Endless love - Diana Ross and Lionel Richie

Diana Ross and Lionel Richie recorded 'Endless love' for the soundtrack of the movie 'Endless love' starring Brooke Shields. It was also released as a single in 1981. While the movie was a failure, the song became the second biggest-selling single of the year in the USA (second only to 'Physical' by Olivia Newton-John). The single reached number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the Dutch Top 40.

The song became the biggest-selling single of Ross' career, while it was one of several hits for Richie as the Eighties progressed. Ross recorded a solo version of the song for her first RCA Records album, 'Why do fools fall in love?'. The song was covered by Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey in 1994. That version must have been meant for deaf people.

My collection: 7" single no. 4268
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Endless love' / 'Endless love (instrumental)'

99 red balloons - Nena

Having achieved widespread success in Europe and Japan with '99 Luftballons', Nena wanted to try their luck in the rest of the world with an English version of the song. Kevin McAlea wrote this version, titled '99 red balloons', which has a more satirical tone than the original. The English version is not a direct translation of the German but contains a somewhat different set of lyrics.

Nena recorded '99 red balloons' despite their dissatisfaction with the lyrics, which they expressed in numerous magazine interviews in 1984. They felt the English version was not a faithful rendition of the German original. Still, with this song they achieved something few other German bands had achieved at the time: a number one hit in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 4266
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: '99 red balloons' / 'Ich bleib' im Bett'

I hear talk - Bucks Fizz

'I hear talk' was released on December 15, 1984, in the same week when Bucks Fizz were involved in a road accident: their tour bus collided with road works, careened off the road and injured members of the group as well as their entourage. The group were inactive for several months as a result.

Promotion for 'I hear talk' was minimal, although a music video had already been completed. The single reached number 34 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4265
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'I hear talk' / 'Pulling me under'

And when the night comes - Jon and Vangelis

'And when the night comes' was released as the second single from Jon & Vangelis' third album 'Private collection'. The single failed to make any chart impact.

It's funny how I never saw this single, while on the record fair on November 21 I found it in three different stalls. Sometimes I think there's a secret vault of old 7" singles where these things come from every once in a while.

My collection: 7" single no. 4264
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'And when the night comes' / 'Song is'

Relax - Frankie goes to Hollywood

ZTT Records signed Frankie Goes to Hollywood after producer and co-founder Trevor Horn saw the band play on the TV show The Tube, where they played an early version of 'Relax'. Once the band was signed, ZTT co-founder Paul Morley mapped out the marketing campaign fashioned as a 'strategic assault on pop'. He opted to tackle the biggest possible themes in the band's singles ('sex, war, religion'), of which 'Relax' would be the first, and emphasised the shock impact of Frankie members Holly Johnson and Paul Rutherford's open homosexuality in the packaging and music videos.

Horn dominated the recording of 'Relax' in his effort for perfectionism. The band were overawed and intimidated by Horn's reputation, and thus were too nervous to make suggestions. Johnson said in his autobiography, 'Whatever he said we went along with'. When attempts to record with the band proved unsatisfactory, Horn hired former Ian Dury backing band the Blockheads for the sessions. When the results of these sessions didn't sound modern enough, Horn then constructed a more electronic-based version of the song with session musician Andy Richards and with rhythm programming assistance from J. J. Jeczalik of Art of Noise. Horn developed this version of the recording in his West London studio while the band remained in their hometown of Liverpool. Ultimately lead vocalist Johnson was the only band member to perform on the record. Horn completed the recording having spent £70,000 in studio time. As Horn explained years later, 'I was just... Look, 'Relax' had to be a hit.'

My collection: 7" single no. 4263
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Relax' / 'One September Monday'

Take me home - Phil Collins

The song 'Take me home' is not to be taken literally: it's not about a man going home. Phil Collins has explained that the song lyric refers to a patient in a mental institution, and that the song is based on the novel 'One flew over the cuckoo's nest'. The song features Sting, Peter Gabriel and Helen Terry on backing vocals.

The song was released as a single in the UK in July 1985 and in the US in March 1986. It peaked at number 19 in the UK and number 7 in the USA.

My collection: 7" single no. 4262
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Take me home' / 'We said hello goodbye'

The hardest part - Blondie

While in most of the world 'Union city blue' was released as the second single from Blondie's 1979 album 'Eat to the beat', 'The hardest part' was released in the USA and Canada. The song was written by Deborah Harry and Chris Stein, as most of the band's material.

The single only reached number 84 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 86 in Canada.

My collection: 7" single no. 4261
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'The hardest part' / 'Sound asleep'

Reet petite - Jackie Wilson

'Reet petite' by Jackie Wilson was re-released in December 1986 after a clay animation video was shown in the BBC 2 documentary series 'Arena'. This re-release gave Jackie Wilson a big hit all over Europe, three years after his death. The single reached number 1 in the UK, the Netherlands and Ireland.

The song was written by Berry Gordy and Tyran Carlo, a pseudonym of Jackie's cousin Billy Davis. It was Jackie Wilson's first recording as a solo artist after leaving the Dominoes. The song peaked at number 62 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached number 6 on the UK singles chart in 1957.

My collection: 7" single no. 4260
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Reet petite' / 'You brought about a change in me', 'I'm the one to do it'

If I had you - The Korgis

For the second time I bought the single 'If I had you' by the Korgis. I already had this version, which includes two tracks on the B-side, but this single only includes one of them. Furthermore, the sleeve design is similar to the one of 'Young 'n' Russian', also released in 1979.

