This used to be my playground - Madonna

'This used to be my playground' was written and produced by Madonna and Shep Pettibone, and recorded as one of the last songs during the sessions for her 1992 studio album 'Erotica'. The single was released in the summer of 1992, and reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 3 in the UK singles chart and number 8 in the Dutch Top 40.

The song also featured in the movie 'A league of their own', starring Madonna, Tom Hanks and Geena Davis. In spite of its commercial success, Madonna has never performed it live. It also does not appear on succeeding greatest hits albums.

My collection: 7" single no. 3239
Found: London, October 19, 2000
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'This used to be my playground (single version)' / 'This used to be my playground (album version)'

The hurtin' doesn't go away - Anita Meyer

Anita Meyer was born on October 29, 1954. She starts singing at an early age and starts performing during her teens together with her brother. Her first solo success comes in 1976, when she releases her debut single 'The alternative way', produced by Hans Vermeulen, a famous Dutch singer/songwriter.

Although 'The alternative way' is a number 1 hit in the Netherlands, subsequent singles fail to equal that success, and this single, 'The hurtin' doesn't go away', released in 1981, fails to chart. It is the last single before her biggest chart success, 'Why tell me why', which stays at number 1 for several weeks.

My collection: 7" single no. 138
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1982
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'The hurtin' doesn't go away' / 'You'

Woman in love - Barbra Streisand

'Woman in love' may be one of Barbra Streisand's most famous songs. It was released as a single from her 1980 album 'Guilty'. Like the entire album, the song was written by Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees.

The single reached number one in the USA, Canada, most European countries, as well as Australia and South Africa.

My collection: 7" single no. 402
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1986
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Woman in love' / 'Run wild'

Una rosa es una rosa - Mecano

The sentence 'Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose' was written by Gertrude Stein as part of the 1913 poem 'Sacred Emily', which appeared in the 1922 book 'Geography and Plays'. In that poem, the first 'Rose' is the name of a person. The quote is often interpreted as meaning 'things are what they are'. In Stein's view, the sentence expresses the fact that simply using the name of a thing already invokes the imagery and emotions associated with it.

'Una rosa es una rosa es una rosa', the Spanish translation of Stein's verse, is the chorus of a song by the Spanish pop music group Mecano that appeared on their 1991 album, 'Aidalai'. The lyric of the song tells the story of a man in love with a woman who by turns hurts and soothes him.

My collection: 7" single no. 1685
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, July 11, 1992
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Una rosa es una rosa' / 'Cruz de navajas'

Separate lives - Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin

Stephen Bishop wrote 'Separate lives'. He reportedly recorded the song himself as a duet with Kim Wilde, but in the end, it appeared as a duet between Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin. They recorded the track for the soundtrack of the movie 'White nights'.

'Separate lives' reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 4 in the UK singles chart. The song was subsequently nominated for an Oscar for 'Best original song'. It lost to Lionel Richie's 'Say you, say me' from the same movie.

My collection: 7" single no. 1416
Found: April 7, 1991
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Separate lives' / 'I don't wanna know'

Devil woman - Cliff Richard

'Devil woman' was written by Terry Britten and Christine Holmes. It was first recorded by Holmes under the name Kristine. The song is told from the point of a view of a man jinxed from an encounter with a stray cat with evil eyes, and his discovery that the psychic medium, a Gypsy woman, whose help he sought to break the curse was the one responsible for the curse in the first place.

When Cliff Richard recorded the song in 1976 and released it as a single, it reached number 5 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the UK singles chart. 'Devil woman' reached number 9.

My collection: 7" single no. 3199
Found: September 30, 2000
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Devil woman' / "Love on (Shine on)'

Roll over lay down - Status Quo

The sixth studio album by Status Quo was 'Hello!', released in 1973. 'Roll over lay down' was the first track on that album, but the only single released from 'Hello!' was 'Caroline'.

