Everybody's got to learn sometime - Korgis

It's hard to imagine now, but in the days before the internet, there were ways of getting singles from abroad. One of those ways was Oldies Unlimited, a mail order company based in the UK where one could order 7" and 12" singles. This was in the days before cd's, mind. I used to go to the post office, exchange guilders for pounds and then send letters to the UK containing a few five or ten pound notes and my order form. A week or so later I would get a parcel with records. Every time it felt like Christmas.

However, there were also disappointments. Like this one: I ordered a copy of the Korgis 'Everybody's got to learn sometime', and got a copy in a plain yellow sleeve instead of a photo cover. It's the music that counts, but still... I didn't get what I expected. That's the one thing about mail ordering from abroad via snail mail: you never went back with a complaint, because that was too expensive to begin with.

My collection: 7" single no. 336

Found: Oldies Unlimited, UK, 1985

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Everybody's got to learn sometime' / 'Dirty postcards'

Download: here

Final love song - PS & the Footnotes

The Dutch band PS & the Footnotes is not so wellknown. Their first single, 'Final love song', never reached the charts in the Netherlands, and other singles went the same way. No wonder, then, that their records were never released on cd. It's a shame, because 'Final love song' is a beautiful track. It makes one wonder whether they recorded more stuff like this.

My collection: 7" single no. 779

Found: All that music, Leiden, 1989

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Final love song' / 'Love at second sight'

Download: here

Everybody wants to rule the world - Tears for fears

One of the most successful songs Tears for fears released, was this: 'Everybody wants to rule the world' stormed the charts in 1985 and went top 3 in most countries. The single reached number two in the UK, and this was partly thanks to the attractive double single, released by Mercury records. Not only did it contain a remix of the track, it also offered an interview with Curt and Roland, explaining more about the tracks on their then-current album 'Songs from the big chair'.

Double singles were hard to get outside the UK, but fortunately small quantities were imported. One of those copies ended up at my home after a few moments of desperation: why are these things so darn expensive?

My collection: 7" single no. 380

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 12,95 guilders

Tracks: 'Everybody wants to rule the world' / 'Pharaohs' - 'Everybody wants to rule the world (Urban mix)' / 'Interview with Curt & Roland'

Download: here

Senses working overtime - XTC

It's not that I'm such a fan of XTC. I did love the song 'Making plans for Nigel' when it was in the charts, but 'Senses working overtime' made less of an impression on me. Still, that was the first XTC record I bought. It was probably because it was the only track in the 'out of charts'-bin that I liked when I visited my usual record shop in 1982. I paid half price for 'out of charts' singles, which made it worthwhile to choose from that selection.

'Senses working overtime' was the last hit for XTC in the Netherlands. They would continue to release singles but they never made a dent in the charts. In the UK they fared only slightly better: most singles didn't make the top 40 anymore, with the exception of 'The disappointed' (1992).

My collection: 7" single no. 141

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1982

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Senses working overtime' / 'Blame the weather', 'Tissue tigers (the arguers)'

Download: here

Goodbye - The Sundays

After I'd become interested in Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan, there was a whole bunch of alternative artists and bands to be discovered. I discovered a whole new bunch of friends and they kept confronting me with new music. And I loved a lot of it. One of these discoveries was The Sundays. I never really liked all of their work, but the single 'Goodbye' was pretty impressive to me. I snapped up the single when I was in London and then never bought anything else from them ever again.

My collection: 7" single no. 1758

Found: HMV London, October 19, 1992

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Goodye' / 'Wild horses'

Download: here

Toy soldiers - Martika

Some would call it an obsession. In September 1989, I realised that every time I left my hometown, I bought a record wherever I went. So when I went to Noordwijk for a three day course with my fellow students, I simply had to get myself a record too. On the morning of the last day, I ran out to the centre of town, got into a record store and bought myself the best chart single I could find. It was Martika's 'Toy soldiers'.

It was Martika's debut single, which ended up number one in the USA. The inspiration for the song came from a friend of Martika who was battling a drug addiction at the time. The chorus of the song featured former castmates from 'Kids Incorporated', an American children's TV programme.

My collection: 7" single no. 983

Found: Noordwijk, September 13, 1989

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Toy soldiers' / 'Exchange of hearts'

Download: here

Go west - Village people

The Village People were big in the gay scene at the end of the 1970's. They managed to break into the mainstream thanks to their catchy and memorable songs, often inspired by gimmicks. Their best known tracks were 'Y.M.C.A.' and 'In the navy'. However, 'Go west' was also a rather successful song, not least because it was covered in 1992 by the Pet Shop Boys.

I bought the single back in 1979 soon after it came out, but the 12" single is a relatively new acquisition. It features extended mixes of the title track and the B-side. An essential disco track.

