Rebel yell - Billy Idol

Although the rebel yell was a battle cry used by Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War, Billy Idol reportedly refers to the whiskey brand of the same name, a brand of bourbon whiskey distilled and bottled at the Bernheim distillery in Louisville, Kentucky. During an event he attended, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones were taking swigs of 'Rebel Yell'; Billy decided and stated that he would set off to write a 'Rebel Yell' song.

The song was co-written by guitarist Steve Stevens. The instrumental introduction, which sounds like a combination of electric guitar and electronic keyboard, is performed by Stevens on guitar alone, who intended it to sound this way. The single was originally released in 1984, but re-released in a gatefold sleeve in the UK in 1985 and peaked at number 2 in the UK singles chart on that occasion.

My collection: 7" single no. 1740
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 18, 1992
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Rebel yell' / '(Do not) Stand in the shadows'

Black cat - Janet Jackson

As the years went by, it was easy to accuse Janet Jackson of using a formula for her albums: there were always a few ballads, some dance songs and one obligatory rock-oriented track. In the case of her 1989 album 'Rhythm Nation 1814', it was 'Black cat', released as the sixth single from the album.

The B-side of the single features 'The 1814 Megamix'. Remixed by Alan Coulthard, it includes snippets of Jackson's previous hit singles 'Alright', 'Escapade', 'Rhythm nation', and 'Miss you much'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1330
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1990
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Black cat' / 'The 1814 Megamix'

Joyride - Roxette

'Hello, you fool, I love you'. It was the message Per Gessle's girlfriend left on his piano - and a chorus was born. 'Joyride' was the first single release from Roxette's 1991 album 'Joyride'. The single topped the charts across Europe (including the Netherlands), Australia, Canada and the United States. In the UK, 'Joyride' peaked at number 4.

The B-side, 'Come back (before you leave)', reappeared on Roxette's next album, 'Tourism'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1437
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, April 26, 1991
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Joyride' / 'Come back (before you leave)'

Change of heart - Cyndi Lauper

'Change of heart' was the second single taken from Cyndi Lauper's second album, 'True colours' (1986). The Bangles sang background vocals on the track. In the US Billboard Hot 100 chart the single reached number 3. In Europe, audience reaction was much less enthousiastic: in the UK singles chart the single stalled at number 67, whereas it didn't chart in the Netherlands at all.

I had to search for quite a long time for this single: when it was released, it didn't appear in Dutch record shops at all. I found a 12" single a few years later, and only in 1991 I found the single.

My collection: 7" single no. 1483
Found: Wreckastow, Rotterdam, July 3, 1991
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Change of heart' / 'Witness'

Un fait divers et rien de plus - Le Club

Exactly a year ago, I wrote about the 12" single of 'Un fait divers et rien de plus' by Le Club. As I said then, Le Club was a very anonymous group, which according to the credits of the song consisted of André Monet, Jacky Dieme and Olaf Zalcman.

I bought the 7" single eleven years before the 12" single during a record fair the day before I had a holiday in London. It was like the first course in a six course meal: I spent those days in London visiting numerous record shops.

My collection: 7" single no. 1986
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, October 17, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Un fait divers et rien de plus' / 'Un fait divers et rien de plus (remix)'

The dream - The Nits

In the second half of the Eighties, the Dutch band The Nits was lauded by critics and bought by the audience: a perfect combination.

They won an Edison (the Dutch version of the Grammy's) in 1987 after their album 'In the Dutch mountains'. A year later, they released the mini-album 'Hat'. 'The dream' was the first single taken from the album, which peaked at number 26 in the Dutch Top 40. They won another Edison for this album.

My collection: 7" single no. 723
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, January 24, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'The dream' / 'The house'

So far away - Dire Straits

'So far away' was released as the first single from Dire Straits' 1985 album 'Brothers in arms'. The single reached number 19 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 20 in the UK singles chart and number 31 in the Dutch Top 40.

The B-side of this single is 'Walk of life', which was subsequently released as the fourth single from the album.

My collection: 7" single no. 908
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 25, 1989
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'So far away' / 'Walk of life'

If I say yes - Five Star

'If I say yes' was released in 1986 as the fourth single from Five Star's second album 'Silk and steel'. The single reached number 15 in the UK singles chart, but failed to chart in other territories.

