Sinterklaas wie kent hem niet - Henk en Henk

On a blog with an international readership, it's hard to explain Dutch music sometimes. And today is even more difficult, as we celebrate St. Nicolas day in the Netherlands today. Sinterklaas, as he is called in the Netherlands, brings presents to good little children and punishment for those children who have not behaved themselves.

Henk Westbroek and Henk Temming from the Dutch band Het Goede Doel recorded 'Sinterklaas wie kent hem niet' ('Sinterklaas, who doesn't know him?') in 1982. It was released under the name of Henk & Henk to avoid confusion with the regular releases by the band. It became a seasonal hit in December 1982, peaking at number 24 in the Dutch Top 40. The B-side is a Christmas song, to add to the seasonal joy.

My collection: 7" single no. 3763
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received June 3, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Sinterklaas, wie kent hem niet?' / 'Het hoort met Kerstmis ook te sneeuwen'

Leave in silence - Depeche Mode

'Leave in silence' was the sixth single by Depeche Mode, and the first one with the 'Bong' label, which is still used to this day. It was also the first song that was remixed several times. When it was released, it reached number 18 in the UK singles chart.

The B-side of this 7" single was quite unique, as it can be played on 45rpm as well as 33rpm. Both versions have been included below.

My collection: 7" single no. 538
Found: 1986
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Leave in silence' / 'Excerpt from My Secret Garden'

Tragedy - Bee Gees

'Tragedy' was recorded by the Bee Gees for their 1979 album 'Spirits having flown'. It was released as a single in January 1979 and reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and the UK singles chart. In the Dutch Top 40, it got to number 4.

Though not originally in the movie 'Saturday night fever', 'Tragedy' has subsequently been added to the musical score of the West End version of the musical version of that movie. In 1979, NBC aired 'The Bee Gees Special' in whcich Barry Gibb showed how the sound effect for the explosion in this song was created: he cupped his hands over a microphone and made an exploding sound. Several of these sounds were then mixed together creating one large boom heard on the record.

My collection: 7" single no. 379
Found: Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Tragedy' / 'Until'

Play the game - Queen

The Eighties started for real when Queen accepted synthesizers on their recordings. Until 1980, they had a strict 'no synths' policy, but the track 'Play the game' on their 1980 album 'The game' features some unmistakable synthesizer noises. The track begins with overlapping noises from an Oberheim OB-X synthesizer.

When the track was released as a single, it reached number 42 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 14 in the UK singles chart and number 15 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2109
Found: June 4, 1994
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Play the game' / 'A human body'

Take that look off your face - Marti Webb

'Take that look off your face' was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black for the musical 'Tell me on a Sunday' (1978). It was recorded and released by Marti Webb in 1980. It became a number 3 hit in the UK singles chart and peaked at number 7 in the Dutch Top 40. Marti Webb re-recorded the song on her 2003 album 'Limelight'.

There are several cover versions of this song, performed by singers like Bernadette Peters, Denise van Outen and Sarah Brightman. Nothing beats the original, of course.

My collection: 7" single no. 4339
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Take that look off your face' / 'Sheldon bloom'

Do not disturb - Bananarama

'Do not disturb' was written and produced by Steve Jolley and Tony Swain and recorded by Bananarama as a stand-alone single, released in 1985. It reached number 31 in the UK singles chart. The track was subsequently included on Bananarama's third album 'True confessions', released in 1986.

The trio did not like the song. Group member Keren Woodward later said of the 'True confessions' album: 'It is all our ideas, it is what we wanted to sound like and sing about. Except 'Do Not Disturb' which Swain and Jolley wrote and which we don't think is very good. Thats why there's eleven songs on the LP instead of ten'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4327
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Do not disturb' / 'Ghost'

Katinka - De Spelbrekers

Theo Rekkers (born April 24, 1924) and Huub Kok (born February 10, 1918) formed the Spelbrekers in 1945. They met in a German arms factory where they were performing forced labour in 1943. They had their first hit in 1956 with 'Oh wat ben je mooi' ('Oh how beautiful you are').

In 1962, they represented the Netherlands during the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Katinka'. They ended up in joint last place, failing to score any points. This result was partly to blame on a bad broadcast: during their performance the image on television went almost entirely black, causing the two to look almost like criminals. Still, in their homeland they reached number 9 in the charts in May 1962.

My collection: 7" single no. 4274
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 3,5 euro
Tracks: 'Katinka' / 'Carnaval'

Dracula's tango - Toto Coelo

'Dracula's tango (Sucker for your love)' sounds a lot like songs performed by various other girl groups at the time - even Dutch ones. The single was released in November 1982 and reached number 54 in the UK singles chart. It was their last single to reach the chart, although they did release a handful of other singles after that.

My collection: 7" single no. 4338
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Dracula's tange (Sucker for your love)' / 'Mucho macho'

She blinded me with science - Thomas Dolby

Thomas Dolby's 'She blinded me with science' was originally released in October 1982 as a single in October 1982 and subsequently included on the second edition of his debut album 'The golden age of wireless'. The single only reached number 49 in the UK singles chart, but when it was released in the USA, it reached number 5 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The song's title 'She blinded me with science' plays upon the British expression 'to blind with science', meaning to deliberately confuse someone by giving the impression of highly complex knowledge. In the song, however, the phrase is interpreted as a straightforward reference to the natural sciences. The song features interjections from the British scientist and TV presenter Magnus Pyke, who repeatedly shouts 'Science!' and delivers other lines in a deliberately over-the-top "mad scientist" voice.

