Run like hell - Pink Floyd

'Run like hell' was the second single taken from Pink Floyd's classic album 'The wall'. The song is from the point of view of anti-hero Pink during a hallucination, in which he becomes a fascist dictator and turns a concert audience into an angry mob. He sends the mob out to raid nearby neighborhoods that are full of minorities. The song was originally much longer, however it had to be cut because of the time limitations on the original vinyl record format. Although the lyrics 'Run like hell' appear several times in the liner notes, they are never actually heard in the song.

The single was a commercial disappointment after the huge success of its predecessor 'Another brick in the wall'. Still, copies of the single are wanted by collectors and change hands for anything upwards of 10 euro. I'm lucky to find a cheaper, if somewhat damaged, copy.

My collection: 7" single no. 4042
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Run like hell' / 'Don't leave me now'

Get it on - The Power Station

'Get it on' was written by Marc Bolan and recorded by his band T-Rex in 1971. The Power Station recorded a cover version of the track in 1985. It was released as the second single from their debut album.

The track was a hit in the UK, where it reached number 22, and America, where it peaked at number 9. When Robert Palmer heard that the other Power Station members had recorded demos for the song, he asked to try out vocals for it. Before long, the band had decided to record the entire album with Palmer.

My collection: 7" single no. 4041
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Get it on' / 'Go to zero'

Total loss - Kayak

'Total loss' is a track from Kayak's 1980 album 'Periscope life'. Moving away from their rock roots after the ballad 'Ruthless queen' (1979), this single was a bit of a return to form: a straightforward rock track.

Unfortunately, the Dutch audience weren't impressed, as the single did not reach the chart. Their next single, 'Seagull', would become their last hit single.

My collection: 7" single no. 4040
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Total loss' / 'What's done is done'

Chance for a lifetime - Kayak

A few years ago, I saw a documentary on Kayak's 1975 album 'Royal bed bouncer'. I was very impressed with the music I heard. Nowadays, almost all music made in the Netherlands is substandard and pathetic, but this was rock music worthy of worldwide recognition.

I bought the cd not long after that, and I thought I would find singles from the album soon enough. I didn't actively search for them - and now I've finally found 'Chance for a lifetime'. It's one of the standout tracks from 'Royal bed bouncer', but it only reached number 31 in the Dutch Top 40.

By the way: the copy I bought was covered in dust and grease. I decided to wash it along with the dishes, and voila: the single is as good as new.

My collection: 7" single no. 4039
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Chance for a lifetime' / 'My heart never changed'

Was ist schon ein Jahr - Johnny Logan

In 1980, Johnny Logan represented Ireland during the Eurovision Song Contest, singing the song 'What's another year'. When the song, written by Shay Healy, won the Contest, Logan's career took off.

'What's another year' became an international hit. In Germany, Logan released a special version of the song, with German lyrics written by Michael Kunze. 'Was ist schon ein Jahr' sounds very familiar, and yet very strange to non-Germans. Personally, I prefer this version for its interesting lyric. To hear an Irish man sing 'Eines Tages wirst du wissen / dass diesen Abschied nur ein Irrtum war' is priceless.

My collection: 7" single no. 4038
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Was ist schon ein Jahr' / 'One night stand'

Feuer und Flamme - Nena

'Feuer und Flamme' was the title of Nena's fourth album, released in 1984. It was the first album of the band to be reproduced in English in its entirity. The English version 'It's all in the game' was released in 1985.

The title track was released as a single, with the English version of the track, 'Woman on fire', on the B-side.

My collection: 7" single no. 4037
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Feuer und Flamme' / 'Woman on fire'

Soul street - Jolley and Swain

Steve Jolley and Tony Swain produced the music of bands like Imagination, Bananarama and many others. In 1985 they decided to release a single of their own, the instrumental track 'Soul street'. It sounds a lot like the music of the aforementioned bands. The single was taken from the album 'Backtrackin', also released in 1985.

They continued to produce artists like Diana Ross, Tom Robinson and Wang Chung, until they split up in 1987. Swain went on to produce Kim Wilde's 1988 album 'Close' and became head A&R consultant for Universal Records. Jolley set up his own record label and in 2001 ended up in jail for sexually assaulting a 12 year old boy. I guess you could say 'each to their own'...

My collection: 7" single no. 4036
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Soul street' / 'Autumn leaves'

Where did your heart go - Wham

'Where did your heart go' was originally released as part of the double single 'The edge of heaven', released to signal the end of the duo Wham! in June 1986. Always in need of 'milking it', the record company decided to release the track separately as a single in October 1986. The setup didn't work as most people already had the track - only the most avid fans still bought the single despite the absence of anything new on it. The single peaked at number 50 in the USA and number 54 in Australia.

The song was not written by George Michael, like most of Wham!'s material, but instead was a cover of the 1981 track by Was Not Was. It was written by David and Don Was.

My collection: 7" single no. 4034
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Where did your heart go?' / 'Wham! Rap '86'

Wake me up before you go-go - Wham!

One of the Eighties' ultimate pop tracks was Wham!'s 'Wake me up before you go-go'. George Michael was inspired to write the song when his Wham! partner Andrew Ridgeley left a scribbled note to his parents reading 'Wake me up before you go', but accidentally wrote the word 'up' twice - so he decided to repeat the word 'go' as well.

Released in May 1984, Wham! presented themselves as a sunnier, less pretentious band, moving away from their politically charged songs from their previous album. The song reached number 1 in both the UK, the USA and the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 4035
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Wake me up before you go-go' / 'Wake me up before you go-go (instrumental)'

Japanese lovesong - Ten Sharp

The early career of Ten Shap was a bit odd. They released four singles to little or no success. The one that was the least interesting in my opinion was 'Japanese lovesong'. And yet, this was the only single of the four to reach the Dutch Top 40, in the summer of 1985. It had a chart run of four weeks and reached number 30.

