In 1988, Crowded House released their second album 'Temple of low men'. Since my sister bought the cd, I pretty much knew every track on it (at the time, cd's were still pretty rare in our house). 'Sister madly', which appears on the album, is said to be about Neil Finn waking up to find his sister having nightmares.
'Sister madly' was released as the fourth single from the album, and although I didn't know this at the time, I snapped up a copy when I saw it during a holiday in London. As far as I know, the single did not chart in any territory.
My collection: 7" single no. 1054 Found: Record Exchange, October 17, 1989 Cost: 60p Tracks: 'Sister madly' / 'Mansion in the slums'
In 1992, Sinéad O'Connor released her third album 'Am I not your girl?', an album with cover versions of mostly jazz standards. According to O'Connor, the songs were 'the songs I grew up listening to [and] that made me want to be a singer'.
'Success has made a failure of our home' was written by J. Mullins but contained some extra material written by O'Connor. It was released as the first single from the album. It reached number 18 in the UK singles chart and number 15 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 1705 Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, September 5, 1992 Cost: 6,5 guilders Tracks: 'Success has made a failure of our home' / 'You do something to me'
Earlier this year, Stevie Nicks finally commented about the song 'Gypsy', released by Fleetwood Mac in 1982: 'In the old days, before Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey [Buckingham] and I had no money, so we had a king-size mattress, but we just had it on the floor. I had old vintage coverlets on it, and even though we had no money it was still really pretty... Just that and a lamp on the floor, and that was it—there was a certain calmness about it. (...) So that’s what 'Gypsy' means: it’s just a search for before this all happened. And later, I tacked on a line for my friend Robin, my best friend, who died of leukemia: 'I still see your bright eyes.' But then, Robin wasn’t sick yet. She got cancer, and died within a year.'
'Gypsy' was a track on Fleetwood Mac's album 'Mirage'. When it was released as a single it reached number 1 in Canada, number 12 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 46 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 2308 Found: May 27, 1995 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: 'Gypsy' / 'Cool water'
Unlike almost everyone in my class, I was not a fan of the movie 'Grease' when it was released back in 1978. I hated John Travolta and the rather overly dramatic number 1 hits 'Greased lightning', 'You're the one that I want' and 'Summer nights'. However, when Olivia Newton-John's single 'Hopelessly devoted to you' was released, I had to relent a little. I liked the melody a lot, and even if I couldn't understand the lyric (I was eight years old, mind you) I knew this was a pretty powerful lovesong.
The single reached number 1 in the Dutch Top 40, number 2 in the UK singles chart and number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100.
My collection: 7" single no. 710 Found: All that music, Leiden, December 30, 1988 Cost: 3 guilders Tracks: 'Hopelessly devoted to you' / 'Love is a many splendored thing (instrumental)'
'Once in your life' was the fourth single taken from Sam Brown's 1990 album 'April moon'. It was released in Europe only, as far as I know. Despite a colourful music video and an equally colourful sleeve, the single was not successful in the charts.
The B-side, 'So far so good' was a mainly instrumental track, and one of many bonus tracks included on Sam Brown's cd-singles circa 1990.
My collection: 7" single no. 1256 Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, July 5, 1990 Cost: 6 guilders Tracks: 'Once in your life' / 'So far so good'
I found this white label 12" single during a holiday in London. With no description of the tracks, I decided to give it a spin on the record players that were available in the shop, and decided within a minute that I wanted to have this. Three remixes of the Coldplay track 'Clocks'... it was simply too interesting.
Of course, these tracks were also available online as MP3's, but nothing beats the original - especially when it's on vinyl. The downside of these white labels is that there is no track listing. So I still have no clue what track 1 is.
'Ride like the wind' was Christopher Cross's debut single in 1980. It was a track on his self-titled debut album and featured backing vocals by Michael McDonald. Christopher Cross dedicated this song to Lowell George, formerly of the band Little Feat, who died in 1979. The single reached number 69 in the UK singles chart.
On this German 'oldies' single, it is coupled with 'Sailing', a later single by Christopher Cross which is described here.
My collection: 7" single no. 2568 Found: November 26, 1995 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: 'Ride like the wind' / 'Sailing'
Clint Eastwood and General Saint hail from Jamaica and recorded reggae music during the early Eighties. 'Stop that train' was their only significant international success, peaking at number 3 in the Dutch Top 40 in early 1984.
