Hold me in your arms - Imagination

By the time Imagination released the 1988 single 'Hold me in your arms', not much was left of their popularity in the early Eighties, when they stormed the charts with the Tony Swain and Steve Jolley-produced hits 'Body talk', 'Just an illusion' and 'Changes'.

Although I like 'Hold me in your arms', I have to agree that there really isn't that much to distinguish this track from any other dance track at the time. Imagination had lost their identity, and as such, it was impossible for them to have another hit. The B-side of this single features a remix of 'Instinctual', their last single to reach (the lower regions of) the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4299
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Hold me in your arms' / 'Instinctual (The Def Vocal Mix - edit)'

Ain't that peculiar - Mari Wilson

'Ain't that peculiar' was the last single by Mari Wilson to reach the UK singles chart, although it only managed to scrape in at number 78. She'd let go of her Fifties look on the single's sleeve, and the track itself sounded a bit more modern as well.

I didn't know the track when I bought this single, but I've bought quite a few Mari Wilson singles this year and they have not disappointed. Including this one.

My collection: 7" single no. 4297
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Ain't that peculiar' / 'The maximum damage'

I won't bleed for you - Climie Fisher

'I won't bleed for you' was a 1988 single by Climie Fisher. The single reached number 35 in the UK singles chart.

The single was released in a limited edition box set, featuring a set of postcards, each containing information on the music videos the duo had recorded until then. The dealer which I bought this box from, had an expensive collection starting at 3 euros, but this one was in the bargain bin, strangely enough.

My collection: 7" single no. 4296
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'I won't bleed for you' / 'Climbing up the ladder'

Every 1's a winner - Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate frontman Errol Brown wrote 'Every 1's a winner', recorded and released as a single in 1978. It gave the band a number 6 hit in the USA and the Netherlands, while it peaked at number 12 in the UK singles chart.

I've known this song ever since it came out and I've owned it on a compilation double LP since 1979. It's taken me 30 years to find the 7" single.

My collection: 7" single no. 4295
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Every 1's a winner' / 'Power of love'

Down, down - Status Quo

I've often said that one of the most appropriate songs for my funeral would be 'Down down' by Status Quo. And then I discovered I didn't actually have the song. Now that I've heard it, I still think it would be a great soundtrack to those final moments.

'Down down' was first released in November 1974. The track was taken from the album 'On the level'. The album version is more than 5 minutes long whereas the single version was edited to almost 4 minutes. The single was a number 1 hit in the UK, while peaking at number 2 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4294
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Down down' / 'Night ride'

Love's unkind - Donna Summer

'Love's unkind' was produced by Giorgio Moroder, just like the album whence it came from, 'I remember yesterday'. The lyric of the song is a tribute to high school crushes and love triangles. It was a big hit in the UK singles chart, peaking at number 3, whereas it only reached number 32 in the Dutch Top 40.

Donna Summer looks decidedly pregnant on the sleeve of this single, but I think she's just wearing a very strange dress.

My collection: 7" single no. 4293
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Love's unkind' / 'Black lady'

We are glass - Gary Numan

'We are glass' was released in 1980 as the first single from his 1980 album 'Telekon'. While his previous album 'The pleasure principle' (1979) was recorded entirely without guitars, this new album did contain the instrument again. As Numan commented, 'getting rid of guitars had been a mistake'.

Numan has said that 'We are glass' was inspired by a comment from a magazine staffer: 'Somebody once told me, a man from Omni, said that he thought I'd been put here by... something... aliens or something, to carry out a cause... which I thought was very flattering but a little silly... 'We are glass' I wrote because of that, y'know, like all pop stars are put here for reasons'. The B-side was a version of the first movement of Erik Satie's 'Trois Gymnopedies', in an arrangement that added guitar, bass and synthesizer to the original's solo piano part. The single reached number 5 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4292
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'We are glass' / 'Trois Gymnopedies (First movement)'

Cross the line - Spandau Ballet

It doesn't happen often that I find an unknown single from a famous band, but here it is. 'Cross the line' was apparently released by Spandau Ballet as a single from their 1986 album 'Through the barricades'.

The B-side was a live track taken from the video 'Through the barricades... across the border'. The single did not chart in any territory and I didn't know about this release until I found this single last week. I think Spandau Ballet fans will not be surprised at this single, but I was.

My collection: 7" single no. 4291
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Cross the line' / 'Virgin (live)'

After the love has gone - Princess

'After the love has gone' is another single by Princess produced and written by Stock, Aitken & Waterman.

Released in 1985 as the follow-up to her most successful single 'Say I'm your number one', it reached number 28 in the UK singles chart and number 24 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4290
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'After the love has gone' / 'After the love has gone (Senza voce)'

C'est la vie - Charlene Tilton

At some point in the Eighties, the actors of the legendary TV series 'Dallas' decided they could sing as well as act. Patrick Duffy recorded a rather dodgy duet with Mireille Mathieu, whereas Audrey Landers launched a singing career, working with German producers.

And then there's Charlene Tilton (who played Lucy in the series), who also worked with a German producer, Heidi Brühl, to release 'C'est la vie' in 1984. The single reportedly reached number 1 in Germany. Unpretentious pop. No more, no less.

My collection: 7" single no. 4288
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'C'est la vie' / 'C'est la vie (instrumental)'

Jones the rhythm - Grace Jones

I wonder if there will ever be a deluxe re-release of Grace Jones' classic album 'Slave to the rhythm'. There's a plethora of remixes of the title track, but there aren't that many other bonus tracks.

