We came to dance - Ultravox

I had the good fortune of finding two picture disc 7" singles of Ultravox on one day, and because they both looked so good I simply had to snap them up. 'We came to dance' was the fourth and last single taken from the band's album Quartet, and it reached number 18 in the UK singles chart. 

I already own the clear vinyl version of this single, but when a picture disc looks as good as this, it is a worthy addition to my collection. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7175
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 16 April 2024
Tracks: 'We came to dance' / 'Overlook'

Hymn - Ultravox

I had the pleasure of seeing Ultravox live at Paradiso during the last tour they ever did - and with the recent passing of Chris Cross I think there won't ever be another one - and this song was one of the most rousing tracks on the set. It wasn't the bands biggest hit, but it could have been. 

Lyrically, the song describes a time of corruption, in which "all that's good will fall from grace" and "Different words [...] have other meaning"; the protagonist expresses his worldly ambitions for "power and glory" in phrases from Bible ("the storybook"), especially The Lord's Prayer. 'Hymn' peaked at number 11 in the singles chart in the UK, where it was certified silver, and reached top 10 in Germany and Switzerland. This picture disc is a beautiful piece.

My collection: 7" single no. 7172
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 16 April 2024
Tracks: 'Hymn' / 'Monument'

Changing world - Hot Chocolate

Another Hot Chocolate single I didn't already have is 1974's 'Changing world'. In this case, it's the Belgian pressing with a picture sleeve - which is just as well, because the UK version came in the same old RAK record company sleeve.

'Changing world' was written, once again, by lead singer Errol Brown and bassist Tony Wilson, and it was taken from the band's debut album Cicero Park. It was released as the follow-up to the massively successful single 'Emma' - a top 10 hit in various countries - but it wasn't as successful. In fact, it only managed to reach number 58 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 7168
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 16 April 2024
Tracks: 'Changing world' / 'Bump and dilly down'

You could've been a lady - Hot Chocolate

With all the Hot Chocolate singles already in my collection, it's always a bit of a surprise when one turns up that I don't already have. 'You could've been a lady' was written in 1969 and released as a single in 1971. The song was written by band members Errol Brown and Tony Wilson.

Although initially released by Hot Chocolate as a non-album single, the song later appeared on the 2009 reissue of the album Cicero Park.  In 1976, the band re-recorded the song for their album Man to Man. Boasting a fuller, heavier production than the 3:42 original, it runs for 4:25. Rather than the original single version, a 3:48 edit of the re-recording has appeared on all compilation albums issued both by the band and with various other artists.

My collection: 7" single no. 7167
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 16 April 2024
Tracks: 'You could've been a lady' / 'Everybody's laughing'

Never - Heart

25 years ago I bought the single 'Never / These dreams' by Heart, a compilation of two songs from their self-titled album in 1985, but released in 1988. 

This single, featuring a remix of 'Never', was released in 1985, just after the album was released. The song was written by Holly Knight, Gene Bloch (from the band Device) and "Connie" (a pseudonym for Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, and Sue Ennis). The single reached number 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100, but failed to chart in the UK and Europe.

My collection: 7" single no. 7165
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 16 April 2024
Tracks: 'Never (remix)' / 'Shell shock'

Swear - Sheena Easton

Sheena Easton had a very decent career during the Eighties, with a good selection of hits and quality pop songs. It has caused me to buy a single by her whenever I come across one I don't have yet.

Unfortunately, there are a few unexpected duds among the many great singles. I bought 'Swear' recently but the song isn't really that great. It's a bit of a screamfest, to be honest. Fortunately the B-side is a little more attractive. It ain't no 'Strut', this one, but anyway.

My collection: 7" single no. 7162
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, 16 April 2024
Tracks: 'Swear' / 'Fallen angels'

Love is blue - Jeff Beck

The song 'L'amour est bleu' competed in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1967, performed by Vicky Leandros, and it became a big hit worldwide, especially when Paul Mauriat released his version in 1968. But he wasn't the only one to cover the song.

Jeff Beck released his version in 1968 as well. He had some success, as the single reached number 23 in the UK singles chart. The single is quite a catch, because I've never seen a copy before.

My collection: 7" single no. 7160
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'Love is blue' / 'I've been drinking'

Ein Lied ist wie ein Vogel - Ilanit

It doesn't happen very often that two versions of a single appear with the same seller, especially when you're after both versions. But that's exactly what happened earlier this month when I finally found 'Ahava hi shir lishnayim' and its German counterpart, 'Ein Lied ist wie ein Vogel'. It was a bit of a relief to find both singles in quick succession.

