Back in 1982, 'Stand or fall' was the first track by the Fixx I ever heard. The song was produced by Rupert Hine, whose 'Eleven faces' had just made a big impression on me too. Like that single, this one sounded mysterious and dark.
When Queen had a big hit with 'Another one bites the dust', Queen were inspired to abandon their rock roots and experiment with disco, funk and soul music. 'Body language', one of the singles from their album 'Hot space' was perhaps the most obvious result of this. The song featured 'suggestive' lyrics, almost no guitras and a lot of Freddie Mercury's moans and groans.
David Bowie spent some time in New York City when he composed and recorded 'The Jean Genie'. The subject matter was inspired in part by Bowie's friend Iggy Pop or, in Bowie's own words, 'an Iggy-type character... it wasn't actually Iggy'. The title has long been taken as a pun on the name of the author Jean Genet. Bowie was once quoted as saying that this was 'subconscious... but it's probably there, yes'.
I've had an 'Original Oldies' single of Bread's 'Guitar man' for over 20 years now, but when I came across an original 1972 pressing of the single today, I couldn't resist buying it. 'Guitar man' is a classic track by Bread and as this sleeve testifies, it was chosen to be Veronica's Alarmschijf (a tip for the top from the famous Dutch radio station) upon its release. It went on to become a number 13 hit in the Netherlands.
'Land of confusion' was composed by Genesis, while the lyric was written by band member Mike Rutherford. It discusses the greed and uncertainty of the Cold War-era Eighties, but also evoke a sense of hope for the future. The song is remembered by most people for its music video, in which puppets from the Eighties show Spitting Image were used to portray the band and several contemporary politicians.
'Happy together' was written by Gary Bonner and Alan Gordon and recorded by the Turtles on their 1967 album of the same name. It was released as a single in the spring of 1967, reaching number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 5 in the Dutch Top 40.
'Hypnotised' was the second single taken from the Simple Minds' 1995 album 'Good news from the next world'. The 7" single was a numbered limited edition. This is number 1839.
The lyric of 'Loving the alien' reflects David Bowie's dislike of organised religion, and is a plea for greater unity between the faiths of the world. It was recorded as a track on David Bowie's 1984 album 'Tonight', and released as the third single from the album, but only nine months after the release of the album. Some reports say it was chosen as a single because Bowie read a review saying it would make a good single.
The twin sisters Sophie and Magaly Gilles represented Luxembourg during the 1980 Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Papa Pingouin'. It is often cited as an example of the strange and naff nature of the Song Contest, because the song was performed with three backing singers dressed in black and white and a man in a penguin costume. The song was written by the prolific duo Ralph Siegel and Bernd Meinunger, who are normally associated with Germany as a composer-lyricist combination.
'Highly strung' was released in the autumn of 1984 as the third single from Spandau Ballet's fourth album 'Parade'.
'Human touch' was released in 1992 as the first single from Bruce Springsteen's album of the same name. The song topped the chart in Norway and was also a top ten hit in many countries, including the Netherlands, Sweden, Ireland, and Switzerland. In the U.S., the song reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, while peaking at number 11 in the UK singles chart.
I've always had mixed feelings about Gloria Estefan and her music. It was always bloody commercial, but then, what does 'commercial' mean? In the end, every artist wants to sell records but no-one really knows why a record sells. So the only reason why Estefan sounds 'commercial' is because her music was so very popular in the late Eighties and early Nineties.
The Belgian group Clouseau had a big hit in Belgium and the Netherlands with 'Daar gaat ze' (literally: 'There she goes') in 1990. A year later, they represented Belgium with the song 'Geef het op', while also recording an entire album in English. Their international career was never that big, but it did result in some very nice singles.
'System Addict' was released in early 1986 as the seventh and last single from Five Star's debut album 'Luxury of life' (1985). It was becoming a very successful year for the band, as they won a BPI award for 'best group' and this single became their first top 10 hit, peaking at number 3. They would release four more singles in 1986, with all but one reaching the top 10.
If all the visitors of this blog would start sending me free singles, I would be a very happy man indeed. But in fact, one visitor did today: I received this single from Puck. Many thanks for that. (And to everyone else: follow his great example!)
