Peace on earth/Little drummer boy - David Bowie & Bing Crosby

Bing Crosby was born on May 2, 1903. He will always be remembered for his rendition of 'White Christmas' (1954). In 1977, he recorded his last television Christmas special in England. Special guests during this occasion were model Twiggy and singer David Bowie. His duet with Bowie generated so much interest that it was released as a single. It become a regular holiday classic.

At the end of the century, the American magazine 'TV Guide' listed the Bowie/Crosby duet as one of the 25 most memorable musical moments of 20th century television. Even if the two seemed a bit awkward together...

My collection: 7" single no. 3044

Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, December 12, 1998

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Peace on earth/Little drummer boy' / 'Fantastic voyage'

Download: Peace on earth/Little drummer boy

Merry Christmas mr. Lawrence - Ryuichi Sakamoto

Not a Christmas song, but the theme from the movie of the same name. Ryuichi Sakamoto composed the soundtrack and this theme was released as a single. It didn't make the charts. However, a vocal version released after this, became a big hit. It was Sakamoto and David Sylvian's 'Forbidden colours'.

Although not a Christmas song, it is still a very beautiful melody which I like to play during this festive season.

My collection: 7" single no. 3111

Found: Big Company records, London, May 13, 1999

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence' / 'Sowing the seed'

Download: here

One Christmas catalogue - Captain Sensible

Captain Sensible, formerly a member of the English band The Damned, made a Christmas single that sounded nothing like a traditional Christmas track in 1984. Produced by Tony Mansfield, formerly a member of the synthpop band New Musik, produced 'One Christmas catalogue', a track laden with synths and vocal samples. It wasn't a hit anywhere and the only reason I got to know it was because the local radio station was playing it a lot during Christmas 1984, 1985 and 1986.

The B-side includes a cover of 1984's biggest hit: 'Relax' by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. This, too, was produced by Tony Mansfield and sounds very different from the original...

My collection: 7" single no. 2720
Found: August 10, 1986
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'One Christmas catalogue' / 'Relax'
Download: here

Do they know it's Christmas? - Band Aid

The song that embodied the Christmas spirit in the Eighties was Band Aid's 'Do they know it's Christmas?'. The project initiated by Midge Ure and Bob Geldof started when the two met up and worked out this song Bob had written in a rather rudimentary way. They phoned up the musician friends they knew and before you knew it you had a media spectacle of unprecedented size.

I bought the single as soon as it came out, although, strangely, I didn't like the song that much. There were just so many of my eighties idols participated that I felt I couldn't pass up on this historic single. Two decades later, it's somehow reassuring (or troubling) that everything has stayed the same in Africa: it's still a continent of war, hunger and drought.

My collection: 7" single no. 249

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1984

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Do they know it's Christmas?' / 'Feed the world'

Download: 12" single 'Do they know it's Christmas?', including both tracks (password: burningtheground-djpault.blogspot.com )

Christmas was a friend of mine - Fay Lovski

Somehow Dutch singer Fay Lovski managed to create a Christmas classic without even having a big hit with it. 'Christmas was a friend of mine' entered the Dutch top 40 on January 9, 1982, reached number 37 and left the chart after only two weeks. But still, when you're in Holland during this festive season, you will hear the song on the radio daily.

Admittedly, it is a beautiful song. Perhaps it was a bit too complicated for the general public to appreciate, though. I didn't mind buying the single for a discount price, a few years after it came out.

My collection: 7" single no. 361

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Christmas was a friend of mine' / 'All the same'

Download: here

Merry Christmas Santa Claus (You're a lovely guy) - Max Headroom

After the TV character Max Headroom had a hit with Art of Noise in the summer of 1986 ('Paranoimia'), I guess some people got a bit overboard. They thought, 'a Christmas hit with Max Headroom - now there's a possibility'. And so this song was created. It's an over the top ode to Santa Claus, complete with orchestras, a singing choir and of course the stuttering mutterings of that computer generated person, Max Headroom.

The song didn't reach the UK singles chart and wasn't released in other territories. No further attempts were made. I guess the record company was sensible after all...

My collection: 7" single no. 3493

Found: Record Exchange, London, 2004

Cost: 50p

Tracks: 'Merry Christmas Santa Claus (You're a lovely guy)' / 'Gimme shades'

Download: here

Everything she wants / Last Christmas - Wham!

For many people, 'Last Christmas' by Wham is the ultimate Christmas song. I didn't like it much when it came out, and these days I prefer the cover version by All About Eve (an edit of which you can hear on this page).