My collection: 12" single no. 464

Found: Record exchange, London, 2005

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Go west (Disco mix)' / 'Citizens of the world (Disco mix)'

She's leaving - OMD

OMD scored a big hit in Europe with 'Maid of Orleans'. It was a number one hit in the Netherlands as well. As beautiful as I thought it was, by the time it had left the charts I was tired of it. How wonderful that the next single was fresh and exciting again: 'She's leaving' was released, and from the first time I heard it I was totally fascinated. There was this cold, emotionless synthesizer, combined with passionate vocals. I loved the musical theme of the song.

When I bought the single, it was a bargain. It hadn't reached the charts and the shop offered it for a discount price within weeks. I was very happy to have this one, and I have played it regularly since - although these days it's obviously become the mp3 I play the most.

My collection: 7" single no. 231

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1982

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'She's leaving' / 'The romance of the telescope'

Download: Album 'Architecture and morality', including both tracks

Free spirit - Kim Appleby

Kim Appleby released her last solo single 'Free spirit' in 1994. It was after she'd released two solo albums. The song was energetic enough, but didn't achieve the commercial success she must have anticipated.

Despite having followed her career ever since she rose to fame with her sister Mel as the dancepop duo Mel & Kim, I didn't know about this release when I found it in the shops in London that year. At first I bought the cd-single, but then discovered that the 12" single contained two remixes not included on the cd-single. Listening to it now, it still sounds fresh.

My collection: 12" single no. 240

Found: London, 1994

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Free spirit [12" mix]', 'Free spirit (Tony King club remix)' / 'Free spirit (Sound of Stockwell dub)', 'Free spirit (Spiritual mix)'

Download: here

Fadeaway - Loz Netto

Loz Netto played with the band Sniff 'n' the Tears until 1981. Then briefly before a tour he had an accident and wasn't able to perform live with them. After a period of recovery, he started to make music again. It led to a solo career, which started off with the single 'Fadeaway'. It was the only single that would give him some chart success: he landed in the Dutch Top 40 in January 1983 and reach no. 25.

I'd just come into a period where I wanted to buy those singles my sister didn't like. That way, we'd have a bigger record collection, because we wouldn't buy the same singles all the time. She wasn't interested in this single, and so I bought it. It's one of those things you don't regret over time: it's still a great song and not so wellknown 25 years later.

My collection: 7" single no. 182

Found: Studio Echo, Den Haag, 1983

Cost: 5,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Fadeaway' / 'Show me'

Download: here

Send my heart - Adventures

The Adventures were a rock band from Belfast (Ireland). They moved to London to sign with Chrysalis records and release their first records in 1984. Their second single was 'Send my heart'. It reached the lower regions of the UK charts.

I got to know the band via a local radio station which kept playing even the smallest hits from England. The fact that they consistently released double single editions made them very interesting for me. It took a long time for me to notice their 12" singles: only recently did I start buying them, discovering all the extended remixes included on them.

My collection: 12" single no. 437

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, 2004

Cost: 3 euro

Tracks: 'Send my heart (extended re-mix)', 'Send my heart (Band remix)' / 'These children (live)', 'Life during wartime (live)'

Download: here

On Stage EP - Kate Bush

Kate Bush fans don't have an easy life. Unlike fans of U2, Coldplay, Madonna and whatever else is popular these days, they don't get a chance to see her play live... ever! When people complain about the fact that they haven't seen their idol in concert for, oh, two years, I can always say that I've had to wait for my turn since, well, 1979.

That's when this ep was released, a souvenir of a unique tour, the only one that Kate Bush ever did. I was eight when Kate did this, so basically, I never had a chance to see her live. At the time there was some criticism that this ep wasn't live as well: apparently Kate had overdubbed some vocals and edited one of the songs. I denied this vigorously, but had to acknowledge my mistake later. Indeed, Kate had 'worked' on these tracks. It's still a lovely souvenir, though.

My collection: 7" single no. 34

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1979

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Them heavy people', 'Don't push your foot on the heartbrake' / 'James and the cold gun', 'L'amour looks something like you'

Download: Album 'This woman's work vol. 2', including all four tracks

I want candy - Bow wow wow

'I want candy' was originally recorded by the Strangeloves in 1965. The punk band Bowwowwow recorded their cover version of this song in 1982, at the height of their success.

Originally, this was the first single by Bow wow wow I owned, but within weeks of buying it I started to doubt whether I really wanted to have it or not. Making use of this situation, my sister eventually traded the single for another one. Fourteen years later, I bought a new copy of this single in England. It turned out to be a 'special edition', featuring 'I want candy' on the A-side and the Bow wow wow logo etched on the other side of the disc.

