She - The Colourfield

After Terry Hall left the band Fun Boy Three, he went on to form The Colourfield together with ex-Swinging Cats members Toby Lyons and Karl Shale. Their third album 'Deception' was released in 1987 and featured various session musicians as a result of Lyons leaving the band.

The two singles released from the album were both cover versions: 'Running away' was originally recorded by Sly & The Family Stone in 1971, whereas 'She' was composed by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. The singles did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2993
Found: May 27, 1998
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'She' / 'Monkey in winter'

Wishing you were here - Alison Moyet

Following a period of personal and career evaluation, Alison Moyet released her third solo album 'Hoodoo' in 1991. The album was a firm step away from the glossy pop songs on the previous two albums and sounded a lot more mature and personal.

Hoodoo received little label support and only minimal promotion. The album sold respectably in Britain, but the singles fared less well. The second single from the album was 'Wishing you were here'. It only reached number 72 during its one week residence in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1448
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, June 15, 1991
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Wishing you were here' / 'Back where I belong'

The lovecats - The Cure

'The lovecats' was released by the Cure in 1983. It was the band's first Top 10 hit in the UK, peaking at number 7. Originally a non-album single, it later appeared on the compilation album 'Japanese whispers'.

The single was accompanied by another Tim Pope directed music video featuring lots of cats, both living and stuffed ones.

My collection: 7" single no. 2867
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, 1997
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'The lovecats' / 'Speak my language'

The universal song - Kim Carnes

Kim Carnes released her sixth album 'Café Racers' in 1983. While internationally the first single from that album was 'Invisible hands', the Netherlands saw the release of 'The universal song', an uncharacteristically slow song from the American pop singer.

The single peaked at number 29 in the Dutch Top 40 in February 1984. I recorded the song from the radio and found the single a couple of years later.

My collection: 7" single no. 831
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, May 20, 1989
Cost: 1 guilders
Tracks: 'The universal song' / 'Invisible hands'

Love in our hearts - Peter Brown

Peter Brown was born on July 11, 1953 on Blue Island, Illinois. His only hit in the Netherlands was 1980's 'Love in our hearts', taken from the album 'Stargazer'. The single reached number 21. Between 1977 and 1984 Peter Brown released four album, after which he retired from the music business as a performer.

He had his biggest worldwide success when Madonna recorded his song 'Material girl' in 1985.

My collection: 7" single no. 1945
Found: Plaatboef, Leiden, August 20, 1993
Cost: 25 cents
Tracks: 'Love in our hearts' / 'Penguin'

Codo - Tauchen Prokopetz

The band Deutsch-Österreichisches Feingefühl consisted of Joesi Prokopetz, Manfred O. Tauchen, Annette Humpe and Inga Humpe. They were alternatively known as Tauchen - Prokopetz, which is the name used on the label of the single 'Codo', which was released in 1983. This single sold more than one million copies in Europe, and gave the band a number one hit in Germany, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands.

The band was rather short-lived: after the album 'DÖF', released in 1983, a second album 'Tag und Nacht' was released in 1985, but Manfred Tauchen was the only original member on this album.

My collection: 7" single no. 207
Found: Studio Echo, Den Haag, 1983
Cost: 5,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Codo' / 'Rein gar nix'

Sometimes - Erasure

Although I always thought this was Erasure's debut single, it is actually their fourth release. It was their first top 10 hit in the UK, reaching number 2, and their first hit in the Netherlands, peaking at number 3. The song became a huge international hit

Written by band members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, 'Sometimes' typifies Erasure's signature sound — an uptempo, dance-oriented pop tune accentuated by Clarke's analogue synthesizers and Bell's soulful vocals.

My collection: 7" single no. 1961
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 25, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Sometimes' / 'Sexuality'

I'm lucky - Joan Armatrading

Joan Armatrading released her seventh studio album 'Walk under ladders' in 1981. From the album came this single, 'I'm lucky'. The track was made with the help of Thomas Dolby on synthesizer. The single reached number 46 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2564
Found: November 19, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'I'm lucky' / 'Shine'

I wanna be loved - Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello announced the breakup of Elvis Costello and the Attractions shortly before the release of their eighth album together, 'Goodbye cruel world' (1984). He also announced his retirement, but that proved to be shortlived.

The album, meanwhile, yielded two hit singles, 'The only flame in town' and this one, 'I wanna be loved'. The track featured backing vocals by Green Gartside of Scritti Politti and was a cover of an obscure single by Teacher's Edition. The single reached number 25 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2888
Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, October 29, 1997
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'I wanna be loved' / 'Turning the town red'

I scare myself - Thomas Dolby

Thomas Dolby released his second album 'The flat earth' in 1984. The single 'I scare myself' was taken from that album. As young as I was, I immediately recognised this work of genius. It is an ingenious track, mixing modern sounds with latin-inspired brass work.

The single peaked at number 24 in the Dutch Top 40, Dolby's only hit single in this country.

My collection: 7" single no. 907
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 25, 1989
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'I scare myself' / 'Cloudburst at Shingle street'

This is your life - Banderas

Sally Herbert and Caroline Buckley formed Banderas in 1991, after Herbert had been working as a backing vocalist with the Communards. Their debut single was 'This is your life', a track in which they sound quite like Madonna. The single reached number 16 in the UK singles chart and number 19 in the Netherlands.

Although I have all of the band's 7" singles and cd-singles, I was quite surprised when I saw this 12" single today. It features three remixes not available on any other format. What's more, this particular 12" single was made in the USA for promotion only. Although the 12" was also released commercially, that's a nice bonus.

