Beautiful girl - INXS

'Beautiful girl' was recorded as a track on INXS's 1992 album 'Welcome to wherever you are'. The song was written by Andrew Farriss, inspired by the birth of his newly born baby daughter. In an interview he explained: 'I was writing lyrics like 'Baby don't cry' and 'Beautiful girl' and lyrics just about how wonderful it is to have something else in your life besides yourself to worry about and think about.'

'Beautiful girl' was released as the fourth single from the album. In the UK, the single was released in a limited edition gatefold sleeve. It reached number 23 in the UK singles chart and number 46 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1920
Found: Record fair, June 5, 1993
Cost: 8 guilders
Tracks: 'Beautiful girl' / 'Strange desire (original recording)'

Thank you my love - Imagination

When Imagination left their production duo of Steve Jolley and Tony Swain behind, commercial success soon eluded them. However, 'Thank you my love', which was produced by Nigel Wright and Imagination, was an exception. This single was released in 1984 and reached number 22 in the UK singles chart.

The single was a new track on the compilation album 'Gold', which included all their previous hit singles.

My collection: 7" single no. 3125
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, July 24, 1999
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Thank you my love' / 'Point of no return'

White horses in the snow - Maarten Peters

My collection of 7" singles is an important one for me, but I'm also an avid collector of 3" cd-singles. In the late Eighties a lot of singles were released on this format, but my budget wasn't big enough to buy everything: choices had to be made. In the case of 'White horses in the snow', I chose to buy the 7" single and not the 3" cd-single. Mostly because of the fact that both the A-side and the B-side featured on the accompanying album of the same name - and f course by that time I had abandoned the lp format in favour of the cd.

Today I received the 3" cd-single of 'White horses in the snow', which I've finally bought over 20 years after its release. Maarten Peters had a hit with this in the autumn of 1989, peaking at number 23 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 984
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, September 21, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'White horses in the snow' / 'Guardian angel'

We care a lot - Faith no more

Somewhere in 1987, 'We care a lot' by Faith no more was played very often on the radio. So much so that after a while I actually started to like this loud and noisy song. The song was originally recorded for the band's 1985 debut album of the same name. In 1987, when they recorded their second album 'Introduce yourself', the track was re-recorded and included on that album as well. It was even released as the first single from that album.

Although 'We care a lot' did not chart in the Netherlands, it reached number 53 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 626
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'We care a lot' / 'Spirit'

Dreadlock holiday - 10CC

10CC were huge in the autumn of 1978, because of this single. 'Dreadlock holiday' became a classic almost at the time of its release as a single. It was played a lot on radio and television and eventually became a number 1 hit in several European countries, including the UK and the Netherlands.

I bought this USA pressing of 'Dreadlock holiday' during a pop festival, but it wasn't a happy purchase: the single turned out to be a horrible mispressing. You can hear it here: the single warbles like a maniac. I hear mispressings can be worth a lot, so maybe a 10CC fan is interested in this one...

My collection: 7" single no. 432
Found: Parkpop, Den haag, June 29, 1986
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Dreadlock holiday' / 'Nothing can move me'

For your eyes only - Sheena Easton

Sometimes when you have a big singles collection, you erroneously buy a single twice. I recently discovered I have two copies of 'For your eyes only' by Sheena Easton: this one and this one. The other single was a European pressing, whereas this one was made in the UK. And lo and behold: they have different B-sides! What a nice surprise.

The B-side of this single is nothing much to write home about: it's an instrumental piece from the soundtrack of the James Bond movie 'For your eyes only'. As I always say: 'It's just a soundtrack, isn't it?'.

My collection: 7" single no. 3299
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 24, 2001
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'For your eyes only' / 'Runaway'

Ordinary world - Duran Duran

'Ordinary world' was written by Simon Le Bon as the second of a trilogy of songs for his late friend David Miles; the others being 'Do you believe in shame?' (1988) and 'Out of my mind' (1997). The song can be credited for bringing back Duran Duran into the public eye after the commercial failure of their 1991 album 'Liberty' and associated singles.

When Capitol leaked 'Ordinary world' to a radio station in Florida, the track proved so popular that the release date had to be brought forward in the USA. The single reached number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the UK, the single was almost equally popular, peaking at number 6. In the Netherlands, it would prove to be the band's last hit single, reaching number 14 in the Dutch Top 40.

