What goes on - Mai Tai

Mai Tai is a Dutch group (named after a tropical cocktail) formed in 1983 by the Dutch record producers Eric van Tijn and Jochem Fluitsma. Members were three former backing vocalists Jetty Wheels, Mildred Douglas and Caroline De Windt.

After an unsuccessful debut single 'Keep on dancin'' (1983), their second single 'What goes on' turned out to be a reasonable summer hit in 1984. It was the start of a career that would eventually give them international success.

My collection: 7" single no. 3872
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, July 20, 2009
Cost: 0,25 euro
Tracks: 'What goes on' / 'What goes on (instrumental version)'

Medley - Middle of the Road

In 1981, the Netherlands were gripped by the Stars on 45 phenomenon: a medley of songs by a famous band, for instance the Beatles, performed by session artists and set to an unimaginative disco beat.

This single, which I didn't know existed, uses the concept - but uses the original recordings by the Scottish band Middle of the Road. Dutch producer Piet Souer signed off on the production on this one (whereas the Stars on 45 records were produced by Jaap Eggermont!). The single did not chart. Nice try, goodbye!

My collection: 7" single no. 3880
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, July 20, 2009
Cost: 0,25 euro
Tracks: 'Sacramento / Tweedle dee tweedle dum / Yellow boomerang / Chirpy, chirpy, cheep cheep /Soley Soley / Samson and Delilah' / 'Postcard'

Why do fools fall in love - Diana Ross

'Why do fools fall in love' was written by Frankie Lymon and George Goldner (although several court cases have disputed this fact). It was originally a hit for the rock and roll group Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers in 1956.

Diana Ross recorded a cover of the song in 1981 on her album of the same name. It became a number four hit in the UK singles chart and it was her second and last number one hit in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 3876
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, July 20, 2009
Cost: 0,25 euro
Tracks: 'Why do fools fall in love' / 'Think I'm in love'

Star - Erasure

'Star' was the fourth and last single taken from Erasure's 1989 album 'Wild!'. It is a straightforward dance track with disco elements, written by Andy Bell and Vince Clarke. The single version is a remix of the album version.

It was Erasure's 12th consecutive Top 20 hit on the UK singles chart, peaking at number 11. In Germany, the single peaked at number 23.

My collection: 7" single no. 3874
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, July 20, 2009
Cost: 0,25 euro
Tracks: 'Star' / 'Dreamlike state'

Non stop dance - Gibson Brothers

When I was six years old, I idolized the Gibson Brothers. They had a number one hit in the Netherlands with 'Non stop dance' in May 1977, and their performances in Seventies disco clothing were probably very interesting for young viewers like myself.

The three brothers Chris, Patrick and Alex were born on Martinique in the West Indies. They debuted in 1976 with the single 'Come to America'. The second single, 'Non stop dance' was a hit all over Europe. I bought a rather dusty copy of this single, but a simple washing up helped clean this record.

My collection: 7" single no. 3873
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, July 20, 2009
Cost: 0,25 euro
Tracks: 'Non stop dance' / 'Never said goodbye'

Wham Rap - Wham

'Wham Rap!' was originally Wham!'s debut single. It failed to make any impact. After the duo had achieved their breakthrough with 'Young guns (go for it)', the single was re-released. This time around, it reached number 8 in the UK singles chart and number 9 in the Dutch Top 40.

Although rap was still an underground and almost exclusively American phenomenon in the early Eighties, George rapped a number of verses about the joys of living every day to the fullest, which meant that being employed was not an option, and that 'having fun with the boys down the (welfare) line' was a better way to spend the day.

My collection: 7" single no. 3892
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, July 20, 2009
Cost: 0,25 euro
Tracks: 'Wham rap!' / 'Wham rap! (Club mix)'

Theme from E.T. - Future World Orchestra

Steven Spielberg directed the movie E.T., which was one of the box office hits of 1982. Longtime Spielberg collaborator John Williams composed the musical score for the movie. Williams described his challenge as creating a score that would generate sympathy for such an odd-looking creature. As with their previous collaborations, Spielberg liked every theme Williams composed and had it included.