My collection: 12" single no. 499
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 28, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'This is your life (original mix)', 'This is your life (Less Stress mix)', 'This is your life (extended mix)' / 'This is your life (Red book mix)', 'This is your life (Easy life mix)'

Farewell my summer love - Michael Jackson

Motown gave a good example in 1984 of what will probably happen in the next few months and years to come. Spurred on by the success of Michael Jackson's 'Thriller', they excavated their archives and came up with a whole album of previously unreleased material entitled 'Farewell my summer love', recorded between 1973 and 1975. To make the album sound contemporary, the songs were remixed.

The title track was released as a single and reached number 38 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 7 in the UK singles chart. The untimely death of Michael Jackson will be a sign for record companies to start digging. Who knows what they will come up with...

My collection: 7" single no. 3807
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 28, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Farewell my summer love' / 'Call on me'

Close to perfection - Miquel Brown

'Close to perfection' was the title track of the 1985 album by Miquel Brown and released as its first single. It was only a minor hit in the UK, peaking at number 63, but in the Netherlands it reached a very respectable number 13. It was also regularly heard on the radio during that year and included in many remixes by DJ's like Ben Liebrand.

Miquel Brown has two twin daughters, Greta and popstar Sinitta.

My collection: 7" single no. 2989
Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, May 27, 1998
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Close to perfection' / 'Close to perfection (instrumental)'

Give in to me - Michael Jackson

'Give in to me' was released as the sixth single from Michael Jackson's album 'Dangerous'. It featured a guitar solo by Guns 'n Roses guitarist Slash. It was not the first time that Jackson used a famous guitarist: for 'Dirty Diana' (1988) he hired Steve Stevens and on 'Beat it' (1983) you can hear Eddie Van Halen.

'Give in to me' reached number 2 in the UK singles chart and number 3 in the Netherlands. It may seem like I am desperately buying Michael Jackson in the wake of his death, but in fact I started completing my collection already a couple of months ago. I am happy to find these singles at relatively low prices right now because they will start to rocket in the near future, I'm afraid.

My collection: 7" single no. 3804
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 28, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Give in to me' / 'Dirty Diana'

Rocky - Frank Farian

'Rocky' was originally written by Jay Stevens in 1975 and performed by two different American artists: Austin Roberts, who recorded it as a pop song and Dickey Lee, who had a hit in the country charts with it.

Frank Farian had only just recorded one song, 'Baby do you wanna bump' as Boney M, but the group did not exist as such yet. His next single was a German version of the song 'Rocky'. He didn't just score a hit in Germany with this, but also reached number 8 in the Dutch Top 40. A few months before that, a Dutch version performed by Don Mercedes reached number 1 in the same chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 3812
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 28, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Rocky' / 'Am Samstagabend'

Why can't we live together - Timmy Thomas

Timmy Thomas was born on November 13, 1944 in Evansville, Indiana (USA), and is best known for his 1972 hit 'Why can't we live together'. The song is notable for its sparse production, featuring only a Hammond organ, percussion from an early rhythm machine and Thomas's passionate, soulful vocal.

Released as a single in late 1972, the song became a major hit in the US during the early part of 1973, reaching number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 25 in the Netherlands. The song was later covered by Mike Anthony and Sade.

My collection: 7" single no. 3811
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 28, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Why can't we live together'

If you feel the funk - La Toya Jackson

I always perceived La Toya Jackson as Michael Jackson's weird sister. She was born on May 29, 1956 and only made her debut after her little brother hit it big with 'Off the wall'. Her self-titled debut came out in 1981. The first single from that album was 'If you feel the funk', a rather run-of-the-mill dance track in that day and age. It was a hit in the Netherlands, peaking at number 13.

After marrying Jack Gordon in September 1989, Jackson distanced herself from certain members of her family. Her 1991 autobiography 'La Toya: Growing up in the Jackson family' was probably the main reason for this estrangement, as it made scathing criticisms of several family members. Some members of the family hypothesised that that part of the book had, in fact, been written by Gordon. In 1996 La Toya walked out on her husband after he attempted to force her to dance at a strip club in Cleveland, Ohio. A year later, she ended her estrangement with the entire Jackson family, returned home and divorced Gordon.

My collection: 7" single no. 3806
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 28, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'If you feel the funk' / 'Lovely is she'

Too low for zero - Elton John

'Too low for zero' was the title track of Elton John's 17th studio album, released in 1983. All the lyrics on the album were written by Bernie Taupin. At the insistence of Taupin, Elton decided to go back to basics and returned to working with Taupin full time.

Released as the third single from the album, it couldn't match the success of the previous two singles, 'I guess that's why they call it the blues' and 'I'm still standing'. Contrary to those two, this single did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 3810
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 28, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Too low for zero' / 'Dreamboat'

Ben - Michael Jackson

'Ben' was written by Don Black and Walter Scharf. The song was originally written for Donny Osmond, but he was on tour and unavailable when it was time to record the single, so the song was offered to Michael Jackson. He recorded it, while he was just 14 years old, for the Motown label in 1972.

The song, the theme song of a 1972 film of the same name, reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and Australia. It peaked at number 2 in the Netherlands and number 7 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 3805
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 28, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Ben' (Michael Jackson) / 'Lookin' through the windows', 'Little bitty pretty one'

Beg, steal or borrow - The New Seekers

'Beg, steal or borrow' was performed by the New Seekers during the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest. The song was composed and written by Tony Cole, Steve Wolfe and Graeme Hall.

I bought the German version, 'Oh, ich will betteln, ich will stehlen' six months ago, but I didn't have the original version yet. I found a copy today and was able to get it for half price too. Well, enough reason to add this to my collection, I'd say...

My collection: 7" single no. 3813
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 28, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Beg, steal or borrow' / 'Sing out'