I don't want to be a hero - Johnny hates Jazz

'I don't want to be a hero' was the second hit single for Johnny hates Jazz. The song has a strong anti-war sentiment and is written from the perspective of a soldier who is questioning their participation in what they consider an unjust war. The band's American record company were reluctant to release the single in the U.S. because of its anti-war stance.

Still, it was released in the US and peaked at number 31 in the Billboard Hot 100. Meanwhile, the single peaked at number 11 in the UK singles chart and number 25 in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 1474

Found: Record exchange, London, June 30, 1991

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'I don't want to be a hero' / 'The cage'

Maybe tomorrow, maybe tonight - Earth and Fire

While Jerney Kaagman is best known in the Netherlands for the static expression on her face thanks to an overkill of botox treatments these days, she used to be the singer in a successful Dutch band called Earth & Fire. The group started out in the early Seventies as a progressive rock outfit, tending more towards pop as the Eighties came along.

'Maybe tomorrow, maybe tonight' was released in 1973 and shows a successful blend of the two genres. Slightly bombastic but very effective, this single peaked at number 3 in the Dutch Top 40 in April 1973.

My collection: 7" single no. 1138
Found: All that music, Leiden, December 28, 1989
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Maybe tomorrow, maybe tonight' / 'Theme from Atlantis'

Why do I always get it wrong - Live report

Live Report was originally called Midnight Blue and was formed by Ray Caruana, John Beeby, Brian Hodgson and Maggie Jay. Their moment of fame came in 1989 when they participated in the Eurovision Song Contest, representing the UK. Their song 'Why do I always get it wrong' finished second in the Contest, behind one of the worst winners in the history of the Contest: 'Rock me' by Riva.

I still rate this as one of the UK's best songs for Eurovision ever. Strangely enough, the citizens of the UK don't agree. The single only landed in the UK singles chart for one week, at number 73.

My collection: 7" single no. 839

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, May 27, 1989

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Why do I always get it wrong' / 'Take a chance on me'

The eve of the war - Jeff Wayne

Jeff Wayne was born on July 1, 1943. He turned to music after finishing his academic studies. In 1966, his father Jerry Wayne offered him the opportunity to score the West End musical 'Two cities'. Then Jeff produced David Essex's album 'Rock on'.

After working on his project for a long time, 1978 saw the release of the double album 'Jeff Wayne's musical version of The War of the Worlds'. 'The eve of the war' was released as its first single, achieving a lot of success in various countries. In the Netherlands, the single peaked at number 3. The version of the single is very different from the one on the album.

My collection: 7" single no. 413

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1986

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'The eve of the war' / 'The red weed'

In the name of love - Thompson Twins

Thompson Twins formed in 1977. The original line-up consisted of Tom Bailey, Pete Dodd, John Roog and Jon Podgorski. By 1981, Podgorski had left and three new members had joined: Chris Bell, former band roadie Joe Leeway and Jane Shorter. After their debut album, Shorter left, to be replaced by Alannah Currie. The band then signed to Arista Records and released their second album 'Set'.

From this album, the single 'In the name of love' was taken. Although the single did not chart in the UK, it was a top 40 hit in the Netherlands, peaking at number 27. This edition, made in Germany, was pressed on red vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 295

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'In the name of love (edit remix)' / 'In the beginning'

Rosalyn - Vitesse

Vitesse is formed in 1975 by Herman van Boeyen, Herman Brood, Rob ten Bokum and Peter Smid. A year later, the band has already had several personnel changes and they release a debut album. When this album is not successful, Herman Brood leaves the band to go solo.

It takes several albums and singles to finally have some success in the Netherlands. In September 1982 they have their first top 10 hit with 'Rosalyn', which peaks at number 9.

My collection: 7" single no. 148

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1982

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Rosalyn' / 'Screwed, blewed and tattooed'

Cruel summer - Bananarama

Looking out the window today, I know exactly what a 'Cruel summer' is: expecting the sun, and getting nothing but rain. Bananarama recorded a song with this title back in 1983.

'Cruel summer' was a top ten hit in Britain in 1983, but wasn't an international success until it was included in the 1984 movie 'The Karate kid'. The group didn't allow the song to be included in the film's soundtrack, but it was still their first top ten hit in the USA.

