How can I believe? - Betsy Cook

Betsy Cook released 'How can I believe?' as the second single off her album 'The girl who ate herself'. (The first single was 'Love is the groove' but that entry in this blog has been deleted by The Powers That Be for some strange reason.) It is a beautiful ballad, and one of the best tracks on the album full stop.

Other artists have benefited from Betsy's craftmanship: Paul Young recorded 'Wonderland' a few years prior to the release of her own album, Cher recorded 'Love is the groove' and Stevie Nicks recorded 'Docklands'. All tracks were on Betsy's album too. There is not much information on what Betsy did next, but I guess she's still out there somewhere, songwriting.

My collection: 7" single no. 1621

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

Cost: 3,5 guilders

Tracks: 'How can I believe?' / 'Look to yourself'

The model - Kraftwerk

If you should define the German group Kraftwerk with one song, this would be the one. They are known for their electronic, mechanical-sounding, almost inhuman music, but this track is proof that they were definitely capable of writing a melodic popsong.

In his book 'I was a robot', about his time in the group Kraftwerk, Wolfgang Flür wrote that his former bandmates Emil Schult and Ralf Hütter had been obsessed with the model Christa Becker and that she had been the inspiration for the song 'The model'. Apparently they weren't amused with this becoming public knowledge, so they tried to sue him. It didn't work: the secret got out.

My collection: 7" single no. 1221
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, April 22, 1990
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'The model' / 'Computer love'

Streets of Philadelphia - Bruce Springsteen

In early 1993, director of the movie 'Philadelphia', Jonathan Demme, asked Bruce Springsteen to write a song for the in-progress film. In June 1993, after the conclusion of his tour, Springsteen did so. It was recorded with Springsteen supplying almost all of the instrumentation, with bass and background vocals from his band member Tommy Simms.

The song would achieve greater popularity in Europe than it would in the United States. While it peaked at number 9 in the US Billboard Hot 100, it was a number one hit single in Germany in France. It peaked at number 2 in the UK and number 6 in the Netherlands.

I bought this vinyl single after searching for it for months - and refused to buy the cd-single. It was a hard time for vinyl single collectors: the format was becoming quite extinct during that year, numerous titles weren't even released on the format anymore. Finding this single was a sweet victory.

My collection: 7" single no. 2093

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, April 16, 1994

Cost: 8 guilders

Tracks: 'Streets of Philadelphia' / 'If I should fall behind (live)'

Cardiac arrest - Madness

'Cardiac arrest' was taken from Madness's third album '7' (1981). It spent 10 weeks in UK Singles chart, peaking at number 14. In the Netherlands the single was officially released as a double A-side with 'In the city', although my (Dutch) copy still says 'Side 2' for 'In the city'. It peaked at number 15 in the Dutch Top 40.

The lyric of 'Cardiac arrest' tells a story of a workaholic who suffers a fatal heart attack on his way to work. The song was banned on BBC Radio 1 due to deaths in the families of two DJs. It had an effect on the record's chart position, which was lower than usual for Madness. The album version of the song ends after the second chorus with a dramatic cut to a coda representing the man's heart thudding and then stopping, however the single version replaces this with a repeat of the more optimistic first chorus, which fades out.

My collection: 7" single no. 122

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1982

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Cardiac arrest' / 'In the city'

Download: here

Love is everywhere - Cicero

My friend Puck said that I should include more good songs. 'Define good songs', I said. He replied: 'songs that I know'. Well, I'm always eager to please. Hope you like it, Puck.

David John Cicero was born May 29, 1970 in Greenport, Long Island, USA. When his parents divorced, he moved to Livingston, Scotland. He attended a Pet Shop Boys concert in Glasgow in 1989 and gave a demo tape to Peter Andreas, the Pet Shop Boys' personal assistant. Peter Andreas contacted Cicero with an offer of artist management and later when Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe heard Cicero's material, they signed him up to their recently formed Spaghetti label. His debut single 'Heaven must have sent you back to me' on August 12, 1991. This single failed to chart. The follow-up, 'Love is everywhere', produced by the Pet Shop Boys, reached number 19 in the UK Singles Chart in January 1992.

My collection: 7" single no. 2881

Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 28, 1997

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Love is everywhere' / 'Mind gap'

Der Kommissar - Falco

In a previous entry, I already wrote about 'Der Kommissar' by After the fire, but this is the original version - and it can't be beat. Johann (Hans) Hölzel was born in Vienna, Austria on February 19, 1957 and took on the stage name Falco in the late Seventies, reportedly as a tribute to the East German skier Falko Weißpflog. His first hit was 'Der Kommissar', taken from his debut album 'Einzelhaft' (1982). Besides being a hit in his native Austria and neighbour countries Germany and Switzerland, it also reached number 18 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1678

Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 28, 1992

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Der Kommissar' / 'Helden von heute'

Download: here

Lost in music - Sister Sledge

Kim, Debbie, Joni and Kathy Sledge formed Sister Sledge in 1972 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The four sisters (sister number five, Carol, preferred to stay outside of the music business) had a reasonably successful start of their career, but by the end of the Seventies, their career went into decline. It was then that they met Bernard Edwards from Chic. The disco anthems 'He's the greatest dancer', 'We are family' and 'Lost in music', all produced by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, became the biggest hits of their career.

