In the heat of the night - Sandra

Released in November 1985, 'In the heat of the night' was Sandra's second solo single taken from the debut album 'The Long Play'. On the album this song lasted for over five minutes, the single version was edited to 3'48. It was a number one hit in Israel and peaked at number 2 in Germany, Sweden and Switzerland. In the Netherlands, it peaked at number 15.

I didn't like Sandra's music at first, but got turned on by a friend who lived in Utrecht. I felt a strange sense of appropriateness when I bought this single in that city.

My collection: 7" single no. 1859

Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, January 30, 1993

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'In the heat of the night' / 'Heatwave (instrumental)'

That's love, that it is - Blancmange

'That's love, that it is' was released in November 1983 and peaked at number 33 in the UK singles chart. It was the second single taken from Blancmange's second album 'Mange tout (Dancing around our handbags)', which was released in January 1984.

The single was released as a limited edition picture disc, and even though it's not very beautiful, I couldn't resist buying this one.

My collection: 7" single no. 3182

Found: Record fair, 2001

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'That's love, that it is' / 'Vishnu'

Don't talk to me about love - Altered Images

For twenty years, this was the only song by Altered Images I knew. It landed in the Dutch 'bubbling under' chart in June 1983, but failed to make the Top 40. I thought it was an interesting track, with Clare Grogan's peculiar voice as one of its standout traits.

In the UK, 'Don't talk to me about love' peaked at number 7, making it one of their best known tracks.

My collection: 7" single no. 1092

Found: All that music, Leiden, November 11, 1989

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Don't talk to me about love' / 'Last goodbye'

Things can only get better - Howard Jones

Pictured here is the pink version of the sleeve. I actually own three versions of this single: in pink, in white and in yellow. There's supposed to be an orange version as well, but I haven't been able to find that one yet.

'Things can only get better' was the first single taken from Howard Jones's second album 'Dream into action'. A typically upbeat Jones composition, it was one of two songs from the album to feature all-female singing group Afrodiziak on backing vocals. The single peaked at number 6 in the UK singles chart, making this his penultimate top 10 hit.

My collection: 7" single no. 3226

Found: London, December 2003

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Things can only get better' / 'Why look for the key'

Hurricane - Athlete

Released as the first single from their 2007 album 'Beyond the neighbourhood', 'Hurricane' did not receive as much success as previous singles 'Wires' and 'Half light', only reaching number 31 in the UK singles chart.

The single was released on two 7" singles, this one being the first. Pressed on blue vinyl, it came in a gatefold sleeve to house this disc and the second one, which was released separately. In the eighties at least one would be able to buy a double single for the price of one...

My collection: 7" single no. 3618

Found: eBay, received April 16, 2009

Cost: 3 euro

Tracks: 'Hurricane' / 'Hurricaned (dub remix)'

Vanity kills - ABC

ABC reinvented themselves as cartoon characters for their 1984 album 'How to be a zillionaire'. At the time of release, the band consisted of core members Martin Fry and Mark White, plus Eden (the British journalist Fiona Russell-Powell) and David Yarritu. Eden and David Yarritu were hired for their unconventional look on stage and in videos.

'Vanity kills' appeared in the UK singles chart for one week in June 1985 on number 70. The B-side 'Judy's jewels' is a rarity: it was never released on cd.

My collection: 7" single no. 2419

Found: All that music, Leiden, July 22, 1995

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Vanity kills' / 'Judy's jewels'

De mallemolen - Heddy Lester

Heddy Lester was born in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands on June 18, 1950 as Heddy Affolter. Her biggest claim to fame is her appearance in the 1977 Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'De mallemolen', written by her younger brother Frank Affolter. She finished 12th in a field of 18 competitors.

The lyric of the song uses a merry-go-round as a metaphore for life. For some reason, the quote 'The merry-go-round goes along without you / your horse doesn't stay empty for long' always seems mighty depressing to me. But the B-side makes matters even worse: it's about a man who doesn't hear a bird sing, kills a bug under his feet and hates children. Such negativity!