My collection: 7" single no. 1914
Found: Record fair, Leiden, May 22, 1993
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Cruel summer' / 'Summer dub'

One draw - Rita Marley

Rita Marley is the widow of legendary reggae musician Bob Marley. She was born as Alpharita Constantia Anderson on July 25, 1946. In the mid sixties Rita was introduced to Bob at Studio One. After he learned that she was a singer, she was asked to audition for the Soulettes, later known as the I Threes. The group included Rita, her cousin Constantine "Dream" Walker, and Marlene "Precious" Giffordwas. Bob became the group's mentor and manager and through working together, he and Rita fell in love.

After Marley's death, Rita recorded a few albums. This single, 'One draw', became a hit in the Netherlands, reaching number 4. The lyric contains obvious drug references, but despite this, I quite like the track.

My collection: 7" single no. 2460
Found: Record fair, September 9, 1995

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'One draw' / 'So high (One draw - dub)'

Past the mission - Tori Amos

'Past the mission' was released as the third single from Tori Amos' 1994 album 'Under the pink'. The song featured guest vocals by Trent Reznor from the band Nine Inch Nails. The single peaked at number 31 in the UK singles chart. The live version on the B-side was recorded at Vic Theatre, Chicago, March 24, 1994.

The 7" vinyl single wasn't my biggest problem to obtain: the double cd-single from the UK and the promotional cd-single featuring a spoken ad for Tori Amos' anti-rape network RAINN were a bigger problem. I'm glad to say that in the end I acquired them all.

My collection: 7" single no. 2119

Found: Record fair, June 15, 1994

Cost: 8 guilders

Tracks: 'Past the mission' / 'Past the mission (live)'

Muh - Matterhorn Project

Stella and PJ Wassermann started the Matterhorn Project in 1985 with their debut single 'Muh' (titled 'Boe' in the Netherlands as a Dutch onomatopoeia). The record shot straight to number two in the Swiss charts and stayed there for three weeks. It was also a number 5 hit in South Africa, amazingly enough.

I heard this single thanks to my sister who had bought it. I bought my copy some time later at discount price. As with many novelty singles, the joke does wear thin after many times of playing the track. But the Matterhorn Project still goes on, as is demonstrated by their own website.

My collection: 7" single no. 281

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Muh' / 'Moophonia'

Tainted love - Soft Cell

'Tainted love' was composed by Ed Cobb and originally recorded by Gloria Jones. It attained worldwide fame after this cover version by Soft Cell in 1981, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart.

Soft Cell's record label chose to release 'Tainted love' as the band's second single (their first was 'Memorabilia', which did not chart). The label implied that this single would be Soft Cell's final release if the single did not sell. Produced by Mike Thorne, the track was recorded in a day and a half with the first vocal take being ultimately used on the record.

My collection: 7" single no. 2935

Found: January 31, 1998

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Tainted love' / 'Where did our love go'

If you had my love - Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez was born on July 24, 1969 in the South Bronx, New York. Lopez spent her entire academic career in Catholic schools, finishing at the all-girls Preston High School in the Bronx. She financed singing and dancing lessons for herself from the age of 19. In the early Nineties she got her first jobs as a dancer for New Kids on the Block.

In 1999 she started a singing career with the album 'On the 6'. Her debut single was 'If you had my love' - in my opinion her first and last good single. The single was a number one hit in America and the Netherlands, peaking at number 4 in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 3236

Found: HMV, London, 1999

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'If you had my love' / 'No me ames' (duet with Marc Anthony)

Go - Moby

From the moment the first episode of Twin Peaks was aired in the Netherlands, I became hooked. As a consequence, I made it a mission to get all the music available. And there was some: the soundtrack album by Angelo Badalamenti, the album by Julee Cruise and even a vague Dutch production on a cassette.

Unfortunately, the house scene also got their dirty little fingers on the theme of the series. The most famous example is this, 'Go' by Moby. The single made number 10 in the UK and number 6 in the Netherlands. I first bought the cd-single while on a day out in the southwest of the Netherlands, but this cd-single only contained remixes that were rid of the Twin Peaks sample. So some time later, I bought the 7" vinyl single. It's still not the kind of 'music' that I like.

My collection: 7" single no. 2075

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, February 19, 1994

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Go (radio edit)' / 'Go (Voodoo child mix)'

Refugee - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers formed in 1976 when Tom Petty, Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench left the band Mudcrutch. 'Refugee' was released in 1980 as the second single from their album 'Damn the torpedoes'. The single peaked at number 15 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 21 in the Netherlands.

I hadn't heard this song in a long time when I came across it on television in 1995. Only a week later, I found the single. I still rate this as a pretty strange coincidence.