The single was taken from their 1983 album of the same name.
My collection: 7" single no. 1839 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, January 23, 1993 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: 'Stop that train' / 'Monkey man'
The lyric of Mylene Farmer's 1989 single 'Sans logique' deals with a kind of schizophrenia or dissociative identity disorder, which lives in the protagonist and makes her a killer. Very literary, the song uses obsolete words from the language of the 18th century. The calculating Marquise de Mertreuil (a character in the French epistolary novel 'Les liaisons dangereuses'), as angelic as diabolical according to her own interests, seems to be evoked in the lyrics.
The song actually had to be recorded twice, because the first time, there was a technical problem. The sentence 'this is a blank formatted diskette' which is heard in the introduction of the song refers to this problem and has been maintained to keep the memory of this technical malfunction. The B-side, 'Dernier sourire' is a previously unreleased song about the death of a relative. 'Sans logique' reached number 10 in the French chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 2219 Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, October 17, 1994 Cost: 10 guilders Tracks: 'Sans logique' / 'Dernier sourire'
'Thieves in the temple' was the last song to be recorded from Prince's 1990 soundtrack album 'Graffiti bridge'. The song sounds rather different than other Prince tracks, including Middle Eastern melodies, a synth bass and syncopated drum machines. Prince also sampled a harmonica solo from a recording by the Chambers Brothers.
When released as a single, the track reached number 6 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 5 in the Dutch Top 40. Still, it's not one of Prince's most memorable track. Even Puck, who is a huge Prince fan, didn't remember the melody of this track recently.
My collection: 7" single no. 2514 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 30, 1995 Cost: 60p Tracks: 'Thieves in the temple' / 'Thieves in the temple (part 2)'
It was a good concept for a TV programme: take an artist, preferably an accomplished one, and have him (or her, or them) play a selection of his tracks without the aid of electronic equipment. This was the basic idea for 'MTV Unplugged', a series that turned out well in the early Nineties. It was interesting to see that bands like the Cure were exceptionally inventive, and singers like George Michael, Seal and even Eric Clapton were actually very good. (And what a shame that Tori Amos had already become too contrived by the time she appeared in the programme).
Sometimes artists would release their performances on 'Unplugged' as an album. Eric Clapton's performance was released in 1992, with the performance of 'Layla' released as a single. It reached number 4 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 45 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 1774 Found: Virgin Megastore, London, October 21, 1992 Cost: 2 pounds Tracks: 'Layla (acoustic)' / 'Tears in heaven (acoustic)'
'Hail hail rock 'n' roll' is a tribute to Chuck Berry, Gene Vincent and many other stars of the early rock & roll days. Garland Jeffreys recorded the track, which is named after the Chuck Berry album from 1987.
The single reached number 4 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 72 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 1640 Found: May 3, 1992 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: 'Hail hail rock 'n' roll' / 'Bottle of love'
'Sticky George' was the title track from the Korgis' third studio album. It was released as a single in 1981. Like with the single 'Dumb waiters', the artwork department had an easy week, as again the album sleeve was used for this single.
The single did not reach the chart in any territory. I do remember hearing it for the first time back in 1981 and being very impressed.
My collection: 7" single no. 1534 Found: Brussels, October 11, 1991 Cost: 80 Belgian Francs Tracks: 'Sticky George' / 'Nowhere to run'
'Will you be there (in the morning)' was written by songwriter and producer Robert John 'Mutt' Lange, who also wrote Heart's 1990 chart hit 'All I wanna do is make love to you'. Personally, I much prefer this song.
The track was released as the first single from the band's 11th studio album 'Desire walks on'. It was the only single from the album to reach the chart, peaking at number 39 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the UK, it reached number 19. The 7" single was released only as a picture disc in the UK.
My collection: 7" single no. 2077 Found: February 19, 1994 Cost: 8 guilders Tracks: 'Will you be there (in the morning)' / 'These dreams (live)'
'So lonely' was originally released as a single from the album 'Outlandos d'Amour' in November 1978. The single did not chart at first, but when it was re-released in February 1980 it reached number 6 in the UK and number 31 in the Dutch Top 40.