Still, I do own the track on 7" vinyl, because of the early 1985 release of 'Everything she wants', a double A-side with 'Last Christmas'. 'Everything she wants' is an early example of George Michael's songwriting capabilities, which he would develop further as the years progressed.

My collection: 7" single no. 1043

Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1989

Cost: 50p

Tracks: 'Everything she wants' / 'Last Christmas'

Download: cd-single 'Last Christmas', including both tracks (password: burningtheground-djpault.blogspot.com)

Riu Riu - Chorale

'Riu Riu' by the English group Chorale entered the Dutch Top 40 on December 16, 1978 and reached the no. 28 position. I think the song was performed on some TV shows at the time, but I can't be sure. I am sure, however, that I was completely unaware of this song's religious connotations. A few years later I went to church for the Christmas mass, and heard this song performed by the local choir. I was stunned.

'Riu Riu' is a Spanish composition of the type known as a 'villancico', dating from the sixteenth century. The lyric concerns the shepherds in the biblical Christmas story and observes, among other things, the 'one born today is actually his mother's father and the one who created her is said to be her son.' A good message, now that Christmas is almost upon us. Even for us unbelievers.

My collection: 7" single no. 898

Found: All that music, Leiden, June 23, 1989

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Riu Riu' / 'Come the night time'

Download: here

Heart and soul - Exile

Exile's most famous song is 'Kiss you all over'. In the UK and the Netherlands, they had two minor hits after this, the last one being 'Heart and soul'. It reached no. 30 in the Dutch Top 40, and as a regular listener of this chart it was no wonder that I got to know this song.

Exile performed pop/rock songs up to this point. In America, they prolonged their career by turning into a country band, even moving to Nashville to achieve this. It's a shame that from that point onwards, they didn't make more great songs like this one.

My collection: 7" single no. 592

Found: All that music, Leiden, February 16, 1988

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Heart and soul' / 'Your love is everything'

Download: here

One step from heaven - The Adventures

During my 1989 shopping spree in London, I bought several singles 'by association'. I'd heard from the artist and assumed that the single I didn't know would be as good as the ones I did know. 'One step from heaven' by the Adventures is one of the best examples. I liked 'Broken land' and 'Drowning in the sea of love', both singles from the album 'The sea of love', but I absolutely loved this single when I finally heard it after the holiday. It's got everything: a good melody, strong drums, powerful vocals. It's a mystery to me why it didn't become a hit anywhere.

My collection: 7" single no. 1039

Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1989

Cost: 50p

Tracks: 'One step from heaven (remix)' / 'The trip to bountiful (When the rain comes down)'

Download: here

Follow you anywhere - Sad Café

The band Sad Café formed in Manchester in the late 1970's. Their best known song is 'Every day hurts', which was a big hit worldwide. By comparison, Sad Café's 1981 album 'Olé' fared less well. Fact is, I didn't even know this song, 'Follow you anywhere', when I bought the single. It was cheap and I was kindof convinced that this band would be able to produce more than one great song. I was rewarded: 'Follow you anywhere' is a powerballad in the best traditions.

My collection: 7" single no. 1668

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, June 20, 1992

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Follow you anywhere', '# Nine'

Download: here

Uncle - Big Mouth and Little Eve

When Mouth and MacNeal broke up in the mid-70's, Mouth (a.k.a. Willem Duyn) went to look for a different singing partner to continue a successful duo. Ingrid Kup had worked as a singer in the orchestra led by Freddy Golden and took on the guise of Little Eve. They had one hit entitled 'Uncle' in 1975, reaching number 3 in the Dutch Top 40. In 1977 the duo broke up and Willem Duyn went solo.

'Uncle' was one of my first singles. I have no idea why I bought this one, all I know is that it came from the same record store where I bought all my first singles for 1 guilder.

My collection: 7" single no. 4

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1976

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Uncle' / 'Hi, hey, ho and hello'

Download: here

Just a dream - Nena

Sometimes when you're in a record shop, going through the racks, you get this 'what's this?'-experience. Finding this 12" single was such a moment. I was buying a few 12" singles and while I was browsing I saw this sleeve. It was an English version of Nena's hit 'Nur geträumt', and both the sleeve picture and the title of the record instantly drew my attention to it. I wanted to try it out, because the original German track was eighties pop at its best.

Unfortunately, the 12" version of 'Just a dream' is a tad too experimental for my taste. A bunch of echo effects, lots of repetition and more drums than you can shake a stick at.

