Oh l'amour - Erasure

'Oh l'amour' was released in April 1986 as the third single by the synthpop duo Erasure. Written by members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, the song is a lament from someone experiencing unrequited love.

Upon its release, the single reached number 85 in the UK singles chart, but reached number 2 in South Africa, number 16 in Germany and number 13 in Australia. Furthermore, it became their only hit to date in France, where it reached number 14.

My collection: 7" single no. 4242
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Oh l'amour' / 'March on down the line'

Two tribes - Frankie goes to Hollywood

People who grew up in the Eighties are usually familiar with the music video for Frankie goes to Hollywood's second single 'Two tribes', in which two actors playing Ronald Reagan and Konstantin Chernenko are in a wrestling match.

The track itself is equally famous for its hasty tempo and loud production by Trevor Horn. The single was released at the height of the cold war, when general fears about global nuclear warfare were at a peak. According to Frankie's frontman Holly Johnson: 'There's two elements in the music - an American funk line and a Russian line. It’s the most obvious demonstration of two tribes that we have today.' The single went number 1 in the UK singles chart and the Dutch Top 40 in the summer of 1984.

My collection: 7" single no. 4240
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Two tribes' / 'One February Friday'

Visage - Visage

'Visage' was the fourth single by Visage, released in June 1981. It is the title track from Visage's selftitled debut album, produced by Visage and Midge Ure. This single is the German pressing, which comes in a different sleeve from the UK edition.

'Visage' reached number 21 in the UK singles chart, but was unsuccessful in mainland Europe.

My collection: 7" single no. 4239
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Visage' / 'Second steps'

Take Four EP - Mike Oldfield

The EP 'Take Four' was released in 1978. It contained one new track: 'Wrekorder Wrondo', plus three previous singles. 'Sailors hornpipe' was the finale on Mike Oldfield's most famous album, 'Tubular bells', while 'Portsmouth' and 'In dulci jubilo' were top 5 hits in the UK in 1976 and 1975 respectively.

Although this collection of tracks spans five years, it's surprising to hear the consistency in the sound of this EP. It's not that the tracks sound the same, but the folky instrumentation is there throughout the entire EP.

My collection: 7" single no. 4238
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Portsmouth', 'In dulci jubilo' / 'Wrekorder wrondo', 'Sailors hornpipe'

Give a little bit - Supertramp

Supertramp released one of their best albums in 1977 with 'Even in the quietest moments'. 'Give a little bit' was the opening track on the album, and also released as the first single from the album. Writing credits for the song were given to Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, members of the band, although it really is a Hodgson composition.

The single reached number 29 in the UK singles chart and number 2 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4237
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Give a little bit' / 'Downstream'

The heat is on - Glenn Frey

'The heat is on' was written by Harold Faltermeyer and Keith Forsey and recorded by Glenn Frey for the sountrack of the 1984 movie 'Beverly Hills cop'. The recording starts with an intriguing intro, then turns into a rather straightforward pop song.

The single reached number 2 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and Australian singles chart, and peaking at number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 31 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4236
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'The heat is on' (Glenn Frey) / 'Shoot out' (Harold Faltermeyer)

Americanos - Holly Johnson

Back in 1989, I didn't really like the track 'Americanos', written and performed by Holly Johnson. It was basically a listing of all the things I didn't like about the American junk culture - except maybe those Oreo cookies.

It was Holly Johnson's second solo single, after leaving his band Frankie Goes to Hollywood. The single reached number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 6 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4235
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Americanos' / 'Americanos (Mambo dub mix)'

Oh yeah - Roxy Music

'Oh yeah' was written by Bryan Ferry. He explained in an interview: 'In this song I was trying to create a picture of Americana, and long hot summer evenings at drive-in movies. It is wistful and nostalgic, rather like a country record.'

The track was released as the second single from Roxy Music's 1980 album 'Flesh + Blood'. It reached number 5 in the UK singles chart, just like the previous single 'Over you'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4234
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Oh yeah' / 'South downs'

Johnny Blue - Lena Valaitis

Valaitis was born in Memel (Klaipėda), in 1943 part of the Memel Territory of East Prussia, Germany, now in Lithuania. Her father, a soldier of the Wehrmacht, was killed during World War II. At the end of the war, Valaitis, her mother, and her brother arrived as refugees in West Germany.

She began her musical career by joining the band Frederik Brothers. She signed a record contract with Philips in 1970 and released her first single, 'Halt das Glück für uns fest' that same year. Six years later she enjoyed her first big chart success with 'Da kommt José der Straßenmusikant'. In 1981, she represented Germany during the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Johnny Blue', which finished second.

My collection: 7" single no. 4217
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,66 euro
Tracks: 'Johnny Blue' / 'Jeder Mensch hat seinen Traum'

Nobody's perfect - Mike and the Mechanics

'Nobody's perfect' was the first single from Mike and the Mechanics' 1988 album 'The living years'. With its rather original sound, the track still failed to catch the attention of the general public and went by almost unnoticed. Still, I got to know the song because my sister bought it when it came out.