According to Sting, 'Let's be honest here, 'So lonely' was unabashedly culled from 'No woman no cry' by Bob Marley. Same chorus. What we invented was this thing of going back and forth between thrash punk and reggae. That was the little niche we created for ourselves.'
My collection: 7" single no. 1014 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1989 Cost: 50p Tracks: 'So lonely' / 'No time this time'
Janet Jackson fans may want to have this 12" single, as it samples her track 'Nasty'. Besides, the lyric of 'When I think of you' is quoted by singer Jon Marsh. 'Forever dancing' was released in 1987 during a stage in the Beloved's career when all their records failed to reach the charts in the UK.
The band originally had a guitar-oriented sounds (as is evident from the two other tracks on this 12" single) but soon began using drum machines and dance elements. Real success would come when Guy Gausden and Tim Havard left the group and Jon Marsh and Steve Waddington recorded the album 'Happiness'.
My collection: 12" single no. 158 Found: Den Haag, 1992 Cost: 5 guilders Tracks: 'Forever dancing (remix)' / 'If only '87', 'Surprise me'
'Almost seems (too late to turn)' is a track on Clannad's 1985 album 'Macalla' and, to me, a standout track on their compilation album 'Pastpresent' released a few years later. The song was used as the official Children in Need charity single for 1985 in the UK.
However, the single only reached the number 80 position in the UK singles chart. My copy of the single was used for promotion and still has a sticker 'Not for resale' on the label.
My collection: 7" single no. 2705 Found: July 3, 1996 Cost: 50p Tracks: 'Almost seems (too late to turn)' / 'Journey's end'
Not only do I have the 7" single of 'Can't stop running', I've also got the 12" single. This contains an extended remix of the song, entitled the 'Powerblast mix'. It's not the most stunning remix ever, but it's a longer version of this very energetic Eighties track, and that's good enough for me.
I have no further records of Space Monkey, but the career of this one man band (Paul Goodchild being the only member) was rather short anyway.
My collection: 12" single no. 326 Found: London, 2000 Cost: 1 pound Tracks: 'Can't stop running (Powerblast mix)' / 'Problem world (instrumental)'
This six track EP of the Manhattans was released in 1983 by Pickwick International, a UK label specialising in re-releasing old material. 'Kiss and say goodbye', track one on this EP, is their best known hit, reaching number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 1 in the Dutch Top 40 in the summer of 1976.
According to the blurb on the back sleeve of this EP, The Manhattans hail from the state of New Jersey and consist of Gerald Aiston, Ed Sonny, Bivins Jr., Kenny Kelly and Winfred Blue Lovett.
My collection: 7" single no. 646 Found: Free Record Shop, Leiden, August 12, 1988 Cost: 3 guilders Tracks: 'Kiss and say goodbye', 'La la la wish upon a star', 'Wonderful world of love' / 'There's no me without you', 'Don't take your love', 'We never danced to a love song'
'I feel for you' was originally written and recorded by Prince in 1979 on his self-titled album. In 1984, Chaka Khan recorded a cover of this song for her album which was also called 'I feel for you'. The repetition of Khan's name by rapper Melle Mel at the beginning of the song was originally a mistake made by producer Arif Mardin, who then decided to keep it. Khan's version featured an all-star supporting cast, with rapping from Melle Mel, keyboard and guitar by The System, and harmonica playing and sampled vocals by Stevie Wonder.
The single peaked at number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the UK singles chart, it reached number 1 and in the Dutch Top 40 the single peaked at number 7.
My collection: 7" single no. 1047 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1989 Cost: 50p Tracks: 'I feel for you' / 'Chinatown'
'Red guitar' was David Sylvian's biggest solo hit, peaking at number 17 in the UK singles chart. It was a track on Sylvian's debut solo album 'Brilliant trees', which featured guest musicians Danny Thompson, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Holger Czukay.
The B-side is a new recording of the Sylvian & Sakamoto track 'Forbidden colours', which was originally featured on the soundtrack of the movie 'Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence'.
My collection: 7" single no. 278 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1984 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: 'Red guitar' / 'Forbidden colours'
Stevie Nicks had a brief relationship with Rupert Hine, who produced her fourth solo album 'The other side of the mirror', released in 1989. According to Nicks, ''Rooms on fire' is about a girl who goes through a life like I have gone through, where she finally accepts the idea that there never will be those other things in her life. She will never be married, she will never have children, she will never do that part of life'.
