I ain't gonna stand for it - Stevie Wonder

Through the years I've bought some Stevie Wonder singles, sometimes even without knowing the song. You can't really go wrong with acts like Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and the Bee Gees; they always deliver.

This single was completely unknown to me, Still, 'I ain't gonna stand for it' reached number 31 in the Dutch Top 40 in early 1981. It was even more successful in the UK, where it reached number 10 in the singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 7023
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 10 September 2023
Tracks: 'I ain't gonna stand for it' / 'Knocks me off my feet'

A song goes out around the world - Egon Egemann

I bought a copy of 'A song goes out around the world' in 2009, on a cold winter's day in Amsterdam - a visit I remember all too well because the shop offered a whole box of Eurovision singles I didn't have yet. 

When I ordered a few singles from a Swedish seller recently, this one appeared on offer and the B-side caught my eye. Where the other single offered the original version of the song in German, this single features an instrumental version. Now, if this single would have been very expensive I wouldn't have bought it of course, but it was interesting enough to pick up for a few euros. As kitchy as the song is, the melody is just irresistible.

My collection: 7" single no. 7021
Found: Discogs.com, received 31 August 2023
Tracks: 'A song goes out around the world' / 'A song goes out around the world (instrumental)'

In neon - Elton John

Continuing on the theme of 'unknown singles by Elton John', here's an American promotional 7" of 'In neon'. The song was taken from his album 'Breaking hearts', which also featured the considerably more successful 'Sad songs (say so much)' and one of my personal favourites, 'Too low for zero'. 

By contrast, 'In neon' only reached number 12 in New Zealand, number 38 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and an underwhelming number 92 in Canada. This promotional single features the track on both sides.

My collection: 7" single no. 7016
Found: 33|45 Records, Den Haag, 26 August 2023
Tracks: 'In neon' / 'In neon'

Taschenrechner - Kraftwerk

The fascinating story of Kraftwerk is something that entertained me during my holiday in Germany last month, thanks to a magazine published by the makers of Uncut. As a result I became interested in buying some of those missing Kraftwerk singles. Which isn't easy, because usually they command rather high prices.

Anyway, I found this copy of 'Taschenrechner' for a reasonable price, and it made me happy because it is one of my favourite Kraftwerk tracks. The English version is pretty great too - but this single only features the German and Japanese versions. Still, a great catch!

My collection: 7" single no. 7013
Found: Bennies Fifties, received 18 August 2023
Tracks: 'Taschenrechner' / 'Dentaku'

Be kind to my mistakes - Kate Bush

I am very thankful that I am not a bona fide Kate Bush collector. I mean, I do have all her albums and singles, but I don't need all the various pressings from countries all over the world. There are many variations, especially of those early albums, that would easily cost many thousands of euros to get them all these days. 

That said, there are a few items that are on my wish list. A perfect copy of the UK single of 'Wuthering Heights' is one, and this German promotional single is another. Fortunately, I finally got hold of a copy recently. It features two tracks from the soundtrack of the movie 'Castaway'. Kate Bush's song, 'Be kind to my mistakes', also appears on the B-side of her 1989 single 'This woman's work', but in a different version. This is the original - and longer! - version.

One down, one to go.

My collection: 7" single no. 7009
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 August 2023
Tracks: 'Be kind to my mistakes' (Kate Bush) / 'Chemistry' (Brian Eno)

Tour de France - Kraftwerk

I went on a holiday in Germany and bought a single about France. That, in a few words, sums up my most recent acquisition. But obviously there's a little bit more to the story: this single came free with the magazine Musikexpress, which contains a cover story about Kraftwerk and their 2003 album 'Tour de France'. In it, there's an interview with Ralf Hütter and a description of every track on that album.

The single contains a new edit of 'Tour de France', which does not appear on the single 'Tour de France' which I bought 14 years ago and which was released 40 years ago. The B-side is, unfortunately, empty.

My collection: 7" single no. 7007
Found: Eckert, Hbf Landau (Germany)
Tracks: 'Tour de France'

Silencio e tanta gente - Maria Guinot

Since their first participation, Portugal has entered many songs into the Eurovision Song Contest without ever winning until just a few years ago. In the mean time they managed to send in some boring, but mostly interesting and beautiful songs. Unfortunately they are forgotten by most, because they were rarely rewarded with high scores.

One example is 'Silencio e tanta gente' by Maria Guinot, Portugal's entry in 1984. You know, the year Sweden won yet again with one of their most inane songs, 'Diggi-loo diggi-ley'. Guinot's song is almost the complete opposite to that poppy, singalong track with golden shoes: it's dramatic, melodic and beautifully orchestrated. But it ended up in 11th place in a field of 19 competitors. I ordered my copy of this single from a Portuguese seller. Because it's actually quite hard to find a copy of this one!

