Biscaya - James Last

Despite a career spanning many decades, German orchestra leader James Last never managed to crack the Dutch Top 40. His albums sold millions all over Europe including the Netherlands, but the singles were less successful here.

Until he released 'Biscaya'. This single became his one and only hit song, reaching number 5 in the summer of 1982. I didn't know much about James Last when I bought this single - it was merely one of the few singles that were available for 3 guilders in the shop where I used to spend my last money. I can never decide if this is a beautiful track or just plain cheesy.

My collection: 7" single no. 143

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1982

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Biscaya' / 'Verlorener Sommer'

Little Suzi's on the up - Ph.D.

The duo Ph.D. (Jim Diamond and Tony Hymas) followed up 'I won't let you down' within a few months, hoping to have similar success. They didn't: the single did not chart anywhere. The music video for this song was shown as the fifth video on MTV in America, on its first broadcasting day on August 1, 1981.

Subsequent singles were equally unsuccessful and when singer Jim Diamond contracted hepatitis, the band couldn't go on tour. This ultimately led to the group disbanding. Diamond would come back some time later as a solo artist.

My collection: 7" single no. 2139
Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, August 2, 1994
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Little Suzi's on the up' / 'I'm gonna take you to the top'

Sweet bird of truth - The The

Released in 1987 as the first single from The The's second album for Epic Records, 'Sweet bird of truth' did not chart. Perhaps this was because the subject matter of the song was a bit 'heavy'. The band's key member Matt Johnson wrote the song about an airforce pilot who is apparently killing people above the Gulf of Arabia.

At the time of its release, Matt Johnson was actually the only remaining member of The The, using session musicians to create the music on the album 'Infected'. I actually have a cd-single of 'Sweet bird of truth' as well, one of those early cd-single releases.

My collection: 7" single no. 1343
Found: London, October 17, 1990
Cost: 3 pounds
Tracks: 'Sweet bird of truth' / 'Sleeping juice'

Le blé en herbe / Pour un flirt - Michel Delpech

Michel Delpech was born on January 26, 1946 in the Paris suburb Courbevoie. He clocked up hit after hit in France during the Seventies. In the Netherlands, he only made the charts once. 'Pour un flirt' reached the Dutch Top 40 in the Summer of 1971 and reached number 3.

This French single contains 'Pour un flirt', but oddly enough it's on the B-side. The A-side contains the unknown - at least, unknown to me - song 'Le blé en herbe'. I got this single as a present. 'Pour un flirt' is one of those songs that belong in every collection - it's an evergreen.

My collection: 7" single no. 3759
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, May 28, 2009
Cost: -
Tracks: 'Le blé en herbe' / 'Pour un flirt'

Obcene phone caller - Rockwell

'Obscene phone caller' was Rockwell's second single and an attempt to follow up the highly successful debut 'Somebody's watching me' with an equally successful song. Where 'Somebody's watching me' could be construed as a song about voyeurs, this time around Rockwell sang about a heavy breather on the phone.

The audiences were not impressed. In the USA, where according to this sleeve the single was a 'Top hit', it peaked at number 35. In German, where this single was made, it only made number 53 and in the UK it stalled at number 79. It soon became obvious that Rockwell had gained a status as a one hit wonder.

My collection: 7" single no. 2471

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 16, 1995

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Obscene phone caller' / 'Obscene phone caller (instrumental)'

Jij bent mijn leven - Anneke Grönloh

Anneke Grönloh is celebrating her 50th year as a performing artist this year. It seems amazing, because she only ever had one big hit in the Netherlands ('Brandend zand'). But there is one more standout moment in this woman's career, and that was representing the Netherlands during the 1964 Eurovision Song Contest.

'Jij bent mijn leven' is a song about a woman accepting the lies and deceit of her man because 'you are my life'. It's obvious that there was no trace of emancipation back then. The song reached 10th place in the Contest and was only a minor hit in the Dutch chart, reaching number 30.

My collection: 7" single no. 3752

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, May 27, 2009
Cost: 5 euro

Tracks: 'Jij bent mijn leven' / 'Weer zingt de wind'

Long hot summer - The Style Council

The official title of this single is 'A Paris', a four track ep with 'Long hot summer' as the lead track. The Style Council had formed earlier on in 1983 and consisted of ex-The Jam frontman Paul Weller together with Mick Talbot, Steve White and Weller's then-wife, backing singer Dee C. Lee.

This single reached number 3 in the UK singles chart and remained the Style Council's biggest hit. In 1989 a new version of the track was released, but that one only made number 48.