The single reached number 15 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 16 in both the UK singles chart and the US Billboard Hot 100.
My collection: 7" single no. 929 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, July 6, 1989 Cost: 3,5 guilders Tracks: 'Rooms on fire' / 'Alice'
Frankie goes to Hollywood were confronted with the 'difficult second album syndrome' after the phenomenal success of their debut album 'Welcome to the pleasuredome' and its accompanying singles. They recorded their second album 'Liverpool' in Amsterdam, and released 'Rage hard' as the first single from the album.
The single was released as a limited edition with a popup sleeve. It reached number 4 in the UK singles chart, number 1 in Germany and number 7 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 2282 Found: London, 1996 Cost: 1 pound Tracks: 'Rage hard' / '(Don't lose what's left) Of your little mind'
'Miss you' is the only Rolling Stones single in my collection. That's not to say they didn't make any good music: I am certainly looking for one or two more - but that's about it.
The song was mostly written by singer Mick Jagger, although Keith Richards is also credited for the composition. Mick Jagger and Ron Wood insist that the song wasn't conceived as a disco song, while Keith Richards said just the opposite. In any case, it did turn out as a bit of a disco track. The single was released in the summer of 1978 and reached number 3 in the UK singles chart and number 2 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 902 Found: All that music, Leiden, June 23, 1989 Cost: 4 guilders Tracks: 'Miss you' / 'Far away eyes'
If a Depeche Mode single would be released these days, it's hard to imagine that the sleeve would look like this one here. 'The meaning of love' was released in 1982 as a single from their second album 'A broken frame'. It's obvious that their much was much more simple and upbeat back then.
'The meaning of love' reached number 12 in the UK singles chart, but was less successful in Germany, where it reached number 64. It did not chart in the Netherlands at all.
My collection: 7" single no. 2708 Found: House of Rhythm, London, July 3, 1996 Cost: 60p Tracks: 'The meaning of love' / 'Oberkorn (It's a small town)'
Benjamin Earl Nelson was born on September 28, 1938. After a music career as a member of the Five Crowns and the Drifters, he went solo in 1960, taking on the stage name Ben E. King. That same year, he wrote 'Stand by me', originally intended for use by the Drifters, but they passed on the chance to record it.
King then recorded the song himself, and released it as a single in 1961. It reached number 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. This single is a UK re-release from 1987 on the occasion of the track featuring on the movie 'Stand by me'. On this occasion, it reached number 1 in the UK and number 7 in the Netherlands.
My collection: 7" single no. 1016 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1989 Cost: 40p Tracks: 'Stand by me' (Ben E. King) / 'Yakety yak' (The Coasters)
'Moments in love' was a beautiful electronic track by Art of Noise, released in the spring of 1987. Although it wasn't their biggest hit in the UK, where it peaked at number 51, it did reach number 10 in the Dutch Top 40, making it their biggest hit up to that point - surpassed only when they released 'Kiss' with Tom Jones a few years later.
There are several versions of 'Moments in love', but this single version is by far the most concise.
My collection: 7" single no. 529 Found: Free Record Shop, 1987 Cost: 6 guilders Tracks: 'Moments in love' / 'Beatbox diversion 10'
Kingdom Come formed in 1987 after frontman Lenny Wolf's band Stone Fury broke up. He recruited Pittsburgh-based lead guitarist Danny Stag, Louisvillians Rick Steier and James Kottak and Northern Californian Johnny B. Frank on bass. The band's debut album, 'Kingdom Come' was their only international hit. The musical style was very close to the early blues-rock style of Led Zeppelin.
Their second single was the power ballad 'What love can be'. It was a big hit in America, but sold less well in Europe. Still, I picked it up from the radio and played it a lot for a couple of weeks during the summer of 1988.
My collection: 7" single no. 650 Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, August 25, 1988 Cost: 6 guilders Tracks: 'What love can be' / 'The shuffle'
'DJ culture' was a new track on the Pet Shop Boys compilation album 'Discography', released in 1991. It was released as a single to promote that compilation. According to the singer Neil Tennant, the lyric of the song was about the insincerity of President George H. W. Bush's speeches at the time of the First Gulf War, utilising Winston Churchill's wartime rhetoric, in a manner similar to how artists sample music from other artists.
