You treated me wrong - Maywood

The sisters Alie and Doetie de Vries, calling themselves Alice May and Caren Wood, started singing at a very early age. The joined the Karina's in 1974, moving on to the country group Colt 45 in 1976 and in 1977 forming the duo The Lady Pop's. In 1978 they decided to continue as Maywood.

'You treated me wrong' was their second single, produced by ex-Kayak drummer Pim Koopman, who had just started producing. Although the single only reached number 32, it was their first Dutch Top 40 hit and the start of a very successful career.

My collection: 7" single no. 782
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 24, 1989
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'You treated me wrong' / 'I can't let you go now'

Saltwater - Julian Lennon

Julian Lennon sounds a lot like his famous father on this 1991 single, 'Saltwater'.The song combines subtle melodies with a lyric full of environmentally conscious themes such as pollution and poverty. The many marvels and feats of human civilization are in sharp contrast with the way we handle our planet. The track features George Harrison on lead guitar.

This first single from Julian Lennon's 1991 album 'Help yourself' became his biggest hit in the UK, peaking at number 6 during a 13 week chart run. In the Netherlands, it peaked at number 15.

My collection: 7" single no. 1531
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, September 28, 1991
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Saltwater' / 'Rebel king (edit)'

What is love - Howard Jones

'What is love?' was Howard Jones' second single, released in November 1983. It reached number 2 in the UK singles chart. What's more, the single was his international breakthrough. It became a hit in various European countries and peaked at number 33 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart during the summer of 1984.

I got to know Howard Jones thanks to the single 'What is love?' and I bought it within days of hearing it - which I didn't do very often in 1983 because of lack of money. Since then, I've bought every Howard Jones single and album.

My collection: 7" single no. 220
Found: LP Top 100, 1983
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'What is love?' / 'It just doesn't matter'

Am I losing you forever - Mai Tai

Although Mai Tai made a name for themselves with dance hits like 'Body and soul' and 'History', they tried their luck in 1985 with the ballad 'Am I losing you forever'. Contrary to most Dutch productions, this track had an international sound: it might as well have been sung by an American soul trio.

International success did not follow for this particular single, but it did reach number 27 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 941
Found: All that music, Leiden, July 7, 1989
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Am I losing you forever' / 'The rhythm of the street'

Wow - Kate Bush

'Wow' was released as the second single from Kate Bush's second album 'Lionheart'. The single featured an edited version of the song, although it is not actually labelled as such: the first 12 seconds of synthesizer chords were removed from the track.

Released in March 1979, the single peaked at number 14 in the UK singles chart and number 17 in Ireland .

My collection: 7" single no. 675
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1988
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Wow' / 'Fullhouse'

One more night - Phil Collins

Phil Collins was playing around with a drum machine when he started saying the chorus of 'One more night'. He later recalled that 'the rest of the song was written very quickly'.

The track was recorded for Collins' 1985 album 'No jacket required' and released as its second single. It reached number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 15 in the Dutch Top 40. My copy was made in France and turned up in a record shop discount bin four years after its release.

My collection: 7" single no. 713
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, January 5, 1989
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'One more night' / 'I like the way'

Josephine - Chris Rea

Chris Rea wrote the song 'Josephine' for his daughter of the same name. It was included on his 1985 album 'Shamrock diaries'. (He would pay the same compliment to his youngest daughter Julia on the 1993 album 'Espresso logic'.)

In the UK, the single reached number 67, but in the Dutch Top 40 it peaked at number 3. Part of this popularity was caused by an appearance of Chris Rea in the Dutch weekly chart show 'Toppop'. It was the last edition presented by longtime presenter Ad Visser. While Rea was playing this rather serious song, confetti and balloons were flying through the studio. The artist was visibly surprised and bewildered.

My collection: 7" single no. 311
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Josephine' / 'Josephine (edit remix version)'

Cover my eyes (Pain and heaven) - Marillion

Fish left Marillion in 1988, leaving the band with a big hole in their line-up. This hole was filled when they recruited Steve Hogarth, former keyboardist and sometime vocalist of The Europeans. The band had already recorded some demos for what was to become 'Seasons end', Marillion's fifth album. With Fish - who had written most of the lyrics for the four previous albums - gone, Hogarth set about writing new lyrics for the songs that had been demoed. The album was eventually released in 1989.

'Holidays in Eden', their next album, was the first the new line-up of the band actually created together. 'Cover my eyes (Pain and heaven)' was the first single from the album. It was a good success for them, reaching number 14 in the Dutch Top 40 (their biggest hit since 1985's 'Kayleigh') and number 34 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1507
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, August 10, 1991
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Cover my eyes (Pain and heaven)' / 'How can it hurt'

Ongelofelijk - Mam

Even for foreigners the Dutch single 'Ongelofelijk' ('Unbelievable') is easy to follow: the only lyric in the song is the title plus the phrase 'Het gaat maar door' ('It just goes on'). Makes no sense to you? Well, most Dutch people didn't understand this either, which is why it didn't reach the chart. Personally, I am rather fond of such nonsensical tracks.

The B-side, which is a lot more wordy, is equally nonsensical: it's about a man who wonders about his own sentimentality when he thinks back with shame about the time he met a man on the market who was offering him the fish he had been eating, as he didn't want the rest of it: he turned him down.

My collection: 7" single no. 872
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, June 2, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Ongelofelijk' / 'Lekkerbekje: het gesprek'

Message of love - The Pretenders

The second single from the Pretenders' second album 'Pretenders II' was the dynamic 'Message of love'. It was another UK success for the band, as it peaked at number 11 in the UK singles chart. They also managed to reach number 16 in the Australian singles chart.

