Such a shame - Talk Talk

It doesn't happen often that a record company decides to release several singles from a compilation album, especially when those singles have already been released originally a few years before. But this is what happened with 'Talk Talk' after the release of the compilation album 'Natural history'. The greedy bastards from EMI wanted to earn some extra cash with these releases.

The setup didn't work. On its original release in 1984, 'Such a shame' reached number 49 in the UK singles chart. This re-release from 1990 did not chart. Justice - although I have to admit this sleeve is very nice. And the bonus live track from Montreux 1986 is a nice teaser.

My collection: 7" single no. 2733
Found: September 9, 1996
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Such a shame' / 'Dum dum girl (live)'

Holding on - Beverley Craven

'Holding on' was the third single taken from Beverley Craven's self-titled debut album. Released in July 1991, it reached number 32 in the UK singles chart, but it didn't chart in the Netherlands, where it was released a few months previous.

The B-side was a new track that Beverley would re-record a year later for her next album. This original version wins out, because it sounds a lot more energetic and less contrived.

My collection: 7" single no. 1403
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, March 16, 1991
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Holding on' / 'Look no further'

Lady - Spargo

After Lilian Day Jackson left the Dutch band Spargo, the band continued with the four male members of the group. Success didn't elude them right away, as proven with this single, 'Lady', which reached number 15 in the Dutch Top 40 in April 1984.

It was, however, the last hit single for the band. The group broke up in 1985 and briefly reformed in 1997.

My collection: 7" single no. 1161
Found: All that music, Leiden, January 27, 1990
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Lady' / 'Lady (instrumental version)'

My arms keep missing you - Rick Astley

Sometimes singles with a double A-side appear, but it doesn't happen so often that there are actually two different releases, switching the two A-side along the way. Sounds confusing? Well, here it is: during the chart run of 'When I fall in love', the record company decided that the song might have been appropriate for the Christmas season, but come January the other A-side, 'My arms keep missing you' would be more commercially viable.

And so, 'My arms keep missing you' was remixed and made the most important track of the double A-side release. It may have extended the chart life of this single, and at the very least it was an interesting new release for Rick Astley fans.

My collection: 7" single no. 2340
Found: Big Company Records, London, June 26, 1995
Cost: 35p
Tracks: 'My arms keep missing you (The 'Where's Harry?' remix)' / 'When I fall in love'

When I fall in love - Rick Astley

Due to his deep bass-baritone voice, Rick Astley was confronted often with the assumption that he was an African-American singer. Perhaps he and his producers Stock, Aitken and Waterman were pushing this point a bit when they released 'When I fall in love' in late 1987, a cover of Nat King Cole's 1956 hit.

It didn't matter much to the record-buying public: the single became a hit, peaking at number 2 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the Dutch Top 40. The single was in fact a double A-side with 'My arms keep missing you', but more about that in the following entry...

My collection: 7" single no. 1426
Found: Record fair, April 7, 1991
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'When I fall in love' / 'My arms keep missing you'

Cat people (Putting out fire) - David Bowie

David Bowie recorded 'Cat people (Putting out fire)' for the soundtrack of the 1982 movie 'Cat people'. The track was produced by Giorgio Moroder. Director Paul Schrader contacted Bowie for a theme song in 1981, while Moroder had already recorded most of the music. Bowie put lyrics to the main theme composed by Moroder. The words only had a basic relation to the film.

The single reached number 26 in the UK singles chart and number 67 in the USA. This 12" single features the full length version of the track, which also appears on the soundtrack album, whereas it was edited for the 7" single. Bowie re-recorded the song in 1983 for his album 'Let's dance'.

My collection: 12" single no. 504
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, July 20, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Cat people (Putting out fire)' / 'Paul's theme' (Giorgio Moroder)

Don't speak - No doubt

No doubt was founded in 1986 by siblings Eric and Gwen Stefani. They recruited other members and started playing live. After some years and several line-up changes they finally signed a record deal, which led to their debut album 'No doubt', released in 1992. Three years later, they released 'Tragic kingdom', which spawned their first worldwide hit, 'Don't speak'.

'Don't speak' reached number 1 in several countries around the world, including the UK and the Netherlands. This limited edition picture disc (which you can hear is not of the best quality sound-wise) was released in the UK only.

