You don't love me - Marilyn

Peter Robinson was born in Kingston, Jamaica on November 3, 1962. During his teenage years, growing up in Hertfordshire, England, he started experimenting with his sexuality and image. Adopting the blonde hair, make-up and movements of his idol Marilyn Monroe, he quickly invented his stage name Marilyn.

Boy George and Marilyn were both part of the New Romantic movement and regulars at the Blitz nightclub, a highly stylised nightclub in London run by Steve Strange from the musical group Visage. Following the success of Culture Club, record companies were looking for similar transvestite stars, and so Marilyn was offered a recording contract. 'You don't love me' was Marilyn's third single from his 1985 debut album 'Despite straight lines'.

My collection: 12" single no. 245

Found: Record Exchange, London, 1993

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'You don't love me [extended]' / 'Raining again'

Download: here

Fool - Radio Java

Radio Java formed in the first half of the eighties. Comprising Tony Moore, Steve Price and Johnny Sequins, they started gigging all over London until they signed to Carrere Records. They recorded their debut album 'Some of the parts' at Abbey Road Studios in London. A Dutch DJ bought a copy of their second single 'Fool', and started to play it on Dutch radio. The group flew over to promote the song on Dutch TV, but despite an appearance in the Dutch Tipparade (the 'bubbling under' singles chart), it didn't become a hit.

Injustice! 'Fool' is a beautiful orchestral ballad, and even though the B-side spells 'middle of the road rock fare', it deserved to get more recognition than it did.

My collection: 7" single no. 262

Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 5,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Fool' / 'Lost in your love'

Download: here

O Superman - Laurie Anderson

'O Superman' by Laurie Anderson was an unlikely chart hit. Anderson had never reached the charts before, and she never would again. Anderson constructed the song as a cover of the aria 'O Souverain, o juge, o père' from Jules Massenet's 1885 opera Le Cid. The first line of the song is a part-translation of that title: 'O Superman / O judge / O mom and dad'. The lines 'Cause when love is gone, there's always justice / And when justice is gone, there's always force / And when force is gone, there's always Mom' were derived from the fourth sentence of Chapter 38 of the Tao Te Ching: 'When Tao is lost, there is goodness. When goodness is lost, there is kindness. When kindness is lost, there is justice. When justice is lost, there ritual. Now ritual is the husk of faith and loyalty, the beginning of confusion.'

My copy of the single was housed in a custom WEA Records single sleeve. The label features some specially designed artwork. Although picture sleeves do exist, I still feel this is a great alternative.

My collection: 7" single no. 232
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1984
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'O Superman' / 'Walk the dog'
Download: Album 'Big Science', including both tracks

Noi - Matia Bazar

The Italian group Matia Bazar had phenomenal success with their 1986 hit 'Ti sento'. It went top three in several European countries and it even raised their album to gold and platinum status. How to follow up a hit like that? Simply by continuing whatever you were doing: making great pop songs. 'Noi' lives up to a high standard, even if it didn't get the amount of acclaim 'Ti sento' did.

I was happy to buy the 12" single of 'Noi', because it contained both the single and album versions of the track - and it was also a coloured vinyl edition. The marbled vinyl is a beautiful item to give a spin on your record player.

My collection: 12" single no. 121

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1991

Cost: 7,95 guilders

Tracks: 'Noi' / 'Noi (7" version)' / 'Ai confini della realta'

Download: here

Silver shorts / Falling - The Wedding Present

Like many others, I loved the series 'Twin Peaks' when it was broadcast. Part of its appeal was the soundtrack by Angelo Badalamenti and the songs performed by Julee Cruise. 'Falling' was the best known track from that soundtrack: Julee Cruise had a hit with it in several territories.

I found out about the cover version by The Wedding Present a couple of years later. As soon as I knew, I started looking for the single that would contain this cover. I finally found it in 1995, but I wasn't too impressed. Let's just say that there are good cover versions and mediocre ones...

