Ce soir-là - François Deguelt

Rare singles come in many gueses, but I always get a weird feeling when I get my hands on a single that was made of 50 years ago. I wasn't even born in 1960, but the Eurovision Song Contest was already celebrating its fifth edition and François Deguelt represented Monaco with the beautiful song 'Ce soir-là', included in this delightful little EP.

'Ce soir-là' is in the chanson style popular in the early years of the Contest. Deguelt describes the first night he spent with his lover and explains to her that he realised then that 'Life would never have attraction for me / Far from you'. It appears from the lyrics, however, that his lover has left him since then, which has resulted in his perpetual waiting for her return in order to relive 'that night'. At the close of voting, this song had received 15 points, placing third in a field of 13 competitors.

Also check out the swinging 'Linda' on this disc - it is very different and very enjoyable.

My collection: 7" single no. 5643
Found: eBay.co.uk, received September 2, 2014
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Ce soir-là', 'Jean' / Linda', 'Sur la piste (plus loin)'

Love is a lonely weekend - Anna Vishy

I don't have any Eurovision singles from Cyprus yet, so getting this single by Anna Vishy was a bit of a milestone. Anna represented Greece in 1980 and 2006, but represented Cyprus in the 1982 Eurovision song Contest with 'Mono i agapi' ('Only love'). At the close of voting, the song was placed fifth in a field of 18 competitors. It has remained Cyprus' best showing in the Contest to date.

The English-language version of the song was entitled 'Love is a lonely weekend' and was released internationally by CBS Records.

My collection: 7" single no. 5666
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 23, 2014
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: "Love is a lonely weekend' / 'I'm gonna be a fool for you'

Et bonjour à toi l'artiste - Nicole Rieu

'Et bonjour à toi l'artiste' ('And a good day to you, artist') was the French entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1975, performed by Nicole Rieu. The song was performed third on the night . At the close of voting, it had received 91 points, placing 4th in a field of 19 contestants.

The song is a subtle ballad, with Rieu greeting 'the great artist' and reminding him or her that it is time to get to work painting. The artist is also described as an author, an illusionist and an actor. Rieu recorded the song in no less than six languages; French, English ('Live for love'), German, Spanish ('Dios te guarde buen artista'), Italian ('Buongiorno artista') and Japanese ('Soyokaze no okurimono').

My collection: 7" single no. 5665
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 23, 2014
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Et bonjour à toi l'artiste' / 'La mandarine'

Vivan bomma - De Strangers

The Belgian band De Strangers have appeared on this blog a few times before, because I bought five of their singles all on one day. This is the last of that series: their 1989 cover version of Riva's 'Rock me baby', the song that won the Eurovision Song Contest that year.

'Vivan bomma' (who knows what that means? I sure don't) was not a hit for the Belgian group, and they never had any chart hits ever since either. They had their last concert on May 14, 2002, followed by a one-off reunion concert in 2006.

My collection: 7" single no. 5619
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, August 10, 2014
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Vivan bomma' / 'Njoe-biet van Keskeschiet'

Interview - Kate Bush

Being a Kate Bush fanatic has its drawbacks: old singles are hugely expensive and lots of illegal releases are too. Every now and again, you can't resist temptation when a cheap illegal item comes within your grasp, and this is how I got my hands on this picture disc.

Illegal as hell, this picture disc uses an interview by Martin Buchanan from 1985 on both sides. The interview was broadcast on the old satellite TV channel Music Box - the European answer to MTV - and gives the buyer two black and white pictures of Kate. Interview singles aren't the most interesting discs to play but at least this one looks attractive.

My collection: 7" single no. 5657
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 23, 2014
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: Interview [1985] (on both sides)

Beatles - Forbes

Being one of the biggest names in pop music, you would wish for the Beatles that if they got a musical tribute, it would be a worthy one. 'Beatles', written by Sven Olov Bagge and Claes Bure, was not that song. It was a calculated move by the Swedish band Forbes to use English phrases, motivated by the fact that the 1977 Eurovision Song Contest took place in the United Kingdom.

The audience cheered at the song, but the juries had another opinion. The song finished last, with only two points from West Germany. At the Swedish singles chart, it peaked at number 3, amazingly.

My collection: 7" single no. 5636
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received August 29, 2014
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Beatles' / 'Sweet kiss of fire'

A song for Europe - Matt Monro

Sometimes I buy a single and I can't believe my luck. This EP from 1964 (!) in very good condition and a 'Factory sample - not for sale' sticker on the label appeared in my hands during the recent record fair in Utrecht. I think the dealer didn't know what he was selling, because this EP appears online for a tenner or more.

This 'A Song For Europe' EP was released on the occasion of Matt Monro's appearance in the TV programme of the same name, also known as the national final of the Eurovision Song Contest in the UK. The song that was chosen was 'I love the little things' (track 3 on side A), which ended second in a field of 16 competitors in the Contest that year.

My collection: 7" single no. 5656
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 23, 2014
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Choose', 'It's funny how you know', 'I love the little things' / 'I've got the moon on my side', 'Ten out of ten', 'Beautiful, beautiful'