My collection: 7" single no. 3695

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, May 5, 2009

Cost: 2,5 euro

Tracks: 'De mallemolen' / 'De man die voorbij kwam'

Slow train to dawn - The The

'Slow train to dawn' was released as the fourth single from The The's 1986 album 'Infected'. The single stalled at number 64 in the UK singles chart, which was a disappointment since previous singles had done better, especially 'Heartland' which had peaked at number 29.

This track featured guest vocals by Neneh Cherry, who was unknown at that point but would go on to make a name for herself in 1989 with her debut album 'Raw like sushi'. Drums were performed by David Palmer, who had previously been in the band ABC.

My collection: 7" single no. 2459

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 9, 1995

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Slow train to dawn' / 'Harbour lights'

Mickey - Toni Basil

Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn wrote the song 'Kitty' for the UK pop group Racey. They recorded the track in 1979. In 1982, Toni Basil, born as Antonia Christina Basilotta on September 22, 1943, recorded the track as 'Mickey'.

Basil had a crush on actor and Monkee Micky Dolenz during her work as a choreographer and dancer on the set of the Monkees 1968 movie 'Head'. It prompted her to change the lyrics to 'Mickey' to better suit her real-life experience, and the gender from female to male. The single reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number two in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 3217

Found: Record fair, October 12, 2000

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Mickey' / 'Thief on the loose'

Alphabet st. - Prince

'Alphabet st.' was the first single from Prince's 1988 album 'Lovesexy'. It peaked at number 9 in the UK and number 5 in the Netherlands. The packaging for this single was quite unique: there was no real sleeve, just a transparent sleeve with a sticker displaying the artist's and track name on it. The next single 'Glam slam' would be packaged in the same way.

The B-side is essentially an instrumental version of 'Alphabet st.' with an added rap by Cat Glover, who choreographed and appeared in several of Prince's videos and his concert film 'Sign 'O' the times', traveled with him as a backing vocalist and dancer on the Sign 'O' the Times Tour and Lovesexy World Tour. Following her work with Prince, she released the EP 'Catwoman' in 1989.

My collection: 7" single no. 2281

Found: May 6, 1995

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Alphabet st.' / 'Alphabet st.'

Paranoimia - The Art of Noise with Max Headroom

'Paranoimia' was released as a single by the group Art of Noise in 1986. The track featured the computer generated television personality Max Headroom on vocals. The original version of the track (without Max Headroom) features on the album 'In visible silence'.

The single reached number 12 in the UK Singles Chart, and peaked at number 11 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 470

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1986

Cost: 4 guilders

Tracks: 'Paranoimia' / 'Why me?'

Labelled with love - Squeeze

Released as the third single from Squeeze's 1981 album 'East Side Story', 'Labelled with love' was the third and last single by Squeeze to reach the UK top 10, peaking at number 4 (the other two being 'Cool for cats' and 'Up the junction', both peaking at number 2 in 1979).

Although 'Labelled with love' itself was a popular song, the single's high chart placing was also partly due to the unexpected popularity of the flip-side 'Squabs on forty fab', a tongue-in-cheek disco medley of Squeeze's greatest hits (in the vein of 'Stars on 45').

My collection: 7" single no. 3701
Found: Empire Records, May 5, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Labelled with love' / 'Squabs on forty fab'

Lenny - Buggles

'Lenny' was another single that did not chart in the UK, but... lo and behold... it did in the Netherlands. It entered the Dutch Top 40 in April 1982 and peaked at number 23 during its five week chart run.

It was an excellent song to play air drums and air keyboards on, I remember playing the cassette on which I recorded this song from the radio over and over again, enjoying it endlessly. Whoever said that hometaping was killing the music? In 1989 I still remembered this song and bought the single.

My collection: 7" single no. 830

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, May 20, 1989

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Lenny' / 'Blue nylon'

House of fun - Madness

Released in May 1982, 'House of fun' is to date the only number one hit in the UK for Madness. It was released by Madness in between albums. The track did not appear on any previous or subsequent studio album - although it was obviously included in compilation albums, the first one being 'Complete Madness', released in 1982.