My collection: 12" single no. 380

Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, 2001

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Just a dream (Mega-dream-mix)' / 'Nur geträumt (German version)', 'Indianer'

Download: here

The man mountain - Bow wow wow

After the split of Bow wow wow was announced, RCA still released another single from their album 'When the going gets tough the tough get going'. The brooding ballad 'The man mountain' was as untypical for a punk band as it can be: it was melodious and slow. It was actually the first Bow wow wow single I ever bought, because the track really appealed to me.

My collection: 7" single no. 201

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1983

Cost: 3,5 guilders

Tracks: 'The man mountain' / 'Aphrodisiac'

Download: Album 'When the going gets tough, the tough get going', including both tracks

Ocean blue - ABC

I have to admit that I missed the release of 'Ocean blue' when it happened and only found out about it some time after the fact. I bought the single via mailorder, and the 12" single just appeared out of nowhere in a shop some time after that.

ABC's album 'How to be a zillionaire' was not one of their most successful ones, even though the first single 'Be near me' broke the US market. The Ecstacy mix of that track on this 12" single is a bit tedious, though. The two versions of 'Ocean blue' are worthy of a spin or two; they're beautifully arranged tracks.

My collection: 12" single no. 117

Found: Concerto, Amsterdam, 1991

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Ocean blue (Atlantic mix)', 'Tower of London' / 'Be near me (Ecstacy mix)', 'Ocean blue (Pacific mix)'

Download: here

Adventure - Rupert Holmes

A strong melody is what always appeals to me most. I buy a lot of pop singles because they often have this, but sometimes a more (soft)rock-oriented track comes into my collection. And 'Adventure' by Rupert Holmes fits the description: it is a very strong melody, worthy of the title of the track: it is truly an adventure.

'Adventure' is taken from the album of the same name, recorded and released in 1980. I bought the single a few years after my sister had. Not surprisingly, she inspired me to want to have it by playing it for me repeatedly.

My collection: 7" single no. 409

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1986

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Adventure' / 'The mask'

Cars ('E' Reg Model) - Gary Numan

Originally released in 1979, 'Cars' was remixed and re-released in 1987. The ''E' Reg Model' version featured more synth sounds and a fuller sound than the sparse original. According to Gary Numan, the song's lyrics were inspired by an incident of road rage: 'I was in traffic in London once and had a problem with some people in front. They tried to beat me up and get me out of the car. I locked the doors and eventually drove up on the pavement and got away from them. It's kind of to do with that. It explains how you can feel safe inside a car in the modern world... When you're in it, your whole mentality is different... It's like your own little personal empire with four wheels on it.'

My collection: 7" single no. 2841

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 5, 1997

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Cars ('E' Reg Model)' / 'Are 'Friends' Electric?'

Download: here

The Slightest Touch - Five Star

In 1987, the family holiday destination was London. As soon as the opportunity presented itself, my sister and I were off to the nearest record shop, which on the first day was Tower Records in Kensington High Street. I couldn't believe my eyes when I stepped into that store: it was much bigger than any record shop in Holland. The amount of 7" singles on display at the back of the store seemed endless. The first single I picked out of that collection was Black's 'Sweetest smile', and this was the second one: a box set from Five Star, including a free second single, which carried two older tracks 'Hide and seek' and 'Crazy'. I didn't know at the time they had been released as a single before. Adding to the two singles, the box set also contained five colour photographs of the band members. A collectable box set indeed!

My collection: 7" single no. 545

Found: Tower Records Kensington, London, 1987

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'The Slightest touch' / 'Stone court' // 'Hide and seek' / 'Crazy'

Download: here

What makes the world go 'round - Kiss

When our grandparents went on holiday to England, my sister and I, 16 and 10 years old respectively, asked them for a souvenir in the guise of a Kiss record. We were still big fans of the group, ever since their breakthrough with 'I was made for loving you'. It was the kind of youthful excitement that is very common at that age. We were very surprised when they returned with this single, one for each of us. In Holland, 'Talk to me' had just been released, but the UK had obviously preferred to release 'What makes the world go 'round'. It was not a successful release: the single didn't make the charts. My grandparents, meanwhile, were very surprised that we were into 'these painted men'.