My collection: 7" single no. 4337
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'She blinded me with science' / 'One of our submarines'

Right next door (Because of me) - Robert Cray

Robert Cray was born on August 1, 1953. By the age of twenty, he had seen Albert Collins, Freddie King and Muddy Waters live, and decided to form his own band. After years of regional success, Robert Cray was signed to a record company in 1982. He released his breakthrough album 'Strong persuader' in 1986.

The single 'Right next door' was released in the summer of 1987, and it was his first international success, peaking at number 50 in the UK singles chart and number 2 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4335
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Right next door (because of me)' / 'New blood'

Shame - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

'Shame' was released as the third single from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's 1987 album 'The pacific age'. The band had suggested another track, 'Stay', as a possible single from the album, but label Virgin thought 'Shame' had more potential. The band relented, although feeling the album version was a bit slow, they re-recorded the track with producer Rhett Davies.

The single, released in May 1987, was not the big success that it was hoped to be, reaching only number 52 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4334
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Shame (re-recorded version)' / 'Goddess of love'

Body and soul - Mai Tai

Mai Tai only made a name for themselves in their native Netherlands, when they had some success abroad. The single 'History' was released in May 1985 and became a top 10 hit in the UK, while it only reached number 22 in the Dutch Top 40.

Their next single in the UK was 'Body and soul', released in August 1985, which reached number 9 in the UK singles chart. That single had already been released in the Netherlands a year before, peaking at number 31. Like most of their early work, the single was produced by Eric van Tijn and Jochem Fluitsma, who would go on to produce some of the Netherlands' entries for the Eurovision Song Contest.

My collection: 7" single no. 4332
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Body and soul' / 'The rules of love'

I just can't wait - Mandy Smith

Mandy Smith had a successful career as a model in 1987, while she was just 16 years old. By then, she already had a stop/start relationship with Rolling Stone Bill Wyman, whom she married as soon as she turned 18. That marriage only lasted for two years.

Her music career was equally short-lived, with just one album and a handful of singles, of which 'I just can't wait' was the first. Produced by Stock, Aitken and Waterman, the single did not chart in any territory, but hordes of pop lovers were already falling in love with this beautiful young woman.

My collection: 7" single no. 4340
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'I just can't wait' / 'You're never alone'

Right now! - Tomas Ledin

Tomas Ledin represented Sweden during the 1980 Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Just nu'. With the song, he finished number 10 in a field of 19 participants.

The song became a big hit in Scandinavia, but since he also recorded a version in English, called 'Right now!', he also scored in Greece and Portugal. This copy of the single is a promotion copy, made in Sweden.

My collection: 7" single no. 4336
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Right now!' / 'It's sure worth giving a try'

True life confessions - The Korgis

Although commercial success eluded them, the Korgis continued to record and release singles until the mid-Eighties. In their catalogue, 'True life confessions' is a somewhat atypical song for them, with a rather breezy pop sound, slightly caribbean.

'True life confessions', which was released as a single in the summer of 1985, also appears on the 1986 album by lead singer James Warren, 'Burning questions'. A 12" single with an extended version of 'True life confessions' also exists, but I have yet to find a copy.

My collection: 7" single no. 4331
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'True life confessions' / 'Possessed'

Catch my fall - Billy Idol

'Catch my fall' is a track from Billy Idol's second solo album 'Rebel yell' (1983). On the sleeve of the single, Idol is pictured with red and black paint on his face, which I'm sure has to mean something, although nobody knows what.

The single was not a hit in the UK when it was originally released in 1984, but a re-release in 1988 caused the single to peak at number 63.

My collection: 7" single no. 4330
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Catch my fall' / 'Daytime drama'

Go wild in the country - Bow wow wow

Bow wow wow's manager Malcolm McLaren found himself in a bit of a pickle when the mother of frontwoman Annabella Lwin sued him for exploitation of a minor. Part of the controversy was caused by the photograph on this sleeve, Bow wow wow's take on Manet's painting 'Le déjeuner sur l'herbe', which was taken when Lwin was only 15 years old...

'Go wild in the country' was released in January 1982 and became Bow wow wow's first top 10 hit in the UK, peaking at number 7.

My collection: 7" single no. 4329
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Go wild in the country' / 'El boss dicho'

Megarama '89 - Bananarama

Released in 1989, 'Megarama '89' is a megamix of hit songs by Bananarama. The single was released in Germany, France and Japan only. This copy is a German pressing. The single had its greatest success in France, where it peaked at number 17 in the singles chart.

The megamix does not appear on any of Bananarama's albums and has not been included on any of the group's greatest hits packages. Tracks that were used for this mix were: 'Na na hey hey kiss him goodbye', 'Cruel summer', 'Love in the first degree' and 'Venus'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4328
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Megarama '89' / 'Venus (The Greatest remix edit)'

I didn't want to need you - Heart

'I didn't want to need you' was written and composed by songwriter Diane Warren and recorded by Heart on their 1990 album 'Brigade'. The track was released as the second single from the album.

The single reached number 23 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached number 47 in the UK singles chart. In Europe, the single went by without anyone noticing.

My collection: 7" single no. 4323
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'I didn't want to need you' / 'The night'

Happy hour - The Housemartins

Sometimes I am still surprised at my own tastes in music. Back in 1986, I didn't really like 'Happy hour' by the Housemartins, but when I heard it recently I realised it is actually quite nice. Now I finally understand why it became a hit: it reached number 3 hit in the UK and number 22 in the Dutch Top 40 in the summer of 1986.

The Housemartins was formed in 1983 by Paul Heaton and Stan Cullimore. They recruited Ted Key and Dodger. The band's membership changed considerably over the years. By 1986, Key and Dodger were replaced by Hugh Whitaker and Norman Cook (who would become Fatboy Slim in the Nineties). It was a John Peel session that helped the band get their breakthrough with 'Happy hour'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4322
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Happy hour' / 'The mighty 'ship'