Looking high, high, high - David Hughes

'Looking high, high, high' was the song with which Bryan Johnson represented the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1960. It was a remarkable upbeat song that also included the line 'I shall die, die, die ('cause I love you so)'. \

English popular singer and operatic tenor David Hughes also released ‘Looking High, High, High’ as a single around the same time as Bryan Johnson. His version was not a hit. My copy comes in the original Top Rank record company sleeve!

My collection: 7" single no. 6742
Found: Discogs.com, received 9 July 2022
Cost: £2
Tracks: 'Looking high, high, high' / 'Mi amor'

You - Geraldine

Buying singles online can sometimes be a disappointing experience. But I am not totally sure, in this case, if I wouldn't have had the same disappointment if I'd bought this single in a real shop. The disc looks absolutely fine, but playing it it's hard to even hear the music. That's why I only recorded the A-side from this single - I already had the French version on another single. 

The Irish singer Geraldine represented Luxembourg with the song 'Toi', and she recorded the song also in English as 'You'. That version was obviously released in Ireland, but this is the Portuguese pressing with a slightly unflattering photograph of the singer on the front cover.

My collection: 7" single no. 6741
Found: Discogs.com, received 7 July 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'You' / 'Toi'

Dai li dou - Gemini

Gemini was a Portuguese band from the Seventies. The members were Fatima Padinha, Teresa Miguel, Tozé Brito and Mike Sergeant.  In 1977 they participated in the Portuguese national final in order to represent the country in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Portugal no coração'. The song won. However, every song was sung by two performers, and the audience preferred Os Amigos over Gemini. 

In 1978 they tried again and won the national final with the song 'Dai li dou'. This time they were allowed to go to Paris for the international competition. However, they only reached the 17th position. Teresa and Fatima would represent Portugal once more in 1982 in the band Doce.

My collection: 7" single no. 6740
Found: Discogs.com, received 7 July 2022
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Dai li dou' / 'Gente lá da minha rua'

La novia / Al di la - Tony Dallara

I already owned one cover version of 'Al di la' by Emilio Pericoli, and here's another one, also in a Japanese sleeve: Tony Dallara recorded his version on the B-side of the single 'La novia'. 

Dallara was born as Antonio Lardera on 30 June 1936. After working as barman and clerk, he began his musical career in the band Rocky Mountains; his singing style was inspired, in particular, by American singers such as Frankie Laine and Tony Williams. In 1957, he signed a contract as singer with the Italian label Music, where he was working as delivery man. His first single 'Come prima' was published in December 1957 and sold 300,000 copies, becoming the biggest selling single in Italy up to that point. 'La novia' was released in 1963, two years after Betty Curtis represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Al di la'.  

My collection: 7" single no. 6739
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 June 2022
Cost: $3
Tracks: 'La novia' / 'Al di la'

Some day - Tommy Nilsson

I've always been rather fond of Sweden's 1989 entry to the Eurovision Song Contest, 'En dag', performed by Tommy Nilsson. There's something about the powerful vocals, the repetitive chorus and the hopeful lyrics that drew me to this song - and it still does.

When I found out there was a 12" version of the song - I think about a year ago - I put it on my wantlist, but it was quite difficult to get hold of a copy, due to the rather extreme postage rates and the prices some online dealers dare to ask for it. After all, it's just a 12" single in a black generic sleeve. I finally found a cheap copy with cheap postage from a dealer in... Lithuania! Sometimes good things come from far away.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, 1 July 2022
Cost: $5
Tracks: 'Some day [12" version]' / 'En dag', 'Some day'

Nocturne / Un jour, un enfant - Paul Mauriat

Although this single does not specify a year of release, it is safe to assume that Paul Mauriat released this in 1969, when Frida Boccara was one of the winners of the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Un jour, un enfant'. Like the previous year, Mauriat delivered an instrumental version of a Eurovision song with his orchestra, although this time it was actually a winning song. 

Curiously though, this single features the self-composed track 'Nocturne' on the A-side. Perhaps Mauriat felt that he couldn't make a worldwide hit of his version, like he did with 'L'amour est bleu' in 1968.

My collection: 7" single no. 6737
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 June 2022
Cost: $3
Tracks: 'Nocturne' / 'Un jour, un enfant'

Valentine's day - ABC

I always thought that ABC's album 'Lexicon of love' spawned four singles, but it turns out that another song was released as a single - in Japan. 'Valentine's day' is certainly a track worthy of a single release, even if this didn't happen in the rest of the world.