'Roll over lay down' still became one of the band's better known tracks, due to its single release from the subsequent live album 'Live!', released in 1975. This live ep, featuring three tracks, reached number 9 in the UK singles chart and number 2 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1632
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, April 18, 1992
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Roll over lay down' / 'Gerdundula', 'Junior's wailing'

Machinery - Sheena Easton

If it wasn't for my sister, I might never have bought 'Machinery' by Sheena Easton when I did. She played this single over and over when it was released, and not long after that I bought myself a copy.

'Machinery' is a track from Easton's third album 'Madness, money and music'. It didn't chart in the Netherlands, but it reached number 38 in the UK singles chart and number 57 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 147
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1982
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Machinery' / 'So we say goodbye'

No one can - Marillion

'No one can' was released as the second single from Marillion's 1991 album 'Holidays in Eden'. In the UK, the single was released in a limited edition box set, including a badge and four art prints.

Upon its original release, 'No one can' reached number 33 in the UK singles chart. The track was re-released in 1993, when Marillion released a greatest hits album. On that occasion, the single peaked at number 26.

My collection: 7" single no. 1505
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, August 7, 1991
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'No one can' / 'A collection'

True - Spandau Ballet

The song 'True' was a definite change of style for the band Spandau Ballet. It was a slow pop-ballad, paying tribute to Marvin Gaye and the sound he helped to establish. It was released a year before Gaye was murdered in 1984.

The single became Spandau Ballet's biggest and most remembered song, reaching number 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and the Dutch Top 40 and number 1 in the UK singles chart. In the UK, the single was released in a special gatefold sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 3250
Found: London, November 2000
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'True' / 'Lifeline (Edited remix for U.S.A.)'

Do they know it's Christmas? - Band Aid

After the phenomenal success of the charity single 'Do they know it's Christmas?' by Band Aid in December 1984, a lot happened. Millions were raised by spinoff projects, the Live Aid concert took place, and this in turn led to several live concerts all over the world for this or other charities. And so, in December 1985, 'Do they know it's Christmas?' was re-released, to commemorate a quite extraordinary year.

When you listen to the new B-side 'One year on', it's amazing what has happened with all the proceeds from Band Aid and Live Aid projects. Also, when you hear Midge Ure reading the list of stuff that went to Africa 25 years later, it makes you realise that no matter how many goods you send to that continent, they are still starving over there. It's a bit like a bottomless pit, isn't it? Quite a sobering Christmas thought...

My collection: 7" single no. 4375
Found: Independent Outlet, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 1,25 euro
Tracks: 'Do they know it's Christmas?' / 'One year on (Feed the world)'

It should be Christmas everyday - Suzanne Michaels

The Dutch girl Suzanne Krijnen, who was 15 years old in 1979, had sent in a demo to a record company. Within a few months, she had a record deal and released 'It should be Christmas everyday', taking on the stage name Suzanne Michaels. Although the single did not chart, it has become a seasonal favourite.

Two forther singles, 'Mandelay' (1981) and 'With love' (1984) also failed to reach the chart. After leaving highschool she stopped her own career in music, although she was available as a session singer.

My collection: 7" single no. 4376
Found: Second Life Music, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'It should be Christmas everyday' / '(Christmas) Have a merry Christmas'

Easier said than done - Jon Anderson

In December 1985, Jon Anderson released 'Three ships', an album featuring versions of old Christmas carols and some original material. The single 'Easier said than done', composed by Vangelis, was released as a single almost at the same time.

The B-side featured a version of the well-known Christmas carol 'Three ships' (the title track of the album), written before the 17th century. The single did not chart, by the way...

My collection: 7" single no. 4374
Found: Independent Outlet, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 1,25 euro
Tracks: 'Easier said than done' / 'Three ships'

Last Christmas - Wham!

Whenever it's Christmas, you will hear Wham!'s hit 'Last Christmas'. It may be one of the most popular Christmas anthems ever. On its first release in 1984, it sold well over a million copies, reaching number 2 in the UK singles chart. (It was held off the top spot by Band Aid's 'Do they know it's Christmas'.)

Since then, the single has been re-released almost every year. This single is the re-release from 1989, featuring a different sleeve. The rest is the same: the Christmas song and its B-side, the great track 'Everything she wants', which kept the single in the charts in January 1985.

