Merci, Chérie - Roy Etzel

Roy Etzel appeared on this blog before, when I bought his version of 'Dansevise' (the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1964) two years ago. But that wasn't the only Eurovision song he recorded.

In 1966 Udo Jürgens won the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Merci, Chérie'. The piano-based melody is recorded surprisingly well with the sound of trumpets by Roy Etzel. For the B-side of this single he also does a version of 'Strangers in the night', the famous Frank Sinatra song. 'Deux succes sur un single', indeed.

My collection: 7" single no. 8385
Found: Parkstad Record Shop, Kerkrade, 29 July 2026
Tracks: 'Merci, Chérie' / 'Strangers in the night' 

I get weak - Belinda Carlisle

'I get weak' was released as the second single from Belinda Carlisle's second album Heaven on Earth in 1987, after the million-selling 'Heaven is a place on earth'. The song was written by Diane Warren and produced by Rick Nowels. After completing the song, songwriter Diane Warren initially had Stevie Nicks in mind – a suggestion she made to producer Rick Nowels, who felt it would be a better fit for Carlisle.

The single reached number 2 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 10 in the UK singles chart. In the Netherlands, however, the single didn't chart. Somehow this US pressing of the single ended up in a Dutch record shop.

My collection: 7" single no. 8384
Found: Parkstad Record Shop, Kerkrade, 29 July 2026
Tracks:  'I get weak' / 'Should I let you in?'

We've got tonight - Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton

I've always felt that 'We've got tonight' was a bit of a creepy duet between Kenny Rogers (born in 1938) and Sheena Easton (born in 1959). They recorded the song in 1983, when Sheena was 24 years old and Kenny 45. But apparently she was positive about the idea when Kenny called her and pitched the idea near the end of 1982. 

The song was originally written and performed by Bob Seger, who recorded it for his album Stranger in Town (1978). Easton would assert that it was the song choice which appealed to her, while allowing Rogers to be "a good singer with a distinctive voice" who she found "always helpful and co-operative" in the studio, debunking insider reports that the ten-day recording session for the track was a stormy one with Rogers overtly disliking Easton's high-pitched vocals.

My collection: 7" single no. 8383
Found: Parkstad Record Shop, Kerkrade, 29 July 2026
Tracks: 'We've got tonight' / 'You are so beautiful' 

In the night - Barbara Dickson

Not two, but three singles were taken from Barbara Dickson's 1980 album The Barbara Dickson Album. 'It's really you' and 'January February' were rather wellknown in the Netherlands, but 'In the night' escaped our attention completely. 

It was different in the UK: 'It's really you' wasn't released there, but 'In the night' was and it reached number 48 in the singles chart. Not a big hit, but it was noticed nonetheless. Barbara would only have one big hit after this: the duet 'I know him so well' together with Elaine Page, which became a number 1 hit in the UK in 1984. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8381 
Found: Parkstad Record Shop, Kerkrade, 29 July 2026
Tracks: 'In the night' / 'Now I don't know'

That's the way (I like it) - Dead or Alive

KC and the Sunshine Band had a huge hit with 'That's the way (I like it)' in 1975. Pete Burns and his band Dead or Alive realized that they could probably have similar success with the song a decade later. I remember the music video well: it was recorded in a shower room filled with muscular women. (Somehow I imagine that Pete Burns would have preferred men in there, but okay...)

It was Dead or Alive's first hit single, peaking at number 22 in the UK singles chart and number 23 in Ireland. Europe would only come to know Dead or Alive a year later, when they released 'You spin me 'round (like a record)'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8379
Found: Parkstad Record Shop, Kerkrade, 29 July 2026
Tracks: 'That's the way (I like it)' / 'Do it' 

We don't talk anymore - Cliff Richard

Alan Tarney wrote 'We don't talk anymore' in 1979, planning to use it on an album with the Tarney/Spencer Band. However, Tarney played a demo of the song to Bruce Welch during a break in recording sessions for Where to Now by Charlie Dore (which the two were producing). Welch instantly knew it was going to be a hit and phoned up Richard's manager Peter Gormley, as he believed "there was only one person who could record it — Cliff Richard". It was then quickly recorded in May 1979.

It was released as a stop-gap single between his albums Green Light and Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile. However, it wasn't meant to be included on Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile, as Cliff Richard didn't think it was appropriate for "an energy packed album of progressive rock 'n' roll". However, his record label EMI were insistent on including it after it became a massive hit and Richard reluctantly conceded. 

Funnily enough, two different versions of the single's sleeve exist. The 'blue' one was released in the Netherlands, whereas the 'red' one was released in Germany and adds the 'No. 1 hit Engeland' logo (although a version without it also exists). I decided to buy both.

My collection: 7" single no. 8377 & 8378
Found: Parkstad Record Shop, Kerkrade, 29 July 2026
Tracks: 'We don't talk anymore' / 'Count me out'

 

Star - Earth, Wind & Fire

'Star' was a single taken from Earth Wind & Fire's 1979 studio album I Am. The song was written by Maurice White, Allee Willis and Eduardo Del Barrio. The single reached number 64 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 16 in the UK singles chart and number 9 in the Dutch Top 40.

Back in 1979, when this single was released, Earth Wind & Fire were the biggest they'd ever been. They were featured on television so regularly that I got sick of the band. Fortunately their music proves to be almost timeless. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8374
Found: Parkstad Record Shop, Kerkrade, 29 July 2026
Tracks: 'Star' / 'You and I'