“Everlasting Love”: The Lost Queen of Eurodance: How Sandra Ruled Europe but Missed the U.S. (and UK)
The Twelve Inch 151 : Everlasting Love (Sandra)
While Americans had Madonna and Whitney Houston, Germany had Sandra. How did this German pop star become one of Europe’s biggest names in dance music while remaining a mystery in the U.S.? And what role did Pete Waterman’s remix play in the attempted breakthrough of “Everlasting Love”? Let’s dive into Sandra’s story and the twelve-inch that was meant to introduce her to the English-speaking world.
Welcome, I’m Pe Dupre and I’m really glad you’re here. This is “The Twelve Inch”, my newsletter that tells the history of dance music between 1975 and 1995, one twelve inch at a time.
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Sandra: The Unstoppable Force of 80s European Dance Music
If you lived in Europe during the 1980s, there was no escaping Sandra. With her signature breathy vocals, high-cheekbone beauty, and anthemic synth-pop sound, she was the undisputed queen of continental pop music. From her breakout hit “(I’ll Never Be) Maria Magdalena” to “In the Heat of the Night”, Sandra dominated dance floors and radio stations from West Germany to the Mediterranean.
Born Sandra Ann Lauer in 1962 in Saarbrücken, Germany, she entered the music industry as a teenager, fronting the disco trio Arabesque. While the group saw moderate success in Europe, they became superstars in Japan, where their kitschy, ABBA-inspired tunes found a cult following. But Sandra had bigger ambitions. In 1984, she struck out on her own, teaming up with producer Michael Cretu, a Romanian-born musician and former keyboardist of Arabesque. Cretu would become the mastermind behind her solo career—and later, the architect of Enigma, the groundbreaking electronic project that brought Gregorian chants to the club scene.
One of the club mixes of the first Enigma hit that used some elements of other eighties hits
With Cretu as her producer (and later husband), Sandra’s music evolved into a sophisticated blend of synthpop and European dance music, drawing inspiration from both Italo and Eurodisco. Her breakthrough came in an unexpected way: a DJ’s in Greece (and later Turkey) played “Maria Magdalena” during the summer season, and German tourists returning from holiday started requesting it back home. The track snowballed into a major hit, topping the charts in 20 countries. (Read all about the power of a European summer. Tourism as a musical conduit in episode 127 about one of those other examples “Voyage Voyage” by Desireless)
The Choice to Cover “Everlasting Love”
By 1987, Sandra had already proven she could sell records with original songs. So why turn to a cover? “Everlasting Love”, originally recorded by Robert Knight in 1967, had already seen multiple successful versions—including a UK hit for Love Affair in 1968 and a U.S. top 20 entry for Carl Carlton in 1974. With such a track record, it had built-in audience recognition.
The Carl Carlton version was a big hit on the US dance floors of 1974
More importantly, it was one of Sandra’s personal favorites. She once said: “I have always loved it... Even as a little child I heard that song and I said that I would like to sing it sometime.”
Virgin poured a ton of money into Sandra’s music videos—though not always with the best results. I’ll let you judge for yourself—check out the official video and let me know what you think! 😁
The idea to cover the song, however, wasn’t entirely Sandra’s. Michael Cretu saw its potential, believing it could bridge the gap between her Euro-pop roots and a more international, crossover-friendly sound. Virgin Records also saw an opportunity—“Everlasting Love” would serve as the lead single for Ten on One, a greatest hits album released in time for Christmas 1987. The single became one of Sandra’s biggest hits in Europe, reaching the top 10 in most territories.
However, the original production stayed close to her established style—lush synth layers, airy vocals, and a sleek electronic beat. It was a solid European dance track, but not quite the cross-Atlantic game-changer.
Pete Waterman’s Remix: The Push for an English-Speaking Breakthrough
A potential turning point came when “Everlasting Love” landed on the radar of Pete Waterman, one-third of the legendary British production team Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW). By 1987, SAW was in full swing, producing hits for Kylie Minogue, Rick Astley, Dead or Alive, and Bananarama with their signature high-energy, radio-friendly sound.
Waterman had been following Sandra’s career and was convinced that her productions were “too soft” for the UK market. Cretu’s manager reached out, proposing a PWL remix to give “Everlasting Love” the extra punch it needed. Waterman agreed—on one condition: Cretu could not be involved in the remix process.
SAW often worked independently, stamping their unmistakable sound onto remixes. Pete Hammond took charge, increasing the tempo, adding the classic SAW drum pattern, and layering in their signature bright, punchy synths. The result? A version that sat comfortably alongside Kylie’s “I Should Be So Lucky” and Bananarama’s “Love in the First Degree”—radio-friendly, dancefloor-ready, and unmistakably PWL.
Why the UK & US Success Never Materialized
Despite the remix, “Everlasting Love” didn’t become the breakout hit Sandra had hoped for. The song gave her a minor UK hit, but it never reached the heights of Kylie or Rick Astley’s tracks.