When the single was released, it peaked at number 13 on the UK singles chart. In the Netherlands, the single did not chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 1556 Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, December 14, 1991 Cost: 3 guilders Tracks: 'DJ Culture' / 'Music for boys'
In 1980, just like previous years, Luv's career is going well. They are successful in various countries around the world, such as Mexico where a Spanish version of 'Ooh, yes I di' ('Si que si') reaches the top of the charts. In the Netherlands, meanwhile, the single 'One more little kissy' is released, reaching number 9 in the Dutch Top 40.
It is to be their last single release with band member Patty Brard, who announces in the autumn of 1980 that she is leaving Luv'. She also demands half a million guilders from the Luv' company, a sum which she is awarded after a court case. It is not the end of Luv', however: in September 1980 Ria Thielsch takes Brard's place.
My collection: 7" single no. 54 Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1980 Cost: 6 guilders Tracks: 'One more little kissy' / 'I win it'
Paul Simon wrote 'Bridge over troubled water' in the summer of 1969 while Art Garfunkel was filming 'Catch-22' in Europe. When the duo got together to record what was to be their last album together, Garfunkel liked Simon's falsetto voice on the demo and suggested that Simon sing. He and producer Roy Halee also thought the song needed three verses and a 'bigger' sound towards the end. Simon agreed and penned the final verse, though he felt it was less than fully cohesive with the earlier verses.
Paul Simon then insisted that Garfunkel should sing the song. He later expressed regret that he did this, as it focused attention on Garfunkel and relegated Simon to a backing position. When the song was released as a single, it became a worldwide hit, reaching the top of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and the UK singles chart and number 5 in the Dutch Top 40. My copy of the single was made in Australia.
My collection: 7" single no. 622 Found: Parkpop, June 1988 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: 'Bridge over troubled water' / 'Keep the customer satisfied'
While in the UK 'Why can't it wait til morning' was released as a single, mainland Europe preferred the more uptempo 'It don't matter to me'. With this rather simplistic sleeve, it still didn't manage high chart placings.
As a result, this was the last single release from Phil Collins' 1982 album 'Hello, I must be going!'.
My collection: 7" single no. 2316 Found: June 3, 1995 Cost: 1 guilder Tracks: 'It don't matter to me' / 'Why can't it wait til morning'
Evridiki Theokleous was born on February 25, 1968 in Limassol, Cyprus. After studying music, theatre and dance at Le Studio des Variétés in Paris, France, she moved to Athens, Greece in 1989 to launch a career in music. Her debut album 'Gia proti fora' was released in 1991.
In 1992, she represented Cyprus during the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Teriazoume'. This song ended in eleventh place. This 12" single features the original Greek version as well as English and French translations. Evridiki would return to the Contest in 1994 with 'Ime anthropos ki ego' (which finished in 11th place as well) and in 2007 with 'Comme ci, comme ça', which didn't end up in the final.
My collection: 12" single no. 329 Found: Trehantiri, London, 2000 Cost: 10 pounds Tracks: 'Teriazoume' / 'In love I trust', 'Le feu c'est nous'
The first single from the Simple Minds' 1991 album 'Real life' was 'Let there be love'. Although the song still had a very full sound, gone were the days of stadium rock and misplaced missionarism. Jim Kerr was becoming less of a Bono clone and started focusing on music again. What a nice change.
The single reached number 6 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the Dutch Top 40. The single version was an edit of the album version.
My collection: 7" single no. 1404 Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, March 30, 1991 Cost: 6 guilders Tracks: 'Let there be love' / 'Good night'
'The taste of your tears' was the second single taken from King's second album 'Bitter sweet', both released in 1985. The beautiful sleeve of this single and the equally beautiful music video helped it become a big hit in the UK, peaking at number 11 in the singles chart in the autumn of 1985.
In the Netherlands, the single did not chart. Since I was an avid follower of UK-based music video television stations, I picked up this track soon enough, but then had to wait for years to finally find this single.
My collection: 7" single no. 1029 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1989 Cost: 1 pound Tracks: 'The taste of your tears' / 'Crazy party'
Rory Block was born as Aurora Block on November 6, 1949. She grew up in Manhattan, New York City, and studied classical guitar during her teens. She came in contact with the folk and blues scene and soon enough started writing her own songs.