My collection: 7" single no. 66

Found: present

Cost: 0

Tracks: 'What makes the world go 'round' / 'Naked city'

Download: Album 'Unmasked', including both tracks

Amarti è l'immenso per me - Eros Ramazzotti

Eros Ramazzotti was born in Rome on October 28, 1963 and made his breakthrough winning the San Remo festival in 1984. International fame in Europe followed in 1988 with songs like 'Musica è' and 'Se bastasse una canzone'. The track 'Amarti è l'immenso per me' was recorded for his 1990 album 'In ogni senso' as a duet with Antonella Bucci. It was a modest hit in the Dutch Top 40, reaching no. 26 in the summer of 1990.

I bought the single because of its beautiful string arrangement. The vocals can be a bit overwhelming, like most Italian songs...

My collection: 7" single no. 1259

Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, July 12, 1990

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Amarti è l'immenso per me' / 'Dammi la luna'

Download: here

Answers to nothing - Midge Ure

I discovered Midge Ure's second solo album 'Answers to nothing' while on holiday in pre-war Yugoslavia. I owned a tape walkman and after a week on holiday I was desperate to hear something new. So I bought a tape of this album on the assumption that Midge Ure from Ultravox was certainly capable of making some interesting music. I wasn't disappointed.

As it turned out, the 7" and 12" singles drawn from this album were mainly available in England, and that's where I bought this 12". 'Answers to nothing' was a great title track and I was very curious to hear the extended version. Again, I wasn't disappointed: clocking in on 8 minutes, this is an excellent remix.

My collection: 12" single no. 103

Found: Record exchange, London, 1990

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Answers to nothing (extended version)' / 'Honorare', 'Oboe'

Download: here

Every kinda people - Robert Palmer

'Every kinda people' was recorded in 1978 by Robert Palmer on his album 'Double Fun'. With its blend of Caribbean steel pan, violins and moving lyrics, "Every Kinda People". has become one of Palmer's best-loved songs, covered multiple times by other artists (including Chaka Demus and Pliers, Randy Crawford and Amy Grant).

I bought this single, together with 'Aubrey' by Bread, in a shop in the centre of Brussels. They had a whole collection of Japanese singles for discount prices.

My collection: 7" single no. 1537

Found: Record shop, Brussels, 1991

Cost: 250 Belgian Francs

Tracks: 'Every kinda people' / 'Keep in touch'

Download: here

I'll wait - Taylor Dayne

Taylor Dayne was born as Leslie Wunderman on March 7, 1962 in Baldwin, Nassau County, New York. Signed to Arista Records in 1987, she hit the worldwide charts with her debut single 'Tell it to my heart'. 'I'll wait' was the third single taken from her third album 'Soul dancing', released in 1993. In America, this double 12" single pack was released, featuring seven versions of the track. With remixes by Eric "E-Smoove" Miller and Steve "Silk" Hurley, this was a top three hit in the U.S. Dance chart.

I bought my copy in an obscure dance vinyl shop in the centre of Amsterdam, while I was studying there. The 'New Anthem mix', which goes on for almost 15 minutes, was the most impressive of them all.

My collection: 12" single no.

Found: Amsterdam, 2004

Cost: 25 guilders

Tracks: 'I'll wait (E-Smoove Anthem Vocal Mix)', 'I'll wait (E-Smoove Vocal Mix)' / 'I'll wait (7 Minutes of Silk)', 'I'll wait (4 Minutes of Soul)' // 'I'll wait (New Anthem Mix)' / 'I'll wait (Silky Dub Total)', 'I'll wait (Album Version)'

Download: here

Working with fire and steel - China Crisis

'Working with fire and steel' was taken from China Crisis's second album of the same name. It was the second single from that album, but it still didn't manage to reach the UK Top 40. They would only manage to do so with their next single, 'Wishful thinking'.

The 12" single included two bonus tracks plus an extended remix of the track entitled 'Fire and steel'. With added instrumental breaks, this version knocks spots off the original version.

My collection: 12" single no. 227

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1994

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Working with fire and steel', 'Fire and steel (mix)' / 'Dockland', 'Forever I and I'

Download: here

(No more) Fear of flying - Gary Brooker

'(No more) Fear of flying' is taken from the album of the same name, which was Gary Brooker's debut solo album. Unlike 'The Angler', this single was a hit in the Netherlands. Then again, it was Gary Brooker's only hit in this country. Despite releasing four albums and eight singles, Brooker never found commercial success again.

I heard this song on the radio lots of times during the eighties. For a long time I didn't know what it was called and who performed it. When I found out, I still needed a lot of time to find the single. Obviously, when I found it, I was very glad.