'Japanese lovesong' was the second single released by Ten Sharp, and after the third and fourth singles 'Last words' and 'Way of the west' did not chart, the band disbanded for four years, only to resurrect with the international smash hit 'You'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4033
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Japanese lovesong' / 'Goin' on'

Pleasure - Spandau Ballet

'Pleasure' was released as the fifth and last single from Spandau Ballet's 1983 album 'True'. After the massive hits 'True' and 'Gold', this single was a commercial disappointment, failing to reach the chart almost everywhere.

The single did chart in Germany, where it reached number 61. It was the lowest chart placing for any Spandau Ballet single in that country.

My collection: 7" single no. 4032
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Pleasure' / 'Pleasure (live)'

Anyone who had a heart - Sandie Shaw

'Anyone who had a heart' was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and originally performed by Dionne Warwick in 1963. Outside of America, the song is better known in a version by Cilla Black, released in 1964 and a number 1 hit for her in the UK. Black later commented: 'Dionne was dead choked, and she's never forgiven me, to this day'.

Sandie Shaw was one of the few British girl singers who did not cover the song in the Sixties. In 1982, she was introduced to the British Electric Foundation by future husband Nik Powell. The B.E.F. (Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh, who would go on to form Heaven 17 with Glenn Gregory) asked Shaw to record a song for their album 'Music of Quality and Distinction Volume 1', on which they intended people to cover old songs and give them an updated electronic sound. Shaw was particularly proud of her emotional vocals on the song, which was subsequently released as a single. This proved to be the beginning of her 1980s comeback.

My collection: 7" single no. 4031
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Anyone who had a heart' / 'Anyone who had a heart (instrumental)'

Never turn your back on mother earth - Sparks

As I was a fan of the Sparks back in 1974, I must have heard this song a few times back then. As I was only four years old at the time, I cannot remember that at all. So the first time I can actually recall hearing this song was in 1989, on Martin Gore's 'Counterfeit EP', an EP of six cover versions as performed by the Depeche Mode band member.

Since I really love that version, I got curious about the original. And so I bought this single the first time I saw it - which was yesterday. The single reached number 13 in the UK singles chart, but did not chart in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 4030
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Never turn your back on mother earth' / 'Alabamy right'

Cream - Prince and the New Power Generation

According to Prince, he wrote the song 'Cream' while he was standing in front of a mirror. It was included on Prince & the New Power Generation's 1991 album 'Diamonds and pearls'.

Released as the second single from the album, it reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 15 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4029
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Cream' / 'Horny pony'

Highland - One more time

One More Time formed in the early Nineties. The band consisted of Peter Grönvall (son of Abba's Benny Andersson) and his wife Nanne, with Maria Rådsten and Therese Löf. In 1992 they began their international career with the release of the single and album 'Highland'. The single became an international success, hitting number 1 in ten countries, peaking at number 18 in the Dutch Top 40.

'Highland' was released on 7" vinyl at a time when most record companies were abandoning the format. As such, you could almost consider it a collectors item.

My collection: 7" single no. 4028
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Highland' / 'Vitality'

Raspberry beret - Prince and the Revolution

'Raspberry beret' was released as the second single from Prince & the Revolution's 1985 album 'Around the world in a day'. Back then, Prince was a Big Thing, and after the phenomenal success of 'Purple rain', this new album was highly anticipated. Although the song was originally recorded in 1982, Prince drastically reworked it with The Revolution to give it more of an international sound.

The lyric of the song tells of a teenage romance and first sexual experience with a girl who wears the titular hat. The single peaked at number 25 in the UK singles chart and number 19 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4027
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Raspberry beret' / 'She's always in my hair'

The set up - Rupert Hine

Since Rupert Hine has never had a hit, it isn't easy to be aware of the singles he's released. Every time I see one, I am pleasantly surprised. 'The set up' is the second single from his 1982 album 'Waving not drowning'. It includes a non-album track on the B-side, 'Kwok's quease', a quirky song in the best of Hine's traditions.

For some reason, the record buying audience has never given Hine a hit, although his production work has been appreciated by millions, as evidenced by the millionselling albums by Howard Jones, Noa and the Fixx, to name but a few.

My collection: 7" single no. 4026
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'The set up' / 'Kwok's quease'

Second chance - Frizzle Sizzle

The Dutch girl group Frizzle Sizzle had their last hit with this single, 'Second chance'. It was only a minor hit, reaching number 38 in the Dutch Top 40. Subsequent singles 'Treat me good' and 'Around and around' did not reach the chart at all.

My collection: 7" single no. 4025
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Second chance' / 'Top of my list'

I'll tumble 4 ya - Culture Club

'I'll tumble 4 ya' appeared on Culture Club's debut album 'Kissing to be clever'. It was released as a single in North America only, peaking at number 9 in both the USA and Canada.

The B-side, 'Mystery boy', was originally Culture Club's third single, released before they had their international breakthrough with 'Do you really want to hurt me'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4024
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'I'll tumble 4 ya' / 'Mystery boy'

(We want) The same thing - Belinda Carlisle

I first noticed the track '(We want) The same thing' when I saw Belinda Carlisle perform the song live in Bournemouth with Kim's brother Rick Wilde on guitar in 2004. The song rocked! I don't think I heard the song before.

The song was written by Rick Nowels and Ellen Shipley and appeared on Belinda Carlisle's third album 'Runaway horses' (1989). It was released as its fifth single in October 1990. It peaked at number 6 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4023
Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: '(We want) The same thing' / 'Shades of Michaelangelo'