My collection: 7" single no. 2352

Found: Wreckastow, Rotterdam, June 26, 1995

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Silver shorts' / 'Falling'

They're coming to take me away ha-haaa! - Napoleon XIV

Napoleon XIV was the pseudonym of American singer/songwriter and record producer Jerry Samuels. In 1966, he recorded 'They're coming to take me away ha-haaa!'. The single reached no. 1 status in America one week after its release. In the UK, it reached number 4 and in the Netherlands it went to no. 13. Some groups protested the apparent mockery of mental illness. Officially a one hit wonder, Napoleon XIV did record a whole album of songs referring to mental illness, including the reply from his wife: 'I'm happy they took you away, ha-haaa!' and, later, the sequel: 'They're coming to get me again, ha-haaa!' (which sees the singer slipping back into madness after being released from the insane asylum).

I bought my copy of the single during a record fair. To my surprise, this copy was made in Lebanon. A very unusual country for a vinyl single, but the quality is impressive: it's very thick, hard vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 2923

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 30, 1997

Cost: 10 guilders

Tracks: 'They're coming to take me away, ha-haaa!' / '!aaah-ah ,yawa em ekat ot gnimoc er'yehT'

Download: here

Thinking of you - Maureen Walsh

For a while, I was totally infatuated by this girl called Maureen. I couldn't stop thinking about her, I was watching her every move and that parallysed me so much, that I never got round to actually talking to her. It didn't matter, she probably wasn't my type anyway.

During this time, I came across this test pressing. The white label only stated 'Maureen' and 'Thinking of'. It seemed almost too appropriate - I couldn't resist buying it. Upon playing the single, I found out that it contained bogstandard nineties dance fare. The two tracks were nothing special, so I basically forgot all about it. For this blog I decided to pull it out again, and, while I was at it, to find out the identity of all this. It's Maureen Walsh! According to discogs.com, she released several 7" and 12" singles, but no albums. Not a big star then.

My collection: 7" single no. 1660

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, June 6, 1992

Cost: 3,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Thinking of you' / 'One chance'

Download: here

Lydia - Dean Friedman

Dean Friedman is an American singer/songwriter who was born in New Jersey on May 23, 1955. His beautiful ballad 'Lydia' by Dean Friedman was a small hit in the UK and the Netherlands.

This is one of those singles I bought two times. The first purchase took place in London during a holiday there. I found a tattered copy of it in a plain white sleeve and bought it immediately. This version was pressed in England, and carries the song 'S&M' on the B-side. The copy turned out to be virtually unplayable. Six years later, I bought another single to replace the original one in my collection, a Dutch pressing with the song 'Well well said the rocking chair (it's gonna be alright)' on the B-side. This time, it had a picture sleeve!

My collection: 7" single no. 1063

Found: London, October 18, 1989 / Leiden, November 19, 1995

Cost: 50p / 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Lydia' / 'S&M' or 'Well well said the rocking chair (it's gonna be alright)'

Download: Album 'Well well said the rocking chair', including all three tracks

Whistle down the wind - Nick Heyward

Nick Heyward was born in Beckenham, Kent (UK) on May 20, 1961. In 1980 he formed Haircut 100, a band that became very popular in the UK in the early eighties. They released just one album in 1982, 'Pelican West', but it contained no less than four UK top 10 hits. Heyward quit the band in 1983 to pursue a solo career.

This solo career started with 'Whistle down the wind', a song that would reach no. 13 in March 1983. Thanks to radio I heard this song and I grew to like it. Two years later, I bought this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 391

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Whistle down the wind' / 'Atlantic Monday'

Download: here

I love this life - The Blue Nile

Ever since I heard 'Tinseltown in the rain' and 'Stay' in 1984, I had a soft spot for The Blue Nile. Their silent, beautiful music is truly in a league of its own. The fact that they only release an album every six or seven years add to their appeal.