My collection: 7" single no. 2128

Found: Record Palace, Amsterdam, July 30, 1994

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: '(No more) Fear of flying' / 'S.S. Blues'

Download: here

I knew you were waiting (for me) - Aretha Franklin and George Michael

George Michael released his first solo single while he was still in Wham! The fact that 'Careless whisper' became number one hit, may have been one of the factors that caused him to quit the band. After 'A different corner' had also reached the top spot, all eyes were on him. For his third solo single, he enlisted Aretha Franklin for a duet. And that helped him score the hattrick. Remarkably, it was Franklin's first and only number one hit in the UK.

The song was written by Dennis Morgan and Simon Climie. The latter was unknown at that point, but he would be part of the duo Climie Fisher, together with Rob Fisher, who'd previously been part of Naked Eyes.

My collection: 12" single no. 359

Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 1999

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'I knew you were waiting (for me) (extended remix)' / 'I knew you were waiting (for me) (percapella)', 'I knew you were waiting (for me) (edited remix)'

Download: here

Take on me - A-ha

The story of the song 'Uncertain smile' is similar to the one of this song. When the Norwegian group A-ha signed to WEA records in 1984, they released 'Take on me' as their debut single. When the sleeve pictured here doesn't look familiar to you, you've probably got another version of that same song. This original version was produced by Tony Mansfield, a man who had forged a pop career himself in the late seventies with New Musik.

Without the pop video that would stun the world, the original version 'Take on me' flopped mercilessly. The more successful version would be released a year later on the same label. I was lucky to find this original version within months of the release of the later successful one.

My collection: 7" single no. 377

Found: Nieuwstraat, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Take on me [original version]' / 'And you tell me'

Download: here

Uncertain smile - The The

When The The signed to CBS Records in 1982, their first single on that label was a version of 'Uncertain smile'. This track would appear on their first album for CBS, 'Soul Mining', released a year later, but in a different version. The album version featured a lengthy piano solo, whereas the single version from 1982 featured saxophone and flute solos.

The album version of 'Uncertain smile' was released on single in 1984, and that version even made the Dutch Top 40, peaking at no. 31. At that time, the original version was often played on a local radio station, causing me to search for this single for years. Obviously it had become very rare. But finally, in 1991, I succeeded: I found it during a record fair in Amsterdam.

My collection: 7" single no. 1518

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 21, 1991

Cost: 10 guilders

Tracks: 'Uncertain smile' / 'Three orange kisses from Kazan'

Download: here

Daddy Cool - Boney M

One of the greatest lines in pop music is 'She's crazy like a fool / What about it Daddy Cool?'. It was presented to the world by Boney M, the group brought together by Frank Farian, the fraudulent German producer who preferred to work with people who could perform songs rather than sing them.

'Daddy Cool' was one of many hits that were part of the European disco craze in the second half of the Seventies. The B-side was a disco cover of Bob Marley's classic 'No woman no cry'. It was a Europe-wide success, one that Boney M kept building on until the bubble burst in 1984.

My collection: 7" single no. 1633

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, April 18, 1992

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Daddy Cool' / 'No woman no cry'

Download: Album 'Take the heat off me', including both tracks

Dear Prudence - Siouxie and the Banshees

When I was in highschool, I had a classmate who was wild about Siouxie and the Banshees. I think he owned all of their records. I got to know them through this single, a cover of the song by the Beatles. I'd heard the original two or three times, but I preferred this to the original pretty quickly.

'Dear Prudence' wasn't a hit in the Netherlands, however it peaked at number 3 in the UK singles charts, making it their biggest hit in that country.

My collection: 7" single no. 221

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1983

Cost: 3,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Dear Prudence' / 'Tattoo'

Download: here

? (Fragezeichen) - Nena

After having had hits with '99 Luftballons', 'Nur geträumt' and 'Leuchtturm' in the Netherlands, '? (Fragezeichen)' was the first single taken from Nena's second album of the same name. It was a good success, peaking at number 12 in the beginning of 1984. The b-side 'Ich lieb' dich' was sung by band member Carlo Kages.

My collection: 7" single no. 3384

Found: Geest, Den Haag, 2006

Cost: 1 euro

Tracks: '? (Fragezeichen)' / 'Ich lieb' dich'

Download: here

Bang Bang - B.A. Robertson

B.A. Robertson was born on September 12, 1956 in Glasgow, Scotland. He released his debut album in 1973, but he would only find his first chart success in the UK in 1979. His first single to hit the singles chart was 'Bang Bang', which reached number 2 in the summer of that year. It was subsequently also released in the Netherlands, but there it didn't make the charts.