After all this information, one would almost forget that 'If I had you' is simply a lovely pop song, which should have been a big hit all over Europe.

My collection: 7" single no. 4258
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'If I had you' / 'Chinese girl'

Spaceman - Bolland and Bolland

Bolland and Bolland started producing themselves with this single, and in a sense it's the start of a successful career as producers.

'Spaceman', released in 1978, reached number 14 in the Dutch Top 40 and remains their second biggest hit, after 'Wait for the sun', which reached number 11 in 1972.

My collection: 7" single no. 4257
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Spaceman' / 'Young girl'

One man woman - Sheena Easton

'One man woman' was the third single by Sheena Easton, released in November 1980. Recorded at George Martin's Air Studios and produced by Christopher Neil, it was one of the tracks to be included on Sheena Easton's debut album, released in early 1981.

Although the single was released all over Europe (this copy comes from Germany and includes a press info sheet on the single), 'One man woman' only charted in the UK, where it reached number 14.

My collection: 7" single no. 4256
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'One man woman' / 'Summer's over'

Little Willy - The Sweet

The song title 'Little Willy' has to be one of the most obvious double entendres of the Seventies. Still, the Sweet got away with it when they released the single in 1972. Like most of their hit singles right up to 1974, the song was written by Chinn and Chapman, who gave the band a rather lightweight pop image. The band members themselves also wrote songs: these heavier rock tracks were always relegated to the B-side (as on this single).

'Little Willy' reached number 4 in the UK singles chart, and went number 1 in Germany. In the Netherlands, the single got as far as number 7.

My collection: 7" single no. 4255
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Little Willy' / 'Man from Mecca'

Baker street - Gerry Rafferty

'Baker street' was a track on Gerry Rafferty's second album 'City to city' (1978). It was Rafferty's first release after the legal issues surrounding the formal separation of the band Stealers Wheel in 1975. Rafferty was unable to release any material for three years after the band's break up, while resolving the disputes about the band's remaining contractual recording obligations. Although the album version is 6 minutes long, the single version was shortened by almost two minutes. The song's prominent saxophone hook was played by Raphael Ravenscroft, and the guitar solo by Hugh Burns.

When the track was released as a single, it reached number 3 in the UK singles chart, number 2 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 9 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4254
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Baker street' / 'Big chance in the weather'

The heavens are crying - Blue Rondo a la Turk

Chris Sullivan, Christos Tolera, Mark Reilly, 'Choco' Mick, Kito Poncioni, Geraldo d'Arbilly and Moses Mount Bassie formed Blue Rondo a la Turk in the early Eighties, naming themselves after the familiar Dave Brubeck jazz track.

'The heavens are crying' was released as a single in 1982 on the Diable Noir label. The single didn't chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4252
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'The heavens are crying (part 1)' / 'The heavens are crying (part 2)'

Loved by the one you love - Rupert Holmes

Since I already own a handful of singles by Rupert Holmes, I decided to try out this single when I found it during a record fair.

'Loved by the one you love' is a single taken from Rupert Holmes' 1981 album 'Full circle'. This album was to be his last for a long time: his next album was 'Scenario', released in 1994. In the mean time he played in cabarets and comedy clubs, and made his debut as a playwright, writing musicals from the second half of the Eighties onwards.

My collection: 7" single no. 4251
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Loved by the one you love' / 'One born every minute'

Hotline to heaven - Bananarama

The song 'Hotline to heaven' is a track on Bananarama's second self-titled album. On the album, it's a seven minute track. It was edited to half that length for the single.

The single did not perform well on the charts. It stalled at number 58 in the UK singles chart, which was their worst chart performance since their debut single 'Aie a Mwana'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4248
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Hotline to heaven' / 'State I'm in'

Stainsby girls - Chris Rea

Chris Rea wrote 'Stainsby girls' as a tribute for his wife Joan, a former student of the Stainsby Secondary Modern School. The single was taken from the album 'Shamrock diaries', released in 1985. The album was a number one hit in many European countries and Australia.

The single was Rea's first major hit in the UK, reaching number 26 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4245
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Stainsby girls' / 'And when she smiles'

Horoscope - Harpo

Although I am not familiar with most of Harpo's work, I bought three singles by him on one day. This is the third and last one.

'Horoscope' was released in 1976, as a single from his album 'Moviestar'. It reached number 1 in Denmark and was also a hit elsewhere in Scandinavia.

My collection: 7" single no. 4244
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Horoscope' / 'Jessica'

Dreaming - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

When the compilation album 'The best of OMD' was released in 1988, the new track 'Dreaming' was released as the accompanying single. Produced by OMD and mixed by Tom Lord Alge, it was an uncharacteristically uncomplicated lovesong.

While the single was not a big success in the UK (where it peaked at number 50), it was the band's second most successful single in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 16. It was also the last single by OMD in their original lineup, as Paul Humphreys left the band in 1989 to form The Listening Pool. Andy McCluskey continued OMD on his own.

My collection: 7" single no. 4246
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Dreaming' / 'Satellite'

Five miles out - Mike Oldfield

Released in February 1982, 'Five miles out' was a single from the Mike Oldfield album of the same name. The song makes numerous references to flying. It has a complex structure despite its short length. Maggie Reilly makes her first appearance on a Mike Oldfield song, but her voice is almost drowned in Mike Oldfield's voice (which is processed through a vocoder).

The single was a modest success, reaching number 43 in the UK singles chart and number 42 in the German singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4241
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Five miles out' / 'Live punkadiddle'