It was quite interesting to find this single, the second one taken from the album. 'Jones the rhythm' is a less familiar single from 'Slave to the rhythm', primarily because it didn't chart. It features an edit of the album version, as well as a very interesting instrumental B-side track. 'Junkyard' is constructed in the same style as the album, and as such could easily be tacked on to the track listing. I do hope it happens someday.

My collection: 7" single no. 4287
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Jones the rhythm' / 'Junkyard'

Nathan Jones - Bananarama

'Nathan Jones' was originally released in 1971. The song was written by Leonard Caston and Kathy Wakefield and recorded by the Supremes, post-Diana Ross. The single reached number 5 in the UK singles chart and number 16 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

In 1988, Bananarama released their cover version of the song as a single. It was originally included on their 1987 album 'Wow!'. After Siobhan Fahey left the group and was replaced by Jacquie O'Sullivan, they re-recorded the song for the single. This version reached number 15 in the UK singles chart, but did not chart in the USA.

My collection: 7" single no. 4286
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Nathan Jones' / 'Once in a lifetime'

Surface tension - Rupert Hine

When I bought this single, I suddenly realised that I didn't have any UK pressed 7" singles by Rupert Hine until now. 'Surface tension' was released in 1981 as a single from his third album 'Immunity'. The B-side, 'House arrest', would reappear as a track on his 1982 album 'Waving not drowning'.

Of course, this was another non-charting single for Rupert Hine. As successful as he is as a producer, as a performing artist he never got the recognition he deserves.

My collection: 7" single no. 4284
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Surface tension' / 'House arrest'

Ein gold'ner Stern - Mouth and MacNeal

Mouth & MacNeal represented the Netherlands during the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with 'I see a star'. Composed by Hans van Hemert and Gerrit den Braber, the duo recorded the song in three languages: Dutch, English and German. This single contains the German version, and was released in German speaking countries.

The German translation was provided by Günther Behrle, whereas the B-side, the German versoin of 'Liefste' ('My Friend'), was translated by W. Mürmann. I don't know whether this version was a hit in any country.

My collection: 7" single no. 4273
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Ein gold'ner Stern' / 'Liebling'

Electricity - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark formed in 1978, when childhood friends Paul Humphreys and Andy McCluskey, who had been in a few bands before, decided to play as a duo, using a Teac 4 track tape-recorder as backing.

They managed to released their debut single on the independent label Factory Records in 1979. 'Electricity' was supposed to be produced by Martin Hannett, but the A-side was the band's original demo, produced by their friend Paul Collister, owner of their Teac tape-recorder. The single's sleeve was designed by Peter Saville, who would continue to do the band's artwork throughout most of the Eighties. The unusual graphics that feature on the sleeve were partially inspired by Andy and Paul's original musical notation style. Unable to read or write music, they adapted a series of symbols, each one representing different instruments. The single did not chart, but the band subsequently went on tour supporting Gary Numan, which gave them enough exposure to warrant a debut album, released in 1980.

My collection: 7" single no. 4269
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Electricity' / 'Almost'

Tricks of the light - Mike Oldfield

'Tricks of the light' was the second single taken from Mike Oldfield's 1984 album 'Discovery'. Vocals were performed by Barry Palmer and Maggie Reilly, who also appeared on the two previous singles: 'Crime of passion' and 'To France' respectively.

The single did not perform well in the charts: it only reached number 91 in the UK singles chart and number 46 in the German singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4250
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Tricks of the light' / 'Afghan'

The day before you came - Blancmange

Just two years after the release of 'The day before you came' by Abba, the British duo Blancmange recorded and released a cover version of the song. While the original only reached number 32 in the UK singles chart, the Blancmange version managed to reach number 22. However, where the Abba version managed to chart all over Europe, the Blancmange single only charted in the UK.

It was their last significant hit, as subsequent Blancmange singles peaked at number 40 or lower in the UK singles chart. I didn't like this cover version in 1984, when it came out, but now I think it's a pretty decent version.

My collection: 7" single no. 4285
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'The day before you came' / 'All things are nice (version)'

African and white (remixed version) - China Crisis

China Crisis signed to Virgin records in 1982, releasing their debut album 'Difficult shapes & passive rhythms, some people think it's fun to entertain' in December of that year.

Their first hit in the UK was a re-release of 'African & White'. This song was originally released in 1981 on an independent label, but this Virgin release was a remix of the track. The single reached number 45 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4283
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'African and white (remixed version)' / 'Red sails'

Secret separation - The Fixx

'Walkabout' was the fourth album by the Fixx, released in 1986. From this album, the single 'Secret separation' was taken. Like most singles by the band, it did not chart, although it was played often on the radio.

Personally I didn't know this single existed until I saw it and bought it recently. I did know the album very well, as my sister bought it in the late Eighties, and I recorded it and played it rather often at the time. So this was a really nice find.

My collection: 7" single no. 4282
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Secret separation' / 'Sense the adventure'

Manolo Manolete - Vanessa Paradis

Vanessa Paradis debuted in 1987 with 'Joe le taxi', and then followed it up with 'Manolo Manolete', a song about a Spanish bullfighter. The single only managed to reach number 10 in the French singles chart, but flopped everywhere else.

As a result, the track did not appear on her debut album 'M&J', released in 1988.

My collection: 7" single no. 4281
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Manolo Manolete' / 'You you'