Sylvia's mother - Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show

The lyric of the song 'Sylvia's mother' tells the story of a man trying to say one last goodbye to his ex-girlfriend but unable to get past her mother, who tries to interfere. It was released in 1972 by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show, a band that would become one of the coolest bands of the Seventies - although in later decades they would come to represent everything that was reprehensable about that era.

'Sylvia's mother' was their first hit, reaching number 5 in the US Billboard Hot 100, number 2 in the UK singles chart and number 3 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 304
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 30, 1985
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Sylvia's mother' / 'Makin' it natural'

Monkey - George Michael

Released in the summer of 1988, 'Monkey' was the fifth single taken from George Michael's debut solo album 'Faith'. The single version was remixed by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who at the time were very successful with Janet Jackson's 'Control' album and its singles. Compared to the album version, the track sounded a lot livelier and 'fuller'.

In the US, this single was George Michael's fourth consecutive number 1 hit, joining the likes of Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston as three artists that all had four or more number one hits from one album. In the UK, the single was less successful, peaking at number 13, whereas in the Netherlands it reached number 6. At the time of release, I only bought the cd-single, but in 1995 I corrected this painful mistake and still got the 7" single.

My collection: 7" single no. 2488
Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 30, 1995
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'Monkey' / 'Monkey (Acapella)'

Golden brown - The Stranglers

According to Hugh Cornwell from the Stranglers, ''Golden Brown' works on two levels. It's about heroin and also about a girl'. Essentially the lyrics describe how 'both provided me with pleasurable times'. In an other interview drummer Jet Black quipped it was a song about Marmite. Even if harddrugs aren't your thing, this song is still worth listening to.

Released in December 1981, the single reached number 2 in the UK singles chart and number 8 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2586
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, December 23, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Golden brown' / 'Love 30'

Be my baby - Vanessa Paradis

In 1992 Vanessa Paradis moved to the United States, aged just 20. For some time, she was romantically linked with Lenny Kravitz, who also produced her first English language album, also released in 1992.

The album topped the French album chart and even reached number 45 in the UK albums chart. The first single taken from the album was the retro-sounding 'Be my baby', which made number 5 in France, number 6 in the UK singles chart and number 7 in the Dutch Top 40 - her only top 10 hit in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 1746
Found: HMV, London, October 19, 1992
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Be my baby' / 'The future song'

Wild horses - Gino Vannelli

Gino Vannelli sounds a lot like a crooner on this song, although 'Wild horses' is very much an eighties production. The single was taken from his 1987 album 'Big dreamers never sleep'. It was his last hit in the Netherlands, peaking at number 7 in May 1987.

I'd all but forgotten this single when I suddenly heard it again sometime in 1991. I thought it was really very good and started hunting. Within a couple of weeks, I'd found my copy.

My collection: 7" single no. 1409
Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, April 3, 1991
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Wild horses' / 'Shape me like a man'

Is dit nou later - Stef Bos

Stef Bos was born in Veenendaal, the Netherlands on July 12, 1961. He moved to Antwerp, Belgium in 1984 and has been living there ever since. After working with Ingeborg on her 1989 Eurovision Song Contest entry 'Door de wind', he released his debut solo album 'Is dit nu later' ('So is this later') in 1990. The title track was his debut single.

The lyric of the song is based on the idea that children are promised that the world is at their feet later, when they're all grown up. The singer states that his diploma is full of lies, stating that he's an adult who knows the truth, when in reality he doesn't understand life at all. There's an anger in this song that I've always been able to relate to very well.

My collection: 7" single no. 1908
Found: Groningen, May 15, 1993
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Is dit nou later' / 'M'n hart gevolgd'

While you see a chance - Steve Winwood

If Steve Winwood has a signature song, this is probably it. One of the song's most iconic features, its keyboard introduction, was not originally intended to be part of the song. The track was thrown together fairly quickly after Winwood discovered that he had accidentally deleted his intended drum track introduction while preparing for vocals. He wrote a new introduction on the spot as a replacement.