My collection: 7" single no. 3756

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, May 27, 2009

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'Long hot summer', 'Party chambers' / 'The Paris Match', 'Le départ'

Remember the time - Michael Jackson

Once I set out to do something, I usually succeed. Not so long ago I decided that I wanted to have all of Michael Jackson's hit singles. It's ambitious, but right now, I don't need to fill in that many blanks anymore. This was one of them.

'Remember the time' was released as the second single from Jackson's 1991 album 'Dangerous'. It was accompanied by a groundbreaking music video, clocking it at nine minutes. Featuring Eddie Murphy, Iman and Magic Johnson and set in ancient Egypt, the video was almost more memorable than the song. The single was a number 1 hit in New Zealand and made the top 10 almost everywhere else.

My collection: 7" single no. 3755
Found: Empire Records, May 27, 2009

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: 'Remember the time' / 'Come together'

Seven into the sea - In tua nua

In tua nua (roughly translated from Irish as 'A new tribe' formed in the early Eighties. Originally they set out to make early Roxy Music-style rock, but soon started to fuse this with traditional Irish music, with uillean pipes and acoustic guitars.

Some personnel changes resulted in 1986 in the following line-up: Leslie Dowdall, Martin Clancy, Ivan O'Shea, Jack Dublin, Paul Byrne, Aingeala de Burca and Brian O'Briain. This line-up recorded the album 'Vaudeville' and their most famous recording, 'Seven into the sea'. In the Netherlands, this single peaked at number 24.

My collection: 7" single no. 3757

Found: Empire Records, May 27, 2009

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'Seven into the sea' / 'Balled of Irish love'

Koud hè - The V-boys

Henk Spaan and Harry Vermeegen have both become very irritating TV personalities, obsessed with sports programmes. But two decades ago they were actually funny at times. As Verona, named after the TV programme they made at the time, they released the song 'Geluk' in 1986, and while they were still making the TV programme Verona, they released this single a year later under a new pseudonym, the V-boys.

'Koud hè' ('Cold, isn't it?') evolved from an unfortunate interview outside a building where Spaan and Vermeegen were waiting to question Dutch celebrities. Due to the weather, Vermeegen could only utter 'Koud hè?' to one of them. In the end, this was all the duo asked anyone. This single made number 17 in the Dutch Top 40 in the winter of 1987/88.

My collection: 7" single no. 3750

Found: Empire Records, May 27, 2009

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: 'Koud hè' / 'Dat is lachen, dat is leuk'

Jij en ik - Bill van Dijk

Willem Edsger van Dijk was born in Rotterdam on December 22, 1947. He studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. After graduation he acted in various musicals in the Netherlands, where the genre was still in its infancy. Next to his acting he also made a name for himself in music: performing live with the Skymasters and the Metropole Orkest for radio and television in the Seventies and Eighties.

In 1982 he represented the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Jij en ik' ('You and me'). It was not a successful performance: he ended up in 16th place out of 18 participants. As a result, the single did not reach the charts in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 3743

Found: Record fair, Den Haag, May 23, 2009

Cost: 1 euro

Tracks: 'Jij en ik' / 'Leven is'

Crucify - Tori Amos

Released as the fifth single from her debut album 'Little earthquakes', 'Crucify' was the most successful one, being the first Tori Amos single to reach the charts in Canada, France and Ireland. It was also Tori's biggest hit in the UK up to that point, peaking at number 15.

Accompanied by a provocative music video and a strange sleeve, Tori started to make a name for herself as a quirky songwriter, often nicknamed 'Kate Bush's loony stepsister'. I guess there's some truth to that.

My collection: 7" single no. 1658

Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, May 30, 1992

Cost: 6,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Crucify' / 'Here in my head'

In the clouds - All about Eve

'In the clouds' was originally released as an 'indie' 12" single in 1986, as the follow-up to All about Eve's debut 12" single 'D for desire'. When the band signed to a major label in 1987, 'In the clouds' was one of the few songs to survive from those early years and make it onto the self-titled debut album. Subsequently, the track was again released as a single.

This time, 'In the clouds' rose to number 47 in the UK singles chart and became the band's biggest hit up to that point. The three subsequent singles, all taken from the debut album, would each do better than the one before, and All about Eve quickly became a popular band in the UK.

Part of the success can be attributed to the plethora of limited editions that came with every release. This 7" single, for instance, was also released in a limited edition box set including a small poster. I was lucky enough to find a copy, number 1491 out of a limited edition of... well, I don't know. The 12" singles were also released in box sets, and then there were 10" singles, and later on, picture discs, cd-singles... the real All about Eve fan had a big job to do.