My collection: 7" single no. 2838
Found: Record fair, April 5, 1997
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Don't speak' / 'Greener pastures'

I won't let the sun go down - Nik Kershaw

'I won't let the sun go down on me' is a track from Nik Kershaw's debut album 'Human racing', and released as the fourth single from that album. Written during the last few years of the cold war period, when a nuclear threat was imminent, Kershaw wrote a lyric like 'forefinger on the button, is he blue or is he red?'.

Upon its first release, the single reached number 47 in the UK singles chart. After 'Wouldn't it be good' reached the top 5, the single was re-released and reached number 2 on this occasion. In the Netherlands, the single reached number 6 after that.

I have two versions of the single: one in a 'blue' sleeve, which according to a fan is a rare item, because he never saw this sleeve before, and another one in a limited edition postersleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 1062 ('blue' sleeve)
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 18, 1989
Cost: 1 pound
My collection: 7" single no. 2496 (postersleeve)
Found: London, October 30, 199
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'I won't let the sun go down' / 'Dark glasses'

More than a feeling - Boston

The American rock band Boston released their self-titled debut album in 1976. It was an instant success. The album's biggest hit was 'More than a feeling', a song that has since become a rock classic. The song took writer Tom Scholz five years to complete. He cited 'Walk away Renee' by the Left Banke as the song's main inspiration.

'More than a feeling' reached number 22 in the UK singles chart and number 11 in the Dutch Top 40. This single is a re-release, also featuring the later hit 'Don't look back'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1369
Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, January 3, 1991
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'More than a feeling' / 'Don't look back'

Sign of the times - Belle Stars

Only this year I bought the 12" single of 'Sign of the times' by the Belle Stars, but I've had the 7" single for years. I bought my copy during a holiday in London 16 years ago - and then again a few years later as I'd forgotten I already had it.

The song borrows loosely from Sixties Motown tracks, but sounds very Eighties production-wise. The single peaked at number 3 in the UK and the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 2025
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 19, 1993
Cost: 80p
Tracks: 'Sign of the times' / 'Madness'

Atlantic - Keane

'Atlantic' is a track from Keane's second album 'Under the iron sea', released in 2006. This one-sided vinyl 7" single was released in a numbered limited edition of 1000 copies (this is number 34) in a boxed set together with the first single taken from that album, 'Is it any wonder'. 'Atlantic' was promoted with a music video before the album was released, but it wasn't released as a single commercially.

My collection: 7" single no. 3489
Found: eBay.co.uk, received December 20, 2008
Cost: 4 pounds
Tracks: 'Atlantic'

Malaika - Boney M

Malaika means 'Angel' in Swahili. The song was first recorded by Kenyan musician Fadhili William and his band Jambo Boys in 1960. In 1981, the song was covered by Boney M for their album 'Boonoonoonoos'. The single reached number 13 in the German charts and number 20 in the Dutch Top 40.

These lower placings were a first sign of Boney M's popularity decreasing. In the Netherlands, they would never reach the top 20 again (except for a Megamix released in 1993, which reached number 13).

My collection: 7" single no. 86
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1981
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Malaika' / 'Consuela Biaz'

Tainted love 91 - Soft Cell

In 1991, the compilation album 'Memorabilia' was released, featuring the biggest hits by Soft Cell and Marc Almond. There was one problem: some of the tracks were remixes and re-recordings. Soft Cell's 'Tainted love', for instance, was slightly remixed - a version that would later reappear on less well documented Eighties compilation albums.

This 91 version of 'Tainted love' still became a hit in the UK, peaking at number 5, whereas the original version had been a charttopper.

My collection: 7" single no. 3312
Found: Record fair, February 24, 2001
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Tainted love 91' / 'Where the heart is'

Find a way - Amy Grant

Amy Grant had just earned the title 'Queen of Christian Pop' in her native USA when she changed direction and started recording secular albums. She wanted to become as successful in the mainstream as she had been in Christian circles. Her 1985 album 'Unguarded' was an album not very different from other artists production-wise, but the fact that her lyrics were no longer riddled with references to Jesus, God and the Bible shocked her fanbase.

'Find a way' was a single from this album and it became a hit in America. She didn't cross over to Europe yet (it would take her a few more years to do that), but this single is a promotional copy made in England. Proof that A&M Records were already trying hard to try and make her a star in the UK too.