Their biggest hits have been re-released several times in the UK, often in newly-remixed versions. 'Lost in Music' was one of them: it reached number 17 in 1979, number 4 in 1984 and number 14 in 1993. This single is the 1984 version, which I bought in 2000.

My collection: 7" single no. 3232

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, October 18, 2000

Cost: 2,5 pounds

Tracks: 'Lost in music' / 'Smile'

Download: here

Face to face - Siouxie and the Banshees

Siouxie and the Banshees recorded 'Face to face' for the soundtrack of the movie 'Batman Returns'. Thanks to Danny Elfman's involvement in the writing of the song (which was co-written with the band), it features elements from his score to the film. 'Face to face' peaked at number 21 in the UK singles chart.

I got to know this song because a friend of mine was (and still is) addicted to Batman movies. Lord knows why - I always had a prejudice against them because superhero movies are usually mindblowingly boring. So I didn't see the movie, and only got to hear this song some time after its release. But when I did, I wanted to have it.

My collection: 7" single no. 2393
Found: Marlyn Music, Eastbourne, July 5, 1995
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Face to face' / 'I could be again'

Is this love - Whitesnake

Rock ballads are quite an interesting phenomenon. What drives these tough looking men, who usually shake their heads to screaming guitar solos and thundering drums to suddenly start making softhearted ballads? Who knows... Anyway, the result is usually interesting.

'Is this love' is a power ballad like only Eighties rock bands could bring forth. A number 2 hit in America and peaking at number 23 in the Netherlands, the single was promoted with a video containing all the Eighties rock cliches: men with big hair, sexy women on cars and of course... the smoke machine.

My collection: 7"single no. 597

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, February 25, 1988

Cost: 6,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Is this love' / 'Standing in the shadows'

Download: Album 'Greatest hits', including both tracks

Wet day in September - Pussycat

Pussycat was a Dutch band formed in the Seventies by the sisters Toni, Marianne and Betty Kowalczyk. With muicians Lou Wille (Toni's husband), Theo Wetzels, Theo Coumans and John Theunissen they recorded several albums and singles. Their biggest success was 'Mississippi' (1975), which reached number 1 in the UK singles chart.

'Wet day in September' was released in 1978 and peaked at number 7 in the Dutch Top 40. It's one of the first singles I ever bought - although unfortunately it came in a standard 'EMI-Bovema Holland' record company sleeve instead of the picture sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 7

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1978

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Wet day in September' / 'I remember springtime'

Can't stop running - Space Monkey

Space Monkey was a British pop group from the mid-1980s led by singer, songwriter and guitarist Paul Goodchild. They released 'Can't stop running' in the autumn of 1983. While it only reached number 53 in the UK, the single peaked at number 12 in the Dutch Top 40. I was listening to the top 40 every week during that time, so that is how I got to know the track.

According to Wikipedia, the group also released an album in 1985, called 'On the Beam'. Space Monkey was not a 'group' per se; Goodchild was in fact the only person to appear on every one of the tracks on 'On the Beam'. Various session musicians were utilized. The album failed to make any chart impact, and Space Monkey ceased to exist soon after that.

My collection: 7" single no. 1940

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, August 11, 1993

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Can't stop running' / 'Can't stop running (Impact Instrumental)'

Better the devil you know - Sonia

Not to be confused with one of Kylie Minogue's best songs of her career, this is the song with which Sonia represented the UK in the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest. She sang eight different songs on the national final, but this track, written by Brian Teasdale and Dean Collinson. On the night of the Eurovision Song Contest, she received the maximum 12 points from Belgium, Iceland, Austria and Israel. Amazingly, she made 2nd place in the competition.

It may be obvious from my tone of writing: I wasn't impressed with this voice. It was just as uninspiring as that year's winner, Niamh Kavanagh's 'In your eyes' (Ireland). My favourite track, 'Alle mine tankar' by Silje Vige (Norway), ended up in fifth place.

My collection: 7" single no. 3273

Found: Record fair, November 11, 2000

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Better the devil you know' / 'Not what I call love'

Axel F - Harold Faltermeyer

In the mid-Eighties, synthesizers were getting increasingly popular as a means to make movie soundtracks. Jan Hammer made a living making soundtracks for 'Miami Vice', and Harold Faltermeyer scored the 'Beverley Hills Cop' movies. His biggest success was the track 'Axel F', which reached number 2 in the UK and number 1 in the Netherlands.

When you listen to it now, it sound a bit dated but it is still a catchy tune. It's hard to believe, though, that movie producers didn't prefer large orchestras instead. It always sounds more impressive, I think.

