Our pick of the pops: September 2007

Our pick of the pops

Gotta tell the world

This song was the B-side of Petula’s 1965 hit single You’re the one. The single reached a disappointing number 23 in the UK charts but this song has found lasting popularity on the gay scene – or so commentators would have us believe. Either way, it’s a gem.

Liliane Saint-Pierre

Nous sommes bien peu de chose

Flemish singer Liliane was spotted by French star Claude François in 1968 she won the Canzonissima song contest. He restyled her and gave her a French-sounding surname and a contract with his Flèche label. This tune is the French version of that contest winner, Wat moet ik doen.

Conny Froboess

Und das Leben geht weiter

Conny was an actress-cum-singer who enjoyed dozens of hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s. By 1966, however, when this song was released (as the B-side to Der Sommer geht), she was decidedly unhip, and the single failed miserably.

Massiel

La, la, la

Born Maria de los Angeles Santamaria Espinosa, Massiel is best known for winning the 1968 Eurovision song contest after beating Cliff Richard’s Congratulations with this catchy little number. She scored her first hit two years earlier with the protest song Di que no, and recorded many songs in the latter half of the 1960s.

Christine Delaroche

Des tigres et des minets

Christine Delaroche made her name in the 1965 French TV series Belphégor. Her success led to a recording contract (of course). She released a couple of singles. The first was 1966’s La fille du soleil, but our choice is the lively 1967 release Des tigres et des minets.

Barbara Ruskin

Come into my arms again

London-born Barbara Ruskin was one of Britain’s few singer-songwriters in the 1960s. This 1967 single wasn’t a hit for Barbara but proved a money spinner for her anyway, after being covered by a variety of other artists.