'Hold me, thrill me, kiss me, kill me' was originally recorded during the sessions for U2's 1993 album 'Zooropa'. It didn't make it onto the album, but in 1995, it was contributed by the band to the soundtrack of the movie 'Batman forever'. The track was also released as a single. In the UK, a 7" single was released as a limited edition, pressed on red vinyl.
The Cure released 'Lullaby' as the first single from their 1989 album 'Disintegration'. The lyric of the song explores the territory of nightmares.
'Sympathy' was written by Mark Ashton, Steve Gould, Dave Kaffinetti and Graham Stansfield, members of the progressive rock band Rare Bird. It became one of the band's best known tracks for its haunting organ-based melody.
After the success of 'It must have been love', which reached number 3 in the UK singles chart, EMI UK decided to re-release 'Listen to you heart' as a double A-side with 'Dangerous'. Both tracks were hit singles in Europe, but they hadn't been as successful in the UK.
I bought 'Careless whisper' when it came out, then went through two decades without ever playing this single. It became a number one hit in the summer of 1984, and appeared on television and radio so often, that I got very sick of this song. Nowadays, I can listen to it again, and that's quite nice, because it is actually a very good song.
Yardena Arazi was born in 1951 and started a career in music during her teens. She became part of the female vocal trio Chocolat, Menta, Mastik in the Seventies. They represented Israel during the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest. Arazi returned to Eurovision when she co-hosted the show when it was organised in Jerusalem in 1979. And in 1988 she was selected to represent Israel, this time as a solo artist.
I haven't heard 'Mr. Blue Sky' in a long time, but when I played it today, I got that same feeling I've had so many times when I hear this song: goosebumps all over. Can you imagine a track like this in the charts today? Can you even imagine a track like this being recorded, with full orchestra, a choir and everything else?
I was a bit shocked when I saw Cyndi Lauper on television this week, performing 'True colours' live in an episode of the soap series 'As the world turns'. There was a time when soap series were considered decidedly uncool, but I guess these days, anything is possible.
After the success of his debut album, Howard Jones quickly followed it up with a remix album, 'The 12" album'. The album featured several remixes from his hit singles, plus one new track, 'Like to get to know you well', which was released as a single.
After the Dutch girl group Luv' split up, all three members tried their hand at a solo career. José Hoebee was by far the most successful, as she racked up several Dutch Top 40 hits. This single, her second solo release, even managed to reach number 1, which is something the other two never managed to do.
As with more songs by Mylene Farmer, 'Je t'aime mélancolie' deals with the subject of melancholy and suicide. It's the singer's ironic response to journalists who criticize her because of her image of sad singer and the great success she has with it. Originally, a different track from her album 'L'autre...' was chosen as the second single from the album: 'Pas de doute'. But in the end, this single was released instead.
Daryl Hall and John Oates recorded 'Kiss on my list' in 1980 on their album 'Voices'. While two other songs from the album had returned the duo to chart activity, it was the success of 'Kiss on my list' that confirmed the start of the duo's sustained run as one of American pop's top-selling acts, a run that lasted until the end of the Eighties. In the USA, the single peaked at number 1, while in the UK, it reached number 33.
According to its author Ian Dury, 'Hit me with your rhythm stick' has an anti-violence message. It was reportedly written during a jam session and inspired by a piano part near the end of the track 'Wake up and make love with me'. At least 11 takes of the song were recorded before one was chosen to be released as a single. Much of the band as well as producer Laurie Latham remain unhappy with the chosen take's mix, claiming it to be too dominated by piano and vocals.
'Tonight, tonight, tonight' is a track on the 1986 album 'Invisible touch' by Genesis. It is the second longest song on the album at 8 minutes and 53 seconds. When it was released as the fourth single from the album, the track was edited down to 4 minutes and 30 seconds.
'Together again' was written by the American country singer Buck Owens. It was released on his 1964 album of the same name and also appeared on the B-side of his hit single 'My heart skips a beat'.
'Cold as ice' was taken from Foreigner's self-titled debut album. When it was released as a single, it quickly became one of the band's best known songs after it peaked at number 6 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 24 in the UK singles chart and number 13 in the Dutch Top 40.
