Love will save the day - Whitney Houston

I recently saw a video of Whitney Houston on the UK television programme 'X Factor'. Her new song was quite horrible, she almost lost the top of her dress and she looked quite lost on stage, like she hasn't quite kicked her drug habit yet.

It's easy to discard her entire body of work as sentimental crap and uninspired dance tracks. Even this one single I have from her now sounds very dated. But 'Love will save the day' has a nice hook, even if the vocals are not the best and the music sounds very Eighties. the single was not Whitney's biggest hit, but still reached number 6 in the Dutch Top 40, number 9 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 10 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1298
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 15, 1990
Cost: 30p
Tracks: 'Love will save the day' / 'Hold me' (duet with Teddy Pendergrass)

More than I can bear - Matt Bianco

Released in February 1985 as their fourth single, Matt Bianco's 'More than I can bear' was not their biggest hit but perhaps their artistically most accomplished song. The song appeared on their debut album 'Whose side are you on' (1984) and was remixed for the single.

It reached number 50 in the UK singles chart and number 22 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 643
Found: August 2, 1988
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'More than I can bear (remix)' / 'Matts mood (remix)'

The world is stone - Cyndi Lauper

'The world is stone' was originally written in 1978 for the Starmania musical as 'Le monde est stone', a French song by Michel Berger and Luc Plamondon. The song was adapted to English by Tim Rice.

Cyndi Lauper recorded the song in 1992 for the soundtrack of the musical 'Tycoon'. The single was not released in the USA, but it did hit number 15 in the UK singles chart. In France the single peaked at number 2. It also became the biggest selling single in France that year, earning a double platinum certification.

My collection: 7" single no. 2744
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 21, 1996
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'The world is stone' / 'Learn to live alone'

If I can't have you - Yvonne Elliman

Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, a.k.a. the Bee Gees wrote 'If I can't have you' in 1976. They intended to record it as a track on their follow-up of the 1976 Bee Gees album 'Children of the world', but when they became involved in the soundtrack of the movie 'Saturday night fever', they gave the song to Yvonne Elliman to record it.

Elliman's version of the song became an international hit, reaching number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 4 in the UK singles chart. The Bee Gees also recorded the song themselves, and it was released as the B-side to their single 'Stayin' alive'.

My collection: 7" single no. 2776
Found: London, October 31, 1996
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'If I can't have you' / 'Good sign'

Il veliero - The Chaplin Band

Although they released several singles between 1976 and 1982, 'Il veliero' was only the second hit for the Chaplin band. Like their debut single 'Let's have a party' in 1977, this single reached number 24 in the Dutch Top 40. I've also got the 12" single, but this is the single version of that track.

After one more hit, 'Gold' later on in 1982, the Chaplin band would never return to the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2057
Found: November 27, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Il veliero' / 'Dancin' on town square'

Goodnight song - Tears for fears

Released in October 1993, 'Goodnight song' was the third single from Tears for fears' 1993 album 'Elemental'. Although the cd-single in Europe was backed by a remix of the album's title track, in the US the B-side 'New star' was used (released as the B-side of 'Cold' in the UK).

The single was not very successful, as it didn't chart in any territory. Until recently, I didn't even know a 7" single of this release existed.

My collection: 7" single no. 4118
Found: eBay.com, received October 19, 2009
Cost: $3
Tracks: 'Goodnight song' / 'New star'

Hey Jude - The Beatles

'Hey Jude' was originally written by Paul McCartney as 'Hey Jules' as a song for Julian Lennon, after the divorce of his parents, John and Cynthia Lennon. Paul commented: 'I started with the idea 'Hey Jules', which was Julian, don't make it bad, take a sad song and make it better. Hey, try and deal with this terrible thing. I knew it was not going to be easy for him. I always feel sorry for kids in divorces... I changed it to 'Jude' because I thought that sounded a bit better.'

