Long live love - Olivia Newton-John

'Long live love' was written by Valerie Avon and Harold Spiro and performed by Olivia Newton-John, who represented the United Kingdom during the 1974 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. In a field of 17 contestants, she finished in fourth place. (The Contest was of course won by Abba with 'Waterloo' that year.)

The single subsequently reached number 11 in the UK singles chart. 'Long live love' also became the title track of Olivia's 1974 album.

My collection: 7" single no. 4341
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Long live love' / 'Angel eyes'

Camouflage - Stan Ridgway

Stan Ridgway was born on April 5, 1954. In 1977 he joined the band Wall of Voodoo, until 1983. After a live concert at the US Festival on May 28, 1983 he and two other members left the band.

In 1986, Stan Ridgway released his first solo album, 'The big heat'. The song 'Camouflage' was taken from the album and became a Europe-wide hit. In the UK, 'Camouflage' reached number 4; in the Dutch Top 40 it got to number 14.

My collection: 7" single no. 498
Found: Free Record Shop, 1986
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Camouflage' / 'Salesman'

It must have been love - Roxette

'It must have been love' was written by Per Gessle and performed by Roxette. It became their third number 1 hit in the USA in 1990, peaking at number 3 in the Dutch Top 40 and the UK singles chart. The song started its life in 1987 as 'Christmas for the broken hearted', a top 10 hit in Sweden but unreleased in other territories.

In 1990, the song was included in the movie soundtrack for 'Pretty woman'. Gessle has claimed that the two-year-old recording was chosen because Roxette did not have time to compose and record a new song while touring. 'Christmas for the broken hearted' was re-recorded with Marie Fredriksson replacing a single Christmas-referenced line in the song and adding some instrumentation and background vocal overlays to enhance the sound. The producers initially turned down 'It must have been love' but changed their minds after re-editing the film.

My collection: 7" single no. 1247
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, June 16, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'It must have been love' / 'Paint'

Miss you much - Janet Jackson

'Miss you much' was the first single taken from Janet Jackson's 1989 album 'Rhythm Nation 1814', the follow-up to the exceedingly successful 'Control' album. In the UK, the single was released with a poster sleeve, but it only reached number 22 in the singles chart. In the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, it reached number 1, while in the Dutch Top 40 it got to number 15.

The B-side, 'You need me', is about Jackson's personal feelings about her father, and how the tables are turned, that now he needs her. At the time of its release there were reports that the B-side was the product of Jackson's record labels pressure on her in an attempt to produce a 'Control part 2' album, addressing the rumours in the press regarding her personal life and family. Jackson didn't do this and only produced this one autobiographical track, which is therefore considers to be a collectors' item.

My collection: 7" single no. 999
Found: HMV, London, October 16, 1989
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Miss you much' / 'You need me'

Do you believe in shame? - Duran Duran

'Do you believe in shame?' was dedicated to three of the band's fallen friends: record producer Alex Sadkin, artist Andy Warhol, and Simon Le Bon's childhood friend David Miles. Le Bon later commented that the song is the first part of a trilogy of songs written as a tribute to Miles, the other songs being 'Ordinary world' and 'Out of my mind'.

The single reached number 30 in the UK singles chart and number 17 in Ireland. It was considerably less successful in the USA, where it peaked at number 72.

My collection: 7" single no. 791
Found: April 15, 1989
Cost: 7 guilders
Tracks: 'Do you believe in shame?' / 'The Krush brothers LSD edit'

Mystify - INXS

Although 'Mystify' was released as the fifth and final single from INXS' 1987 album 'Kick', that version of the single had a different sleeve than this one. I have the impression that this single was released earlier as well.

The song was written by Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence as part of the first sessions for 'Kick'. The single ultimately reached number 5 in Canada, number 14 in the UK singles chart and number 46 in Germany.

My collection: 7" single no. 836
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, May 20, 1989
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Mystify' / 'Kick'

Africa (Voodoo master) - Rose Laurens

Rose Laurens was born as Rose Podwojny on March 4, 1953. She started her musical career with a role in the French version of the musical 'Les Miserables'. In 1982 she released her debut album 'Déraisonnable', which also featured her most famous hit, 'Africa (Voodoo master)'.