It didn't take me long to find out that their debut album 'A walk across the rooftops' (1983) was preceded by a debut single, 'I love this life', released back in 1981. It did take a long time, however, to find that single. It suddenly appeared in a shop in London. No picture sleeve, unfortunately, but still: here were two tracks I'd been searching for endlessly. It was the first day of a holiday in London. I had to wait for another week to finally hear the tracks...

My collection: 7" single no. 2163

Found: Record exchange, Camden, London, September 26, 1994

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'I love this life' / 'The second act'

Download: cd-single 'I would never', including both tracks

Images of heaven - Peter Godwin

Peter Godwin was born in Germany and one of the members of the band Metro in the late 1970's. In 1982, he released this solo single, 'Images of heaven', which became well-known in alternative circuits. The single was accompanied by two different videos: a rude version and a clean version.

I got to know Peter Godwin initially because of his other single, 'Emotional disguise'. Buying this single was an experiment. I wasn't disappointed.

My collection: 7" snigle no. 1389

Found: All that music, Leiden, February 22, 1991

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Images of heaven' / 'Spoken images'

Download: here

Peeping Tom - Rockwell

Rockwell is the son of Motown founder and CEO Berry Gordy. To avoid charges of nepotism, Rockwell secured his record deal without his father's knowledge. 'Peeping Tom' was Rockwell's third single, taken from the motion picture 'The last dragon'.

When I heard the 12" remix of this track, thanks to my sister who had bought the 12" single, I was really impressed. I liked the echoed vocals, the extra beats, the instrumental breaks and everything that the single version lacked. I only got the chance to buy this record three years after it was released - but I still remembered it. Good remixes can do that.

My collection: 12" single no. 70

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1988

Cost: 8 guilders

Tracks: 'Peeping Tom [remix]' / 'Tokyo (instrumental version)'

Download: here

Fairytale - Dana

Dana's main clame to fame is winning the 1970 Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland. It was the first time that country won the contest, but it wouldn't be the last time. Dana, meanwhile, had a very successful international career thanks to her winning song, 'All kinds of everything'. Seven years later, she released this single, 'Fairytale', an energetic popsong not reminiscent of 'All kinds of everything' at all. 'Fairytale' reached no. 13 in the UK and no. 5 in the Netherlands. In Mexico, it was no. 1 for eight weeks, reaching gold status.

My collection: 7" single no. 1628

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

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Fairytale' / 'Country girl'

Download: here

Seasons - Grace Slick

Grace Slick is an American singer/songwriter, who was one of the lead singers of Jefferson Airplane. In 1980 she released a solo album entitled 'Dreams', and 'Seasons' was the first single to be drawn from that album. It reached no. 12 in the Dutch Top 40, and as a result of that I knew it. When I bought this single it was probably because of that fact: the bargain bin didn't always contain the most attractive singles and sometimes they were all virtually unknown to me.

To my young ears this song must have sounded mysterious. I didn't quite understand the lyrics, but Grace's performance was gripping nonetheless. Almost thirty years on, this is still a great song.

My collection: 7" single no. 64

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1980

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Seasons' / 'Angel of night'

Download: Album 'Dreams', including both tracks

Water on glass - Kim Wilde

I was still desperately searching for Kim Wilde's 'Cambodia', but I couldn't find it. Instead, one autumn day in 1982, I bumped into an unknown English single by her. I found 'Water on glass'. I didn't know the track, since I hadn't bought any album by Kim yet, but the sleeve was appealing enough and I had become interested enough to want to have this single.

'Water on glass' was the third single to be drawn from Kim's debut album. It was a hit in the UK, reaching no. 11, but by the time European countries had caught on to the phenomena 'Kids in America' and 'Chequered love', Kim had already recorded 'Cambodia', so in most countries that single was released instead. I did buy a Dutch pressing of 'Water on glass' in 1998, however, so maybe the record companies did try to get it in the chart. I just don't know...