The song became a massive hit for the Beatles, reaching number 1 in charts around the world. The single was the debut release of the Beatles' record label Apple Records.

My collection: 7" single no. 425
Found: Den Haag, June 29, 1986
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Hey Jude' / 'Revolution'

Love changes (everything) - Climie Fisher

My copy of 'Love changes (everything)' features a free poster. This is also the reason why I bought it, as part of a batch of the four last singles I bought during a holiday in London. I figured that limited editions like this were much harder to find again than the usual second hand singles.

'Love changes (everything)' is arguably Climie Fisher's best known single, and their biggest hit in the UK, peaking at number 2 in the summer of 1987. In the Dutch Top 40, the single landed at number 20.

My collection: 7" single no. 1082
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 19, 1989
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Love changes (everything)' / 'Never close the show'

Shine silently - Nils Lofgren

Nils Lofgren was born on June 21, 1951 in Chicago, Illinois (USA). He joined Neil Young's band, following this up with a brief stint with Crazy Horse in 1971. His own band Grin then landed a record deal and had some success for three years. Lofgren then launched a solo career.

His fifth album 'Nils' was released in 1979, featuring the single 'Shine silently'. This single reached number 21 in the Dutch Top 40 in the autumn of 1979 and is still a firm radio favourite these days.

My collection: 7" single no. 1422
Found: Record fair, Den Haagt, April 7, 1991
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Shine silently' / 'Kool skool'

Stop loving you - Toto

'Stop loving you' was the first single taken from Toto's 1988 album 'The seventh one'. The song was written by David Paich and Steve Lukather and featured backing vocals by Jon Anderson.

The single peaked at number 2 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1812
Found: All that music, Leiden, January 9, 1993
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Stop loving you' / 'The seventh one'

Call me - Go west

Go west released 'Call me' as their second single. It was taken from their self-titled debut album, released in 1985. Although the single couldn't match the success of their debut single 'We close our eyes' in any territory. it still did rather well.

In the UK, 'Call me' reached number 12, whereas in the US Billboard Hot 100 the single reached number 54. In New Zealand, 'Call me' reached number 2.

My collection: 7" single no. 312
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Call me' / 'The man in my mirror'

Why can't it wait 'til morning - Phil Collins

'Why can't it wait 'til morning' was the fifth single taken from Phil Collins' second solo album 'Hello, I must be going!'. It was only released in the UK, but it was not successful: the single did not chart, despite the fact that it is actually quite a great ballad.

The B-side was also taken from the album. The lyric of 'Like china' is about an infatuated teenager attempting to convince his girlfriend to sleep with him by saying he will treat her as gently like china. I wonder if she fell for it...

My collection: 7" single no. 3202
Found: Record fair, September 30, 2000
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Why can't it wait 'til morning' / 'Like china'

Sexy MF - Prince

There were some problems when Prince delivered his song 'Sexy motherfucker' in 1992. Puritan people were very distraught by this expression, whereas in that day and age it shouldn't really shock anyone much more than violence on TV and in movies. But apparently saying 'motherfucker' is worse than that. Channels like MTV hastily censored the offending word 'fucker' with an exclamation by Prince, which made the song sound very strange indeed.

The single did benefit somewhat from all the upheaval, as it reached number 4 in the UK singles chart and the Dutch Top 40. In the USA, the single stalled at number 66.

My collection: 7" single no. 1744
Found: Virgin Megastore, London, October 19, 1992
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Sexy MF' / 'Strollin''

Kissing gate - Sam Brown

Sam Brown's second album 'April moon' spawned five singles, of which 'Kissing gate' was the second. It was the biggest hit from the album, peaking at number 23 in the UK singles chart and also reaching number 45 in Canada.

The single was released in a limited edition pop-up sleeve. The popup revealed an image of Sam Brown with the lyric of 'Kissing gate' behind her. The quirky B-side 'Is it mustard or mango?' is a nice treat as well.