The B-side features 'part 3' of 'The look of love', one of the other singles from the same album. Parts 1 and 2 can be found on the single of 'The look of love', whereas part 4 appears on the album. And then there is of course the remix version, originally released in the USA, which is often called part 5. You will find that one on the limited edition double single package of 'Be near me'. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6735
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 June 2022
Cost: $3
Tracks: 'Valentine's day' / 'The look of love (part 3)'

Slipping through my fingers - Abba

One of the tracks on Abba's 1981 album 'The Visitors' was 'Slipping through my fingers'. It was never released as a single - except in Japan, where it was released as a 'Coca Cola super record'. According to the blurb on the back of this sleeve (in Japanese), the song was recorded "just for you", which of course wasn't entirely true.

The record is actually a picture disc, featuring a photograph of the band complete with signatures on one side (without any music on that side) and a red playable side with the Coca-Cola logo on it. After looking for this item for some time, I am glad to finally own this particular single.

My collection: 7" single no. 6732
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 June 2022
Cost: $10
Tracks: 'Slipping through my fingers'

Napoleon und Josephine - Kirsti

Kirsti Sparboe represented Denmark at the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest with the song with the remarkable title 'Oj, oj, oj, så glad jeg skal bli'. I was happy to find a copy just two months ago - and that was before I knew that she also recorded a German version!

This single, 'Napoleon und Josephine' presents that version on the B-side. On the sleeve it is announced as 'Oi, oi, oi', but she doesn't even sing these words. The song is actually called 'Eins, zwei, drei' and is translated by Kurt Hertha, a German songwriter and composer, who also added German lyrics to songs like 'Stupid Cupid' ('Sexie Hexy') and 'Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport' ('Halt Das Känguruh Fest'). 

My collection: 7" single no. 6728
Found: Discogs.com, received 16 June 2022
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'Napoleon und Josephine' / 'Eins, zwei, drei'

Die Nacht, in der ich mich verlor - Wencke Myhre

I could write a piece about 'Die Nacht, in der ich mich verlor', but that is not the song that caused me to buy this single. More interesting is the B-side: 'Autostop', a cover version of the Greek entry to the Eurovision Song Contest in 1980. The original version, performed by Anna Vissi, was never released as a single, although some demo copies were pressed and I recently saw a copy at a record fair... the dealer wanted €250 for it. That's crazy of course, and I wonder what kind of maniac pays that much for a single. 

But anyway, this single features a cover of the song with German lyrics provided by Werner Schüler and Bernd Meinunger. The Bernd Meinunger, I should add, because he, together with Ralph Siegel, actually wrote many songs that were performed on the Eurovision stage. And so this B-side becomes less of a weird instance, since both Meinunger and Myhre were Eurovision fans, so to speak.

My collection: 7" single no. 6729
Found: Discogs.com, received 16 June 2022
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'Die Nacht, in der ich mich verlor' / 'Autostop'

L'amour est bleu / A taste of Vicky - Vicky Leandros

I already had the Japanese single of Vicky Leandros' 'L'amour est bleu', but it turns out that the Japanese also released this EP, entitled 'A taste of Vicky'. Unusually for a Japanese single, it is presented in a regular sleeve instead of the company sleeve with a separate piece of paper to accompany it - if you've seen them you know what I mean. 

What's interesting about this EP is that it adds a track in Japanese and a cover of the familiar Bee Gees hit 'Massachusetts'. And of course, there is the attraction of it being a pretty rare Japanese disc.

My collection: 7" single no. 6726
Found: Discogs.com, received 11 June 2022
Cost: £5
Tracks: 'L'amour est bleu', 'Le soleil a quitté ma maison' / 'Machi-Kutabireta Nochiyobi', 'Massachusetts'

Al di la - Emilio Pericoli

I still haven't been able to locate a copy of Betty Curtis' version of 'Al di la', from the Eurovision Song Contest 1961, but the cover version in Dutch by Sandra Reemer, 'Al di la (Net als wij)' was a recent purchase. And now, here's Emilio Pericoli's version.

This Japanese single presents two songs from the motion picture 'Lovers must learn' (1962), in which a librarian (Suzanne Pleshette) goes to Italy "to learn about love," meets two men (Troy Donahue, Rossano Brazzi) and sees much lovely scenery. The score of the movie included 'Al di la', and this single presents the song in beautiful Japanese style.

