Popcorn - Tom Spencer

Tom Spencer was one of many people who recorded a cover version of the Gershon Kingsley tune 'Popcorn', but he is the only one - as far as I know at least - who can claim to have recorded the 'Deutsche Originalversion', in other words: the German original version. Which in itself seems like a lie, because the original version of 'Popcorn' was certainly not German.

As for Tom Spencer, he is an unknown artist who released only this single and a single called 'Ghostrider (Riders in the sky)', both in 1972.

My collection: 7" single no. 6281
Found: Discogs.com, received May 12, 2020
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Popcorn' / 'Moog March'

Popcorn - Jam

This single is actually quite exciting for me, because it is the first time that I bought a single on the BASF label. We all know this manufacturer of tapes and such, but I've never actually seen a 7" single with a BASF label.

And then there is the track: another cover version of Gershon Kingsley's 'Popcorn'. There are so many versions of this single, and I just love adding to my collection for some reason.

Then there is the artist. According to the sleeve, this is 'the big hit from France'. Knowing that Kingsley was a German-American composer, we have to assume that Jam is a band from France. Assume, because there is no information about Jam. Just that this is one of only two singles they released. The other one? 'Jingle bells'....

My collection: 7" single no. 6270
Found: Discogs.com, received March 25, 2020
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Popcorn' / 'Ecco'

Popcorn - Orchester Volkmar Schmidt

Now that many countries are in some form of isolation, either self-isolated or instructed by their respective governments, there may be some sense of what people in the German Democratic Republic were going through for some decades after World War II. Despite their disappearance behind the iron curtain, music penetrated the country, either as performed by the original artists or as a cover version.

This single, released by state record company Amiga features a cover version of the popular Gershon Kingsley tune Popcorn, as performed by the Orchester Volkmar Schmidt. It was one of the singles I received in a package of six today. I'm glad that despite all the quarantines, international mail is still functioning.

My collection: 7" single no. 6270
Found: Discogs.com, received March 25, 2020
Cost: 3 euro

Tracks: 'Popcorn' (Orchester Volkmar Schmidt) / 'Eine neue Liebe ist wie ein neues Leben' (Peter Albert & Orchester Günter Gollasch)

Popcorn '88 (The Woodstock remix) - T.I.C.

When I bought this single, I bought it together with this one, thinking that there had to be a difference between the two. And there is: this single features the 'Woodstock mix', which can also be found on this 12" single. The sleeve is slightly different, but most of all... the record company is different!

This single was released on the Arista label, a major label at the time, whereas the other one was released by the independent T.C. Records. There is no information about which single came first - just like there is no information about T.I.C., the act that created this version of 'Popcorn'. Well, at least I have both 7" singles, and that's what I wanted.

My collection: 7" single no. 6134
Found: Discogs.com, received July 5, 2019
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Popcorn '88 (The Woodstock remix)' / 'Talk about love'

Popcorn ('88 remix) - T.I.C.

When I bought and described the 12" single of T.I.C.'s 'Popcorn '88' almost two years ago, I stated that there were only ever two versions of their version of the Gershon Kingsley classic. But somehow I ended up buying two 7" singles of this track and I found out that I was wrong.

The 12" single features a 4'40 minute version of the '88 remix, whereas this single contains the '88 remix in an abridged 3'33 minute version. And that's great, because I really wanted to have this track on a 7" single - and to have a different edit is a nice bonus. But it gets a little weirder...

My collection: 7" single no. 6134
Found: Discogs.com, received July 5, 2019
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Popcorn ('88 remix)' / 'Talk about love'

Popcorn - Revolution System

One of my first ever singles was Revolution System's 'Brand new Popcorn' called 'Carmen Brasilia'. This is where my collection of 'Popcorn' versions started, although this version was, of course, not the original Kingsley-composed 'Popcorn'.

Through the years I have wondered whether Revolution System actually recorded a cover version of the original 'Popcorn', but I hadn't located a copy... until recently! This single is apparently the only disc where you can find Revolution System's version of 'Popcorn'. It is a reissue single by Dureco in their 'Golden Hit-Parade' serie, released around 1980. After all these years, it is a pleasure to finally own this track.

My collection: 7" single no. 6125
Found: Discogs.com, received June 21, 2019
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Popcorn' / 'Carmen Brasilia'

Popcorn - MH Band

Here is another version of 'Popcorn', the legendary Gershon Kingsley composition. Well... not exactly another version, because I already owned a copy of the M&H Band's version of 'Popcorn', but this is a different edition.

But this single is still of interest, because the sleeve is different and the B-side features a track called 'Popcorn House', created by Mark Haliday, but incorporating a piece of the melody of 'Popcorn'. And this makes it all very worthwhile.