My collection: 7" single no. 1258
Found: Tower Records, London, July 5, 1990
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Kissing gate' / 'Is it mustard or mango?'

Don't cry - Seal

I've been buying some Nineties singles recently, and it's interesting how the 7" format continued in America as it was slowly abolished in Europe already.

'Don't cry' was released as the fifth and final single from Seal's fourth album in 1995. It featured a radio edit of the track (which was not that much shorter than the album version). The single reached number 51 in the UK singles chart and number 33 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4117
Found: eBay.com, received October 19, 2009
Cost: $3
Tracks: 'Don't cry (radio edit)' / 'Fast changes'

Hallo spaceboy - David Bowie

'Hallo spaceboy' was a track on David Bowie's 1995 album '1. Outside', a loud rock track that would surprise a lot of listeners if they would hear it. The lyric of the song featured a return of Major Tom, a character wellknown from Bowie's songs 'Space oddity' and 'Ashes to ashes'.

The single version was remixed by the Pet Shop Boys and was far more dance oriented. The introduction was sampled from 'Outside's opening track, 'Leon take us outside'. Bowie initially expressed reservation about the additions, which referenced and 'chopped up' the lyrics to 'Space oddity', but later agreed that they worked well so long as Tennant sung them. The single became a hit for Bowie, peaking at number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 24 in the Dutch Top 40. The 7" single was pressed on pink vinyl. On my copy, the label of the B-side is missing.

My collection: 7" single no. 2632
Found: March 16, 1996
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Hallo spaceboy' / 'The hearts filthy lesson (radio edit)'

Robin (the hooded man) - Clannad

I bought the Clannad compilation album 'Pastpresent' somewhere around 1990 and it was through that cd that I discovered the interesting back catalogue of this Irish band. I went through a phase of buying their singles whenever I came across them - and I still will, I think.

'Robin (the hooded man)' was the only single to be lifted off Clannad's 1984 album 'Legend'. The music of that album was composed for the ITV drama series 'Robin of Sherwood', starring Michael Praed, who appears on the cover of this single. It reached number 42 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2901
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 30, 1997
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Robin (the hooded man)' / 'Lady Marian'

What do I have to do - Kylie Minogue

Kylie Minogue was changing her image from 'girl next door' to 'sex siren', and the music video for 'What do I have to do' was one of the means to do this. The video showed Kylie in a swimming pool, a fairground, doing the ironing in a French maid's costume, and dancing with a female friend in a club. The sexual undertones in the video directed by Dave Hogan proved too much for Saturday morning TV shows, and so they showed a censored version of the video.

The music video was exploited in the single release as well: this limited edition features two free postcards with stills from the video. 'What do I have to do' reached number 6 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2701
Found: House of Rhythm, London, July 3, 1996
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'What do I have to do' / 'What do I have to do (instrumental)'

Hide and seek - Howard Jones

'Hide and seek' was the third single from Howard Jones' debut album 'Human's lib'. The ballad had an almost biblical lyric and intriguing synthesizer sounds. It reached number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 28 in the Dutch Top 40.

This 10" single features both the A- and B-sides of the 7" single, but also an exclusive 'concert version', recorded live in concert at High Wycombe Concert Hall in 1984.

My collection: 10" single [unnubered]
Found: Record Exchange, London, 1990
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Hide & seek (Concert version)' / 'Hide & seek', 'Tao te Ching'

Circle of one - Oleta Adams

'Circle of one' was the second single released by Oleta Adams, taken from her debut album of the same name. Capitalizing on the success she found with Tears for fears wasn't easy at first, because after her debut single 'Rhythm of life' only reached number 52 in the UK singles chart, this one only managed to peak at number 95.

'Circle of one' was written by Adams herself and produced by Roland Orzabal and Dave Bascombe. It would take another single to finally find breakthrough success: the ballad 'Get here'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1302
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 15, 1990
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Circle of one' / 'Think again'