This is one of those songs that I've always liked but I never could remember to buy it. It's only more recently that I've come to discover that I actually like quite a lot of Pretenders tracks.

My collection: 7" single no. 857
Found: May 27, 1989
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Message of love' / 'Porcelain'

Amsterdam - Maggie MacNeal

The Netherlands organised the 1980 Eurovision Song Contest, stepping in for Israel, which had won the Contest twice in a row but were unable to do this in 1980 because of the fact that it was held at a national holiday. The Dutch used the same setup they had used in 1976, after Teach-In had won the 1975 Eurovision Song Contest.

Because of all of this, the Netherlands didn't hold a national final, but instead they elected Maggie MacNeal internally to sing the Dutch entry. During the voting, 'Amsterdam' was in first place for some time, but in the end ranked fifth in a field of 19 participants. The single reached number 33 in the Dutch Top 40, MacNeal's last hit single in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 3136
Found: July 24, 1999
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Amsterdam' / 'Amsterdam (English version)'

Chain reaction - Diana Ross

It was Puck who introduced me to the 12" single of 'Chain reaction' by Diana Ross. I wasn't particularly fond of the track, despite the involvement of the Bee Gees in the writing of the track and the backing vocals. When I heard the special dance mix of 'Chain reaction', however, I had to admit this was a pretty good remix.

The confusing thing is that remixes of 'Chain reaction' were also released later on, when the track was re-released as a single. These remixes are available on several cd's. But this original dance remix is quite rare. Finding the 12" single for myself was therefore a relief.

My collection: 12" single no. 312
Found: Record fair, 1994
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Chain reaction (special dance remix)' / 'More and more', 'Chain reaction'

Get the balance right! - Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode's seventh single 'Get the balance right!' was released between albums in January 1983. Alan Wilder had officially joined the line-up of the band, and he wrote the B-side of this single together with Martin Gore.

The single reached number 13 in the UK singles chart and number 16 in Ireland, but it was not included on the album 'Construction time again', which was released later in the year.

My collection: 7" single no. 2672
Found: London, June 30, 1996
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Get the balance right!' / 'The great outdoors!'

Don't stop the dance - Bryan Ferry

Bryan Ferry released his sixth solo album 'Boys and girls' in 1985. The album was a big success, and to this day it's still his only number 1 album in the UK.

'Don't stop the dance' was the second single taken from the album, after the very successful 'Slave to love'. By comparison, this single did less well, but still reached number 21 in the UK singles chart and number 22 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1769
Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 20, 1992
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Don't stop the dance' / 'Nocturne'

Like a mountain - Soulsister

Jan Leyers and Paul Michiels formed the Belgian duo Soulsister in 1986. They debuted that year with the single 'You get to me'. The next single was 'Talk about it', and in 1988 they released 'Like a mountain'.

All three singles were minor successes in Belgium, but they didn't reach the international chart until they released their fourth single 'The way to your heart'.

My collection: 7" single no. 2591
Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, December 30, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Like a mountain' / 'Car'

Tonight I'm yours - Rod Stewart

'Tonight I'm yours' was the title track of Rod Stewart's 1981 album. The single was released in the autumn of 1981, a few weeks ahead of the album. It became an international hit, reaching number 13 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 8 in the UK singles chart.

After the disco-influenced tracks of the late Seventies, Stewart added synthpop and new wave elements to his songs on his 1981 album. He managed to win new fans while not alienating his existing fan group.

My collection: 7" single no. 1476
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 30, 1991
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Tonight I'm yours' / 'Sonny'

Hey, st. Peter - Flash and the Pan

The Australian band Flash & the Pan made their international chart debut with the 1977 single 'Hey st. Peter', written by band members Harry Vanda and George Young. The single reached number 76 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart nd number 8 in the Dutch Top 40.

Remarkably, the 1977 single only appeared on an album in 1979, when the band released their self-titled debut album.

My collection: 7" single no. 619
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 26, 1988
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Hey, st. Peter' / 'Walking in the rain'

Hello - Lionel Richie

One of Lionel Richie's biggest hits is arguably more famous for its music video than for the music itself. The video, in which a blind girl sculpts an image of Lionel Richie's face (which looks as much like him as my behind looks like a lily), became the subject of lots of airplay and some parodies too.

But 'Hello' is a beautiful ballad as well. Written by Richie himself, it was the third single from his multi-millionselling album 'Can't slow down'. It reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100, the UK singles chart and the Dutch Top 40, as well as the Swiss singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 228
Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, 1984
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Hello' / 'You mean more to me'

La vie en rose - Grace Jones

I bought this 7" single of Grace Jones' 'La vie en rose' long before I bought the 12" single. At the time, I felt it was just a nice song, but since then, I have grown to appreciate this track as one of Grace's best.

Of course, 'La vie en rose' was a hit for French singer Edith Piaf first. Written by Piaf and Louis Gugliemi, her songwriting team did not think the song would be successful, but it turned out to be a favourite with audiences. The same goes for Grace Jones' version: it was released as a single in 1977 and 1982, and on both occasions it became a big hit in several countries.

My collection: 7" single no. 1626
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, April 18, 1992
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'La vie en rose' / 'I need a man'

Leaving me now - Level 42

'Leaving me now' was the second single release from Level 42's 1985 album 'World machine'. The song was written by Mark King, Phil Gould and Wally Badarou. Though heavily edited for the single, the track was still a good success for the band.

In the Netherlands, 'Leaving me now' reached number 33 in the Dutch Top 40. In the UK singles chart, it peaked at number 15.

My collection: 7" single no. 1015
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1989
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Leaving me now' / 'I sleep on my heart'