My collection: 7" single no. 6727
Found: Discogs.com, received 11 June 2022
Cost: £4
Tracks: 'Al di la' / 'Rome adventure'

I've had enough - Wings

The Wings album 'London Town' featured a markedly softer-rock, synth-based sound than previous Wings albums. The single 'With a little luck' reached number 1 in the US and number 5 in the UK, but the second single from the album, 'I've Had Enough' fared much less well. It only reached no. 42 in the UK and no. 25 in the US Billboard Hot 100.

While I don't necessarily collect Wings singles, it is always fun to pick one up when it appears in front of me for a low price. And this copy popped up when I was browsing a stall with hundreds of UK pressings. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6723
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 4 June 2022
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'I've had enough' / 'Deliver your children'

Someday - The Blue Diamonds

The song 'Morgen' was performed at the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest by Ronnie Tober. The English version was called 'Someday' and was also recorded by Tober - however that single still remains to be found by me. 

In the meantime, I did find this version of the song by the Blue Diamonds. History doesn't tell us if they were considered for the Dutch national final in 1968, but they did record this single, which didn't make the Dutch top 40. It still is a good version, and the B-side is a charming piece of music as well. The Blue Diamonds were best known in the Netherlands for their single 'Ramona', a huge hit that caused many Dutch parents to call their daughters Ramona as well.

My collection: 7" single no. 6725
Found: Discogs.com, received 9 June 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Someday (Morgen)' / 'Angelina (Liesje)'

I believe (in love) - Hot Chocolate

It's quite interesting how my collection of Hot Chocolate singles is coming together slowly. All the big hits are in there, but the early stuff is still a matter of searching well and waiting for the right price. This single, 'I believe (in love)' was actually a big hit without me knowing it. And that's not strange, because it didn't chart in the Netherlands.

In the UK, however, this single was their second top 10 hit, after 'Love is life' (1970), which reached number 6 in September 1970. This one peaked at number 8 in 1971. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6722
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 4 June 2022
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'I believe (in love)' / 'Caveman Billy'

Waterloo (Svensk version) - Abba

Strictly speaking, I already own a Swedish version of 'Waterloo' on 7", but that one is a re-release from 2014, which I bought in 2015. There is nothing quite like the real thing, and so this original Swedish release of 'Waterloo' is a great find. I bought it together with a few other singles from a Scandinavian seller, and it is lovely to own this particular piece of history. The B-side features the Swedish version of 'Honey, Honey', another track from the album 'Waterloo'. 

It's funny that the back of the sleeve actually contains a price sticker. Apparently you would pay 8.75 for this single back in 1974, but the sticker does not clarify in which currency. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6710
Found: Discogs.com, received 30 April 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Waterloo (Svensk version)' / 'Honey, honey (Svensk version)'

Love isn't love - Carola

Of course I already own a copy of 'Love isn't love', the song that propelled Swedish singer Carola into the consciousness of most of Europe after her successful Eurovision performance with 'Främling'. In the Netherlands in particular she made an impression with her Dutch version: 'Je ogen hebben geen geheimen'. 

I recently found out that the song was also released in Japan, and as usual, the Japanese made an effort to package the single as attractively as they could. I have a particular fondness for Japanese singles and I am actually trying to get more Eurovision singles from Japan into my collection. The problem is that they're usually prohibitively expensive. Not in this case: the single arrived on my doorstep for less than I pay for my daily groceries.

My collection: 7" single no. 6720
Found: Discogs.com, received 3 June 2022
Cost: $6
Tracks: 'Love isn't love' / 'It's raining in Stockholm'

Al di là (Net als wij) - Sandra

Eleven-year-old Sandra made her debut with a version of Italy's entry to the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961, 'Al di la'. The song was performed by Betty Curtis, and reached a respectable fifth place. Sandra recorded the song with Dutch lyrics and with an orchestra directed by Frans Kerkhof.

The identity of this Sandra is wellknown these days: it is of course Sandra Reemer, whose career would be linked to the Eurovision Song Contest multiple times: in 1964 she recorded a Dutch version of 'Non ho l'eta' as 'Als jij maar wacht' and she would participate in the Contest herself three times: with Andres performing 'Als het om de liefde gaat', and solo with 'The party's over' and 'Colorado'.