My collection: 7" single no. 2396
Found: London, July 6, 1995
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Find a way' / 'It's not a song'

Hello - The Beloved

Taken from their 1990 album 'Happiness', 'Hello' was the second hit single for the Beloved, peaking at number 19 in the UK singles chart. It was released in a limited edition 7" single box set, including three square postcards.

As well as the names of some the band members' friends, the song mentions a number of famous people, chosen to loosely fit a "saints and sinners" theme. In alphabetical order, the people listed in the song are: Jeffrey Archer (politician and novelist), Fred Astaire, Bobby Ball (comedian), Charlie Brown, Tommy Cannon (comedian), Billy Corkhill (soap opera character), Leslie Crowther (TV presenter), "Freddie" Flintstone, Paris Grey (singer), Brian Hayes (broadcaster), Vince Hilaire (footballer), Barry Humphries, The LSO, Kym Mazelle (singer), Mork and Mindy, Little Nell, Charlie Parker, Andre Previn, Little Richard, Salman Rushdie, Jean Paul Sartre, The Supremes ("Mary Wilson, Di and Flo"), William Tell, Sir Bufton Tufton, Desmond Tutu, Willy Wonka, Zippy and Bungle (TV characters). There are also references to "Peter" and "Paul", presumably the Christian apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Kym Mazelle, who's mentioned in the song, actually sings backing vocals on it.

My collection: 7" single no. 2771
Found: London, October 30, 1996
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Hello' / 'Hello (Dolly)'

Crackers International EP - Erasure

In November 1988, Erasure released 'Crackers International', an EP with four self-produced tracks. 'Stop' was the lead track of the EP, with 'She won't be home' pushing the Christmas theme for the end of the year.

In the UK singles chart, the EP equalled the success of their biggest hit to date, 'Sometimes', reaching number 2. In the rest of Europe, the EP did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2559
Found: Record fair, November 19, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Stop', 'The hardest part' / 'Knocking on your door', 'She won't be home'

Pictures of you - The Cure

'Pictures of you' was released in two versions, and this version was pressed on purple vinyl. The B-side was a live track on both singles, recorded live at Wembley in London in July 1989. Further live tracks from this gig appeared on the cd-single of the track.

The single peaked at number 24 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1201
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, March 30, 1990
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Pictures of you (remix)' / 'Prayers for rain (live)'

Pictures of you - The Cure

'Pictures of you' was a track on the Cure's 1989 album 'Disintegration'. Clocking in at 7'24 minutes, the track was remixed and edited for the single release in 1990, lasting just 4'48 minutes.

According to interviews, the inspiration of the song came when a fire broke loose in Robert Smith's home. After that day, Robert was going through the remains and came across his wallet which had pictures of his wife, Mary. The cover of the single is one of the pictures. The single was released in two versions. This one is pressed on green vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 1209
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, April 14, 1990
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Pictures of you (remix)' / 'Last dance (live)'

This is the day - The The

Early 12" singles by The The were selling for anything upwards of 20 pounds circa 1990. Although I was an avid collector of the band's work, I never shelled out that much money for their records. And now it turns out I was right. Somewhere in a dark corner of a Dutch record shop, this disc suddenly popped up in front of me. I knew instinctively I had to have this - even if my 12" collection is not growing so fast anymore.

The The released a collector's edition of their greatest hits album '45 rpm: volume 1' (By the way, where is volume 2?) in 2002, with disc 2 containing some extended versions. This extended version is missing from that disc. And so I'm very happy to have finally caught this one. And cheaply, too!

My collection: 12" single no. 503
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, July 20, 2009
Cost: 2,5 euro
Tracks: 'This is the day (extended version)' / 'I've been waiting for tomorrow (all of my life) (Special mix)'

In private - Dusty Springfield

Dusty Springfield released 'In private' in late 1989. Just like her previous two hits, the track was produced by the Pet Shop Boys, who had a big hand in her glorious comeback in 1987. 'In private' appeared on Springfield's 1990 album 'Reputation'.

The single reached number 9 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 14 in the UK singles chart. Although she released a handful of further singles, Dusty Springfield would never break the top 20 in the UK again.

My collection: 7" single no. 1155
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, January 30, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'In private' / 'In private (instrumental)'