The album 'Best blues and originals', released in 1987, was Rory Block's tenth album. It featured the song 'Lovin' whiskey', which became a surprise hit in the Netherlands, reaching number 17 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 1427 Found: April 7, 1991 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: 'Lovin' whiskey' / 'Ain't no way to do'
''Walking like a man, hitting like a hammer'... The first two verses are guide lyrics, words just scribbled down to have something to sing. Couldn't come up with anything better, so we kept them. Everybody gets lucky sometimes...', said Per Gessle, after the 1989 Roxette single 'The look' had become a worldwide hit.
When 'The look' was about to be released in Sweden as the third single from Roxette's second album 'Look sharp!', an American exchange named Dean Cushman returned from Sweden and urged radio station KDWB in Minneapolis to play the song. From there, 'The look' spread on cassette copies to other radio stations. With the song's radio success, EMI quickly released 'The look'. Suddenly, Roxette had a number 1 hit in the USA before the album was even released.
Personally, I didn't like the song at all, but eventually bought it because of the B-side: 'Silver blue' ended up on Roxette's 1992 album 'Tourism'.
My collection: 7" single no. 2602 Found: January 27, 1996 Cost: 1 guilder Tracks: 'The look' / 'Silver blue (demo)'
'The tracks of my tears' is one of those classic Motown tunes. Recorded by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles in 1965, it is actually listed on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 songs that shaped Rock and Roll. But is it Rock and Roll? I'd like to consider it soul music.
The single reached number 9 in the UK singles chart in 1969, whereas it only reached the Dutch Top 40 when it was re-released in 1987, although on that occasion it still only made number 37.
My collection: 7" single no. 1080 Found: HMV, London, October 19, 1989 Cost: 2 pounds Tracks: 'The tracks of my tears' / 'I second that emotion'
Sophie B. Hawkins was born on November 1, 1967 in Manhattan, New York City. Her debut album 'Tongues and tails' was released in 1992. Her debut single was 'Damn I wish I was your lover', which became a number 5 hit in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In Europe, the single's succes was more moderate. It reached number 14 in the UK singles chart and number 32 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 1672 Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, June 20, 1992 Cost: 6 guilders Tracks: 'Damn I wish I was your lover' / 'Don't stop swaying'
Bob Marley composed 'Stir it up' in 1967. It was first made popular by Johnny Nash in 1972. It was finally released by Bob Marley himself in 1979. This live recording of 'Stir it up' reached the Dutch Top 40 in March1979 and peaked at number 2.
It was Marley's first top 10 hit in the Netherlands. It's interesting to note that his next two hits in the Netherlands also reached number 2.
My collection: 7" single no. 1625 Found: April 18, 1992 Cost: 1 guilder Tracks: 'Stir it up' / 'Rat race'
In the summer of 1975, Summer approached Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte with an idea for a song. She had come up with the lyric 'Love to love you, baby' as the possible title for the song. Moroder in particular was interested in developing the new disco sound, and used Summer's idea to develop the song into an overtly sexual disco track. Summer was initially hesitant to go along with this idea, but eventually agreed on recording a demo so someone else could record the song after that. Moroder was so astounded with Summer's orgasmic vocals and her imaginative moans and groans that he insisted she should release the single herself. Summer reluctantly agreed and the song, titled 'Love to love you', was released to modest success in Europe.
when the song reached American record company executive Neil Bogart, he was so impressed that he requested Moroder to produce a longer version of the track. Moroder, Bellotte and Summer recorded a 17 minute version, renamed it 'Love to love you baby', and had an American number 2 hit before they knew it. Sex sells.
My collection: 7" single no. 2231 Found: January 10, 1995 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: 'Love to love you' / 'Need-a-man blues'
I think it's fair to say that 'Breathing' is an early masterpiece by Kate Bush. The lyric is about a foetus, very much aware of what is going on outside the womb and frightened to be born into a world poisoned by nuclear fallout. The lyrics also refer to the foetus absorbing nicotine from the mother's smoking.