My collection: 7" single no. 6719
Found: Bea Records, received 13 May 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Al di là (Net als wij)' / 'Duizenden sterren'

Children of the world - Gary Lux

Gary Lux represented Austria at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1985 with 'Kinder dieser Welt', a sentimental song in which he pleads for 'more flowers in the asphalt' and 'emotions instead of violence'. The English version, presented on this single, goes even further and describes despair at the state of the world: what are we leaving behind for the children of the world? 

Although the song scored pretty well in the Contest, this UK release did not chart. Still, it is a nice collectors item. The fact that the sleeve is almost identical to the original German version is a nice touch.

My collection: 7" single no. 6718
Found: Discogs.com, received 7 May 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Children of the world' / 'Movies'

Mah-na mah-na - Piero Umiliani

'Mah-na mah-na' is probably better known in the version by the Muppets, shown in the very first episode of this hilarious TV show. The track is however much older, as this single proves: the original version by Piero Umiliani was released in 1969. 

Piero Umiliani (17 July 1926 – 14 February 2001) was an Italian composer of film scores. His composition 'Mah-na mah-na' was originally used in Sweden: Heaven and Hell, a 1968 Mondo documentary about Sweden. It was a minor charting single (spending 6 weeks on the Billboard chart and peaking at number 55, and reaching number 22 in Canada), popularized by The Red Skelton Show, first airing in October 1969, and The Muppets, who covered the song several times; starting on episode 0014 of Sesame Street on 27 November 1969, then The Ed Sullivan Show three days later, and again on the syndicated series The Muppet Show in 1977. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6717
Found: Discogs.com, received 7 May 2022
Cost: €2
Tracks: 'Mah-na mah-na' / 'You tried to warn me'

Romantica - Robertino

Robertino recorded an EP of songs from the San Remo festival 1963, which I bought late last year. It turns out that this wasn't the only time the child star recorded Eurovision-related material: this single presents his version of the 1960 Italian entry, 'Romantica'. And it has to be said that this version is performed with a passion and emotion that rather impresses. It sounds more mature than one would expect from a 12-year-old.

Although this is a Dutch pressing, the single did not make it into the charts. Perhaps this is not surprising: even the original version by Renato Rascel did not chart. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6715
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 7 May 2022
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'Romantica' / 'Lettera a Pinocchio'

A walk in the park - Nick Straker

In 1987, the producers Stock, Aitken & Waterman were everywhere. Their hits with Mel & Kim, Rick Astley, Samantha Fox and Kylie Minogue were high in the charts all over Europe. They were also involved with some lesser known tracks, songs that didn't quite make it. 

One example of this is this single: a 1987 remix of Nick Straker's 'A walk in the park'. This version bears all the characteristics of an Eighties hit, but it didn't manage to convince the record buying public at the time.

My collection: 7" single no. 6716
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 7 May 2022
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'A walk in the park (1987 production)' / 'Way of life (1987 production)'

La la la / Jedan dan - Willy Schobben

Willie Schobben (also: Willy Schobben) was a Dutch trumpeter, composer, conductor and arranger. Already at the age of six he played trumpet with the local fanfare Sint Hubertus from Maastricht. He was educated at the music lyceum of Maastricht. In 1927 he played the predecessor of the Limburg Symphony Orchestra with the Maastricht Municipal Orchestra (MSO). 

Shortly after the Second World War, together with Bep Rowold and Pi Scheffer, he founded the band Red, White and Blue Stars, the predecessor of the well-known big band The Skymasters, where he, since the first rehearsal in 1946, played the trumpet. His greatest success came in 1962, when two of his records reached the number one spot in the Dutch charts, "Mexico" and the instrumental version of "Brandend Zand". He lived in Kerkrade for the last years of his life, where he died in early 2009 at the age of 93, after a short illness.

This single presents his versions of the Eurovision classics 'La la la' and 'Jedan dan', which were both performed at the 1968 edition. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6714
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 7 May 2022
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'La la la' / 'Jedan dan'

Tophits van de Turk - Draaiorgel "De Turk"

Barrelorgans are an important piece of cultural heritage in the Netherlands. When you're walking the streets in one of the bigger cities you may still get across one of them, usually with one or two men hoping to get a little money from passers by. 

One of these barrelorgans is "De Turk", built in 1908 by Limonaire in Paris, France. The organ had a chocolate colored front and the Kapellmeister (the statuette) on the organ had a Turkish appearance, hence the name. Actually, it was an image of a Zuaaf, but everyone called it a Turk. This image disappeared from the organ during a renovation in 1915; however, the name was retained.

