The man who gave us lyrics like 'What a feeling / when we're dancing on the ceiling' also gave us this sloppy love song. 'Love will conquer all' was a single taken from Lionel Richie's 1986 album 'Dancing on the ceiling'.
The single reached number 9 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 45 in the UK singles chart and number 18 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 1150 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, January 19, 1990 Cost: 1 guilder Tracks: 'Love will conquer all' / 'The only one'
Right said Fred found fame with songs like 'I'm too sexy' and 'Deeply dippy', that were considered humorous but no serious attempts at making music. In a way, the double A-sided single 'Those simple things/Daydream' changed matters a bit. These were two beautiful and serious pop songs.
'Daydream' is a cover version of a song by the Lovin' Spoonful, whereas the beautifully orchestrated 'Those simple things' was an original track. Both were taken from Right said Fred's debut album 'Up'. The single reached number 29 in the UK singles chart and number 20 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 1698 Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, Cost: 6 guilders Tracks: 'Those simple things' / '(What a day for a) daydream'
Martin Gore attended a concert by the industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten in January 1983 and got inspired to experiment with industrial sounds in his own music. Depeche Mode had just started to use the Synclavier, a synthesizer that allowed to record an re-use sounds. They started recording hammering anvils, clanging pipes, running water, pingpong balls, etcetera.
Their third album 'Construction time again' not only contained these new sounds, but also a more political stance in their lyrics. 'Everything counts' specifically addresses corporate greed and corruption in the music industry, as the chorus sings of 'grabbing hands' that 'grab all they can'. The single reached number 6 in the UK singles chart and remains one of the band's best known songs.
My collection: 7" single no. 1075 Found: HMV, London, October 19, 1989 Cost: 2 pounds Tracks: 'Everything counts' / 'Work hard'
After Donna Summer left Casablance Records and signed with Geffen Records, her old record company released a series of singles from her 1979 double album 'Bad girls' as well as the compilation album 'Walk away - The best of 1977-1980'. After this, disco and high energy producer Patrick Cowley was asked to remix one of Summer's best known tracks, 'I feel love'. This remix was released as a single in 1982, around the same time when Donna Summer scored a big hit with her new record company, 'State of independence'.
The full length 12" version clocked in at over 15 minutes and became a club favourite. The edit version on 7" single reached number 21 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 3093 Found: House of Rhythm, London, May 13, 1999 Cost: 50p Tracks: 'I feel love (part 1)' / 'I feel love (part 2)'
After Black signed to WEA Records in 1984, they released only two singles for the label until they were dropped. The second single was a re-recording of their 1982 single, 'More than the sun'. Although the previous single 'Hey presto' gave the band some exposure, this single didn't fare as well.
'More than the sun' is a beautifully orchestrated ballad in this re-recorded version. The B-side is the peculiar and very interesting 'Butterfly man'. Both tracks would be included in a mini-album released by WEA after they had their Europe-wide success with that one classic song, 'Wonderful life'. Cashing in!
My collection: 7" single no. 2271 Found: Record fair, April 8, 1995 Cost: 5 guilders Tracks: 'More than the sun' / 'Butterfly man'
The second single taken from Taco's 1983 album 'After eight' was another old song set to synthpop music. Irving Berlin wrote 'Cheek to cheek', performed by Fred Astaire in the 1935 movie 'Top hat'.
Unlike the previous single, this one didn't become a hit. Taco continued to record and release albums throughout the Eighties, focusing mainly on the German market.
My collection: 7" single no. 198 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1983 Cost: 3,5 guilders Tracks: 'Cheek to cheek (heaven)' / 'Encore (Sweet gypsy rose)'
This 'Original Oldies' single features two hit singles by Bread. 'Guitar man' was written by David Gates. It first appeared on Bread's 1972 album, which was also titled 'Guitar man'. The single peaked at number 11 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 16 in the UK singles chart and number 13 in the Dutch Top 40.