Ilanit recorded her 1977 Eurovision entry in several languages, but the original version and this German version are possibly the hardest to get hold of.Of course, now there is still the English version to go.

My collection: 7" single no. 7153
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'Ein Lied ist wie ein Vogel' / 'Lass dich mal gehen'

Yo soy aquel - Willy Alberti

Although the A-side of this single is really the Italian song 'Nessuno mi puo giudicare', all the attention has to be focused on its B-side, a version of 'Yo soy aquel', one of the most impressive Spanish Eurovision entries ever. 

The original was performed on the Eurovision stage on 5 March 1966. Dutch singer Willy Alberti was quick to recognize the quality of the song and released his version just two months later, on 9 May 1966. Finding this single was a real surprise for me - and the fact that the original picture sleeve was included was very fortunate.

My collection: 7" single no. 7159
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'Nessuno mi puo giudicare' / 'Yo soy aquel'

La la la (She gives me love) - Joan Manuel Serrat

Like I wrote when I bought the French version of 'La, la, la', I only had the Portuguese and English version of Joan Manuel Serrat's version of the song to go. And this month the day has come that I can present the English version.

'La, la, la (She gives me love)' is basically the male version of 'La, la, la (He gives me love)' which was recorded by Massiel when Joan Manuel Serrat was replaced after he refused to perform his song in Catalan. The colourful sleeve of this single is a bit of a bonus.

My collection: 7" single no. 7158
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'La la la (She gives me love)'  / 'Mis gaviotas'

L'amour est bleu - Vicky Leandros

Having already bought 'L'amour est bleu' and 'A taste of Vicky', I thought I had a pretty decent selection of Japanese singles of this song, but it turns out there was one more: this re-release from 1980 featuring Vicky's Eurovision song and a cover version in French of Mary Hopkin's 'Those were the days'. 

It's interesting that even this single doesn't complete the collection: these two tracks were originally released on a Japanese single in 1971. Something tells me that version will land in my collection pretty soon as well.

My collection: 7" single no. 7154
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'L'amour est bleu' / 'Les temps des fleurs'

Dios mio, como te quiero - Domenico Modugno

It's funny how Domenico Modugno keeps popping up on this blog, while I'm really only after three of his songs. However, 'Volare', 'Piove' and 'Dio, come ti amo' have all become classics and they have been covered by many artists as well. 

In the case of the latter, it was Domenico himself who recorded a different version. He recorded 'Dio, come ti amo' in Spanish and released it in Spanish-speaking countries as 'Dios mio, como te quiero'. Whether it was a big success in those territories, I don't know, but it is certainly as good as the original version.

My collection: 7" single no. 7157
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'Dios mio, como te quiero' / 'Es una cosa grande'

Dance butterfly - Milestones

The Milestones represented Austria at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1972 with 'Falter im Wind'. It remains one of the most underrated and undiscovered gems of Eurovision history, with its combination of dreamy lyrics and - a first on the Eurovision stage, I reckon - the use of a transverse flute. 

The band also recorded the song in English. That single is very rare, and I was lucky enough to pick up a copy that apparently used to be in the archives of Radio Miramar in Spain. It is, of course, a Spanish pressing of the single. 'Dance butterfly' sounds even better in English, I think.

My collection: 7" single no. 7156
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'Dance butterfly' / 'Oh fairy day'

Children, Kinder, enfants - Margo, Franck Olivier, Diane Solomon, Malcolm Roberts, Ireen Sheer, Chris Roberts

I bought 'Children, Kinder, enfants' in 2009, a single by an international group of singers. I bought it a few times after that, because I knew there was a different version of the single, but somehow I always ended up buying the one with the 'international version' on it. Somehow I just couldn't remember that I already owned that one.

This time I finally managed to get the correct one. This version of 'Children, Kinder, enfants' features the French version like it does on the B-side of the 'international version', but also the English version of the song. This should mean that I own all three versions of the song, finally. There's also a 12" single of this song, but it doesn't contain any different version.