During the Sixties several singles and albums were recorded with this machine, with instrumental versions of popular hits of the time. This single, featuring four medleys, includes a version of the 1964 Eurovision entry of the Netherlands: 'Jij bent mijn leven'. You will hear it in medley no. 26. You will also hear songs like 'Pour moi la vie va commencer', 'Quiereme mucho' and 'Tender years'.

My collection: 7" single no. 6713
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 7 May 2022
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'No. 23', 'No. 24' / 'No. 25', 'No. 26'

Mamma Mia - Abba

With the recent resurgence of Abba in "abbatar" form, it is appropriate, I guess, to post another single by the Swedish quartet. I am still collecting some of their singles, in particular the ones that were released in the GDR by the state-run Amiga label. 'Dancing queen / Fernando' was my first acquisition, and here's another one: 'Mamma mia', released with the song 'Tropical loveland' on the B-side. 

As you can see, the sleeve is hardly exciting, without a colourful photograph that was always there on the single releases in Western Europe. I guess the good people in the eastern part of Germany were not meant to be shown the kind of glamorous pictures we were constantly bombarded with back then.

My collection: 7" single no. 6712
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 7 May 2022
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Mamma mia' / 'Tropical loveland'

Love is blue - The Dells

The Dells were a male soul/doo-wop/funk/disco vocal group, formed in 1952 in Harvey, Illinois (USA). Their vocal leaders were the falsetto singer Johnny Carter and baritone singer Marvin Junior. In the late Fifties they had some line-up exchanges with the doo-wop vocal groups The Moonglows and The Flamingos.

This single was released when Paul Mauriat's instrumental version of 'Love Is Blue' became a big hit in the USA. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6711
Found: Discogs.com, received 30 April 2022
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Can sing a rainbow, Love is blue' / 'Hallelujah baby'

It's just a game - Bendik Singers

The Bendik Singers were a four-member Norwegian vocal group, brought together by singer and composer Arne Bendiksen to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1973. The group consisted of Anne-Karine Strøm, Ellen Nikolaysen and brothers Bjørn and Philip Kruse. They performed Bendiksen's song 'Å for et spill' at the Norwegian national selection and were voted the winners. Before the contest the song was translated into English, with words and phrases also included from other European languages, and retitled 'It's just a game'.

'It's just a game' was an unusually structured song for Eurovision, featuring jazz-influenced freestyle vocal interplay, and proved distinctive enough to earn Norway its first top 10 placing since 1966, finishing the evening in 7th place with 89 points. This proved to be Norway's only top 10 ranking of the 1970s, and would not be bettered until the victory of Bobbysocks in 1985.

My collection: 7" single no. 6711
Found: Discogs.com, received 29 April 2022
Cost: €7
Tracks: 'It's just a game' / 'Memories of you'

Pas pour moi - Daniela Simons

Sometimes it's no fun being a collector. I already had 'Pas pour moi' and 'Nee voor mij', the French, English and Dutch versions of the Swiss entry for the 1986 Eurovision Song Contest. Recently it turned out that there was also a German version of the song. And so, here's a third single, added to the collection, again with an almost identical sleeve.

The good news is, with this single the collection is actually complete. It doesn't happen very often that it's possible to get all the versions of a Eurovision song for a relatively cheap price, because translated versions often command high prices. So I guess I should count my blessings on this one.

My collection: 7" single no. 6710
Found: Discogs.com, received 20 April 2022
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'Pas pour moi' / 'Geh nicht vorbei'

(They long to be) Close to you - The Carpenters

I think this single is probably one of the most wellknown by the Carpenters. When you hear the first few lines, you'll instantly recognize it from compilation albums, radio shows or whatever. According to a blurb on the back of this German sleeve, their sound consists of 'a little bit of jazz, a bit of rock and a bit of cocktail-party-music'. That's not a bad description, actually.

The song was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and originally recorded by Richard Chamberlain in 1963. It was also recorded by Dionne Warwick that same year, but the version by the Carpenters, released in 1970, became the most successful, peaking at number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100, Australia and Canada. In the UK, the single reached number 6, and in the Netherlands it only made number 33 in the Dutch Top 40. Oddly, there is no record of a German chart placing. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6709
Found: Flea market, Voorburg, 18 April 2022
Cost: €0,5
Tracks: '(They long to be) Close to you' / 'I kept on loving you'

Copacabana (At the Copa) - Barry Manilow

Many years ago, 43 to be exact, I got the album Het beste uit de Top 40 van het jaar. It was one of the first albums I owned and I played it many times. Almost every song on it is a winner, and I have bought most of them on 7" as well. Every now and again, I pick up one of the remaining singles, just like this one.