My collection: 7" single no. 2778

Found: Record exchange, London, October 31, 1996

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'I want candy'

Download: Bow wow wow EP, featuring this track

Hot stuff - Donna Summer

During the great shopping spree of 1979, which I wrote about earlier, this was one of the other finds. This single came in a custom 'Casablance' sleeve, and featured a track by Donna Summer. At the time I knew all about her, thanks to 'funny' songs like 'I feel love' and 'Down deep inside'. Little children always have to laugh about groaning women, at least that's what I think. 'Hot stuff' was a bit more 'serious'. It was a good dance track, but I deemed it a bit 'boring' in the long run. That's why I never played this single much.

My collection: 7" single no. 14

Found: London, July 1979

Cost: 10p

Tracks: 'Hot stuff' / 'Journey to the centre of your heart'

Download: Album 'Bad girls', including both tracks

101 - Sheena Easton

In the 1980's, Sheena Easton metamorphosed from an innocent little Scottish starlet into an American vamp. The change happened in 1983, after she'd recorded a rather bizarre duet with country star Kenny Rogers. She collaborated with Prince, recorded the suggestive track 'Strut' and revived her slumping career. She continued to work with Prince, as evidenced in his 1987 track 'U got the look' and this track, '101', which was written by the musical wizard from Minneapolis.

Originally, '101' is a steamy ballad. On the 12" single, it is remixed by David Morales and Prince respectively. It adds some extra energy to the track.

My collection: 12" single no. 430

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, 2003

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: '101 (Def house mix)' / '101 (Uptown mix)'

Download: here (password: DjPaulT)

Milk - Garbage

The band Garbage is specialized in rock tracks with a twist. Their Bond anthem 'The World is not enough' is one example of their greatness, and this track, 'Milk', is another. Aside from their music, Garbage have also been known for their great attraction to unlikely formats. They released 3" cd singles in blister packs long after the 3" format had been abandoned by record companies, and they released 7" singles in thick, attractive sleeves to make their records attractive for collectors.

The 7" single for Milk included a large foldout poster with no image on it, just a red square, and a cardboard outer sleeve with a 3d reflecting image. A beautiful item for those who appreciate special editions...

My collection: 7" single no. 2800

Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, December 14, 1996

Cost: 10 guilders

Tracks: 'Milk (Wicked mix)' / 'Milk (Tricky remix)'

Download: 'Milk (Remixes)', including both tracks

Money - Flying Lizards

'Money' was first recorded by Barret Strong back in 1959. It was covered by the Beatles and then much later in 1979 by the Flying Lizards. They were a British experimental rock group, making their name with this and other postmodern cover versions of songs.

At a very young age I was confronted with this song and I liked it a lot. I was especially impressed with the fact that the song continued on the B-side, with instrumental improvisations.

My collection: 7" single no. 53

Found: Rapsody, Den Haag, 1979

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Money' / 'Money B'

Download: here

Sounds like a melody - Alphaville

The German band Alphaville rose to fame with the song 'Big in Japan', a number 2 hit in the Netherlands in May 1984. Three months later, they released 'Sound like a melody', a song that appealed more to my taste, but less to the taste of the general public.

I can't recall how I first heard the 12" version of that song, but most likely it was because my sister bought and played it. I was most impressed: not only had the song become longer, but I felt it had also gained intensity. The instrumental piece at the end of the song was expanded and seemed to come to a point where you almost can't bear it anymore. I bought my copy of the 12" years later.

My collection: 12" single no. 464

Found: unknown

Cost: 10 guilders

Tracks: 'Sounds like a melody [extended]' / 'The Nelson Highrise (Sector One: The Elevator)'

Download: here

Moviestar - Harpo

Jan Harpo Torsten Svensson was born on April 5, 1950 in Stockholm, Sweden. In 1975 he rose to international fame with his song 'Moviestar'. It reached number one in Sweden and Germany, number 2 in Australia and the Netherlands. Although Harpo is still active in the music business to this day, he never repeated this level of success.

One of the backing singers on 'Moviestar' was Frida from that other famous Swedish act, Abba. I am sure that I didn't know this as a kid, even though I was an Abba fan, but the song had an incredible impact on me. I loved the melody, the strange accent in the vocals, and played my sister's copy of the single time and again. I bought my own copy in 1991.

My collection: 7" single no. 1520

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 21, 1991

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Moviestar' / ' I don't know why'

Download: here

Make a move on me - Oliva Newton-John

Certainly not the most well known songs by Olivia Newton-John. It was taken from her album 'Physical', after the title track and the second single off the album, 'Landslide', were pretty successful in the UK.

When I bought this single, I'd forgotten about this track as well, but I still recalled it vaguely. The sleeve did the rest, I have to confess. I bought my copy, along with a few dozen other singles, in Walthamstow, London, one of my favourite second hand record haunts on Wood Street. I wonder if that shop still exists...

My collection: 7" single no. 2707

Found: House of Rhythm, London, July 3, 1996

Cost: 30p

Tracks: 'Make a move on me' / 'Strangers touch'

Download: Album 'Physical', including both tracks