In 1993, the 7" vinyl format had become so rare that it was impossible for me to find this single on vinyl. In 1995, I suddenly found a jukebox promo copy, which I bought immediately. Two years after that, I finally saw a commercial copy (with picture sleeve) of the 7" single. It had been sold in the UK all along, I just didn't know about it.

My collection: 7" single no. 2241 / no. 2882
Found: Record fair, February 18, 1995 / House of Rhythm, London, October 28, 1997
Cost: 10 guilders / 60p
Tracks: 'Ordinary world' / 'My Antarctica'

Autant d'amoureux que d'etoiles - Annick Thoumazeau

Annick Thoumazeau represented France during the 1984 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Autant d'amoureux que d'étoiles' ('As many lovers as stars'). The lyric speaks of unending devotion of the singer to a lover and stating that they are not the only lovers in the world, as there are 'as many lovers as stars in the sky'.

The song ended up in eighth place in a field of 19 contestants. The song was not a big hit, even in French speaking countries.

My collection: 7" single no. 4390
Found: Second Life Music, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Autant d'amoureux que d'etoiles' / 'Stars (instrumental)'

The message - Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five

'Yo, motherfucker, yo uh-huh, gonna get your bitch, put your hands in the air, say yeah, uh-huh, yeah, fuck that bitch motherfucker, jigga with me, I'm a bad nigga, motherfucker, yo, yo, yo, uh-huh'. About 90% of all rap lyrics go like this.

What a difference, then, is 'The message'. This lyric does tell a story and it's quite critical of American society. I remember being quite impressed with this song, although I have to say these days I would never buy it anymore. I'm not impressed with any hiphop 'music' (and I'm using that last word loosely here) and gave up on it entirely. This single reached number 6 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 8 in the UK singles chart. In a time when the charts were still filled with great songs, that was quite an impressive feat.

My collection: 7" single no. 217
Found: Studio Echo, Den Haag, 1982
Cost: 5,5 guilders
Tracks: 'The message' / 'The message (instrumental)'

Stand or fall - The Fixx

Back in 1982, 'Stand or fall' was the first track by the Fixx I ever heard. The song was produced by Rupert Hine, whose 'Eleven faces' had just made a big impression on me too. Like that single, this one sounded mysterious and dark.

There weren't that many people who agreed with me: the single reached number 54 in the UK singles chart and flopped almost everywhere else.

My collection: 7" single no. 268
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1984
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Stand or fall' / 'The strain'

Body language - Queen

When Queen had a big hit with 'Another one bites the dust', Queen were inspired to abandon their rock roots and experiment with disco, funk and soul music. 'Body language', one of the singles from their album 'Hot space' was perhaps the most obvious result of this. The song featured 'suggestive' lyrics, almost no guitras and a lot of Freddie Mercury's moans and groans.

The drastic change caused the single to stall at number 25 in the UK singles chart. It peaked at number 11 in the US Billboard Hot 100 however, and number 6 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2108
Found: Record fair, June 4, 1994
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Body language' / 'Life is real'

The Jean Genie - David Bowie

David Bowie spent some time in New York City when he composed and recorded 'The Jean Genie'. The subject matter was inspired in part by Bowie's friend Iggy Pop or, in Bowie's own words, 'an Iggy-type character... it wasn't actually Iggy'. The title has long been taken as a pun on the name of the author Jean Genet. Bowie was once quoted as saying that this was 'subconscious... but it's probably there, yes'.

The track was released as the first single from Bowie's 1973 album 'Aladdin Sane'. There was some controversy in the UK upon its release, because the riff in the song sounded a lot like the Sweet's 'Block buster'. The song, written by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn, was recorded and released slightly later than Bowie's single, but both were in the top 10 at the same time. All parties maintained that the similarity was, in Nicky Chinn's words, 'absolute coincidence'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4426
Found: Any Record, Den Haag, January 13, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'The Jean Genie' / 'Ziggy Stardust'

Guitar man - Bread

I've had an 'Original Oldies' single of Bread's 'Guitar man' for over 20 years now, but when I came across an original 1972 pressing of the single today, I couldn't resist buying it. 'Guitar man' is a classic track by Bread and as this sleeve testifies, it was chosen to be Veronica's Alarmschijf (a tip for the top from the famous Dutch radio station) upon its release. It went on to become a number 13 hit in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 4425
Found: Any Record, Den Haag, January 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'The guitar man' / 'Just like yesterday'

Land of confusion - Genesis

'Land of confusion' was composed by Genesis, while the lyric was written by band member Mike Rutherford. It discusses the greed and uncertainty of the Cold War-era Eighties, but also evoke a sense of hope for the future. The song is remembered by most people for its music video, in which puppets from the Eighties show Spitting Image were used to portray the band and several contemporary politicians.