'Copacabana' was a big hit for Barry Manilow in 1978. It was inspired by a conversation between Manilow and Bruce Sussman at the Copacabana Hotel in Rio de Janeiro, when they wondered if there had ever been a song with the title 'Copacabana'. There wasn't, and so they decided to write one themselves. 

In 1985, Manilow and his collaborators Sussman and Jack Feldman expanded the song into a full–length, made-for-television musical, also called 'Copacabana', with many additional songs and expanding the plot suggested by the song. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6708
Found: Flea market, Voorburg, 18 April 2022
Cost: €0,5
Tracks: 'Copacabana (At the Copa)' / 'A Linda song'

En gång ska vi åter mötas - Thory Bernhards

Swedish singer Thory Gunhild Elisabet Bernhards was born on 12 October 1920 in Örebro. Her career started in the middle of World War II, when she recorded 78rpm shellac records with various orchestras. In 1961 she recorded 'En gång ska vi åter mötas', a Swedish cover of 'Einmal sehen wir uns wieder', the German entry for the Eurovision Song Contest that year. (The original was performed by Lale Andersen.) The song reached a second place on the industry magazine Show Business' list of best-selling records in Sweden.

This EP presents a further three cover versions: 'Hon grät vid min skuldra' was originally 'She cried on my shoulder', originally performed by Mark Dinning, 'Det var du som sa' nej!' is a cover of Ferlin Husky's 'Wings of a dove' and finally 'Flyg, du fula fluga, flyg!' was originally performed by Willy Millowitsch as 'Schnaps! Das war sein letztes Wort'.

My collection: 7" single no. 6707
Found: Discogs.com, received 14 April 2022
Cost: €2
Tracks: 'En gång ska vi åter mötas', 'Hon grät vid min skuldra' / 'Det var du som sa' nej!', 'Flyg, du fula fluga, flyg!'

Dansevise - Lars H.U.G.

If you would ask me what the most beautiful winning songs of the Eurovision Song Contest are, it is likely that my answer would include 'Dansevise'. It's quite impressive how they managed to win the Contest (in 1963) in a language nobody outside Denmark understands, and with a melody that really stands the tests of time.

In 1989, a cover version was recorded by Lars Haagensen. His stage name was Lars Hug until an impending lawsuit from a Danish entrepreneur out of the Hug family made him change it to Lars H.U.G. Not the best outcome, but there you go. His version of 'Dansevise' was a great update of that familiar song. I don't know if it was a hit in Denmark, but it should have been anyway. I got to know this version through Napster (remember those days?) and I am glad to have finally found a physical copy. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6706
Found: Discogs.com, received 14 April 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Dansevise' / 'Smuk og dejlig'

Eurovisie songfestival - Teddy Scholten

Although I already own 'n Beetje and 'n Beetje, two singles by Teddy Scholten, this EP is the one that rules them all. It features all three tracks that are found on those two singles, plus a Dutch cover of 'Oui oui oui', the song with which Jean Philippe participated in the 1959 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest - the one that was won by Teddy Scholten.

On this EP Teddy Scholten performs four songs from that Song Contest: cover versions in Dutch from the British, French and Italian entries, plus of course her own winning song. It comes in a beautiful picture sleeve, which has survived the 63 years since its release. That is an impressive feat in itself.

My collection: 7" single no. 6703
Found: Discogs.com, received 14 April 2022
Cost: €5
Tracks: ''n Beetje', 'Zing kleine vogel' / 'Oui, oui, oui', 'Li per li'

Pale shelter (You don't give me love) - Tears for fears

Owning Pale shelter, Pale shelter, Pale shelter and Pale shelter was not quite enough. While that last one is the 12" single of the re-released version of 'Pale shelter', the accompanying 7" single was still missing from my collection. But here it is, after some searching, and it was the last single I bought at the record fair in Den Bosch earlier this month - exactly at 5pm when the fair closed. 