The single reached number 63 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 80 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4233
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Nobody's perfect' / 'Nobody knows'

Via Satellit - Rheingold

Bodo Staiger, Brigitte Kunz and Lothar Manteuffel formed Rheingold in the early Eighties. Their biggest hit was 'Dreiklangs dimensionen', released in 1982. They continued making music, and this single from 1983 is proof of that.

'Via Satellit' is another synthpop track, slightly reminiscent of material by Kraftwerk, but with the lush production values of Conny Plank, who became famous for his work with Ultravox.

My collection: 7" single no. 4232
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Via Satellit' / 'Digital'

Que sera - Chris Rea

In 1988, Chris Rea released the album 'New light through old windows', an album of re-recordings of his own songs. Reportedly, Rea was dissatisfied with some of his earliest recordings, produced by Gus Dudgeon. There are rumours, however, that Rea wanted to dispense with royalties or contractual payments on the original recordings that would have been due under an agreement with his first manager John McCoy, with whom Rea had parted ways in the early Eighties.

'Que sera' predates this album by a couple of months. It is actually a re-recording of a track on his 1987 album 'Dancing with strangers'. Perhaps this re-recording was also a source of inspiration for 'New light through old windows'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4231
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Que sera' / 'Se sequi'

With a girl like you - Harpo

'With a girl like you' was written by Reg Presley and a hit single for the Troggs in 1966. Swedish singer Harpo released his version of the song in 1978. Although the single was released all over Europe, it was not a hit.

The B-side of the single features 'Ballad of Los Angeles', written by Harpo himself. He actually travelled to Los Angeles in 1977, and this song was one of the creative results from that trip.

My collection: 7" single no. 4230
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'With a girl like you' / 'Ballad of Los Angeles'

Walking on sunshine - Katrina and the Waves

'Walking on sunshine' is a song on Katrina and the Waves' second album of the same name. The song was released as a single from the album in a re-recorded version. This single, released in 1985, reached number 4 in Australia, number 9 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 8 in the UK singles chart.

The B-side of the single features a version of 'Going down to Liverpool', a track that was a modest hit for the Bangles in 1984.

My collection: 7" single no. 4229
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Walking on sunshine' / 'Going down to Liverpool'

How old are you? - Robin Gibb

While a member of the Bee Gees, Robin Gibb still had a solo career. During the Eighties he released three solo albums: 'How old are you', 'Secret agent' and 'Walls have eyes'. From the first of these comes this single, the title track of that album.

'How old are you' reached number 37 in Germany and number 92 in the UK singles chart. Although I do remember the song from 1983, it was not a hit in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 4228
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'How old are you?' / 'I believe in miracles'

On the radio - Donna Summer

Donna Summer's 1979 single 'On the radio' was written for the soundtrack of the movie 'Foxes' and also included as a new track on her first international compilation album 'On the radio: greatest hits volumes 1 & 2'.

When the track was released as a single, it peaked at number 5 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 32 in the UK singles chart and number 20 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4227
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'On the radio' / 'There will always be a you'

Dance, dance, dance - Chic

'Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)' is a 1977 disco song recorded by Chic. Luther Vandross, who was a session vocalist at the time, provided backing vocals on the track. The 'yowsah, yowsah, yowsah' of the title, which appears as a spoken interjection in the middle of the song, originated with the American jazz violinist and radio personality Ben Bernie, who popularized it in the Twenties.

It was the group's first hit, reaching number 6 in the UK singles chart and a more modest number 37 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4226
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Dance, dance, dance' / 'Sao Paulo'

Where did our love go - Amii Stewart

Written by Holland-Dozier-Holland, 'Where did our love go' was originally a hit for the Supremes in 1964. In 1981, Amii Stewart recorded her cover version of the song, and included it on her 1981 album 'I'm gonna get your love', which was produced by Narada Michael Walden.

When the track was released as a single, it was not a big success, as it didn't chart in most territories.

My collection: 7" single no. 4225
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Where did our love go' / 'Premiere'

Room service - Fischer Z

I read in an article on Wikipedia that the songs written by Fischer Z's John Watts drew heavily on his experience as a mental health care worker. On the B-side of this single, entitled 'Limbo', he sounds like someone who really should be committed himself - but perhaps that was the intention. I remember I was really fascinated by this track back in 1980, and although I've had it on cd for several years, I was very happy to have found this single which features the track as well.

I was also intrigued by the label of the B-side, by the way: it does not contain any information except the logo of the record label. I suspect this is a mispressing. Since this single was not a hit, I can't imagine it's worth much though.

My collection: 7" single no. 4222
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Room service' / 'Limbo'

Who can it be now? - Men at work

'Who can it be now?' was the second single from the 1981 debut album by Men at work, 'Business as usual'. The lyric is the narrative of a reclusive, perhaps paranoid man who hears knocking at his house door and wishes to be left in solitude.

The track peaked at number 2 on the Australian singles chart and reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 45 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4220
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Who can it be now?' / 'Anyone for tennis?'