Despite this song's irresistible hook, Level 42's 'Out of sight, out of mind' only managed to get to number 41 in the UK singles chart, just missing the top 40. The song was released as the first single from their 1983 album 'Standing in the light', the album that gave them their first top 10 hit in the shape of 'The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up)'.
It would take the band two more years to become world famous with the album 'Running in the family'. Compared to some of their later singles, this one sounds fresher and more innovative... but that's just my opinion.
My collection: 7" single no. 5436 Found: unknown Tracks: 'Out of sight, out of mind' / 'You can't blame Louis (remix)'
Atlantis 2000 competed in the 1991 Eurovision Song Contest with Dieser Traum darf niemals sterben. I bought the single of that song five years ago, as you can see here. I didn't know, however, that an English version was also released. That version appears here, on a single which contains both the English and German version. The lyric of the English version was written by Richard Palmer-James.
It was a nice try, but this single didn't chart in any territory. And so, the never-ending dream came to a premature end.
My collection: 7" single no. 5626 Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received August 29, 2014 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'Never-ending dream' / 'Dieser Traum darf niemals sterben'
King Kurt are best known for this single, 'Destination Zululand', which was their biggest hit in the UK, peaking at number 36 in October 1983. The rockabilly band played rowdy gigs where nobody left the room unscathed. A good example of their live presence can be seen in this YouTube video of 'Destination Zululand'.
Subtitled 'Humdiddledu mhoowahaya', this song was produced by Dave Edmunds.
My collection: 7" single no. 5431 Found: unknown Tracks: 'Destination Zululand' / 'She's as hairy'
The double LP and double CD collection 'The best of the Doors', originally released in 1985, can still be seen as the ultimate introduction to the American band's output. The album was re-released in 1991 and promoted by this single, featuring an edit of 'Light my fire' and the classic 'People are strange'.
At the time of release, there was also a 12" single featuring the full length version of 'Light my fire' and the additional track 'Soul kitchen'. And, to top it all off, a CD-single featured all four tracks. Although it isn't particularly inspiring to hear both the edit and full length version of 'Light my fire' side by side, I'd have to say.
My collection: 7" single no. 5386 Found: unknown Tracks: 'Light my fire (edit)' / 'People are strange'
Many Swedish Eurovision entries sound like old Abba tracks, and this entry from 1982 is no exception. The duo Chips, consisting of Kikki Danielsson and Elisabeth Andreasson (the latter would go on to be part of Bobbysocks and win the 1985 edition) performed the song 'Dag efter dag' (appearing here on the B-side), written by Lasse Holm and Monica Forsberg. They finished eighth in a field of 18 contestants.
This single was a chart success in Scandinavia: it peaked at number 4 in Sweden and at number 5 in Norway. Elsewhere, of course, the single did not chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 5658 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 23, 2014 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'Day after day' / 'Dag efter dag'
Easily one of the longest titles of a hit single ever, this song was written by David Bellamy and recorded by the Bellamy Brothers. It was released in March 1979 as the second single from their album 'The Two and Only'.
'If I said you had a beautiful body...' derived its double entendre title from a Groucho Marx line. Songwriter David Bellamy told country music journalist Tom Roland that he regularly watched Marx's program, You Bet Your Life, where Marx sometimes used the quote while interviewing an attractive female contestant, then shake his cigar and raise his eyebrows to elicit a reaction. The comment stuck in Bellamy's head as a possible hook line for a song.
My collection: 7" single no. 5654 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 23, 2014 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'If I said you had a beautiful body would you hold it against me' / 'Make me over'
'Spirit in the sky' was originally written and recorded by Norman Greenbaum. Released in 1969, the single sold over two million copies, reaching number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, number 1 in the UK, Australia and Germany.
According to Greenbaum, he was inspired to write the song after watching Porter Wagoner
on TV singing a gospel song. Greenbaum later said: "I thought, 'Yeah, I
could do that,' knowing nothing about gospel music, so I sat down and
wrote my own gospel song. It came easy. I wrote the words in 15
minutes." The lyric makes several references to Jesus, despite the fact that Greenbaum is in fact Jewish.
Several artists have covered 'Spirit in the sky', including Kim Wilde, who released her version of the song on a single, released on February 24, 2012 as a double A-side with a cover of the Buzzcocks' 'Ever fallen in love'.
My collection: 7" single no. 5653 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 23, 2014 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'Spirit in the sky' / 'Tars of India'