My collection: 7" single no. 175 / no. 3036

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1982 / Record fair, Utrecht, October 11, 1998

Cost: 2 guilders / 10 guilders

Tracks: 'Water on glass' / 'Boys'

Download: A selection of Kim Wilde songs, including both tracks

How to be a millionaire - ABC

After the glitzy kitschpop of 'Lexicon of love' and the harder edged rock of 'Beauty stab', ABC reinvented themselves as cartoon characters and released 1984's 'How to be a millionaire'. The accompanying video was a Hanna-Barbera style motion cartoon, presenting Martin Fry and Mark White in their new cartoon guise, plus the two new band members Fiona (a busty brunette) and David (a short bald guy).

It wasn't a big success chart-wise: it only reached no. 49 in the UK, and it didn't even chart in the Netherlands. It would take a while for them to have big hits again...

My collection: 7" single no. 1604

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, March 28, 1992

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'How to be a millionaire' / 'How to be a billionaire'

Download: here

Sometimes - Spargo

I already explained a few times on this blog how I revised my singles collection when I was younger. Sometime in the eighties the final revision took place. On this occasion, most of the Dutch language singles plus those of Dutch bands were removed. That included my rather big collection of Spargo singles. I owned most of their hits thanks to cheap offers in my favourite second hand record shop. 'Head up to the sky', 'One night affair', 'Just for you', 'Hip hap hop'... They all went out.

One single remained: 1980's 'Sometimes', which was a great ballad. The band didn't even make the top 10 with this, like they had with all the aforementioned singles.

My collection: 7" single no. 77

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1980

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Sometimes' / 'Take a break'

Download: Album 'Good time spirit', including both tracks

How beautiful you are - Peter Blegvad

Peter Blegvad was born on August 14, 1951. He is an American musician, singer/songwriter and cartoonist. He was a member of the avant-rock band Slapp Happy, which founded in Germany in 1972. In the 1980's he released two albums that were both commercially unsuccessful. This single, 'How beautiful you are' is taken from his debut album 'The naked Shakespeare'. On the album he collaborated with several wellknown British musicians. 'How beautiful you are' was produced by Dave Stewart (Not the one of Eurythmics fame, but the other one who worked with Barbara Gaskin) and the B-side 'Vermont' was produced by Andy Partridge (from XTC).

I recorded this track from radio in 1983, played it endlessly and finally found the single in 1990 during a record fair.

My collection: 7" single no. 1228

Found: Record fair, Den Haag, April 22, 1990

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'How beautiful you are' / 'Vermont'

Interlude - Rosie Vela

'Interlude' was another single to be taken from the album 'Zazu' by Rosie Vela. Like its predecessor 'Magic smile', the single contained album versions only. Even the 12" single offers no surprises: it only adds the track 'Tonto', also taken from the album.

So why buy all this? Well, because of the sleeves of course. And to complete a collection.

My collection: 7" single no. 2147 / 12" single no. 138

Found: Record fair, Netherlands, August 25, 1994 / London, 1992

Cost: 2 guilders / 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Interlude' / 'Taxi', 'Tonto' ('Tonto' 12" only)

Download: Album 'Zazu', including these tracks

Suffer the children - Tears for Fears

Taken from their debut album 'The Hurting', 'Suffer the children' was actually Tears for Fears's debut single. According to Curt Smith: ''Suffer The Children' was the first song we did together when we left Graduate. It was our very first experimentation with sequencers and drum machines, with a guy called David Lord, who worked with Peter Gabriel and different people down in Bath. So that was actually the first song we did as Tears For Fears.'

The 12" single featured three tracks that were never included in any of the compilations and re-releases on cd: an extended remix, an instrumental version and the B-side 'Wino', which is probably the simplest track Tears for Fears ever recorded: just guitar and voice.

My collection: 12" single no. 87

Found: London, 1989

Cost: 2,5 pounds

Tracks: 'Suffer the children (remix)' / 'Suffer the children (instrumental)', 'Wino'

Download: here