Just for you - Spargo

The Dutch group Spargo made some catchy songs in the early Eighties, although some were embarrassing ('Hip hap hop' anyone?). Fortunately, 'Just for you' is one of their better singles and became a hit in various European countries.

Lead singer Lilian Day-Jackson, stepdaughter of jazz drummer Art Blakey, passed away in April 2023, aged 63. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8305
Found: Plato, Leiden, 27 May 2026
Tracks:  'Just for you' / 'Fandango's invitation'

Latin America - Gibson Brothers

The Gibson Brothers were very successful at the height of the disco craze with songs like 'Non stop dance', 'Cuba' and 'Que sera mi vida'. In 1980 they released 'Latin America', and it would be their last hit outside their native France. It reached number 18 in the Dutch Top 40.

A song like 'Latin America' almost writes itself: in the chorus the phrase of the title is alternated with countries and cities from that region. Still, it's a catchy song and quite enjoyable.

My collection: 7" single no. 8304
Found: Plato, Leiden, 27 May 2026
Tracks: 'Latin America' / 'Latin America (part two)'

Party girl - Grace Jones

Grace Jones followed up her monumental album Slave to the rhythm (1985) with the rather less engaging Inside Story (1986), which spawned a few singles. The single 'Party girl' was the least successful of the three, as it only reached number 82 in the UK singles chart and number 53 in Germany. 

The song was remixed by Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero for single release and another Inside Story track, "White Collar Crime", was used as the single B-side.  

My collection: 7" single no. 8299
Found: Discogs.com, received 20 May 2026
Tracks: 'Party girl' / 'White collar crime' 

Fremder - Carola

You're probably familiar with Carola's 1983 Eurovision entry, 'Främling' or the English version 'Love isn't love'. If you're from the Netherlands, you will know 'Je ogen hebben geen geheimen'. But the least known version, I think, is the German one: 'Fremder'. It was released in Germany, obviously, and perhaps in Austria and Switzerland too. 

I don't have any info on chart placings, but my guess would be that this wasn't a big hit. These days copies change hands for steep prices and that's usually a sign that only a small amount of discs was pressed. A nice addition to my collection. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8297
Found: Discogs.com, received 6 May 2026
Tracks: 'Fremder' / 'Ich bin noch lange nicht frei' 

Tell me tomorrow - Princess

Having bought the yellow, pink and blue vinyl editions of 'Tell me tomorrow' by Princess recently, all I needed to find what the white vinyl version. That was a bit more difficult, because most dealers had no other interesting stuff on offer. 

But recently I decided to buy a few replacement copies of singles by OMD and Scritti Politti (the old ones had stickers on them) and so it was easy (and cheap) to add this one. Nothing is more satisfying than completing a quartet.

My collection: 7" single no. 8296
Found: Discogs.com, received 29 April 2026
Tracks:  'Tell me tomorrow' / 'Say I'm your number one (original demo)' 

So lang' man träume noch leben kann - Münchener Freiheit

The German version of 'Keeping the dream alive' was recorded by Münchener Freiheit in cooperation with the Jackson Singers and the London Symphony Orchestra, led by Andrew Powell. I already own the 7" single for 25 years, but now I found the 12" single for almost exactly the same amount I paid for the 7" single.

The 12" version is almost twice as long as the single version and comes with a beautiful introduction and a rather bombastic ending. It's a thing of beauty!

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 April 2026
Tracks: 'So lang' man träume noch leben kann (lange version)' / 'So lang' man träume noch leben kann (instrumental version)', 'So lang' man träume noch leben kann (single version)'

One better world - ABC

Although Up was one of the lesser albums by ABC, they still managed to release two marginally interesting singles off it. The first one was 'One better world', which would have worked better without the cringy choir at the start of the song. 

The 12" single contains the same remixes as the cd-single did, but I was still tempted when I saw this one for one euro. 