My collection: 7" single no. 6069
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, May 18, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Popcorn (radio version)' / 'Popcorn house'

Pop corn - Gershon Kingsley and the Moog

So here it is, finally.... the original version of 'Popcorn', the synth-pop instrumental composed and performed by Gershon Kingsley. You have seen and heard many cover versions of this tune on this blog, but the original was only released on 7" vinyl in a few countries. This is the Spanish single, ordered last week from Spain.

Composer Gershon Kingsley (born on October 28, 1922 and apparently still alive) first recorded 'Popcorn' for his 1969 album 'Music to Moog By'. In 1971 the track was re-recorded by Kingsley's band 'First Moog Quartet', later he released a version under the name of The Popcorn Makers, this was the version that was the most successful in the charts.

My collection: 7" single no. 6028
Found: Discogs.com, received April 10, 2019
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Pop corn' / 'For Alisse Beethoven'

Popcorn festival - Mat Camison

I have a lot of versions of the immortal Gershon Kingsley composition 'Popcorn', but there are very few with lyrics as it was originally an instrumental track. Mat Camison recorded this version in 1974 and it features French lyrics. Not that they make any sense: apparently it's all about girls and guys hanging out at the Woodstock festival and cops who apparently don't like the music.

I found this single by accident, browsing the stock of one of those online vendors you have to check out these days because there are no record stores anymore. It's hard to find anything by accident unless, like me, you have lots of weird little sub-collections in your record collection.

My collection: 7" single no. 5966
Found: Discogs.com, received December 7, 2018
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Popcorn festival' / 'Ma fleur d'amour'

Popcorn '88 - T.I.C.

It's been a while since I last wrote about the Gershon Kingsley composition 'Popcorn', and that's while I am still collection versions of that tune. Fortunately, every once in a while I stumble on another release. This time it's a 12" single from 1988.

T.I.C.'s version is notable for its use of (sampled?) guitar on the track, something you don't hear very often. There are also a few vocal samples in this track. The 12" single features two versions of the track. And there were only ever two versions by T.I.C., so that is a comforting thought.

It's interesting to see how much has changed in 30 years, by the way: if you'd release this sleeve right now, it would be outright controversial. #metoo. 

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received October 25, 2017
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Popcorn '88 remix' / 'Popcorn '88 (The Woodstock mix)', 'Talk about love'

Popcorn - Techno Talk

Although the intro of this version of Popcorn sounds a lot like Belgian techno collective Technotronic's 'Pump up the jam', this track is actually produced and arranged by Theo Werdin, a  producer and sound engineer from Bad Homburg, Germany.

I bought a damaged copy of the 3" cd single some 10 years ago, so it was nice to find a 7" single of the same version now. The dub edit included on this 7" single does not appear on that cd-single, so it is an exclusive track.

My collection: 7" single no. 5363
Found: Fun Records (Germany), received July 5, 2014
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Popcorn (single edit)' / 'Popcorn (dub edit)'

Popcorn - Coba

The timeless melody 'Popcorn', composed by Gershon Kingsley, has been covered many times, with varying success. Thanks to my recent order with Fun Records, I managed to find two singles from 1990. This is the first one, released by the unknown German act Coba. This particular copy was released 'for promotion only', as is printed on the back sleeve. One has to wonder whether this single was even released commercially.

The tune is kept intact, but suffers from typical Nineties production values, and so this 'fresh hot mix' has gone quite stale in time.

My collection: 7" single no. 5362
Found: Fun Records (Germany), received July 5, 2014
Cost: 1,75 euro
Tracks: 'Popcorn (Fresh hot mix)' / 'Dago's Popcorn Rezept'

Popcorn - Popcorn players

Back in 1972, the composition 'Popcorn' by Gershon and Kingsley was a very popular track. No less than four different performers charted with it in the Dutch Top 40. When this LP was released in 1972, roughly translated as 'The first hits of Veronica 538' after the famous radio station broadcasting in the Netherlands, the track could not be omitted.

However, I think they couldn't get permission from Hot Butter, Revolution System, Anarchic System and the Popcornmakers, so a fifth version was included, as performed by the Popcorn players. And when you collect all versions of 'Popcorn' like me, this one is a definite must have.