'Baby I'm a want you' was released a year earlier, reaching number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 14 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 7"single no. 912 Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 25, 1989 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: 'Guitar man' / 'Baby I'm a want you'
'If you can't stand the heat' was written by Andy Hill and Ian Bairnson. The lyric of the song tell of someone who is manipulative, but when faced with her own medicine, she can't handle it, hence the song's title. The faint reggae beat on the track gives it a slight variation on the group's usually straightforward pop.
The song featured on the group's third album, 'Hand cut' (1983) and was released as a single in late 1982. It reached number 10 in the UK singles chart in January 1983.
My collection: 7" single no. 179 Found: Studio Echo, Den Haag, 1982 Cost: 5,5 guilders Tracks: 'If you can't stand the heat' / 'Stepping out'
'Sweet dreams (are made of this)' was the title track of the Eurythmics' second album and was released as its fourth single. Although the first two singles 'This is the house' and 'The walk' flopped and the third single 'Love is a stranger' only reached minor chart positions in the UK and Europe, the record company stuck with it. Quite a difference from the state of affairs these days...
The record company - and the artist - was rewarded: 'Sweet dreams' became a number 1 hit in the USA and Canada, and also reached number 2 in the UK singles chart and number 9 in the Dutch Top 40. Part of this success was caused by the iconic music video, starring Annie Lennox with her orange hair. My copy of the UK pressing of the single was stamped on the back of the sleeve with the words 'Not for resale'.
My collection: 7" single no. 191 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1983 Cost: 3,5 guilders Tracks: 'Sweet dreams (are made of this)' / 'I could give you (a mirror)'
'How deep is your love' was recorded by the Bee Gees in 1977 and used for the soundtrack of the movie 'Saturday night fever'. The track was originally intended for Yvonne Elliman, but the band finally decided to record the song themselves - and with good results.
When it was released as a single, it reached number 3 in the UK singles chart, number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 15 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 852 Found: Den Haag, May 27, 1989 Cost: 1 guilder Tracks: 'How deep is your love' / 'Can't keep a good man down'
I've always considered the members of the band Level 42 unlikely candidates for a poster, but here you go: a limited edition poster bag was included with the UK pressing of the single 'Something about you'. It was the second single taken from the band's 1985 album 'World machine'.
Upon its release, the single reached number 10 in the UK singles chart and number 32 in the Dutch Top 40. I guess the poster really helped.
My collection: 7" single no. 1473 Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 30, 1991 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: "Something about you' / 'Coup d'etat (version)'
When Roxette recorded 'Dressed for success', there were some problems. Marie Fredriksson later commented: 'I was so mad when I did it. Everything about that session went wrong, we argued about the arrangement, we changed the key, I was dead tired of the song when I went in to do a guide vocal. Did it in one blast and suddenly realized, "hmm... this is it".'
When the track was released as a single in October 1989, it reached number 14 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the UK, the single was re-released in November 1990 after the success of 'It must have been love'. On that occasion, it reached number 18.
My collection: 7" single no. 2618 Found: Record fair, Den Haag, February 10, 1996 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: 'Dressed for success' / 'The voice'
'Honesty' was released in the summer of 1979 as the third single from Billy Joel's sixth studio album '52nd Street'. This album was actually the first album to be made commercially available on cd, when the new technology was released to the market in 1982.
It reached number 24 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 28 in the Dutch Top 40. In the UK, the single did not chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 758 Found: All that music, Leiden, February 23, 1989 Cost: 3 guilders Tracks: 'Honesty' / 'Half a mile away'
Scritti Politti originally consisted of lead vocalist Green Gartside (born Paul Julian Stromheyer), Nial Jinks as bass player, Tom Morley as drummer, and Matthew Kay as the manager who sometimes played the keyboard. Gartside and Jinks had gone to school together in South Wales, and Gartside met Morley at Leeds Polytechnic, a college they both attended. Disillusioned and bored with art school, Gartside and Morley left in June 1978 and moved into a squat in Camden Town, London. Jinks was invited to join the band.