The single version is different from the album version, although only the most avid Kate Bush fans can tell the difference: it's a sound missing in the first verse, and an extra drumroll in the musical intermezzo later on in the song. (This single version was released on cd only once, on a compilation to benefit Greenpeace.)
Thanks to these avid fans we also know what is said by the scientist in this song: 'In point of fact it is possible to tell the difference between a small nuclear explosion and a large one by a very simple method. The calling card of a nuclear bomb is the blinding flash that is far more dazzling than any light on earth--brighter even than the sun itself--and it is by the duration of this flash that we are able to determine the size of the weapon. After the flash a fireball can be seen to rise, sucking up under it the debris, dust and living things around the area of the explosion, and as this ascends, it soon becomes recognisable as the familiar "mushroom cloud". As a demonstration of the flash duration test let's try and count the number of seconds for the flash emitted by a very small bomb; then a more substantial, medium-sized bomb; and finally, one of our very powerful,"high-yield" bombs.' It's rather scary.
The sleeve of the single was originally designed to be mostly black, but a white version was made as well, released in France and Germany.
My collection: 7" single no. 273 (black) / no. 2050 (white) Found: Den Haag, 1983 / November 13, 1993 Cost: 1 guilder / 10 guilders Tracks: 'Breathing' / 'The empty bullring'
'Tusk' was recorded by Fleetwood Mac on their 1979 double album of the same name. It was based in part on a rehearsal riff the band used for sound-checks. 'Tusk' was recorded live at Dodger Stadium (without an audience) in Los Angeles, California in collaboration with the University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band. The performance was also filmed for the song's music video.
The single reached number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 6 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 718 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, January 13, 1989 Cost: 1 guilder Tracks: 'Tusk' / 'Never make me cry'
'Nasty' was written by Janet Jackson after she was confronted with abusive men. She later commented: 'They were emotionally abusive. Sexually threatening. Instead of running to Jimmy or Terry for protection, I took a stand. I backed them down. That's how songs like 'Nasty' and 'What have you done for me lately' were born, out of a sense of self-defense. Control meant not only taking care of myself but living in a much less protected world. And doing that meant growing a tough skin. Getting attitude. '
The song became the second single taken from Janet Jackson's 1986 album 'Control'. It reached number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 19 in the UK singles chart and number 5 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 2470 Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 16, 1995 Cost: 1 guilder Tracks: 'Nasty' / 'You'll never find (a love like mine)'
The 1990 single 'Sadeness' was written by Michael Cretu, Frank Peterson and David Fairstein. The lyrics are in Latin and French; the Latin text includes a quotation from Psalm 24:7-8. The gregorian vocals were mostly taken from the 1976 album 'Paschale Mysterium' by Munich choir 'capella antiqua' with conductor Konrad Ruhland, specifically from their track 'Cum angelis + Psalm 24(23)'. Thie samples were first used without permission, and after a lawsuit in 1994 the matter was settled by compensation.
'Sadeness (part 1)' was the debut single of Cretu's music project Enigma, which would continue for two decades and (so far) seven albums. Each one gets more predictable. This first release still sounds fresh, with quite interesting vocals by Cretu's wife, Sandra.
My collection: 7" single no. 1373 Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, January 21, 1991 Cost: 6 guilders Tracks: 'Sadeness (part 1) (radio edit)' / 'Sadeness (part 1) (Meditation mix)'
Freddie Mercury was dead and had been dead for eight years, when EMI Records decided they wanted to milk the Queen legacy a little more than they already had. And so the third Greatest Hits compilation came to be in 1999, collecting all the singles from Queen's last three albums, plus a few filler tracks.
One of those filler tracks was a remix of the Eighties hit 'Under pressure', which Queen had recorded with David Bowie. This track was also released as a single, released in time for the Christmas season, which reached number 14 in the UK singles chart and number 19 in the Dutch Top 40. This picture disc 7" is beautiful enough, but it still reeks a bit of opportunism.
My collection: 7" single no. 3180 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 16, 2000 Cost: 15 guilders Tracks: 'Under pressure (Rah mix)' / 'Bohemian rhapsody'
In 1988, Crowded House released their second album 'Temple of low men'. Since my sister bought the cd, I pretty much knew every track on it (at the time, cd's were still pretty rare in our house). 'Sister madly', which appears on the album, is said to be about Neil Finn waking up to find his sister having nightmares.
