version of 'I am an astronaut', recorded by Ricky Wilde in 1972. Back then I already found out that Anne Mette originally recorded the song in Norwegian, but the single, officially with 'En sang jeg har laert av min bestemor' on the A-side, was very hard to get hold of.

But I was finally successful last month. A Norwegian seller had this single on offer and luckily I was the first one to find out about it. It's not that I am a particular fan of songs recorded by children, but one of my (many) subcollections is, of course, cover versions of songs by Marty Wilde. And so, here it is: the second and last Anne Mette Torp single in my collection.

My collection: 7" single no. 7083
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 December 2023
Tracks: 'En sang jeg har laert av min bestemor' / 'Jeg er en astronaut'

Now and then - The Beatles

It feels a bit odd to say that the Beatles released a new single in 2023, but here we are. 'Now and then' was originally recorded on a tape by John Lennon before his untimely death, and with the latest developments in sound restoration the remaining members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr finally had the opportunity to make a decent song out of it. 

'Now and then' was released on three different 7" singles: in black, blue and clear vinyl. I opted for the clear vinyl version. I would have bought all three if those singles weren't as insanely expensive as they are right now. As for those "updated" red and blue compilations: what a waste. I think they were quite perfect the way they were. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7082
Found: Amazon, received 17 November 2023
Tracks: 'Now and then' / 'Love me do (2023 mix)'

Sei ehrlich - Teddy Scholten

In 1959, Teddy Scholten represented the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest with ''n Beetje' ('A little bit'). She won the contest, and an interesting time began: besides doing theatre shows with her husband she also found time to record her song in other languages.

'Sei ehrlich' ('Be honest') is the German version of the song. She also recorded Italian and French versions, and even performed the song in English and Swedish, apparently - both those versions were never released on a record. The song was recorded with the orchestra led by Jack Bulterman; the orchestra also performs the B-side, an instrumental version of the UK entry, 'Sing little birdie'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7081
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 November 2023
Tracks: 'Sei ehrlich' / 'Sing little birdie'

Gross Gerau 3 June 1994 - Kim Wilde

I'm not a fan of bootleg singles, mainly because they're illegal and always released without the artist's consent. On the other hand, I have every single item ever released by Kim Wilde (or am still trying to get my hands on them) so I don't feel too guilty about buying one every once in a while.

This single, pressed on clear vinyl, features two live tracks taken from a TV broadcast. Apparently there were only 30 copies pressed; this is number 8. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7080
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 November 2023
Tracks: 'View from a bridge (live)' / 'Water on glass (live)'

More of Marty - Marty Wilde and his Wildcats

An EP called 'More of Marty' offers, indeed, more of Marty Wilde: four tracks instead of two. This EP was released in Denmark, which is evidenced by the short bio on the back of the sleeve.

The EP features two singles of the man: 'Oh-oh, I'm falling in love again' and 'Endless sleep', plus their respective B-sides. Both singles were originally credited to Marty Wilde and his Wildcats, as is this EP. There were many more EP releases back in the day, but it's not easy to find them for an affordable price. And that's important, because I'm not going to pay top dollar for tracks that I already own a few times - both on vinyl and CD!

My collection: 7" single no. 7033
Found: Discogs.com, received 20 September 2023
Tracks: 'Oh-oh, I'm falling in love again', 'Sing boy sing' / 'Her hair was yellow', 'Endless sleep'

Amiga Quartett - Udo Jurgens

One of the weirder purchases during last week's record fair was this Amiga Quartett EP with four tracks by Udo Jürgens. It features his Eurovision winning song 'Merci Chérie', but also three other tracks. Two of them veer dangerously towards schlager territory, but 'Ich schrieb nie ein Lied für Karin' ('I never wrote a song for Karin') is a touching little song about how you sometimes neglect those closest to you. Although that may be my interpretation of the song, I don't know.

These Quartett EP's are always fun, because it's obviously from a country that doesn't exist anymore (the German Democratic Republic existed until the early 1990's, when Germany became one country again after a few decades of total divorce) and it can be interesting to hear some more tracks from artists you don't know that well.

My collection: 7" single no. 7068
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 November 2023
Tracks: 'Mit 66 Jahren', 'Ich schrieb nie ein Lied für Karin' / 'Aber bitte mit Sahne', 'Merci, Chérie'

Showroom dummies - Kraftwerk

This single has been on my wish list for a while, but it was hard to find a decent copy for not too much money. It felt good to finish my visit to the record fair with the acquisition of this single by Kraftwerk. 

'Showroom dummies' was taken from the band's album 'Trans-Europe Express'. The single was originally released on 14 September 1977, but this UK pressing comes from 1981. It comes with a remix of 'Numbers', taken from the album 'Computer World', on the B-side.

My collection: 7" single no. 7079
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 November 2023
Tracks: 'Showroom dummies' / 'Numbers (re-mix)'

Zero gravity - Kate Miller-Heidke

'Zero gravity' could be described as a pop-opera song. Kate Miller-Heidke wrote the song following her experience with post-natal depression after the birth of her son, Ernie, and how she felt "weightless" as she recovered. In an interview with broadcaster SBS, Miller-Heidke said she has always known of Eurovision, but became more invested since Australia became involved. She said "I think what I love about Eurovision is the permission to go a bit bonkers and I love how it embraces all different genres and different levels of experimental music and performance. I love how theatrical it is."

Theatrical is a way to describe her performance: it was over the top, with the singer swaying about on high poles, before a background of stars. The Cirque du Soleil-inspired performance made the song very popular with viewers. Still, it finished in ninth place.

