Our pick of the pops: June 2007

Our pick of the pops

Gisela Collins

Du bist genau wie die Anderen

Germany’s Gisela Collins released just two singles, Wo find’ ich ihn and this one. In this 1966 gem Gisela berates her boyfriend for lying to her, just like all the other boys. It was covered a year later by German star Marion. Sadly, the moody-looking singer disappeared without trace.

France Gall

Made in France

This track appears on France Gall’s excellent album 1968 and compares the best each country has to offer (“Le pudding, Mary Quant, Salvation Army… le camembert, Maurice Chevalier, la pétanque”) and concludes that the two countries, no matter how much they might try, will never be alike.

Jackie Lee

The town I live in

In the mid-1960s, Irish singer Jackie Lee made some great records in London, including The town I live in, a wry comment on the suburban nature of Milton Keynes (“The town I live in has 27 churches, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, And avenues lined with silver birches, la, la, la, la, la, la, la,”). Sadly, she will always be remembered for the children’s TV theme tunes, White horses and Rupert.

Los Stop

Tres cosas (Salud, dinero y amor)

Spanish group Los Stop was fronted by Cristina and enjoyed a string of hits in the latter half of the 1960s. Our choice was a big success for the group in 1967 and was released on the Belter label. Within a couple of years Cristina had gone solo but failed to make it big on her own.

Billie Davis

I want you to be my baby

After scoring a hit with Tell him in 1963, Billie Davis’ career nose-dived. She switched labels and released some great material, including our highly danceable choice from 1968, which looked like becoming a big hit until a strike at the record plant affected its availability.

Sarolta Zalatnay

Fekete beat

Sarolta was a huge star in her native Hungary in the 1960s and 70s, having started out at the age of 16 with the jazz combo Bergendy. Between 1967 and 1969 she recorded with the group Metro and our choice, the gutsy Fekete beat is taken from these recordings.