I bought this single as part of a batch of singles, because I vaguely remembered it from my childhood. Back then, I thought it was a very funny single because of the strange vocals at the end. Three decades later the joke has worn thin.

My collection: 7" single no. 3386

Found: Geest, Den Haag, 2006

Cost: 1 euro

Tracks: 'Bang Bang' / 'B side the C side'

Download: here

Never as good as the first time - Sade

There is some irony in recording a song called 'Never as good as the first time' and then re-record it for the single release. This is exactly what Sade did in 1986. The funny thing is, the re-recording was actually better than the first one.

When this single was released, Sade was touring in support of her second album 'Promise', and backing singer Leroy Osbourne was recruited. With his added vocals, the track was lifted to above average level. The 12" single contained the full length version of the re-recording, whereas the 7" single contained an edit. The B-side was an instrumental part of the song 'Hang on to your love', as performed during the tour mentioned.

My collection: 12" single no. 53

Found: Free record shop, Den Haag, 1987

Cost: 4,95 guilders

Tracks: 'Never as good as the first time (extended mix)' / 'Keep hanging on'

Download: here

Love is a wonderful colour - The Icicle Works

'Love is a wonderful colour' was the first single by the Icicle Works to reach the UK singles chart. The song is a dynamic piece of work, the vocals by lead singer Ian McNabb sounding suspiciously like David Bowie.

I found the double single edition during my visit to Beanos in 2006. I'd never bought a double single this cheap before.

My collection: 7" single no. 3443

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, 2006

Cost: 20p

Tracks: 'Love is a wonderful colour' / 'Waterline' // 'In the dance the shaman led' / 'The devil on horseback'

Download: Album 'Sessions, mixes and b-sides (1982-1984)', including the three B-sides

Give me back my heart - Dollar

Trevor Horn was already doing production duties for Dollar when they released the single 'Give me back my heart'. This single is rather unique for proving the fact that even a producer like Trevor Horn can't rescue a song like this when it's performed by artists with limited vocal abilities. The whole affair sounds like two mediocre singers in an echo chamber.

I bought this single mainly because of Trevor Horn. Having grown accustomed to his style of producing I expected more of this single than I got. Not that he was to blame...

My collection: 7" single no. 3440

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, June 19, 2006

Cost: 20p

Tracks: 'Give me back my heart' / 'Pink and blue'

Download: here

Rain - The Cult

The Cult achieved mainstream success pretty early on in their career when they released their fourth single 'She sells sanctuary'. It reached number 15 in the UK singles chart. The next single was 'Rain'. It did almost as well: reaching number 17. It has always been a live favourite, being performed at almost every gig since its release. Despite the songs popularity, after performing it live in November 1989 at Wembley, singer Ian Astbury said 'So you like that one?'. After the audience cheered, Astbury responded by saying 'Personally I don't'.

My collection: 7" single no. 3441

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, 2006

Cost: 20p

Tracks: 'Rain' / 'Little face'

Download: here

48 Crash - Suzi Quatro

I've already established on this blog that I've got quite an extensive Kim Wilde collection. But I have to add a dimension to that right here and now: I've also got singles of tracks that she has covered. Suzi Quatro's '48 Crash' was not recorded in the studio by Kim Wilde, however she did perform it live on several occasions in 2004.

When I visited Beanos in 2006, I used the opportunity to get my hands on this rare single. Unfortunately they didn't have a picture sleeve edition, but then those were prety rare in the seventies anyway.

My collection: 7" single no. 3439

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, 2006

Cost: 4 pounds

Tracks: '48 Crash' / 'Little bitch blue'

Download: Album 'A's, B's & rarities', including both tracks (part 1, part 2)

Windpower - Thomas Dolby

Thomas Dolby was born as Thomas Morgan Roberston on October 14, 1958. His 'Dolby' nickname comes from the Dolby Laboratories, and was given to him by school friends due to his seemingly inseparable relationship with his cassette machine. Thomas Dolby released his debut album 'The golden age of wireless' in 1982. This track included 'Windpower'.

I got to know 'Windpower' via a different album: it was included on a compilation album to benefit Greenpeace in 1985. During my last visit to London's Beanos record shop in its original form, I picked up this single at a bargain price.

