Losing my religion - R.E.M.

'Losing my religion' was essentially the breakthrough single for the American alternative rock band R.E.M. The song was originally composed by guitarist Peter Buck on a mandolin which he had just bought. The title of the song refers to an expression from the southern region of the USA that means losing one's temper or civility, or 'being at the end of one's rope'.

The single was released in early 1991 as the first single from R.E.M.'s 1991 album 'Out of time'. It reached number 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 19 in the UK singles chart and number 1 in the Dutch Top 40, the only country where the single topped the chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1401
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, March 16, 1991
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Losing my religion' / 'Rotary eleven'

Ain't no sunshine - Joe McGann and Rebecca de Ruvo

'Ain't no sunshine' was originally a hit for Bill Withers in 1971. It was re-recorded by Joe McGann and MTV hot babe Rebecca de Ruvo with a studio group called Bi Virtue. This 12" single was released in 1992.

This is one of those releases that sinks without a trace, fails to chart anywhere, and ends up in the sales bin all over Europe. I didn't know this version, but was curious enough about Rebecca de Ruvo's singing qualities to try it out. Hearing this now, it really sounds like an early Nineties production.

My collection: 12" single no. 522
Found: Plaatboef, Den Haag, 2000
Cost: 2,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Ain't no sunshine (radio mix)', 'Ain't no sunshine (Phill Chill mix)' / 'Why can't we just be friends (radio mix)', 'Ain't no sunshine (Up front mix)'

Sailing on the seven seas - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Paul Humphreys left Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark in 1989 when the band's success in America forced them to make creative compromises. Other members of the band soon left as well, leaving founder member Andy McCluskey to go on solo under the OMD banner.

His first 'solo' OMD album was 1991's 'Sugar tax', preceded by the single 'Sailing on the seven seas'. The track featured a rather sparse synth sound, although it didn't sound very much like previous OMD tracks. The single peaked at number 3 in the UK singles chart, making this a very successful comeback.

My collection: 7" single no. 1486
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, July 3, 1991
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Sailing on the seven seas' / 'Burning'

Simply irresistible - Robert Palmer

'Simply irresistible' was released as the first single from Robert Palmer's 1988 album 'Heavy Nova'. The single was accompanied by a music video that has since become one of the iconic images of the Eighties: Robert palmer backed by an all female band of mannequins.

The single reached number 2 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 44 in the UK singles chart. In the Netherlands, the single did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2557
Found: November 19, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Simply irresistible' / 'Nova'

Ice out in the rain - Sheena Easton

While 'You could have been with me' was taken from Sheena Easton's second album of the same name and 'Ice out in the rain' was taken from her third album, the two singles' sleeves still share the same photograph and artwork.

'Ice out in the rain' is one of Sheena Easton's lesser known single releases. When it was released as the follow-up to 'Machinery', it didn't chart in any territory.

My collection: 7" single no. 1472
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 30, 1991
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Ice out in the rain' / 'Loner'

Chant no. 1 - Spandau Ballet

'Chant no. 1 (I don't need this pressure on)' was the first single taken from Spandau Ballet's second album 'Diamond'. Released in the summer of 1981, it became the band's biggest hit up to that point, peaking at number 3 in the UK singles chart and number 30 in Australia.

Spandau Ballet was still profiting from the New Romantics scene in 1981, but their fortunes were quickly changing. Subsequent singles fared less well, and for their third album 'True', a change of style was much needed.

My collection: 7" single no. 85
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1981
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Chant no. 1' / 'Feel the chant'

In the Dutch mountains - The Nits

The Dutch band The Nits released the album 'In the Dutch mountains' in October 1987. The title track was released as the first single, reaching number 14 in the Dutch Top 40. The band decided to go back to basics and record this album live to two-track in their own rehearsal space to, in their own words, 'reproduce the special atmosphere of a Nits concert'.

The album was the first to be released in the UK and the USA. While the single 'In the Dutch mountains' was a success in several European countries, the album failed to receive similar commercial acclaim. This copy of the single was made in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 1031
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1989
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'In the Dutch mountains' / 'Strangers of the night'

Hourglass - Clannad

'Hourglass' and 'Theme from Harry's Game' were released as a double A-side single by Clanad in 1989 to promote the greatest hits album 'Pastpresent'. 'Hourglass' was a new track, whereas 'Theme from Harry's Game' was (and still is) Clannad's biggest hit to date.

While 'Pastpresent' became Clannad's best selling album, reaching number 5 in the UK albums chart, this single did not chart at all.

My collection: 7" single no. 1055
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1989
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Hourglass' / 'Theme from Harry's Game'

Bad romance - Lady Gaga

'Bad romance' was released in October 2009 as the first single from Lady Gaga's second album 'The fame monster'. The lyric of the song talks about exploring the joys of a bad romance while referencing Alfred Hitchcock films in some of the verses.

The single reached number 1 in the UK singles chart as well as in Ireland, Canada, Sweden, Austria and Denmark. The song is in the Dutch Top 40 right now, climbing to number 14 this week. As usual for a Lady Gaga single, 'Bad Romance' was released on a 7" picture disc as well as several other formats.

My collection: 7" single no. 4347
Found: La La Land, Den Haag, December 19, 2009
Cost: 5,9 euro
Tracks: 'Bad romance (radio edit)' / 'Paparazzi (DJ Dan club remix)'

Boys keep swinging - David Bowie

'Boys keep swinging' was the single from, and preceded the release of, David Bowie's 1979 album 'Lodger'. During the sessions for the album Bowie wanted to capture a garage band style for the track. He asked guitarist Carlos Alomar to play the drums and drummer Dennis Davis to play bass. The intention, according to Bowie, was to suggest 'young kids in the basement just discovering their instruments'.