The single was taken from Winwood's album 'Arc of a diver' (1980) and peaked at number 7 in the US Billboard Hot 100, number 45 in the UK singles chart and number 10 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2728
Found: September 7, 1996
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'While you see a chance' / 'Vacant chair'

The boy in the bubble - Paul Simon

In 1985, Paul Simon heard a recording of the Boyoyo Boys, which inspired him to make the album 'Graceland', an unusual sounding record incorporating pop, acapella, rock and African music. In fact it might be the first so-called 'World music' mainstream album. In 1986, the album was released to critical and commercial acclaim.

The most successful single from the album was 'You can call me Al', a top 10 hit in several countries. This single, 'The boy in the bubble' was lesser known. Personally I like the odd sound of this track, and the video for it was also interesting eye candy.

My collection: 7" single no. 2798
Found: December 14, 1996
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'The boy in the bubble' / 'Hearts and bones'

Soul passing through soul - Toyah

Released in June 1985, 'Soul passing through soul' was the second solo single by Toyah Willcox. Although Toyah was originally the name of her band (1979-1983), she continued with that name even when she went solo. Well, it was her own first name after all.

While 'Don't fall in love', her first solo single, had been a success, peaking at number 27 in the UK singles chart, this one only reached number 57. Personally I think this is the stronger of the two - even the B-side is very good.

My collection: 7" single no. 3108
Found: Big Company Records, London, May 13, 1999
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Soul passing through soul' / 'All in a rage'

Waterfalls - Paul McCartney

I don't know why, but I've always thought that this sleeve is a very beautiful one. It's one of those illustrations that keep impressing me, even after all these years. The song itself is equally beautiful. It was taken from McCartney's first solo album after Wings disbanded, 'McCartney II'.

The single reached number 9 in the UK singles chart in 1980. But when he was asked which of his single he wished were more successful, McCartney answered, 'There's quite a few, actually... 'Waterfalls', I think is nice.'

My collection: 7" single no. 624
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 26, 1988
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Waterfalls' / 'Check my machine'

Young heroes - Kim Wilde

I don't buy many Kim Wilde singles anymore, since my collection is fairly complete. But sometimes a rare item pops up, and I have to have it. I was lucky to find this one for a fairly reasonable price - and that's including the price I had to pay for flying it over from the country where it was made!

'Young heroes' is a track from Kim Wilde's 1981 debut album. That album was released in America in 1982, so I guess it's logical that this single, made in Peru, came out in 1983. 'Young heroes' was not a single in any other country, although a flexi disc from Russia also exists. But that one is without a B-side, and this one is.

My collection: 7" single no. 4010
Found: eBay.com, received August 25, 2009
Cost: 13 euro
Tracks: 'Young heroes' / 'Our town'

Always something there to remind me - Naked Eyes

I had the 12" single of 'Always something there to remind me' by Naked Eyes years before I found the 7" single. The track was produced by Tony Mansfield, of New Musik fame.

Released in July 1983, this single became the only (minor) hit for Naked Eyes in the UK. It peaked at number 59 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 3075
Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, May 10, 1999
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Always something there to remind me' / 'Pit stop'

I will follow (live) - U2

In 1982, a relatively new band called U2 performed live in the Netherlands. The performance was recorded by Veronica, a Dutch broadcaster. When their recording of 'I will follow' was played a few times on the radio, the demand was so big that it was released as a single.

This live recording became U2's first hit in the Netherlands, peaking at number 12 in the Dutch Top 40 in September 1982. And all the rest is history...

My collection: 7" single no. 2973
Found: March 1, 1998
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'I will follow (live)' / 'Gloria (live)'

Knolraap en lof, schorseneren en prei - Drs. P

Today is the 90th birthday of Heinz Polzer, better known as drs. P. in the Netherlands. (Foreign readers are probably looking away now.) He became best known for his songs 'Veerpont' and 'Dodenrit'. Released more recently, in 1987, 'Knolraap en lof, schorseneren en prei' ('Turnips and chicory, salsify and leeks') narrowly missed the Dutch Top 40, but it also rather wellknown these days.