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 April 2026
Tracks: 'One better world (club mix)' / 'One better world (Garage mix)', 'One better world (Percapella mix)'

After the love has gone - Princess

I've bought a few 12" singles by Princess recently, and those remixes never let me down. And so, when I saw this one for just one euro, I bought it right away. It comes with two remixes of 'After the love has gone', which was released in 1985 as her second hit single after 'Say I'm your number one'.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 April 2026
Tracks: 'After the love has gone [extended]' / 'After the love has gone (new mix)' 

Ball of confusion - B.E.F. presents Tina Turner

I'm not particularly a fan of Tina Turner, but I bought a few B.E.F. singles before ('Anyone who had a heart' and 'I don't know why I love you (but I love you)') and they're always interesting. And so, here is B.E.F.'s version of 'Ball of confusion'. 

The song was originally a hit for The Temptations in 1970. It was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. The lyrics list problems affecting the world, including crime, taxes and drugs, calling them a "ball of confusion." It was part of the group's "psychedelic soul" phase. Turner's synth-driven interpretation was taken from the B.E.F. 1982 album Music of Quality and Distinction Volume One. In Norway, this single peaked at number 5, though it didn't chart anywhere else.

My collection: 7" single 8294
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 April 2026
Tracks: 'Ball of confusion' / 'Ball of confusion (instrumental)'

Fernando / Dancing queen - Abba

The label BR Music specialized in releasing singles with hits from earlier decades. In 1986 they released this Abba single - a few years before Abba would be re-evaluated and re-appreciated thanks to the Abba Gold compilation album. As far as I know, it's one of very few singles released by a different record company than their own (Polydor or Epic). 

The single has become rare. In fact, I've seen it a couple of times at previous record fairs and the last one with one dealer who was asking 30 euros for it. Fortunately this time there was also another dealer who asked much less for this single - and so I snapped it up.

My collection: 7" single no. 8292
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 April 2026
Tracks: 'Fernando' / 'Dancing queen' 

Love is reason - A-ha

'Love is reason' was the first single to be released from A-ha's debut album Hunting high and low in april 1985. In 1984 they had released an unsuccesful first version of 'Take on me' - the song that would make them famous later on in 1985. This single, however, was only released in Norway.

Because of that, the single has become very collectable. After all, not many copies were pressed. Hence, copies online will cost you a few hundred euros. At last week's record fair I was lucky: I found a copy for much less. Either the dealer didn't know what he had, or he just wanted to get rid of this single. Anyway, I finally got the single I wanted to have for a long, long time!

My collection: 7" single no. 8291
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 April 2026
Tracks: 'Love is reason' / 'Dream myself alive' 

101 - Sheena Easton

I bought a copy of Sheena Easton's '101' a long time ago, but that was before I knew that there was also a UK edition with a poster sleeve. To find this version decades later was nothing less than a revelation for me. I've always liked these poster editions, and the fact that Sheila Rock's beautiful photograph of the Scottish singer is replicated here a few times is an added bonus. The single is also present here in its original picture sleeve.  

'101' was famously written and produced by Prince. The single reached number 54 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 8290
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 April 2026
Tracks: '101' / '101 (instrumental)'

Every little kiss / The way it is - Bruce Hornsby & the Range

In the Eighties, it wasn't uncommon for record companies in the UK to release new singles by an artist bundled with the previous hit single. They were often shrinkwrapped together, but this package of Bruce Hornsby and the Range's 'Every little kiss' is something different: it's a gatefold sleeve with the artwork of both singles simply printed on opposing sides. Still, you got both singles by the band for the price of one.

'The way it is' is, of course, the song that will forever be Bruce Hornsby's finest hour, while 'Every little kiss' is a largely forgettable bop. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8289
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 April 2026
Tracks: 'Every little kiss' / 'The river runs low' // 'The way it is' / 'The red plains' 

She drives me crazy - Fine Young Cannibals

'She drives me crazy' is probably the best known track by the Fine Young Cannibals. It was a huge hit back in 1988 and you can still regularly hear it on the radio. What I didn't know was that there were so many different versions of the single. 