The single reached number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 17 in the Dutch Top 40 when it was released in April 1979. 'Boys keep swinging' was not released in the USA because of, let's face it, homophobia. They couldn't handle the line 'When you're a boy / Other boys check you out' and the fact that the music video starred three drag queens on backing vocals.

My collection: 7" single no. 91
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1980
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Boys keep swinging' / 'Fantastic voyage'

A winter's tale - David Essex

Today most of the country was covered in snow. It immediately made me think of David Essex's 1982 single 'A winter's tale'. The song is not necessarily a winter song, but rather a lovesong about a relationship gone sour.

In the UK singles chart, 'A winter's tale' reached number 2. In the Netherlands, where David Essex hadn't been in the charts in 1978, the single did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2810
Found: Present @ Den Haag
Cost: -
Tracks: 'A winter's tale' / 'Verity'

Like a mountain (remix) - Soulsister

After the success of Soulsister's single 'The way to your heart', the previous single 'Like a mountain' was re-released in a remixed version. It was a small success in Belgium, but in other countries, this single did not follow in the footsteps of 'The way to your heart'.

My collection: 7" single no. 946
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, July 21, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Like a mountain (remix)' / 'Car'

Black Betty - Ram Jam

'Black Betty' is a 20th century African-American work song often credited to Huddie 'Lead Belly' Ledbetter as the author, though the earliest recordings are not by him. Some sources claim it is one of Lead Belly's many adaptations of earlier folk material; in this case an 18th century marching cadence about a flint-lock rifle.

In 1977 the rock band Ram Jam recorded a heavy version of the song. The single reached number 18 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, despite a boycott by civil rights groups who claimed the track insulted black women. In the Netherlands, the single reached number 4 and in the UK singles chart it reached number 7.

My collection: 7" single no. 1861
Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, January 30, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Black Betty' / 'I should have known'

The dead heart - Midnight Oil

The Australian band Midnight Oil specialises in songs with lots of socially conscious and political comments. 'The dead heart' refers to early white settlement in Australia, from the perspective of the Aborigines who had laid claim to the land prior to the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788. The song also gives a mention to the industrialisation of Australia with the words 'Mining companies, pastoral companies, uranium companies, collected companies / Got more right than people / Got more say than people'.

Although originally released in 1986 in Australia, the single was only released in Europe in 1988 after the single 'Beds are burning' had become a worldwide hit. The less accessible 'The dead heart' only managed to reach number 62 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 769
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, March 16, 1989
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'The dead heart' / 'Kosciusko'

Endless road - Time Bandits

The Time Bandits scored another hit in the Netherlands with the single 'Endless road' in the summer of 1985. Having had a successful run of hits since the early Eighties, it was not much of a surprise that this one reached number 16 in the Dutch Top 40.

It was a surprise, however, that I found a UK pressing of this single nine years ago. The international career of the Time Bandits never took off, despite some interesting collaborations with American producer Dan Hartman.

My collection: 7" single no. 3195
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 16, 2000
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Endless road' / 'Fiction'

Mindworks - Sam Brown

'Mindworks' was released as the fourth single from Sam Brown's 1990 album 'April moon'. In the UK, a strictly limited edition featured a pop-up gatefold sleeve, with part of the lyric of the song and Sam Brown's head popping out.

Still, the single did not chart in any territory. Remarkably, the record company did not give up after this and released one more single from the album: 'As one'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1309
Found: HMV, London, October 15, 1990
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Mindworks' / 'No man is an island'

When doves cry - Prince

I've never actually seen a dove cry, but I guess that's a poetic license the Purple Majesty took on himself in this song. Prince wrote and composed the tracks after all the other tracks on the album 'Purple rain' (which was also the soundtrack to the movie of the same name) were complete. In addition to vocals, he also played all instruments on the track. Remarkably, there is no bass line in the track. Prince has said that there originally was a bass line, but decided that the song was too conventional with it.

The song was released as the first single from the album, peaking at number 10 in the UK singles chart and number 5 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 237
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1984
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'When doves cry' / '17 days (the rain will come down, then U will have 2 choose. If U believe, look 2 the dawn and U shall never lose)'

Walking down your street - The Bangles

Following up the massive hit 'Walk like an Egyptian' was quite a chore for the Bangles, as they didn't have a lot of these unusual tracks on their album 'Different light'. In the end, the record company opted for 'Walking down your street', in a slightly remixed version when compared to the album version. In the UK, they released the single in a limited edition double pack with 'Walk like an Egyptian' as the free second single.

Of course, this single scored less well. It peaked at number 16 in the UK singles chart and number 33 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 504
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Walking down your street' / 'Return post' // 'Walk like an Egyptian' / 'Not like you'

Just an illusion - Imagination

'Just an illusion' was written by Leee John and Ashley Ingram from the band Imagination, together with their producers Steve Jolley and Tony Swain. The smooth soul sound of the track appealed to a lot of listeners.

When the track was released as a single in March 1982, it became the band's biggest hit, peaking at number 2 in the UK singles chart and number 8 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2054
Found: November 20, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Just an illusion' / 'Just an illusion (instrumental)'

Lost without your love - Bread

Bread broke up in 1974 and lead singer David Gates launched a solo career, as well as Jimmy Griffin. The band come back together in 1976 when their record label expressed interest in another album. David Gates, Jimmy Griffin, Mike Botts and Larry Knechtel returned to the studio that year and recorded the album 'Lost without your love', which was released in January 1977.

The title track, written and sung by Gates, was the band's last top 10 hit in the USA, peaking at number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the Dutch Top 40, the single reached number 14 and in the UK singles chart it got as far as number 27.

My collection: 7" single no. 1235
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, May 25, 1990
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Lost without your love' / 'Change of heart'