Drs. P. has always sought his challenge in writing poetic lyrics about unpoetic subjects. The 'Tuindersliedboek' ('Songbook for gardeners') contains loads more poems about fruit and vegetables. See the dossier about drs. P. from the National library of the Netherlands for more information about drs. P.

My collection: 7" single no. 1153
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, January 19, 1990
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Knolraap en lof, schorseneren en prei' / 'Olijf', 'Het land is moe'

Martika's kitchen - Martika

Although this song sounds innocent and playful, rumour has it that Prince wrote this song for Martika with something else than cooking on his mind. When you see 'kitchen' and 'oven' as a metaphor for something, this track takes on an entirely different meaning.

In America this suggestive song failed to become a hit. In the UK, it reached number 17 whereas in the Netherlands it only managed a number 38 placing in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2503
Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 30, 1995
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'Martika's kitchen' / 'Broken heart'

Three little pigs - Green Jelly

Green Jelly band members Marc Levinthal and Bill Manspeaker wrote 'Three little pigs' after a 'late-night drinkfest' at Zatar's in Hollywood. It is a re-telling of the classic fairy tale Three Little Pigs, with modern twists such as pot-smoking pigs, an appearance by Rambo and a Harley-Davidson-riding wolf.

The song's claymation music video received regular rotation on MTV. As a result, it became a hit in various countries, reaching number 5 in the UK singles chart and number 15 in the Dutch Top 40. This single, released in the UK, was pressed on pink vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 2891
Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, October 29, 1997
Cost: 2,5 pounds
Tracks: 'Three little pigs' / 'Obey the cowgod'

Hungry like the wolf - Duran Duran

Duran Duran worte and recorded 'Hungry like the wolf' on a Saturday in the spring of 1982 at the basement studios of EMI's London headquarters. Rhodes started the song's demo in the morning with a sequencer; the song was built throughout the day as each band member arrived, and by the evening it was essentially complete. The laugh at the beginning of the song and the screams during the song's fade-out were performed by Nick Rhodes’ girlfriend at the time.

The single was another top 10 hit for the band, peaking at number 5 in the UK singles chart. It also reached number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100.

My collection: 7" single no. 3246
Found: London, October 20, 2000
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Hungry like the wolf' / 'Careless memories (live)'

Mat's Prozac - Mice

After All about Eve disbanded, Julianne Regan went on to work with Tim McTighe (ex-Powder) to work on new songs. Levitation guitarist Christian Hayes and ex-All about Eve drummer Mark Price were also involved in the band, which was to be called The Innocent. Just before the release of their first single, the name changed to Mice.

'Mat's Prozac' was the first single taken from their album. Since I was such a big fan of All about Eve's music, I bought it right away - but I did have some doubts whether this was the kind of music I really liked. The single did not chart in the UK, let alone anywhere else. This single was pressed on yellow vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 2850
Found: Record fair, 1995
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Mat's Prozac' / 'Bang bang'

Cities in dust - Siouxie and the Banshees

'Cities in dust' was released as the first single from the seventh studio album by Siouxie and the Banshees: 'Tinderbox' (1985). The lyric of the song obliquely describes the city of Pompeii, destroyed in a volcanic eruption in the year 79. Imagery describing the volcano and its magma chamber, the condition of the victims of the eruption, and the subsequent discovery and excavation of the city comprises the bulk of the lyrics.

Although the subject matter was still dark, the band seemed to be headed in a more poppy area of music, leaving their goth roots. The single made number 21 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2017
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 19, 1993
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'Cities in dust' / 'An execution'

You - Ten Sharp

After being away from the music business for five years, Ten Sharp returned in the form of a duo. Michiel Hoogenboezem and Niels Hermes picked up where their three band members had thrown in the towel - and their reward was big. Where chart success eluded Ten Sharp in the Eighties, they had a European hit on their hands with 'You', released in 1991.

Not only did the band reach number 3 in the Netherlands (a position they'd never achieved in the Eighties), it also went number 1 in France, Norway and Sweden. In the UK, the single peaked at number 10. All of a sudden, Ten Sharp had become popular.

My collection: 7" single no. 1430
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, April 13, 1991
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'You' / 'You (instrumental)'