My collection: 7" single no. 3442

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, June 19, 2006

Cost: 20p

Tracks: 'Windpower' / 'Flying north'

Download: Album 'The golden age of wireless' including both tracks

Riders on the storm - Annabel Lamb

Annabel Lamb was born in Surrey, England in 1958. She released her debut album 'Once bitten' in 1983, and this single, a cover of the well-known track from The Doors. It earned her her only hit, because she got to no. 27 in the UK singles chart with this. She subsequently released six more albums, with little chart success.

This 12" single includes a longer version of the single track, with some extra guitar solos here and there, and a dub version, which is basically a remixed instrumental track. This version of the Doors classic is one of the more interesting ones, in my opinion. My copy of the 12" version includes a small poster of Annabel, who was not your average pinup, by the way.

My collection: 12" single no. 307

Found: Record Exchange, London, 1995

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Riders on the storm [extended]' / 'Riders on the storm (dub)', 'No cure'

Download: Riders on the storm - extended version and dub version

Message to my girl - Split Enz

The band Split Enz formed in 1971 at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, in 1971. The original line-up consisted of Phil Judd, Tim Finn, Mike Chunn, Robert Gillies and Noel Crombie. Originally named 'Split Ends', they replaced the last three letters of their name with 'nz', which is the anagram for New Zealand. When Phil Judd left the band in 1977, he was replaced by Tim's brother Neil Finn, and they entered their more commercially successful new wave period.

Split Enz released 'Message to my girl' as a single in 1984. It was taken from their penultimate album 'Conflicting emotions'. It was a firm radio favourite in 1984, although it only reached number 13 in the charts in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 980

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, August 29, 1989

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Message to my girl' / 'Kia kaha'

Download: here

Coloured kisses - Martika

Martika was born as Marta Marrero on May 18, 1969 in Whittier, California. She entered showbusiness in 1982 in an uncredited role as one of the orphan girls in the 1982 motion picture 'Annie'. Her first self-titled album 'Martika' (1988) featured the successful debut single 'Toy soldiers'. In 1991 she released her second album 'Martika's kitchen', which included this single, 'Coloured kisses'.

I bought this single for one reason, and one reason only: it came in coloured vinyl. The red single was a cheap collector's item, which I bought on the basis of good experiences with some of Martika's other singles. This track is standard nineties fare: not bad, but not remarkable either.

My collection: 7" single no. 3407

Found: Record exchange, London, December 2004

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Coloured kisses' / 'Pride & prejudice'

Download: Album 'Martika's kitchen', including both tracks

Smalltown boy - Bronski Beat

'Smalltown boy' was the debut single of Bronski Beat. The song is about a gay boy who faces homophobia, loneliness and family misunderstanding. The video for the song was a powerful story of a boy - played by lead singer Jimmy Somerville - who makes friends - played by band members Larry Steinbachek and Steve Bronski - but is attacked by a gang of homophobes. A policeman brings him back to his home. He catches a train and reunites with his friends.

The song became a number one hit in the Netherlands. Some radio stations played the 12" version of the track at the time, which is how I got to know the extended version. It was such a good version that I had to have it. It was one of the first 12" singles I bought.

My collection: 12" single no. 4

Found: LP top 100, Den Haag, 1984

Cost: 14,95 guilders

Tracks: 'Smalltown boy [extended version]' / 'Infatuation', 'Memories'

Download: here

Wonderland - XTC

The single 'Wonderland' by XTC is one of those singles that went unnoticed by the general public. It didn't chart anywhere. It was a track lifted from the album 'Mummer', which featured a more pastoral sound than any of their previous work. The track was written by band member Colin Moulding and was later described by band leader Andy Partridge as one of his 'most beautiful melodies'.

I was listening to tapes recorded by my sister in the mid-eighties when I found out about this track. I didn't like it much at first listen, but repeated listening made me change my mind. More than a decade later, I ended up buying the single.

My collection: 7" single no. 2945

Found: Record fair, Leiden, January 31, 1998

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Wonderland' / 'Jump'

Download: here

Dance hall days - Wang Chung

In some circles, nothing spells 'dodgy eighties music' better than the British new wave band Wang Chung. Their biggest hit in the USA was 'Everybody have fun tonight', which contains the immortal line 'Everybody Wang Chung tonight', which earned them the accolade of the third worst song ever by Blender magazine.

'Dance hall days' was their only hit in the UK, and the video was shown endlessly on music television stations in Europe in 1984, despite its blandness.