The issue? Sandra was still seen as a “continental” artist. Unlike Kylie, who had a UK soap-opera fanbase, or Astley, who had Waterman’s full backing from the start, Sandra remained a German pop star in British eyes. Close, but no cigar.
In the U.S., the PWL remix spearheaded her greatest hits album release in North America, but it came at a time when music trends were shifting. House music was emerging from Chicago, freestyle was dominating, and MTV favored either big-budget pop stars (Madonna, Michael Jackson) or rock acts. Sandra’s Euro-synthpop, though popular in clubs, didn’t fit neatly into these categories. While the twelve-inch version of “Everlasting Love” charted on the Billboard 12-inch sales list, peaking at #22 was hardly the American breakthrough she had envisioned.
Adding to the challenge, Michael Cretu refused to Americanize Sandra’s sound. While acts like Pet Shop Boys and Erasure adjusted their approach for the U.S., Cretu remained focused on Europe. Some speculate Sandra’s language skills played a role in the decision to prioritize continental Europe. The only major English-speaking country that fully embraced Sandra? South Africa.
And the PWL collaboration created some further problems down the road 😃. When Cretu later attempted to remix “Everlasting Love” for another greatest hits album, he discovered that Sandra’s vocals had been erased from the master tapes Waterman sent back. If there was ever a friendship, it certainly didn’t survive that.
Sandra’s Legacy in Dance Music
By the early ‘90s, dance music had evolved. Grunge, hip-hop, and house music were dominating, and Sandra’s ethereal Euro-dance sound started to feel dated. In 1990, Michael Cretu launched Enigma, whose debut album MCMXC a.D.became a global phenomenon. While Sandra contributed vocals, Enigma’s success soon eclipsed her own.
Sandra in 2023 : Gravity appears to be gaining the advantage 😁
Her final major hit came in 1992 with “Don’t Be Aggressive”, but by then, the industry had moved on. She continued releasing albums into the 2000s, but none recaptured the magic of her 1980s peak.
Today, Sandra still performs, mainly in Germany and Eastern Europe (again: very popular in Russia. What is it with German acts of yesteryear than retain a big following in Russia?). While she never cracked the U.S. market, her influence remains. “Everlasting Love” continues to appear on retro dance compilations, and her signature sound still echoes through the evolution of European dance music.
Michael Cretu released a few solo albums in the eighties. He scored one big European dance hit with this excellent “Samurai”
A Call to Action
So now, I turn it over to you: for my UK and U.S. readers—was Sandra ever on your radar? Did you know this song/version? Share your thoughts in the comments. Don’t forget to subscribe and spread the word about The Twelve Inch—because dance music history is meant to be shared.
Further reading (or should I say watching)
There are a number of interesting video’s/links :
So You Wanna Hear More ?
I thought you would !
It’s fun to write about music but let’s be honest. Music is made to listen to.
Every week, together with this newsletter, I release a 1 hour beatmix on Mixcloud and Soundcloud. I start with the discussed twelve inch and follow up with 10/15 songs from the same timeframe/genre. The ideal soundtrack for…. Well whatever you like to do when you listen to dance music.
So what’s in this week’s mix ?
If you’re a fan of ’80s Euro pop, you’re in for a treat! And if you’re not too familiar with the genre, consider this your personal journey of discovery.
We kick things off with the song of the week—Sandra’s “Everlasting Love.” The first part features the European 12-inch mix by Michael Cretu, seamlessly transitioning after the break into the PWL remix, which sets the stage for a string of Stock, Aitken & Waterman productions and remixes. Expect tracks from Blue Mercedes, Erasure, and of course, the one and only Rick Astley.
In the middle section, I’ve lined up some classic U.S. dance club hits from the same era, including Laura Branigan, Ellie Warren, and Wild Mary.
But the real gems are saved for the finale—a collection of French dance hits featuring Desireless (with an excellent follow-up to “Voyage Voyage”), Jakie Quartz, (Princess) Stephanie, and the queen herself, Mylène Farmer. These are interwoven with some Italo-disco magic, including Koto, Patris, and closing on a high with Den Harrow’s “Future Brain.”
Get ready for a nostalgic ride through the best of ’80s Euro pop!
Enjoy !
Next week marks the first anniversary of this newsletter, and I’ll be celebrating by sharing the story of a groundbreaking producer and songwriter who played a key role in shaping electro music in early ’80s New York.
It’s worth checking out Sandra’s german-language version of Alphaville’s “Big In Japan” – it only sold 125 copies or so, and it’s a cheesy classic. I love it.
My husband was obsessed with Sandra 🤣 he always adds Maria Magdalena to my playlists and I’m like WTF?! I was born in Latin America in the 90s. For many years I thought the whole Sandra thing was a shameless exaggeration on his part 🤣🤣🤣 Now I know it was real