My collection: 7" single no. 2421

Found: All that music, Leiden, 1994

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Axel F' / 'Shoot out'

Unconditional love - Susanna Hoffs

Susanna Hoffs followed up her debut solo single 'My side of the bed' with another track from her album 'When you're a boy': 'Unconditional love'. The song was written by Kelly, Steinberg and Cyndi Lauper. The single did not chart in America and the Netherlands, and in the UK it peaked at number 65. I guess that means it wasn't a hit anywhere then.

In the UK the single was also released as a picture disc, just like its predecessor. I found it in 1996 together with the other one, so buying the two of them was a logical decision. The B-side of the regular single and the picture disc single is the non-album track 'Circus girl'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1446 / 7" single no. 2669

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, June 15, 1991 / Record fair, Leeds, June 30, 1996

Cost: 3,5 guilders / 1 pound

Tracks: 'Unconditional love' / 'Circus girl'

Download: here

Knock on wood - Amii Stewart

Disco queen Amii Stewart tried her hand at two cover versions in 1979 and it did her career some good. 'Knock on wood' was originally performed by Eddie Floyd in 1966. It was covered by many artists, but Amii's version reached number 1 in the American chart, making it the most well-known version of that song.

The same cannot be said for 'Light my fire', originally performed by the Doors. The original will always be the most fondly remembered, but Amii did a good danceable version of it in 1979. It reached number 5 in the UK singles chart and number 7 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1662

Found: Record fair, June 13, 1992

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Knock on wood' / 'Light my fire'

Smooth operator - Sade

Attentive readers of this blog will have noticed that Sade's first 12" single 'Your love is king' already contained an extended version of 'Smooth operator'. Still, 'Smooth operator' was released as her third single in 1984, and it contained another version of the track. This time it was extended with another instrumental track, 'Red eye'. This 12" version was also the music for an extended music video, which was played on television every now and again.

The B-side of this 12" single is the song 'Spirit', which again was never released on cd. There is a rumour going round that Sade will release a new cd this year. Well, here's hoping...

My collection: 12" single no. 25

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 10 guilders

Tracks: 'Smooth operator', 'Red Eye' / 'Spirit'

Shattered dreams - Johnny hates Jazz

After signing to Virgin records, 'Shattered dreams' was the first single from Johnny hates Jazz for their new record company. Released in April 1987 it was their first and biggest hit, reaching number 5 in the UK. In the Netherlands, it peaked at number 30 in the Dutch Top 40. The single preceded their debut album, which hit number 1 in the UK albums chart.

Things had taken off for Johnny hates Jazz in a big way, but there was more to come. I would buy all their singles - but only years afterwards. Just like this one.

My collection: 7" single no. 1577

Found: All that music, Leiden, January 25, 1992

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Shattered dreams' / 'My secret garden'

Download: here

Nothing to fear - Chris Rea

I don't know for sure, but this might well be the longest single ever released. Chris Rea's 'Nothing to fear' clocks in at 9 minutes and 10 seconds: truly an epic song. It's this length that piqued my interest when I came across this single during a week in London in 1992. I listened to it on a listening post, and decided I liked it enough to buy it.

I'm glad I did: it's probably the best song of Chris Rea's career. Taken from his 1992 album 'God's great banana skin', it reached number 16 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1737

Found: Virgin Megastore, October 17, 1992

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Nothing to fear' / 'Nothing to fear (edit)', 'Strange dance'

The edge of heaven - Wham

'The edge of heaven' was Wham's last single. It was released in the spring of 1986, after George Michael and Andrew Ridgely announced their breakup. The single preceded a historic farewell concert at Wembley Stadium in London on June 28, 1986.

The single reached number 1 in the UK and the Netherlands that summer. It was sold as a double single including four tracks. One of them was 'Where did your heart go', which was also released separately as a single in some territories. The song, originally recorded by art-rock ensemble Was (Not Was), was a downbeat and sombre affair that would fit seamlessly onto George Michael's later solo albums.

The band had been together five years, selling close to 20 million albums and 10 to 15 million singles.

My collection: 7" single no. 483

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1986

Cost: 6,5 guilders

Tracks: 'The edge of heaven' / 'Battlestations' // 'Wham Rap '86' / 'Where did your heart go?'

If you don't love me - Prefab Sprout

In 1992, Prefab Sprout released their greatest hits album 'A life of surprises'. The album reached number 3 on the UK albums chart. It was a chance for me to get my favourite tracks 'When love breaks down', 'Appetite' and 'Johnny Johnny' on cd. And as has happened to me before: once I started playing the cd a lot, I started looking for more singles.

During a visit to London, I came across this single, 'If you don't love me', one of the nicest tracks from the compilatoin cd. I was very happy to see that a remixed version appeared on the B-side. It didn't take me long to make the decision to buy this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 1756

Found: Tower Records, London, October 19, 1992

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'If you don't love me' / 'If you don't love me (String driven thing)'