My collection: 7" single no. 3494

Found: Geest, Den Haag, 2004

Cost: 1 euro

Tracks: 'Dance hall days' / 'There is a nation'

Download: Album 'Points on the curve', including the track 'Dance hall days' / 12" single 'Dance hall days, including the track 'There is a nation'

Never gonna give you up - Rick Astley

'Never gonna give you up' was written and produced by Stock, Aitken & Waterman for Rick Astley. The song was a worldwide number one hit in 1987 and 1988. The song has more recently become the center of an activity named 'Rickrolling', which involved placing misleading links redirecting to the song's video.

I didn't buy the single when it came out, because it was on the radio so often that I didn't need to hear it on record anymore. My recent acquisition of the single was just to complete a collection of Rick Astley singles: I do have them all, you know.

My collection: 7" single no. 3497

Found: Geest, Den Haag, 2004

Cost: 1 euro

Tracks: 'Never gonna give you up' / 'Never gonna give you up (instrumental)'

Download: here

You can't change that - Raydio

Long before Ray Parker Jr. started irritating the world with the song 'Ghostbusters', he was a member of this funky band called Raydio. The band was formed by Parker Jr., Vincent Bohnam, Jerry Knight and Amell Carmichael in 1977. Their first big hit was 1978's 'Jack and Jill', which they followed up with 'You can't change that'. The funny thing is, in the Netherlands the latter was a top 10 hit, whereas it didn't even chart in the UK.

When I bought this single in 1994, I had vague memories of it playing on the radio when I was young. It's one of those tracks that you can't get tired of, no matter how often you hear it.

My collection: 7" isngle no. 2118

Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, June 11, 1994

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'You can't change that' / 'Rock on'

Download: Album 'Rock on', including both tracks

Photography - Fiat Lux

Fiat Lux had released one single on an independent label before they signed to Polydor. And 'Photography' was their first single on the Polydor label. It wasn't until the next single was released, 'Secrets', that the group reached the lower regions of the UK charts.

Contrary to what I wrote previously, Fiat Lux did release an album: the mini-lp 'Hired History'. Both tracks of this single appear on that mini-lp, as well as two other single a- and b-sides. I found 'Photography' together with a later single 'House of thorns' in 1999.

My collection: 7" single no. 3160

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 27, 1999

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Photography' / 'Aquae vitae'

Download: here

Rascal - Silver Wings

The Yugoslavian band Srebrna Krila (Silver Wings) competed in the 1988 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Mangup' ('Rascal' in English). They did rather well, ending up on sixth place, and receiving votes from 14 of the 21 competing countries.

I didn't really notice their song until years later, when a friend pointed it out to me as an interesting track. After listening to it a couple of times, I had to agree. I never expected to find a single of it, though: Yugoslavia is not known for its thriving record industry, and the war that took place not long after 1988 didn't help. But lo and behold: two years ago a single turned up. A great opportunity to own two versions of this interesting Eurovision track.

My collection: 7" single no. 3449

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, 2006

Cost: 5 euro

Tracks: 'Rascal' / 'Mangup'

Download: here

If I was - Midge Ure

Midge Ure had a very successful career as lead singer with Ultravox, when he started his solo career. He'd already released 'No regrets', a cover of the Walker Brothers song, but his career really took off with this, 'If I was', the first single from his debut solo album 'The gift'. It reached number one on the UK singles chart for one week in September 1985.

The 12" extended mix of 'If I was' features an amazing instrumental break, which - as I found out later - also appears on the album version of the track, but is edited from the single version. As an extended mix, it's faithful to the tension and build of the original track.

My collection: 12" single no. 74

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1989

Cost: 4,95 guilders

Tracks: 'If I was (extended mix)' / 'Piano', 'The man who sold the world'

Download: here

Let me go - Heaven 17

Heaven 17 formed when Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware split from their earlier group Human League and formed production company British Electric Foundation (BEF). After releasing one LP they recruited their friend Glenn Gregory on vocals to form Heaven 17. 'Let me go' was their last unsuccessful single before they released 'Temptation', a song that would storm the international charts.

I boycotted Heaven 17 as part of a bitter row with my sister, spanning many years. She was putting some of my favourite artists down, and so I felt it was my duty to do the same with her favourites. When I saw Heaven 17 live as part of the Here and Now tour in 2001, I had to change my mind. 'Let me go' is my most recent Heaven 17 purchase; maybe there's more to follow.

My collection: 7" single no. 3472

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, December 11, 2008

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'Let me go' / 'Let me go (instrumental)'

Download: here