My collection: LP, unnumbered
Found: Plaatboef, Den Haag, 2000
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Vaya con dios' (The Cats), 'Popcorn' (The Popcorn Players), 'Everybody is telling me' (Monica & Oscar Benton), 'Black & white' (Three dog night), 'Femmes aux jeux d'amour' (Adamo), '10538 Overture' (Electric Light Orchestra) / 'Who was it?' (Hurricane Smith), 'To make my life beautiful' (Alex Harvey), 'Go all the way' (Raspberries), 'Devilish Mary' (Jen Rog), '6 Uhr früh in den Strassen' (Christian Anders), 'Oei oei' (Jan Boezeroen)

Popcorn - Rod Hunter

I have no idea how many versions of Gershon and Kingsley's composition 'Popcorn' exist. Everytime I think I have found everything, a new single I've never heard of pops up. Check out yesterday's new find: it's Rod Hunter's version of 'Popcorn', released on the Decca label in 1972. I have no further information on it, just that it's another nice version of that old classic.

And it's great to add it to my collection, of course!

My collection: 7" single no. 3622

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 18, 2009

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: 'Popcorn' / 'Snoopy'

Popcorn - M and H band

Mark Haliday is the French musician who is the sole member of the M&H Band. He released a very 'Italo Disco' version of the familiar instrumental track 'Popcorn' in 1987. As far as I know, this version didn't chart in any country, but it did find its way to collectors of covers of Gershon Kingsley's 1968 composition.

The B-side of this single features an original instrumental composition by Mark Haliday himself.

My collection: 7" single no. 3345

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 2001

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Popcorn' / 'Ordinopaso'
Download: here

Popcorn - Fresh Cream

There's always a tingle of excitement when I spot a version of Gershon Kingsley's 'Popcorn' that I don't have yet. My most recent tingle came about when I saw this single by Fresh Cream. Apparently, it's a French group, which released one album of classical melodies played on the Moog synthesizer, and this single, released in various countries in 1972, when a lot of other versions of this instrumental favourite came out. The Japanese version portrays a topless woman throwing popcorn in the air. By comparison, this is a rather dull sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 3548

Found: All that music, Leiden, January 24, 2009

Cost: 1,6 euro

Tracks: 'Popcorn' / 'Cap horn'

Download: here

Popcorn - Hot Butter

Hot Butter was an instrumental cover band consisting of Stan Free, Dave Mullaney, John Abbott, Bill Jerome, Steve Jerome and Danny Jordan. Their version of Gershon Kingsley's composition 'Popcorn' is one of the best known versions of the wave of versions that were released in 1972. Sales in the UK exceeded a quarter of a million, and worldwide Hot Butter sold two million copies of this single.

I bought my copy in London, after having searched for this version for years. Unfortunately it didn't have a picture sleeve. But sometimes you just take what you can get.

My collection: 7" single no. 2526

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, November 1, 1995

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Popcorn' / 'At the movies'
Download: here

Popcorn - Luminatus

'Popcorn' was always a popular track to cover. Many artists and groups have tried their hand at this instrumental track through the years, with varying success. One of my personal favourites is the 1993 cover version by Luminatus.

I found this single during a holiday in London in 1995. By then, I'd already made the resolution to buy every 'Popcorn' cover I would come across. This was one of the first I found (and bought). It was going downhill from then on, because my oh my, there have been lots of worse covers around. More about that later...

My collection: 7" single no. 2515

Found: London, October 31, 1995

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Popcorn' / 'Cryptoid'

Download: here

Popcorn - The Popcornmakers

Although I was very interested in the track 'Popcorn', I didn't know about all the versions that existed. So when I found this version by the Popcornmakers, I wasn't even aware that this was one of the versions that contributed to the number 1 position in the Dutch Top 40 in 1972, together with those by Anarchic System, Hot Butter and Revolution System.

The B-side was another moog instrumental, 'Toad in the hole', presumably another track named after a delicacy. It all may sound hopelessly dated now, back then it sounded downright futuristic.

My collection: 7" single no. 2209

Found: Record fair, the Netherlands, October 22, 1994

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Popcorn' / 'Toad in the hole'

Download: here

Popcorn - Anarchic System

Gershon Kingsley composed 'Popcorn' as an instrumental tune. Still, there are a few vocal versions of this track, and the first one was recorded by Anarchic System in 1972. Anarchic System was a French band. Early singles 'Popcorn' and 'Carmen Brasilia' were very much influenced by electronic music, although later work is influenced more by the rock genre.

For the longest time, I didn't know that there was this vocal version of 'Popcorn', all I knew was that Anarchic System recorded 'a version' of Kingsley's composition. I found out shortly before I found my copy at a Dutch record fair. Although I prefer the instrumental version on the B-side of this record, it's still a great rarity.

My collection: 7" single no. 2736
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 8, 1996
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Popcorn (Vocal)' / 'Popcorn (Instrumental)'
Download: here