The single reached number 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 14 in the UK singles chart and number 8 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4424
Found: Any Record, Den Haag, January 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Land of confusion' / 'Feeding the fire'

Happy together - The Turtles

'Happy together' was written by Gary Bonner and Alan Gordon and recorded by the Turtles on their 1967 album of the same name. It was released as a single in the spring of 1967, reaching number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 5 in the Dutch Top 40.

Since then, this song has been used in several movies and tv shows, and is also a favourite during wedding parties.

My collection: 7" single no. 4423
Found: Any Record, Den Haag, January 13, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Happy together' / 'It ain't me babe'

Hypnotised - Simple Minds

'Hypnotised' was the second single taken from the Simple Minds' 1995 album 'Good news from the next world'. The 7" single was a numbered limited edition. This is number 1839.

The single was not as big a success as earlier releases from the band. It reached number 18 in the UK singles chart, but it stalled outside the top 20 in Germany, Ireland and Canada. In other countries, the single didn't even chart. And things would get even worse: subsequent singles were a hit in the UK and sometimes Germany only. Gone were the stadium-filling days of the late Eighties - although the band still manages to fill the bigger concert halls.

My collection: 7" single no. 2399
Found: HMV, London, July 6, 1995
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Hypnotised' / '#4'

Loving the alien - David Bowie

The lyric of 'Loving the alien' reflects David Bowie's dislike of organised religion, and is a plea for greater unity between the faiths of the world. It was recorded as a track on David Bowie's 1984 album 'Tonight', and released as the third single from the album, but only nine months after the release of the album. Some reports say it was chosen as a single because Bowie read a review saying it would make a good single.

The single reached number 19 in the UK singles chart, number 27 in the German singles chart and number 25 in the Dutch Top 40. The single was released in a limited edition gatefold sleeve featuring stills from the accompanying music video.

My collection: 7" single no. 314
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Loving the alien' / 'Don't look down (remixed version)'

Stayin' alive - Bee Gees

Robin Gibb commented about 'Stayin' alive': '[It] is about survival in the big city—any big city—but especially New York.' It was written for the soundtrack of the movie 'Saturday night fever' when it wasn't even ready yet. All the producer of the soundtrack had to go on was that it was a New York story about disco-mania.

The song was not originally supposed to be released as a single, but fans called radio stations and RSO Records immediately after seeing trailers for the movie, in which part of the song was played. The single reached number 1 all over the world, including the USA and the Netherlands. In the UK singles chart, it peaked at number 4.

My collection: 7" single no. 1977
Found: October 17, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Stayin' alive' / 'If I can't have you'

Papa Pingouin - Sophie et Magaly

The twin sisters Sophie and Magaly Gilles represented Luxembourg during the 1980 Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Papa Pingouin'. It is often cited as an example of the strange and naff nature of the Song Contest, because the song was performed with three backing singers dressed in black and white and a man in a penguin costume. The song was written by the prolific duo Ralph Siegel and Bernd Meinunger, who are normally associated with Germany as a composer-lyricist combination.

When original singers Sophie & Magaly signed with Ralph Siegel, they were still minors and their parents were quite ignorant of business dealings in showbiz. A contract was signed between Ralph Siegel and the parents, giving only a very small percentage of the sales to the sisters. They later reported that each of the sisters only got the equivalent of 5000 euros, while more than one million singles wer sold.

Things didn't end well for the two: Magaly contracted HIV in the late Eighties and died of AIDS in April 1996. Sophie suffers from depressions and now lives in the south of France.

My collection: 7" single no. 4404
Found: Second Life Music, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Papa pingouin' / 'Tous les enfants du monde'

Highly strung - Spandau Ballet

'Highly strung' was released in the autumn of 1984 as the third single from Spandau Ballet's fourth album 'Parade'.

While the first two singles from the album were top 10 hits in the UK, this single only managed to peak at number 15. In the Dutch Top 40, it fared even less well, stalling at number 32.

My collection: 7" single no. 1224
Found: April 22, 1990
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Highly strung' / 'Highly strung (version)'