My collection: 7" single no. 1771

Found: October 21, 1992

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'In the clouds' / 'She moved through the fair'

Girlfriend - Pebbles

Perri Nixon was born on August 29, 1964. When she was 10 years old, her godfather nicknamed her after Fred and Wilma Flintstone's daughter. From an early age, she entered talent shows and studied opera and classical ballet. In highschool her focus shifted to singing.

In 1988 she released her debut album 'Pebbles', which included the hit single 'Girlfriend'. Produced by L.A. Reid and Babyface, the single reached number 5 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 8 in the UK singles chart. In the Netherlands, the single got to number 21. The song was not unlike Janet Jackson's hit singles at that time, a funky dance sound that was so popular in the second half of the Eighties.

My collection: 7" single no. 2754

Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 29, 1996

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Girlfriend' / 'Girlfriend (instrumental)'

Brothers in arms - Dire Straits

The Dire Straits were used prominently in the Eighties to promote the new compact disc format. This may have contributed to their squeaky clean, slightly boring image. It's refreshing, therefore, to listen to their music from vinyl, with all the imperfections that appear in the music once you hear clicks and dust.

'Brothers in arms' is the title track from their 1985 album and is arguably one of their best songs. In the UK this single made number 16, in other countries it only made the charts years later when it was re-released as part of the promotion for a compilation album.

My collection: 7" single no. 2770

Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 29, 1996

Cost: 40p

Tracks: 'Brothers in arms' / 'Going home (live)'

I've been losing you - A-ha

'I've been losing you' was released as the first single from A-ha's second album 'Scoundrel days' (1986). It featured a slightly rawer sound than the happy bright pop of the previous album. In Norway, the single went to the top of the charts, whereas in Sweden, Italy and the Netherlands it reached number 11. In the UK, it did slightly better, reaching number 8.

The B-side, 'This alone is love' was derived from a song by Pal Waaktaar and Magne Furuholmen's previous band Bridges. The version on this single is rawer and, in my opinion, better than the version that appeared on A-ha's next album 'Stay on these roads' (1988).

My collection: 7" single no. 481

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1986

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'I've been losing you' / 'This alone is love'

Nous les amoureux - Jean-Claude Pascal

Jean-Claude Pascal was born on October 24, 1927 in Paris, France. Pascal first studied at the Sorbonne University and then turned to fashion design for Christian Dior. While designing costumes for the play 'Don Juan' he came in contact with acting. He acted in a few dozen films since then.

In 1961, he represented Luxembourg during the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Nous les amoureux'. The song is about a man and another (rumoured to be another man) who others want to separate. He sings, however, that 'Heaven is with us lovers', a declaration of hope in spite of the difficulties. He won the Contest with this song.

My collection: 7" single no. 3749

Found: eBay.nl, received May 26, 2009

Cost: 5 euro

Tracks: 'Nous les amoureux' / 'Les oubliettes'

Forest fire - Lloyd Cole and the Commotions

The second single by Lloyd Cole & the Commotions was released in a limited edition gatefold sleeve. The record shop where I bought my singles was importing singles from the UK, so I was lucky enough to score a copy. I wonder if I would have bought this single if it didn't come in a limited edition: I was always very choosy about which single to buy and this cannot have been at the top of my list.

Still, 'Forest fire' is one of the band's stronger tracks, even if that didn't reflect in the Dutch chart position (it did not chart). In the UK, it stalled at number 41, which was a disappointment in comparison to their debut single 'Perfect skin'.

My collection: 7" single no. 241

Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, 1984

Cost: 5,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Forest fire' / 'Andy's babies'

Jesamine - The Casuals

The Casuals formed in 1961. After working in the music industry for six years, John Tebb, Howard Newcombe, Alan Taylor and Bob O'Brien switched record labels and recorded a cover of 'When Jesamine goes', originally released in February 1968 by the Bystanders. The song was written by Marty Wilde and Ronnie Scott under the pseudonyms Frere Manston and Jack Gellar. The single reached number 2 in late 1968.

The B-side of this 'Old gold' single is 'I can't let Maggie go' by Honeybus. This song reached number 8 in the UK singles chart in April 1968.

My collection: 7" single n. 3234

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

Cost: 3 pounds

Tracks: 'Jesamine' (The Casuals) / 'I can't let Maggie go' (Honeybus)

Let be must the queen - Guesch Patti

The follow-up to Guesch Patti's single 'Etienne' was 'Let be must the queen'. With its nonsensical title and slightly complicated song structure, it fared less well in the charts than its predecessor. I'm not convinced that this is one of the best tracks of her album 'Labyrinthe' (1988), either. The B-side, on the other hand, should be one of the classic chansons of the past century.

Before I found the album cd, this single was one of my most often played discs - but usually the B-side.

My collection: 7" single no. 1294

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1990

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Let be must the queen' / 'Tout seul'