When 'E.T.' proved to be a phenomenon, the Dutch group Future World Orchestra decided to cash in on the success as well. Their innovative synthesizer sound was still an attraction, so the single reached number 20 in the Dutch Top 40. When you listen to it now, it sounds like one of those 'Synthesizer greatest' tracks. But for E.T. fans, this might be a rarity.

My collection: 7" single no. 3897
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, July 20, 2009
Cost: 0,25 euro
Tracks: 'Theme from E.T.' / 'Mister Y'

Don't tell me the time - Martha Davis

After having been in the Motels for over a decade, Martha Davis released her first solo album entitled 'Policy' in October 1987. Musicians who worked with her included Clarence Clemons, Kenny G and Charlie Sexton. In November 1987, she had a number 8 hit in Australia with 'Don't tell me the time'. In the US Billboard Hot 100 the single stalled at number 80.

I bought this single based on the confused notion that Martha Davis was a member of Martha & the Muffins. Since I loved some of the Motels singles as well, and this song is actually quite good, this turned out to be quite a pleasant acquisition.

My collection: 7" single no. 3875
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, July 20, 2009
Cost: 0,25 euro
Tracks: 'Don't tell me the time' / 'Lust'

The eve of the war - Jeff Wayne

I've made an earlier posting on Jeff Wayne's 'The eve of the war', but I'm so enthusiastic about today's purchase I simply have to do it once again. I went to a record shop in Rotterdam, where they had a few hundred singles for only 0,25 euro a piece. The last time I was there - a few years ago - it was a mess, and in a way it still was. But going through these singles I found 30 titles I wanted to have, and so I still did a great purchase there.

Now this single is a near-mint copy of the original UK release of 'The eve of the war'. Housed in a standard CBS sleeve, the real interesting thing is the picture label on this one. I don't know what these things are going for in the UK, but I bet they are way expensive in the record fairs and collector's vaults these days. And here I am... paying only 25 eurocents for this beauty.

My collection: 7" single no. 3894

Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, July 20, 2009

Cost: 0,25 euro

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

Veerpont - Drs. P.

Since this blog is written with an international audience in mind, I deliberated some time with myself whether I should publish this single. But in the end I decided that since I am publishing my entire singles collection, I couldn't simply omit this one.

'Veerpont' ('Ferry') is essentially the monologue of a ferryman, explaining his life going back and forth all the time. He explains that someone once explained to him that if the ferry were long enough to span the river, it could be turned into a bridge, but that would render other boats on the river useless. Well it sounds a bit boring but of course the joke is in the phrasing and the brilliant mind behind Drs. P.'s writing. So here it is, for the Dutch listeners - and the foreigners too.

My collection: 7" single no. 1776
Found: Record fair, October 25, 1992
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Veerpont' / 'Los Pompadoros'

Sleep like breathing - Alison Moyet

Alison Moyet released her second album 'Raindancing' in 1987. The track 'Sleep like breathing', a duet with David Freeman, was released as the third single. It was the least successful single by Moyet up to that point, stalling at number 80 in the UK singles chart.

The B-side is a live version of 'Love resurrection', recorded at Wembley Arena on May 13, 1987.

My collection: 7" single no. 3276
Found: November 11, 2000
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Sleep like breathing' / 'Love resurrection (live)'

Lost again - Yello

At only twelve, I was getting into electronic music really fast. I was aided somewhat by my sister, who is six years older than me and was already buying loads of singles. That is how I heard 'Lost again' (1983) by Yello, a mysterious-sounding track that, although it did not chart, ended up high in my personal top 100.

As I grew older, I had trouble finding the single. I was jealous as hell when my sister came home in 1985 with a double single of this track - but fortunately, she was willing to part with her original copy, and so I ended up owning this single anyway.

My collection: 7" single no. 369
Found: at home
Cost: - (present)
Tracks: 'Lost again' / 'Pumping velvet'

Thanks for the love - Earth and Fire

'Thanks for the love' was another hit single for the Dutch band Earth & Fire. It reached number 8 in the Dutch Top 40.