My collection: 7" single no. 7004
Found: Discogs.com, received 14 July 2023
Tracks: 'Silencio e tanta gente' / 'Estimo que esta carta te encontre de saude'

If you could read my mind - Viola Wills

30 years ago I bought 'If you could read my mind' on 7" vinyl. The single featured two versions of the song, including a 'short US Disconet version'. Disconet was always renowned for their long remixes of disco songs, and so it was intriguing enough for me to buy this 12" single which features the full length Disconet remix of the same track. The remix is a whopping 12 minute trip, but it's an extended version rather than the kind of remixes that are being done these days, where the music is usually replaced by something anonymous - and sometimes the vocals too. 

What's more, this 12" single also presents a 'regular' extended version of the track, which is almost seven minutes long. By comparison, it is short, of course.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, 2 July 2023
Tracks: 'If you could read my mind (Special US Disconet version)' / 'If you could read my mind [extended]'

Perfect - The The

Some singles that I never bought are a mystery to me. I was always a fan of The The, ever since I heard 'Uncertain smile', but somehow 'Perfect' never made it into my collection. I think it's because whenever I saw a copy the price was just too high. Even back in the late Eighties and early Nineties, when I discovered record fairs, dealers were charging quite a lot for this early single.

Now that I have a slightly better budget I can afford to buy this single - not least because the price has gone down! I almost bought a European copy but then I was buying a few singles from a UK dealer online and this one popped up. 'Perfect' reached number 79 in the UK singles chart and appeared on the band's 1983 album 'Soul mining'.

My collection: 7" single 7002
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 June 2023
Tracks: 'Perfect' / 'The nature of virtue (version 1)'

Dizzy miss Lizzie - Flying Lizards

A big music collection comes with its own challenges. Over the past few years I have been eliminating certain 7" and 12" singles - most of which are still featured on this blog. I have done so quite carefully: most of the discs I sold or threw out were replaced by CD versions or better copies. After all, who needs sleeves that are written or stickered on? 

Certain 12" singles were only taking up space when there were better versions in smaller formats. This is a good example. I recently sold my 12" single of 'Dizzy miss Lizzie', and the money I got for it went towards finally buying the 7" single! I am pleased to say that the copy I bought is in mint state as well, so I'm quite happy with this particular exchange.

My collection: 7" single no. 7001
Tracks: 'Dizzy miss Lizzie' / 'Dizzy'
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 June 2023

Loving you's a dirty job but somebody's gotta do it - Bonnie Tyler & Todd Rundgren

Producer Jim Steinman has a penchant for long titles - just think of 'Paradise by the dashboard light', 'You took the words right outta my mouth' and 'Making love out of nothing at all'. 'Loving you's a dirty job but somebody's gotta do it' fits into that style, but unfortunately the song itself is not as classic as the other three. Even with experienced vocalists Bonnie Tyler and Todd Rundgren, the single only managed to reach number 73 in the UK singles chart back in December 1985.

This Dutch single came with an image of the painting 'Phyllis and Demophoön' by Edward Burne-Jones.

My collection: 7" single no. 7000
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, 3 June 2023
Tracks: 'Loving you's a dirty job but somebody's gotta do it' / 'Under suspicion'

Fool's paradise - Rosie Vela

The strange thing about collecting records is that you always discover something new. I thought I had every track by Rosie Vela when I bought this 12" single of 'Fool's paradise', featuring a 'new 12" mix'. All the other tracks appeared on the album 'Zazu' and the singles never presented other versions. 

Behind this single, the 7" version of that 12" single. It presents a 'new version' on the B-side, which like the 'new 12" mix' is remixed by Eric Thorngren. This, of course, is the UK 7" single which is different to the German 7" single I bought in 2009. It looks like my work is finally done on this artist now.

My collection: 7" single no. 6993
Found: Discogs.com, received 31 May 2023
Tracks: 'Fool's paradise' / 'Fool's paradise (new version)'

Worlds apart - Cock Robin

'Worlds apart' is arguably Cock Robin's best single overall, eclipsing their biggest hit 'The promise you made' easily as far as I'm concerned. The strange thing about the late Eighties is that many acts that were so popular during the earlier years of that decade suddenly couldn't interest the general public anymore despite still making great music.

Anyway, I own that single obviously, but here's a Spanish promo edition that has a different sleeve, only one playable side and the full length version of the track (instead of the edit that appears on the commercial single). A must have single. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6992
Found: Discogs.com, received 31 May 2023
Tracks: 'Worlds apart'

Don Quixote - Nik Kershaw

It's hard to resist a beautiful picture disc, and some great ones were released in the Eighties. Not that this one is particularly stunning, because it simply recreates the picture sleeve of the regular single, but the photograph does warrant a picture disc edition nonetheless.