A blue vinyl single was released in 2020 in an edition of 284 copies. My copy is number 188.

My collection: 7" single no. 7078
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 November 2023
Tracks: 'Zero gravity' / 'Zero gravity (acoustic)'

Let's get serious - Jermaine Jackson

It's an odd fact that Jermaine Jackson always remained somewhat in the shadows of his younger brother Michael, despite the fact that certainly in the late Seventies he released some very great material. This single is a good example: 'Let's get serious', produced by Stevie Wonder, is a song that is impossibly catchy. 

I actually only discovered this track recently, when I bought a CD of 12 inch singles from 1980. This is quite strange, since this single was released in 1978. But it's true: in the UK this single peaked at number 8 in the singles chart in 1980. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7077
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 November 2023
Tracks: 'Let's get serious' / 'Je vous aime beaucoup (I love you)'

Eden is a magic world - Pop concerto orchestra

The Pop Concerto Orchestra is a French pop music group singing in English, whose compositions are signed by Paul de Senneville and Olivier Toussaint. Their most famous song is 'Eden is a magic world', initially recorded in 1976 and which achieved success in the summer of 1982.

The single sold more than a million copies, after having been used at the time for an advertisement for the Telefunken brand. After the release of several 45s which did not meet with the same success, the group disbanded in 1985.

My collection: 7" single no. 7076
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 November 2023
Tracks:  'Eden is a magic world' / 'She wears a rainbow'

Wann - Camillo

The funny thing about record fairs is that sometimes you can get yourself a good deal. Having bought a dozen singles at the stand of a Eurovision specialist, I spotted this single for a few euros but passed on it. When I saw the same single a few stands further down for just one euro, I became more interested in its contents. 

It turns out that this EP features a German version of 'Petit Bonhomme', the song with which Camillo represented Luxembourg at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1962. 'Du kleiner Mann' appears as the third track on this EP, which might seem an odd choice.

My collection: 7" single no. 7075
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 November 2023
Tracks: 'Wann', 'Das Gluck, von demich einst getraumt' / 'Du kleiner Mann', 'Wenn ein Stern vom Himmel fallt'

Do you believe in shame? - Duran Duran

Back in 1989, I already bought 'Do you believe in shame?', Duran Duran's third single from their album 'Big Thing'. My copy was an American one, bought from a record shop that supplied the occasional import. 

I didn't know back then that the UK edition came in three varieties, that together would make up a collectable set. When I did find out, about eight years ago, those singles were hard to get. Online no dealer would have all three and the combined shipping costs would make collecting these singles quite an expensive experience.

I was glad when I bumped into a UK dealer at last week's record fair, who happened to have all three of these singles. I had no doubt that I really wanted to have them, because as you know I am a sucker for limited editions and strange single sets.

Part one comes with a sleeve in which you can house all three singles, whereas the actual single features the band's frontman Simon Le Bon. Nick Rhodes and John Taylor appear on the cover of parts 2 and 3 respectively. 

A successful legal challenge over the close resemblance of the melody of 'Do you believe in shame?' to that of the Dale Hawkins classic 'Suzie Q' (more famously covered by Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Rolling Stones), means the three writers of 'Suzie Q' were added to the official ASCAP credits for royalties on 'Do you believe in shame?'. Duran Duran always denied intentionally copying any other works, and that the similarity of the two songs was based on a "basic blues progression". 

My collection: 7" single no. 7072, 7073 and 7074
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 November 2023
Tracks: 'Do you believe in shame?' / 'The Krush Brothers LSD edit' // 'Do you believe in shame?' / 'God (London)', 'This is how a road gets made', 'Palomino' // 'Do you believe in shame?' / 'Drug (It's just a state of mind'

Det var en yndig tid - Katy Bødtger

At the beginning of this year I bought 'Mit potpourri', a 10" album by Katy Bødtger, which featured her 1960 Eurovision entry 'Det var en yndig tid'. One of the reasons (besides it being a very attractive item with a colour sleeve) was that the single would cost at least 45 euros. And certainly online you will need to pay something like that for a decent copy. 

Imagine my surprise when I saw this single for less than half of that amount at the record fair in Den Bosch last Saturday. And from a Danish dealer too! It was a lovely time.

My collection: 7" single no. 7070
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 November 2023
Tracks: 'Det var en yndig tid' / 'Gør hvad du vil'

To the unknown man - Electric Playground Orchestra

It's hard to surpass the majestic beauty of Vangelis' 'To the unknown man', but still it has been tried. In 1978, the Electric Playground Orchestra released this single - a single I've never seen before. I bought it out of curiosity, because I wanted to know what this version would sound like. 

The identity of this 'orchestra' has not been revealed, but we do know that this single is produced by a certain Werner Schüler, which leads me to conclude that this is a German outfit. But if you know more, you are welcome to post in the comments!

My collection: 7" single no. 7069
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 November 2023
Tracks: 'To the unknown man' / 'Cascade'

Yesterday - Matt Monro

One of the Beatles' most famous songs might be 'Yesterday', with its simple and effective lyrics. During last Saturday's record fair I was rather surprised to find this single (for only one euro, I might add) featuring a cover version by that classic British singer Matt Monro.

Although 'Yesterday' was not released as a single in the UK, it did not prevent Matt Monro from recording the first of many cover versions of the song. His version made it into the top ten in the UK charts soon after its release in the autumn of 1965. In the end, 'Yesterday' was released in the UK as an EP in 1966.

My collection: 7" single no. 7066
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 November 2023
Tracks: 'Yesterday' / 'Just yesterday (when your love was mine)'