This version of the single comes in a silver sleeve (with a gray dot in the middle). It's like a grayscale version of the original sleeve design - with orange 'FYC' letters in the middle. I thought it was a beautiful version of the most familiar sleeve design, and the track, of course, can't be beat.

My collection: 7" single no. 8288
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 April 2026
Tracks: 'She drives me crazy' / 'Pull the sucker off' 

This is love - Gary Numan

'This is love' sounds like an strangely conventional title for a Gary Numan song, but it was really a single released by him in 1986. It was the lead single from his eighth studio album Strange Charm.

Early copies of the single included a free interview flexi disc, and I was lucky enough to score one of those at last week's record fair. The single was reasonably successful in the UK, reaching number 28 in the UK singles chart. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8287
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 April 2026
Tracks: 'This is love' / 'Survival' // '[Interview]' (flexi disc) 

Rules of the game - Bucks Fizz

When I saw this single at some dealer's stand, I didn't think I had it. Although I have a pretty complete collection of Bucks Fizz singles, it could have passed me by. But of course, I already have a copy of 'Rules of the game', but it's a German pressing.

This UK pressing comes in a funny gatefold sleeve, which presents facts about the group's career in a 'Game of the Goose' style. A limited edition like this should have pushed the sales somewhat, but in fact this single only managed to reach number 57 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 8285
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 April 2026
Tracks: 'Rules of the game' / 'When we were at war' 

People are people - Depeche Mode

After my visit to the record fair last Saturday I was waiting for the bus to take us back to the station of Den Bosch and talked for a while with a German buyer. We both were pretty satisfied despite not having found many collector's items this time around. He told me that he bought the Depeche Mode 12" singles box containing the singles of the album Violator, but sold it after a few years because its value had tripled in the meantime.

I said I was collecting the red vinyl singles from the early days and he assumed that they had become very expensive too, since Depeche Mode fans are now at an age where they can spend more money on music. But fortunately, that isn't the case: I bought this red vinyl version of 'People are people' for a mere 5 euros. It looks like I might get the set complete, as long as I keep on searching, both online and offline.

My collection: 7" single no. 8284
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 April 2026
Tracks: 'People are people' / 'In your memory' 

80's romance - The Belle Stars

The Belle Stars were quite popular for a while in the first half of the Eighties, especially with their song 'Sign of the times', which was a top 3 hit in the UK. 

Their last hit was '80's romance', released in the summer of 1984. It only reached number 71 in the UK singles chart, but for some reason I remembered this song instantly when I saw this single during this weekend's record fair. It was actually the first time I saw this single; at least, I don't recall ever seeing it before. It's so nice to own a copy.

My collection: 7" single no. 8279
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 April 2026
Tracks: '80's romance' / 'It's me' 

Ten American girls - Bolland

The Bolland brothers made some excellent music and quite a few duds too. But when they were at the top of their game, they made 'Ten American girls'; a track that youngsters these days would call a 'banger'. I've had the 7" single for four decades now, but I was not aware that there was also a 12" single of this track. 

Until now, that is. I found this wonderful 12" single. pressed on clear yellow vinyl and featuring extended versions of both the A- and B-sides of the single! I quite like the extended version of 'Ten American girls', but the extended version of 'Night of the shooting stars' is even better, to be honest. Check it out!

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 April 2026
Tracks: 'Ten American girls (extended version)' / 'Night of the shooting stars (extended version)'

Eve's volcano - Julian Cope

Although I only own single by Julian Cope - Eve's volcano - it is such a brilliant song that I wouldn't mind hearing an extended version of it. I was in luck this weekend, because I found a 12" single of the track. Well, I thought I was lucky, because upon getting home I discovered that the disc was seriously warped. And that was caused by the extremely large poster included in the sleeve. It's a huge thing the size of an Underground poster, the kind you see all over London still these days. 

Fortunately I was able to find the tracks online, and so I have the doubtful honour of owning a disc I can't play with a poster that I don't really need. At least the item was cheap!

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 April 2026
Tracks: 'Eve's volcano (Vulcano Lungo)' / 'Spacehopper - Annexe', 'Almost beautiful child (I & II)'