According to Nik Kershaw: "The lyric that ended up as 'Don Quixote', was actually 'Gorgonzola'! So I was walking about the house singing 'gor-gon-zola' all day long, trying to think of a lyric. Basically the music was a sort of Samba thing, which reminded me of Spain, and Don Quixote happened to come to mind so I thought, 'Why not write a song about Don Quixote?'. So I went and bought the book."

My collection: 7" single no. 6978
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 22 April 2023
Tracks: 'Don Quixote' / 'Don't lie'

In the name of love - Thompson Twins

It has to be said that I already own the music on this single, as I bought the European edition in 1985. It was on red vinyl too. But it's hard to resist an original UK pressing, especially when it comes in the original picture sleeve. And so I got this single, which is a bit of a repeat of the one I've owned for almost four decades now.

At the time of the release of this single, Thompson Twins were a septet, consisting of Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie, Joe Leeway, John Roog, Chris Bell, Peter Dodd and Matthew Seligman. Only the first three would go on to release the very successful album 'Into the gap' in 1984.

My collection: 7" single no. 6977
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 22 April 2023
Tracks: 'In the name of love' / 'In the beginning'

Wot! - Captain Sensible

Captain Sensible achieved his only chart hit in the Netherlands in the last weeks of 1982 with the single 'Wot!', a track that featured the female backing singers Dolly Mixture. 

According to Captain Sensible, the song came to be when he was in the USA during a tour with the Damned. He heard this horrible pounding sound coming from outside at 5am. It was coming from a building site and as it was so early and he wanted to sleep in the hotel, he recorded the noise to make a complaint. He played it to the reception, informing them that it was disgusting and a ploy to upset British bands, and he was trying to get some sleep, and they just said, "Have a nice day". Nothing was done and he got no sleep. When he returned to the UK, he played the tape to Tony Mansfield who took the tape and created a loop (backing track) from it within about 10 minutes. This sound loop formed the basis of the song. The loop can be heard clearly at the beginning and near the end of the song. 

'Wot!' reached number 10 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 26 in the UK singles chart. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6976
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 22 April 2023
Tracks: 'Wot!' / 'Strawberry dross'

Love lies lost - Helen Terry

I bought a copy of Helen Terry's 'Love lies lost' 13 years ago and I wrote about it on this blog. (I can't believe it's been around for that long, actually!) The single was a minor hit in the UK but it was also Helen's only hit. 

Then last weekend I suddenly found a copy of the single's picture disc. It's always hard to resist a beautiful picture disc and especially when it's only 1 euro. And so of course I snapped it up. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the last Helen Terry release I'll ever buy.

My collection: 7" single no. 6975
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 22 April 2023
Tracks: 'Love lies lost' / 'Laughter on my mind'

Tracks of my tears - Colin Blunstone

This single is a bit of an odd beast. Colin Blunstone has one of the best voices in the business and 'Tracks of my tears' is a classic song that probably everyone loves. Add in some early Eighties synth bleeps... and then you get this single. 

Somehow it doesn't quite work as it should. That's not to say that I don't like this single, but much to my own surprise, I think the B-side is better. Trying out singles from time to time means coming up with surprises like this.

My collection: 7" single no. 6971
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 22 April 2023
Tracks: 'Tracks of my tears' / 'The last goodbye'

Si tu eres mi hombre y yo tu mujer - Jennifer Rush

It's the song you know in a version that you don't. Jennifer Rush had a big hit in 1985 with 'The power of love', but she also recorded the song in Spanish. The title for this version isn't as short: 'Si tu eres mi hombre y yo tu mujer' ('If you are my man and i am your woman').

I found this single - not surprisingly - at a stand of a Spanish seller, and I was interested enough to pick up this single. The B-side features the original English version of the song.

My collection: 7" single no. 6969
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 22 April 2023
Tracks: 'Si tu eres mi hombre y yo tu mujer' / 'The power of love'

Triad dimensions - Rheingold

Three decades went by since I bought 'Dreiklangs dimensionen' by Rheingold. The band was confident enough to also record an English version of their song. And 'Triad dimensions' came to be. 

My copy is an Italian promotional single, recognizable thanks to the little holes in one corner of the sleeve saying 'Campione Gratuito'. I think I still prefer the German version, but this is a nice little version as well.

My collection: 7" single no. 6961
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 22 April 2023
Tracks: 'Triad dimensions' / 'River'