Que daria yo - Alan Sorrenti

Alan Sorrenti represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1980 with the song 'Non so che darei'. Due to the success of his song at the contest, he decided to record several versions of the song. The English version, 'If you need me now', was released in several countries, and the Spanish version was released in Spain and South America. 

My copy of 'Que daria yo' is a promotional disc, meaning that the label is white and says 'disco promocional - prohibida su venta'. That's always a bonus in my book.

My collection: 7" single no. 7753
Found: Discogs.com, received 2 August 2025
Tracks: 'Que daria yo' / 'Todo es magico de noche'

Every angel - All about Eve

All about Eve were promoted heavily by their record company when their debut album looked like it was going to be a big success. They didn't yet have their big hit 'Martha's harbour' yet, but a good live reputation and a strong fanbase went a long way. 

And so, Mercury Records started releasing singles in many different formats - a wellknown strategy in 1988, before chart rules were made more strict in the UK. 'Every angel' was released on a 7" single, a 12" single, and this limited edition 10" single. This format came with its own exclusive track: 'More than this hour' was only available on this 10" single. The exclusive poster showed the image from the sleeve of the 7" and 12" singles. 

My collection: 10" single [unnumbered]
Found: Record fair, 1990
Tracks: 'Every angel (extended)', 'Candy tree' / 'Wild flowers', 'More than this hour'

Mamma Mia - Abba

'Mamma Mia' was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson, with the lead vocals shared by Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. It is the opening track on the group's third album, the self-titled album ABBA (1975). The song was released in September 1975 as its sixth single. It tells the story of the narrator's on-again, off-again relationship with a lover who is repeatedly unfaithful to her. The song's name is derived from Italian and literally translates as "my mother", but is used as an interjection (Mamma mia!) in situations of surprise, anguish, or excitement. 

The distinctive sound at the start of the song is the marimba. According to biographer Carl Magnus Palm, the instrument was incorporated at the last minute, added after Benny Andersson found it in the studio and decided its "tick tock" rhythm was perfect for the track. 

The song was ABBA's first number one in the UK since 'Waterloo' in 1974. As of September 2021, it is ABBA's seventh-biggest song in the UK with 860,000 chart sales (pure sales and digital streams).

The Dutch pressing had a beautiful sleeve, but in Germany and France different designs were used. It was nice to find these recently.

My collection: 7" single no. 5891 / 6759
Found: Discogs.com, received 31 January 2018 / 9 August 2022
Tracks: 'Mamma Mia' / 'Intermezzo no. 1' 

Light my fire - Amii Stewart

Another picture disc I bought online is this one by Amii Stewart, featuring her version of 'Light my fire' coupled with '137 disco heaven'. I already owned this single as a regular 7", but like the other picture discs I bought from this online seller I thought it was too pretty to miss.

Amy Paulette "Amii" Stewart was born on 29 January 1956. She grew up as the fifth of six children in a strictly Catholic family. In 1975, before signing a contract at Ariola Records, Stewart worked at the touring company for the stage production of the musical revue Bubbling Brown Sugar, relocating to places of production, such as Miami, then New York city's Broadway and eventually London's West End, where she met Barry Leng, songwriter and record producer for Hansa Records. Her debut album in 1979 yielded this energetic take on the Doors classic. Since relocating to Rome in the mid-Eighties her career has mainly developed in Italy.

My collection: 7" single no. 7750
Found: Discogs.com, received 30 August 2025
Tracks: 'Light my fire/137 Disco Heaven' / 'Bring it on back to me'

Through the barricades - Spandau Ballet

It's been five years since I last bought a Spandau Ballet single, and I thought I had them all. But then I saw this picture disc while I was browsing through an online seller's catalogue and I felt it was pretty enough to want to have it.

The album of the same name was re-released a few years ago as a deluxe edition, but unfortunately the extra tracks on that one were not interesting enough. Now that the band has released a sumptuous book/disc collection spanning their formative years, here's hoping they will do a similar thing for later years in their career too. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7749
Found: Discogs.com, received 30 August 2025
Tracks: 'Through the barricades' / 'With the pride (live in '85)' 

Who will you run to - Heart

In the Eighties, Heart went through a kind of metamorphosis, after the record company took the band aside and said they needed to change their style in order to have some kind of success. According to Nancy Wilson in an interview: 'The image of it was so intensely unreal. It was the [hair] extensions, the corsets and all the stuff'.

'Who will you run to' was taken from the band's 1987 album Bad Animals, which was full of these high energy, loud songs. Personally I prefer the more intimate sound of the B-side, 'Nobody home', which ends up pretty loud anyway, but in a good way. I already owned the regular 7" single, but this picture disc is definitely an added bonus.

My collection: 7" single no. 7748
Found: Discogs.com, received 30 August 2025
Tracks: 'Who will you run to' / 'Nobody home' 

Excerpts from Bye Bye Birdie, vol. 3 - Various artists

In 1961 the musical Bye Bye Birdie opened in London's West End, after its Broadway debut a year earlier. The role of the titular Conrad Birdie was played by Marty Wilde. Together with Chita Rivera, Peter Marshall and others the story revolved around a popular singer going off to the Army and its effect on a group of teenagers in a small town in Ohio. There were obvious parallels to Elvis Presley being drafted to go to Germany in 1957. The name of the rockstar, 'Conrad Birdie', was word play on the name of the then-popular Conway Twitty.

The EP presents five songs from the musical, two of which were performed by Marty Wilde: 'One last kiss' together with the ensemble, and 'A lot of livin' to do' with Sylvia Tysick and a group of teenagers. With its big band sound, the tracks border on jazz at times.

My collection: 7" single no. 7747
Found: Discogs.com, received 30 August 2025
Tracks: 'Hymn for a Sunday evening', 'One last kiss' / 'What did I ever see in him?', 'A lot of livin' to do', 'Kids'