Madness guitarist Chris Foreman commented on the song in 1982: 'I'm not sure about this one... I think it's about coming of age, I cant remember much about because when it happened to me it was a long time ago. You could buy a packet of fags, a pint of beer and a three piece suit for half a crown and still have enough left to go and see Rudolf Valentino at the Gaumont! I can't afford to go to the pictures these days but I hear they talk in them now.'

My collection: 7" single no. 3699

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, May 5, 2009

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'House of fun' / 'Don't look back'

This is mine - Heaven 17

'This is mine' was released as the second single from Heaven 17's 1984 album 'How men are', which was their third. The video to this single was a hilarious piece in which the members of the band (Glenn Gregory, Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh) played bankrobbers.

Peaking at number 23, this single was the last single to get into the UK top 40 for a while: the next single 'And that's no lie' stalled at number 52.

My collection: 7" single no. 3689

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, May 5, 2009

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'This is mine' / 'Mine'

A million in 1, 2, 3 - Dream Express

Everyone always thinks that Madonna was very original when she bared her navel in 1984. But on this sleeve, there's the ultimate proof that it was not so original: the girls from the Belgian group Dream Express did it already in 1977. It brought them less fame and fortune than the American hag.

Dream Express represented Belgium during the 1977 Eurovision Song Contest. The sisters Bianca, Stella and Patricia Maessen sang 'A million in 1, 2, 3' in English under the relaxed language rules that lasted for a few years in the late Seventies. They were 7th in a field of 18 participants. It was not the first time that the sisters participated: in 1970 they represented the Netherlands as Hearts of Soul, singing 'Waterman'. More about that when I find the single (still looking for that one)...

My collection: 7" single no. 3706

Found: Bought for me by Puck in Oegstgeest, May 5, 2009

Cost: nothing, it was a present!

Tracks: 'A million in 1, 2, 3' / 'Spinning top'

Shine - Frida

'Shine' is the title track from Frida's 1984 album which was produced by Steve Lillywhite. He'd already worked with bands like U2, Rolling Stones and Peter Gabriel despite being only 25 years old at the time. 'Shine' was a deliberate move away from Abba's pop sound that Frida feared to be always connected to. In a recent comment, Frida said that 'maybe this album became a bit too modern for its time'.

'Shine' peaked at number 6 in Sweden, but didn't do so well elsewhere. In the Netherlands, it only made number 23.

My collection: 7" single no. 3703

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, May 5, 2009

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'Shine' / 'That's tough'

Chariots of fire - Vangelis

In 1981, Vangelis wrote the score for the film 'Chariots of Fire', set at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The choice of music was unorthodox as most period films featured traditional orchestral scores, whereas Vangelis' music was modern and synthesizer-heavy. The movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Vangelis won the Academy Award for Original Music Score.

The opening theme of the film was released as a single in 1982, topping the American Billboard chart for one week after climbing steadily for five months.

My collection: 7" single no. 3691

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, May 5, 2009

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'Chariots of fire' / 'Eric's theme'

Summer rain - Alphaville

Alphaville were best known for their hits 'Big in Japan' and 'Forever young', when they released this single in 1989. It was a beautiful song, very different from that early material, and so it was 'rewarded' with a total lack of commercial success.

The album from which this single was taken, 'The breathtaking blue', was an experimental sounding album, accompanied by an ambitious video project. Not surprisingly, this also went completely over the heads of the record buying public.

My collection: 7" single no. 969

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, August 29, 1989

Cost: 3,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Summer rain' / 'Sister sun'

You win again - Bee Gees

The Bee Gees had not been in the charts for four years - an eternity in that time - when they returned in October 1987 with 'You win again'. In the UK it was a number one hit, and in the Netherlands the single peaked at number 5. In America the sales were disappointing: it only reached number 75.

Barry Gibb wrote the melody of the song, while Maurice Gibb created the drum sounds that open the track in his garage.

My collection: 7" single no. 1284

Found: All that music, Leiden, August 31, 1990

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'You win again' / 'Backtafunk'