Gartside recorded a demo of one of his new songs, 'The "Sweetest Girl"' in January 1981. The song was included on a compilation of songs given out with the March issue of NME. The song prompted many major labels to offer Gartside record contracts, but he decided to stay with Rough Trade, who released the track as a single in the autumn. It reached number 64 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 2779 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 31, 1996 Cost: 30p Tracks: 'The "Sweetest Girl"' / 'Lions after slumber'
The 10" single of 'Hide & seek' already featured on this blog earlier, but obviously I've got the 7" single as well. I was lucky enough to find a UK pressing of this single, as the sleeve is so much more beautiful when it's made of heavy glossy paper.
The isingle reached number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 28 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 664 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1988 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: 'Hide & seek' / 'Tao te Ching'
I remember the media made a big thing out of the fact that chameleon David Bowie had become 'himself' for the 1983 album 'Let's dance'. The man who was behind Major Tom, Ziggy Stardust and many other characters had finally shed his stage costumes and showed his own face. The Nile Rodgers-produced album contained his most commercial tracks ever, and this showed in the sales figures for both the album and the associated singles.
The title track, 'Let's dance', was released as the first single in early 1983. The 7'38 album version was heavily edited for single release. It reached number 1 in most countries, including the UK, the Netherlands and the USA.
My collection: 7" single no. 1285 Found: All that music, Leiden, August 31, 1990 Cost: 5 guilders Tracks: 'Let's dance' / 'Cat people (putting out fire)'
The Dutch group Renée achieved their biggest success with the single 'High time he went', taken from the album 'The future none can see'. The story of a man with a midlife crisis reached number 8 in the Dutch Top 40.
The group's biggest success was also their last: subsequent singles failed to chart, although one further album and associated singles were released.
My collection: 7" single no. 3303 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 24, 2001 Cost: 1 guilder Tracks: 'High time he went' / 'Love's just a season'
'The logical song' by Supertramp is a 'story of innocence and idealism lost' with Hodgson condemning an education system not focused on knowledge and sensitivity. It was recorded as a track on Supertramp's 1979 album 'Breakfast in America'.
When the song was released as a single it reached number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 6 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the Dutch Top 40, 'The logical song' reached number 20.
My collection: 7" single no. 401 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1986 Cost: 1 guilder Tracks: 'The logical song' / 'Just another nervous wreck'
Noel Gallagher commented about 'D'you know what I mean?': 'I was going to make up some profound statement in the chorus but I couldn't come up with anything that fitted. Then I just thought "All my people right here, right now. D'You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah" Very vague, very ambiguous, that'll do. Look in the mirror and wink while you're singing it and it's quite saucy. And I fucking love that line, "Coming in a mess, going out in style". We were a bunch of scruffs from Manchester and we're going out in a Rolls Royce'.
The song was released as the first single from Oasis' third album 'Be here now'. Although the track clocks in at a lengthy six minutes, it was never edited for radio. The single reached number 1 in the UK singles chart - as had become tradition with Oasis singles - but also topped the charts in Finland, Ireland and Spain. In the Dutch Top 40, 'D'you know what I mean?' reached number 25. The 7" single was released in a gatefold sleeve.
My collection: 7" single no. 2861 Found: Record fair, 1997 Cost: 10 guilders Tracks: 'D'you know what I mean?' / 'Stay young'
'History' was the fourth hit single for Mai Tai in the Netherlands, peaking at number 22 in the Dutch Top 40 in May 1985. The single was released in the UK at the same time and became their first international hit. It peaked at number 8 in the UK singles chart.
The trio became a regular guest at the satellite music tv stations at the time, such as Sky Channel and Music Box. In a way, this UK pressing of Mai Tai's 'History' was the beginning of a success story that would last for three hit singles in the UK...
My collection: 7" single no. 3059 Found: Record Exchange, London, May 9, 1999 Cost: 10p Tracks: 'History' / 'History (instrumental)'
The man who gave us lyrics like 'What a feeling / when we're dancing on the ceiling' also gave us this sloppy love song. 'Love will conquer all' was a single taken from Lionel Richie's 1986 album 'Dancing on the ceiling'.