My collection: 7" single no. 7155
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'Children, Kinder, enfants (French version)' / 'Children, Kinder, enfants (English version)'

Ahava hi shir lishnayim - Ilanit

Back in 1977 Ilanit represented Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest for the second time. She'd been the country's first representative in 1973 but she was invited back when the entries of the years after that didn't deliver the goods. While Ilanit had reached fourth place, Poogy only managed seventh place, Shlomo Artzi only got to place 11 and while Chocolate Menta Mastik reversed the county's fortunes by landing on sixth place, it wasn't enough for the ambitious Israeli broadcaster.

And so, Ilanit came back with the song 'Ahava hi shir lishnayim' ('Love is a song for two'), not exactly the most accessible title but a melodious song nonetheless. Ilanit also recorded the song in French as 'Ensemble' and in German as 'Ein Lied ist wie ein Vogel'. The song ended up in a slightly disappointed 11th place. In 1978 Israel would go for gold with Izhar Cohen.

My collection: 7" single no. 7161
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'Ahava hi shir lishnayim' / 'Hene halaila'

Das war eine schöne Party - France Gall

In September 2021 I wrote: "France Gall only recorded a French and Japanese version of ['Poupée de cire, poupée de son'], as far as I know", but how wrong I was. She also recorded the song in Italian and German. It's the German version that landed in my collection last week.

It was released, obviously, in Germany, but confusingly, the sleeve was very similar to the German sleeve of the original version. Fortunately the title of the song is printed prominently next to the photograph, otherwise buyer would never have known the difference. Listening to this version, it's quite impressive how France Gall managed to pronounce German in this song.

My collection: 7" single no. 7152
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'Das was eine schöne Party' / 'Meine erste grosse Liebe'

Pump pump - Fredi ja Ystävät

Having bought 'Pump pump' and 'Schon wieder macht mein Herz bump bump', obviously I was curious whether I could get hold of the original Finnish version of Fredi & Ystävät's legendary Eurovision entry from 1976. 

Lo and behold, I actually found the single - albeit without its picture sleeve - during last week's record fair. The funny and catchy song was released in three languages, which means that I now have all versions.

My collection: 7" single no. 7151
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'Pump pump' / 'Kun ita hämärtyy'

Twee kleine Italianen - Conny

Conny Froboess represented Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1962 with 'Zwei kleine Italiener', a song that went on to become a bit of a classic. Such was its popularity, that Conny recorded the song in three other languages besides German: English, Italian and Dutch!

The Dutch version can be quite hard to get hold of - several copies online are being sold without its picture sleeve. So I felt rather lucky when I found a good copy at last week's record fair. 'Twee kleine Italianen' roughly follows the lyrics of the original song  Even the B-side was recorded in Dutch.

My collection: 7" single no. 7150
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'Twee kleine Italianen' / 'Hallo, hallo, hallo'

Ein kleiner gold'ner Ring / Einmal sehen wir uns wieder - Lale Andersen

Lale Andersen (23 March 1905 – 29 August 1972) was a German chanson singer-songwriter, born in Lehe (now part of Bremerhaven). She is best known for her interpretation of the song 'Lili Marleen' in 1939, which by 1941 transcended the conflict to become World War II's biggest international hit. Popular with both the Axis and the Allies, Andersen's original recording spawned versions, by the end of the War, in most of the major languages of Europe, and by some of the most popular artists in their respective countries.

 In 1961, she participated as the West German representative in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Einmal sehen wir uns wieder', which only reached 13th place with three points. Fifty-six years old at the time, she held the record of the eldest participant at Eurovision for over 45 years – surpassed only in 2008 by the 75-year-old Croatian entertainer 75 Cents. Her Eurovision song was, oddly, only released on the B-side of a single, this 'Ein kleiner gold'ner Ring'. Finding a copy was hard... but I finally did it!

My collection: 7" single no. 7149
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'Ein kleiner gold'ner Ring' / 'Einmal sehen wir uns wieder'

Un premier amour - Jean-Paul Mauric

'Un premier amour' was the winning song of the 1962 Eurovision Song Contest. It was performed by Isabelle Aubret, but as per usual back then, other artists were quick to cash in on that success. One of them was Jean-Paul Mauric, who represented France a year ealier with 'Printemps (Avril carillone)', a song that was met with rather less enthusiasm. 

This EP presents four songs by the singer, displaying a wide range of musical styles. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7145
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 13 April 2024
Tracks: 'Twist avec maman', 'Un premier amour' / 'Qu'est ce que c'est', 'Un printemps'