My collection: 7" single no. 4206
Found: Flea market, Den Haag, November 15, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Last Christmas' / 'Everything she wants'

Land of make believe - Bucks Fizz

'The land of make believe' was released in November 1981 as the fourth single by Bucks Fizz, who started their career in March that year, when they won the Eurovision Song Contest. It was released in time for Christmas and a limited edition featured an extra outer sleeve (pictured above) with a Christmas wish from the band.

In the Christmas chart, the single was placed at number 5, but it went number 1 in January 1982. It was included on the group's second album 'Are you ready'.

The close of the song features a nursery rhyme narrated by Abby Kimber, who was the 11-year old daughter of an executive of RCA Records. This was an original piece, penned by Sinfield, and read: 'I've got a friend who came to tea / And no-one seems to know but me / He came today, but had to go / To visit you? You never know!'. The track is not a Christmas song, but the B-side 'Now you're gone' actually does contain a reference to Christmas.

My collection: 7" single no. 2911
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 31, 1997
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Land of make believe' / 'Now you're gone'

Russians - Sting

Earlier this year, Sting released 'If on a winter's night', a collection of not necessarily Christmas songs, but Winter songs. But as on many more winter albums, a vague Christmas theme is always there. The first track on the album is 'Gabriel's message', an earlier version of which appeared as early as 1985 as a B-side of Sting's hit single 'Russians'.

'Russians' was released in November 1985 as the fourth single from Sting's first solo album 'The dream of the blue turtles'. 'Russians' was very much a cold war song: the only thing that might save the world from a nuclear holocaust is if 'the Russians love their children too'. The single peaked at number 7 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 12 in the UK singles chart. In the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, the single reached number 16.

My collection: 7" single no. 357
Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, November 1985
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Russians' / 'Gabriel's message'

Wish you a merry Christmas - The Korgis

'Wish you a merry Christmas' is a non-album track by the Korgis. In the UK, it appeared as the B-side to 'Rovers return' in 1980. In France, the track was released as the A-side of the single, with 'Rovers return' on the flipside.

It is a lovely Christmas track, written by James Warren and Phil Harrison from the Korgis. I don't know whether this single actually charted in France.

My collection: 7" single no. 4172
Found: Chelsea Records, November 8, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Wish you a merry Christmas' / 'Rovers return'

Please come home for Christmas - The Eagles

'Please come home for Christmas' was originally written and recorded in 1960 by the American blues singer and pianist Charles Brown. When it was released in December 1961, it reached number 76 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The Eagles covered the track in 1978 and released it as a single. Their version peaked at number 18 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 30 in the UK singles chart and number 7 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4181
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, November 8, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Please come home for Christmas' / 'Funky new year'

2000 miles - The Pretenders

The Pretenders released '2000 miles' in November 1983. The single preceded the album 'Learning to crawl', which was released in early 1984. The song is considered a Christmas song for its music and the lyric 'It must be Christmas time' in the chorus.

'2000 miles' peaked at number 15 in the UK singles chart and number 8 in the Dutch Top 40. The single was released in a limited edition gatefold sleeve, which I bought some years after its original release.

My collection: 7" single no. 1214
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, April 22, 1990
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: '2000 miles' / 'Fast or slow, the law's the law'

The power of love - Frankie goes to Hollywood

Frankie goes to Hollywood built the beginning of their career and their first three single releases on the three pillars of controversy: sex ('Relax'), war ('Two tribes') and religion ('The power of love'). This third single was a stark contrast to the busy, almost aggressive songs that went before: it was the epitome of tranquility.

The music video accompanying the single was directed by Godley & Creme and told the nativity story. The sleeve of the single featured the Assunta by Titian, a XVI century painting in the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari of Venice. In the UK an extra outer sleeve (pictured above) was added, wrapping up the single like a Christmas present. The single became the UK's Christmas number 1 in 1984 and reached number 9 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1467
Found: London, June 30, 1991
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'The power of love' / 'The world is my oyster'