The single reached the top 10 in various European countries and number 1 in Austria, although it did not chart in the Netherlands and the UK. A remix of 'Africa' was released in Germany in 1994, to minimal success.

My collection: 7" single no. 1827
Found: Record palace, Amsterdam, January 13, 1993
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Africa (Voodoo master)' / 'Broken heart'

Let it be - Beatles

Paul McCartney said he had the idea of 'Let it be' after a dream he had about his mother during the tense period surrounding the sessions for the 'White Album'. McCartney later commented: 'It was great to visit with her again. I felt very blessed to have that dream. So that got me writing 'Let It Be'.'

The single 'Let it be' showed exactly how the Beatles had progressed since their early days. They had become experienced musicians, who were able to write a classic song like 'Let it be', and at the same time they produced throwaway tracks like 'You know my name', which basically is a piece of improvisations. The single reached number 2 in the UK singles chart and number 1 in the USA and the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 454
Found: Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Let it be' / 'You know my name'

Talk of the town - Pretenders

The Pretenders followed up their first big success 'Brass in pocket' with the first single from their second album 'Pretenders II', entitled 'Talk of the town'. The band sounded a bit more cohesive and sophisticated than on their debut album, and frontwoman Chrissie Hynde's vocals had also grown.

The single was rewarded with a number 8 placing in the UK singles chart and a peak position of number 31 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 3198
Found: September 30, 2000
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Talk of the town' / 'Cuban slide'

The more you live the more you love - A flock of seagulls

For their synth-heavy music, their strange lyrics, but mostly for their weird hairdos, A Flock of Seagulls have always been identified with the naff side of the decade of the Eighties. I remember seeing the music video for 'The more you live, the more you love' on a daily basis in 1984, and in the end getting quite sick of it. I knew every frame of the video, every note in the song. Of course, later on I wanted to have the single, but I had to search for it for a couple of years.

The single was the first out of three singles taken from the band's third album 'The story of a young heart'. It reached number 17 in the Dutch Top 40, number 26 in the UK singles chart and number 56 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2023
Found: London, October 17, 1993
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'The more you live the more you love' / 'Lost control'

Time to make you mine - Lisa Stansfield

As much as I like the song 'Time to make you mine' by Lisa Stansfield, even I have to admit that the music video was the real headturner here. With all the animation and Stansfield appearing to be naked in a field of flowers, some people definitely were in awe of this video.

The song, meanwhile, was the third single to be lifted from her second album 'Real love' in 1992. The single reached number 14 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1647
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, 1992
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Time to make you mine' / 'All around the world' (with Barry White)

Angelina - Matia Bazar

'Angelina' was the second single taken from Matia Bazar's 1986 album 'Melanchólia'. Although the Italian band had just had an international hit with 'Ti sento', this single did not manage to break the charts the way its predecessor had done.

It has to be said that this song is a lot less catchy. I didn't know the track when I bought the single - and I quickly found out that I wouldn't play it very often. Still, it is a nice track.

My collection: 7" single no. 2957
Found: Record fair, February 7, 1998
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Angelina' / 'Fiumi di parole'

You made me the thief of your heart - Sinéad O'Connor

The movie 'In the name of the father' was directed by Jim Sheridan and was based on the true life story of the Guildford Four, four people falsely convicted of the IRA's Guildford pub bombing, which killed four British soldiers and a civilian.

The soundtrack of the movie, which was an Irish production, featured a host of Irish musicians, most notably Sinéad O'Connor, who perfomed 'You made me the thief of your heart', the first single release from the soundtrack. The song was written by Maurice Seezer, Gavin Friday and Bono from U2. The single reached number 42 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2072
Found: Record fair, February 19, 1994
Cost: 8 guilders
Tracks: 'You made me the thief of your heart' / 'The father and his wife the spirit'

Still loving you - The Scorpions

The German rock band The Scorpions recorded 'Still loving you' in 1984 on their album 'Love at first sting'. It was released as the second single from the album, reaching number 64 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Oddly enough, the single only managed to hit the Dutch Top 40 in 1987, when it reached number 4. On that occasion, the track was taken from the Scorpions compilation album 'Gold ballads'.