My collection: 7" single no. 2425

Found: July 22, 1995

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Refugee' / 'It's rainin' again'

Grand hotel - Procol Harum

Procol Harum is best known for their classic single 'A whiter shade of pale', which has a notable classical influence. However, the band is also well known for incorporating blues and pop into their music. The group's members Gary Brooker and Robin Trower were always torn between these two styles, with Brooker's classical background and Trower's tendency towards blues material. When Trower left the band in 1971, Procol Harum tended more towards the classical side.

This is evidenced well in this single from 1973: 'Grand hotel' combines a stately melody with a church choir and a rather bombastic orchestral backing. The single charted in the Netherlands and peaked at number 23.

My collection: 7" single no. 2624

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, March 2, 1996

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Grand hotel' / 'A rum tale'

Speciale aanbieding - Het Goede Doel and VOF de Kunst

In 1988, Het Goede Doel made the album 'Iedereen is anders' ('Everyone is different'), collaborating with different Dutch artists for every track on the album. This resulted in a rather interesting album. The songs of Henk Temming and Henk Westbroek proved to be well executed by Het Goede Doel themselves, but the vocals were from various other artists such as Marco Bakker, Herman van Veen, Ramses Shaffy and Richenel. Rene Froger's career was unfortunately helped with this album too; he scored his first number 1 hit with 'Alles kan een mens gelukkig maken', after a series of flops. But hey, shit happens.

This single, 'Speciale aanbieding' ('Special discount') was performed with VOF de Kunst, which at that point was a band solely represented by singer Nol Havens. The song was not a success, because it didn't chart. But the instrumental version of the track was a nice extra goodie.

My collection: 7" single no. 810

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, May 6, 1989

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Speciale aanbieding' / 'Speciale aanbieding (instrumentale versie)'

Downtown - One 2 Many

Camilla Griehsel, Dag Kolsrud and Jan Gisle Ytterdal formed One 2 Many in 1988. They released their only album 'Mirror' on A&M Records. Several singles were drawn from the album, but this one was the first and most successful.

'Downtown' originally came out in October 1988. It reached number 65 in the UK singles chart and number 1 in Norway. A few months later, in February 1989, the single entered the Dutch Top 40, where it peaked at number 24. In May 1989, the single was re-released in the UK and made number 43. It also found its way into the American singles chart, where it peaked at number 37.

I saw the music video for 'Downtown' on television and was immediately interested. The song featured a lot of piano (my favourite instrument), the vocals were infectuous and the melody was beautiful. I bought the single soon after that. A few years later, I found the 1989 UK edition with a different sleeve (pictured below).

My collection: 7" single no. 755 / no. 2893

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, February 17, 1989 / Beanos, East Croydon, London, October 29, 1997

Cost: 6 guilders / 1 pound

Tracks: 'Downtown' / 'Welcome to my city'

Iemand als jij - Barbara

Barbara Deckx was born on January 22, 1974 in Turnhout, Belgium. She represented Belgium during the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Iemand als jij', a simple but effective ballad. The song ended up on 25th place, the lowest placing of all contestants. This was arguably because of the self-made beige dress she wore, but of course there are suspicions that her being slightly overweight didn't help either. Obese people are commonly referred to as the scum of the earth, unfortunately.

Besides the Dutch and French versions of the song included on this 7" single, there are also versions in English and German.

My collection: 7" single no. 2977

Found: March 1, 1998

Cost: 125 Belgian Francs

Tracks: 'Iemand als jij' / 'Je n'ai jamais aimé quelqu'un comme toi'

Call me when you're sober - Evanescence

'Call me when you're sober' was released in August 2006 as the first single from Evanescence's second album 'The open door'. Frontwoman Amy Lee wrote the song together with guitarist Terry Balsamo. He joined the band when Evanescence's previous guitarist Ben Moody left. Amy Lee's sisters Carrie and Lori were credited as backing vocalists on this track.

The single reached number 4 in the UK singles chart and peaked at number 13 in Ireland and Germany. In the Netherlands, the single rose to number 9.

My collection: 7" single no. 3581

Found: eBay, received February 2009

Cost: 3 pounds

Tracks: 'Call me when you're sober' / 'Call me when you're sober (acoustic version)'

Fooled around and fell in love - Elvin Bishop

Elvin Bishop was born on October 21, 1942 in Glendale, California. He started out in music in the early Sixties when he joined the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. In 1968 he went solo and formed the Elvin Bishop Group.

In 1976 Bishop released his most memorable single, 'Fooled around and fell in love', about his love affair with the late Jenny Villarin, the mother of his late daughter Selina Bishop. The single peaked at number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 8 in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 920

Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 25, 1989

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Fooled around and fell in love' / 'I love the life I lead'