Buying one Tears for fears single every year seems to have become a trend - see this page - although I seem to have missed out last year. Guess I will have to make up for that this year. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6702
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Pale shelter (You don't give me love)' / 'The prisoner'

Boum badaboum - Minouche Barelli

During the Sixties there was – not for the last time – fear for a nuclear disaster. The Cuban missile crisis in 1962 was still fresh in everyone’s memory and the Cold War would rage on for two more decades.When Monaco asked Serge Gainsbourg to write a song for their representative Minouche Barelli, he played on these fears and wrote a song that would really shock the audience. Minouche almost shouted her lines and at regular intervals an ominous countdown is heard, which counts down the seconds to the big bomb.

The song was rewarded with a fifth place during the Eurovision Song Contest of 1967, and Minouche went on to record her song in English, German and Italian, with the same title. I've been searching for this single for a long time, and was glad to find a copy during the big international record fair in Den Bosch earlier this month. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6700
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'Boum badaboum' / 'Il faut dire'

I have a dream - Nana Mouskouri

After Nana Mouskouri covered Abba's hit single 'Chiquitita' in 1984, she probably thought she could take on another song from the Swedish band. It would have been refreshing if she had chosen an uptempo song this time, but instead she went for 'I have a dream', a song that was pretty similar to 'Chiquitita' in atmosphere and tempo. 

This cover version was released as a single after the worldwide hit 'Only Love', that had reached number one in Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands. The album, from which this single and 'Only Love' were taken, reached number 14 in the Netherlands and number 19 in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 6697
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'I have a dream' / 'Recuerdos'

I don't wanna take this pain - Dannii Minogue

MCA Records was pretty smart when it came to selling their singles. They probably knew that the interest in Dannii Minogue was at least in part driven by her visual appeal, and so her singles usually came in limited edition poster sleeves, in order to drive sales. This 1991 single of 'I don't wanna take this pain' is a good example: it promises a poster sleeve and a 1992 calendar. 

The tactic seems to have worked out: the single entered the UK singles chart on 14 December 1991 and reached number 40 during a five week run. It wasn't a very big hit, but at least she got noticed.

My collection: 7" single no. 6696
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'I don't wanna take this pain' / 'I don't wanna take this pain (saxstrumental)'

Baby love - Dannii Minogue

'Baby Love' is a 1986 song by American singer Regina. The song was written by Stephen Bray, Regina Richards & Mary Kessler and shouldn't be confused by the song of the same name by the Supremes. Bray had written several hits for Madonna, and "Baby Love" was actually intended for her to record. After she declined, Regina recorded the vocal herself in late 1985, though with Bray's production it sounded similar to Madonna's other recordings of the time and was sometimes mistaken for one.

The song was covered by Dannii Minogue (Kylie's little sister) for her debut album, 'Love and Kisses' (1991). The single reached number 14 in the UK singles chart - partly thanks to this limited edition booklet sleeve with a pull out poster. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6695
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Cost: €1
Tracks: 'Baby love (Smoove radio edit)' / 'Baby love (Album edit)'

Hou toch van mij - Bob Benny

Two years before Bob Benny represented Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest with 'September gouden roos', he appeared on the Eurovision stage for the first time with 'Hou toch van mij', which is translated rather randomly as 'Love me anyway'. It is a quite desperate invitation to an unnamed someone to love the singer. 

The song was rewarded with a sixth place during the 1959 edition of the Contest, which was a lot better than 'September gouden roos' which ended in last place in 1961. Personally I prefer the 1961 song, but then I've always been a sucker for those losing Eurovision songs. Finding these two singles was a real treat: it's nearly impossible to find singles from the earliest years of Eurovision.

My collection: 7" single no. 6694
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Tracks: 'Hou toch van mij' / 'Een enkel woord'

September gouden roos - Bob Benny

‘September, Gouden Roos’ was written by Wim Brabants (pseudonym for Clem de Ridder) and Hans Flower. Belgium was in the middle of the Congo crisis: the prime minister Lumumba is murdered two months before the Eurovision Song Contest. Belgium was criticized for its meddling in the former colony.

When Bob Benny arrived in Cannes, one of the organizers told him that he wouldn’t get any points. And indeed, he only gets one point, and finishes as joint last. A Belgian newspaper writes: ‘Bob Benny is a victim of Lumumba’. Blaming failures on politics would prove to be a trick that would last through the history of the competition.