The song is considered to be a thinly veiled metaphor for a still divided Eastern & Western Germany. 'Your pride has built a wall so strong that I can't get through, is there really no chance to start once again?' was a clear reference to the Berlin Wall and the despair many Germans felt about their divided homeland.

My collection: 7" single no. 512
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Still loving you' / 'Holiday'

I'll put you together again - Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate followed up one of the biggest hits of their career, 'Every 1's a winner' with the ballad 'I'll put you together again'. The track was written by Don Black and composed by Geoff Stephens. Stephens is one of the most successful composers of the UK, based on the number of weeks which his songs have spent in the UK singles chart.

'I'll put you together again' was released in December 1978 and reached number 13 in the UK singles chart and number 11 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2442
Found: August 26, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'I'll put you together again' / 'West End of Park Lane'

Piece of the action - Bucks Fizz

Bucks Fizz followed up their Eurovision-winning song 'Making your mind up' with their second single, 'Piece of the action'. The song was written by Andy Hill and included on their self-titled debut album, released later on in 1981.

The single reached number 12 in the UK singles chart. The song was covered by the Bay City Rollers in 1983 as a Japanese-only single release.

My collection: 7" single no. 938
Found: All that music, Leiden, July 7, 1989
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Piece of the action' / 'Took it to the limit'

Elisabeth's eyes - Nik Kershaw

'Elisabeth's eyes' was the second and last single to be released from Nik Kershaw's fourth album 'The works'. Unlike the previous single, this one failed to reach the UK singles chart.

After this, Kershaw devoted himself to writing songs for other artists - the most successful track being 'The one and only' which launched Chesney Hawkes' career in 1991, peaking at number 1 in the UK - and only returned with an album called '15 minutes' in 1999, ten years after the release of this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 2718
Found: July 20, 1996
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Elisabeth's eyes' / 'My friend John'

Dance in the light - Mai Tai

It's interesting how Wikipedia states that Mai Tai didn't release any new work after 1987, whereas I have in my hand the proof that this statement is false. The single 'Dance in the light' was made in 1988. The track was produced by Eric van Tijn and Jochem Fluitsma, who were involved in most of Mai Tai's Eighties songs.

'Dance in the light' is mentioned on the Wikipedia page, but as a new track on a 1991 compilation album. Wrong again! But one thing is true: the band did split up and reformed in 2003. Don't trust the online encyclopedia too much.

My collection: 7" single no. 4333
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, December 1, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Dance in the light' / 'Wrap me up'

Heart of glass - The Associates

'Heart of glass' began its life in 1975 as a slow reggae track called 'Once I had a love', performed frequently on live tours by the band Blondie. It was recorded on their album 'Parallel lines' in 1978 as a disco-oriented track with producer Mike Chapman. It became one of the band's better known tracks.

The Associates recorded a cover of 'Heart of glass' in 1988, and their version hit number 58 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2679
Found: Record Exchange, London, July 2, 1996
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Heart of glass' / 'Her only wish'

Denis - Blondie

'Denis' seemed to be Blondie's debut single when it charted in the Netherlands in 1978, but in reality the band had already been going for some time. In the UK, it was Blondie's second single release, and in America three singles went before this one, including the second single which was 'In the flesh', featured here on the B-side.

The song is a gender-swapping cover of the 1963 hit 'Denise' by Randy & the Rainbows. Blondie's recording of the song contains a verse with partly improvised lyrics in French by vocalist Debbie Harry. Although Chrysalis insisted that the band re-record the song with a grammatically correct French translation, both the band and producer Richard Gottehrer preferred the first take. Eventually this version was released. (The second, re-recorded version had its debut as a bonus track on EMI UK's 1994 re-issue of the album 'Plastic letters'.) The single reached number 2 in the UK singles chart and number 1 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 3048
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, January 23, 1999
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Denis' / 'In the flesh'