I actually own two copies of the single. I bought the first one in 1992, which was made in Holland and widely available in Europe at the time of its release. The other single popped up in 1995, pressed on clear vinyl and housed in a see-through sleeve. This is a limited edition version from the UK, also released in 1977. A real rarity!
Personally, I was never impressed with the track 'Alright' by Janet Jackson, taken from her album 'Rhythm Nation 1814'. When it was released as a single, I simply didn't buy it. That is, until I spotted this UK edition featuring the Spanish version of 'Come back to me' on the B-side. 'Come back to me' is a beautiful ballad, and sounds even better in Spanish, I have to say.
'King in a Catholic style' was released in early 1985 as the follow-up to 'Black man Ray' and the second single from China Crisis' third album 'Flaunt the imperfection'. It reached number 19 in the UK singles chart.
Dire Straits surprised, I think, everyone with 'Private investigations'. Up until the release of this single, they delivered rather straight guitar-based rock songs, while this track added a layer of sophistication to their work. Mark Knopfler commented about the lyric of the song: 'It's just about the private investigations... What have you got at the end of the day... Nothing more than you started out with'.
'Following' was the fifth and last single to be taken from the Bangles' very successful album 'Different light'. In the UK, it was released in a limited edition poster sleeve. I bought this single without knowing the song just because of this poster sleeve - I love limited edition versions as I've stated before on this blog.
'Oh Patti (Don't feel sorry for loverboy)' is a track on Scritti Politti's 1988 album 'Provision'. It features Miles Davis, who plays a trumpet solo. The single reached number 13 in the UK singles chart and number 29 in the Dutch Top 40.
'Who' is a track on Diana Ross's 1982 album 'Silk electric'. It was released as a single but, unlike other singles from the album, it didn't chart in any territory. Since I can't find any details about this single, I even start to wonder whether it was released worldwide. This copy was made in Holland and it may have been an exclusive release.
This single represents Anita Meijer's breakthrough in the Netherlands. After some time as a singer in the band Rainbow Train, she recorded 'The alternative way' as a duet with Hans Vermeulen, who also produced and arranged the track. It quickly rose to the top of the Dutch Top 40 in the summer of 1976.
Some singles are just classic tracks and it can be quite surprising to come across them in the bargain bin. But that's just what happened with 'I wish' by Stevie Wonder, one of the most recognisable tunes from 1977.
When you hear 'A way you'll never be', you may think it's a Level 42 track. And you wouldn't be too far from the truth: guest musicians on this track are Mark King and Phil Gould from Level 42. It didn't help the commercial appeal of this single: it sunk without a trace.
Fantastique was brought together by the producers team Cat Music in 1980. Dick van Dam and Astrid Leuwener were the faces of this duo, who scored their first hit in 1981 with 'Mama told me'. Not only did it reach number 27 in the Dutch Top 40, it also scored well elsewhere in Europe.
'The wanderer' was written by Donna Summer together with her producer Giorgio Moroder. She'd worked with Moroder while she was signed to Casablanca Records. When she left that label in 1980 after a dispute, she signed to the new Geffen label and continued to work with Moroder.
I was never really looking for this single, but I think this is the first time I actually saw it, and I bought it right away. This is the track my wife and I talked about when I showed her my record collection for the first time. I didn't have it, and she instructed me to download it so we could dance to it. And so I did, of course. It's good to have a physical representative of this track now.
'Jimmy' was the fifth single release from the Dutch band Renée, released in June 1980. It was the first single taken from the band's 1980 album 'Reaching for the sky' and it was received positively by critics and DJ's.
'Now that we found love' was written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff and originally recorded by The O'Jays.
'People are people' was written by Martin Gore, with Alan Wilder creating much of the sound of the track. It was released as Depeche Mode's tenth single in March 1984, reaching number 1 in Germany, number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 10 in the Dutch Top 40.
The band Crowded House broke up in 1996. The record company quickly released a compilation album featuring all of the band's hits during the decade they existed. One of those hits was 'Don't dream it's over', and it was this track that was re-released as a single in the UK.