My collection: 7" single no. 6693
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Tracks: 'September gouden roos' / 'Blijf bij mij'

Tipi-tii - Marion Rung

'Tipi-tii' (best translated as 'Chirpy-chirp') was the Finnish entry at the Eurovision Song Contest 1962 in Luxembourg. It was performed by Marion Rung, a Finnish pop singer who was born on 7 December 1945. The song finished in 7th place, in field of 16 competitors.

This is one of my favourite Finnish songs from Eurovision, but getting hold of the single sure wasn't easy. One copy was for sale on Discogs, put with the centre pushed out and without any sleeve as far as I could see. The copy I bought at the record fair this weekend comes with an original Philips sleeve and the disc is complete with the centre. What more could I ask for? Well, a picture sleeve perhaps, but they were never made back then for this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 6692
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Tipi-tii' / 'Pikku rahastaja'

Die Musik und ich - Mary Cristy

In 1976, Mary Cristy represented Monaco at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Toi, la musique et moi'. I bought the single almost exactly 12 years ago, but I didn't know that Mary also recorded her song in German, Italian and English. 

Of these three versions, the German one is the easiest to find. I almost bought it online recently, but then decided to wait for the record fair that would take place on 9 April, because these type of singles usually pop up with German dealers. As it turns out, I bought this copy from a Belgian dealer, specialized in Eurovision singles. I guess I made him happy because I bought a few 7" singles and a handful of cd-singles from him. It made me happy too, of course, as you will see on this blog.

My collection: 7" single no. 6690
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Die Musik und ich' / 'Er lässt mich geh'n'

Nauravat silmät muistetaan - Boulevard

One of my favourite Eurovision songs from 1988 was the Finnish entry 'Nauravat silmät muistetaan' by the band Boulevard. Unfortunately the single isn't very easy to get hold of, with one seller on Discogs asking €50 for a copy. Of course this is not the kind of money I want to spend on a 7" single. I was therefore lucky to find a copy for a lot less during last Saturday's record fair.

Boulevard was a Finnish rock band, which was founded in 1983, by Kyösti Laihi and Erkki Korhonen. The band mainly played at clubs and bars. After their start, they were joined by Matti Auranen and Tuomo Tepsa. Other members of the band included Juha Lanu, Kari Vehkaluoto and Jari Puhakka. Their song finished in 20th place in a field of 21 competitors. It helps to back up my theory that the best Eurovision songs usually end up right at the bottom of the scoreboard.

My collection: 7" single no. 6689
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Cost: €11
Tracks: 'Nauravat Silmät Muistetaan' / 'Laughing eyes'

Oj, oj, oj, så glad jeg skal bli - Kirsti Sparboe

At the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest, Norway was represented by Kirsti Sparboe with the song 'Oj, oj, oj, så glad jeg skal bli' ('Oh, oh, oh, how happy I must be'). The song was the last of three Eurovision appearances in five years for Sparboe. The lyrics of the song – in which the singer appears to tolerate her partner's philandering ways by trying to convince herself that one day he will give them up and devote himself to her – caused a considerable degree of adverse comment from some sections of Norwegian society and became the subject of a good deal of debate. The song finished in last place with just one point. 

Since the Eurovision Song Contest, she has released singles mostly in Germany, where she found moderate success. She also showed off her acting talents for a one-off BBC TV Show, Jon, Brian, Kirsti And Jon, in 1980. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6688
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Oj, oj, oj, så glad jeg skal bli' / 'Hvem har sagt jeg savner deg'

Topmelodierne fra San Remo Festival 1957 - Narciso Parigi, Marisa Fiordaliso, E. Amadori

"The great radio and television competition in 1957 for the best European melody will live long in the memory. No less than 10 contries competed here, all of which had mobilized their best composers and lyricists, and to the great success of the event not least contributed to the original Italian contribution. The melody that came to represent Italy, 'Corde della mia chitarra', was chosen at the great San Remo Festival in 1957, and on this record we bring you the award-winning melodies."

This is the text on the back of the sleeve of this Danish EP, which features the numbers one through four from the San Remo Festival competition from 1957. 'Corde della mia chitarra' was performed at the Eurovision Song Contest by Nunzio Gallo. The song appears here in a version by Narciso Parigi. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6687
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 April 2022
Cost: €2
Tracks: 'Corde della mia chitarra', 'Usignolo' (Narciso Parigi) / 'Casetta in Canada' (Maria Fiordaliso & E. Amadori), 'Scusami' (Marisa Fiordaliso)