The B-side is an interesting one: it contains excerpts of the band's album 'To the world of the future', released a year earlier. The voice-over, Radio Veronica's DJ Lex Harding, explains that 'too few people know this album' and that the band 'has worked a half year on the album'. Back then, that was pretty impressive. These days bands need years of course...

My collection: 7" single no. 1371
Found: Concerto, Amsterdam, January 3, 1991
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Thanks for the love' / 'Excerpts from 'To the world of the future''

I owe you nothing - Bros

Originally released as their debut single in 1987, 'I owe you nothing' flopped. After the success of their breakthrough single 'When will I be famous?' it was re-released. It was accepted by the teenage audience as Bros mania was at its height. The single became the band's only UK number one, spending two weeks at the top in June 1988.

While the band ever broke through in America, the single did make number 10 on the Billboard dance chart. The single was also released as a lengthy 18 minute dance mix on a special 12" single.

My collection: 7" single no. 1032
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1989
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'I owe you nothing' / 'I owe you nothing (The voice)'

Ship of fools - World Party

World Party was essentially the project of Karl Wallinger, as he was the sole member of the band. The debut album 'Private revolution' was released in 1986 and contained the debut single 'Ship of fools', a retro-sounding track like most of the work on that album. The single reached number 42 in the UK singles chart and number 35 in the Dutch Top 40.

A 'Ship of fools' is actually an allegory that is a fixture in Western literature and art. The allegory depicts a vessel populated by human inhabitants who are deranged, frivolous, or oblivious, passengers aboard a ship without a pilot, and seemingly ignorant of their own direction.

My collection: 7" single no. 530
Found: Free Record Shop, 1987
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Ship of fools' / 'World groove (Do the mind guerrilla)'

Word up! - Cameo

'Word up!' was released by Cameo as a single from their 1986 album of the same name. The single peaked at number 6 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 3 in the UK singles chart and number 10 in the Dutch Top 40.

In more recent years, the single has been covered by bands like Gun and Korn and former Spice Girl Melanie Brown.

My collection: 7" single no. 2423
Found: July 22, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Word up!' / 'Urban warrior'

Free your mind - En Vogue

'Free your mind' was released after the uprising that took place in Los Angeles, California from April 29 to May 4, 1992 following the acquittal of the police officers who had beaten up Rodney King. The song used the chorus line of a George Clinton song with his permission.

The track was taken from En Vogue's 1992 album 'Funky Divas'. It peaked at number 18 in the US Billboard Hot 100, number 16 in the UK singles chart and number 7 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1789
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, November 14, 1992
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Free your mind' / 'Giving him something he can feel'

You stole a little piece of my heart - Patty Brard

After leaving Luv', Patty Brard had a solo career in the first half of the Eighties. She recorded three albums in Los Angeles, of which 'You're in the pocket' (1983) was the second one. The single 'You stole a little piece of my heart' was an unusually hardrock-sounding track, released as the first single from that album.

The single did not chart, like most of her other singles. Still, it is an impressive popsong, even if Brard herself is an extremely irritating person these days.

My collection: 7" single no. 213
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1983
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'You stole a little piece of my heart' / 'Just a tease'

Walk out to winter - Aztec Camera

I never know what came first: the chicken or the egg. It's the same with this song: the lyric fits the music really well - or is it the other way around? The music sounds extremely 'wintery', but it might be because of the lyric that I think that.

The single reached number 64 in the UK singles chart and remains one of the band's best recognised songs.

My collection: 7" single no. 1983
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1993
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Walk out to winter' / 'Set the killing free'

Keeping the dream alive - Freiheit

Taken from the album 'Fantasy', 'Keeping the dream alive' is the English-language version of 'So lang' man Träume noch leben kann'. This single became the band's sole hit in the UK, reaching number 14 in the UK singles chart.

Like its German counterpart, the track was performed with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Jackson Singers. It was one of my favourite tracks from 1989, even though it was released in late 1988.

My collection: 7" single no. 701
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, December 15, 1988
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Keeping the dream alive' / 'The land of fantasy'