The sleeve of this single featured a few photographs taken during the filming of the accompanying music video. Although Five Star never reached the kind of popularity they found in the UK, it was through music videos that I still got to know most of their singles, as music stations were all broadcasting from the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 2174
Found: House of Rhythm, London, September 27, 1994
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'If I say yes' / 'Let me down easy'

Air disaster - Albert Hammond

Albert Hammond was born in London on May 18, 1944. He is one of the more successful songwriters to come out of England during the Sixties and Seventies, and has also enjoyed a long career as a recording artist.

One of his hit singles is the 1974 track 'Air disaster'. It appeared regularly on the radio in the Eighties as a 'golden oldie', which is how I found out about this song. I bought this single at the first opportunity. Perhaps I shouldn't have: in more recent years I have seen this single with a picture sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 307
Found: Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Air disaster' / 'Candle light, sweet candle light'

Hungry eyes - Sniff 'n' the Tears

'Hungry eyes' is a rather unknown single by the British band Sniff 'n' the Tears. Core member of the band is Paul Roberts, who is also a noted painter. He is responsible for much of the band's singles, and it was the sleeve of this single more than anything else that made me buy this single. I liked the picture, and in fact I still do.

The song, meanwhile, is not much to write home about. Maybe that's why it didn't chart in any territory.

My collection: 7" single no. 2592
Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, December 30, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Hungry eyes' / 'Fight for love'

Run for your life - Bucks Fizz

'Run for your life' was one of the single releases from Bucks Fizz's third album 'Hand cut'. It suffers from all the hallmarks of Eighties production values: loads of synths, loads of echos and a much too busy arrangement. And still it is a nice pop song, somehow.

The song's lyric talks about feelings of paranoia and insecurity. The single eventually rose to a peak of number 14 in the UK singles chart during a 7 week chart run.

My collection: 7" single no. 3230
Found: London, November 2001
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Run for your life' / 'Shot me through the heart'

Walking down your street - The Bangles

It didn't happen very often - even in the UK - that a single was released in two different limited editions, but in the case of the Bangles, it did happen. 'Walking down your street' was first released as a double single featuring the previous single 'Walk like an Egyptian' as disc number 2, but then there was also this edition: a gatefold sleeve with a 'highlights of the year' foldout.

The single peaked at number 16 in the UK singles chart and number 33 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2663
Found: Record fair, June 30, 1996
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Walking down your street' / 'Return post'

I want to know what love is - Foreigner

Foreigner had a worldwide number 1 hit with 'I want to know what love is', a powerballad written by Mick Jones, with some degree of uncredited contribution by Lou Gramm. It was the first single from their 1984 album 'Agent provocateur'.

The single features backing vocals from the New Jersey Mass Choir, which soon after Foreigner's single topped the charts, released its own, similar-sounding version of the song.

My collection: 7" single no. 250
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, December 1984
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'I want to know what love is' / 'Street thunder'

Smells like teen spirit - Nirvana

It wasn't until 'Weird Al' Yankovic released 'Smells like Nirvana' that I became interested in Nirvana's 'Smells like teen spirit'. When it was released, I just thought it was a lot of noise - infernal racket to be precise - and I didn't want to listen to it at all. Tori Amos also made a very beautiful ballad version of this song, and so in the end I had to concede there was some merit to this track after all.

'Smells like teen spirit' can be considered as the one single that introduced the world to the Seatlle grunge scene. Ironically, Kurt Cobain commented about the song: 'I was trying to write the ultimate pop song. I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies. (...) We used their sense of dynamics, being soft and quiet and then loud and hard.' The single reached number 6 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 3 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1786
Found: Record fair, November 7, 1992
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Smells like teen spirit' / 'Even in his youth'

I knew you were waiting (for me) - George Michael and Aretha Franklin

To say that two legendary artists recorded 'I knew you were waiting (for me)' in 1986 would be a little far-fetched, but I bet that's how this single will be perceived in a few decades from now. Aretha Franklin is often called the queen of soul, whereas George Michael was still working on his status as a songwriter and performer - but nowadays he can be considered quite the legend himself.

The single was a number 1 hit for the duo in the UK, the USA, the Netherlands and Australia. In Canada, 'I knew you were waiting (for me)' reached number 4. I bought the 12" single four years after I found this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 2440
Found: August 26, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'I knew you were waiting (for me)' / 'I knew you were waiting (for me) (instrumental)'

Sailing / Da ya think I'm sexy? - Rod Stewart

This single was made in 1980, combining two of Rod Stewart's biggest hits of the Seventies on one disc. 'Sailing' was written by Gavin Sutherland and originally recorded by his band, Sutherland Brothers & Quiver. Stewart recorded his version in 1975, giving him a number 1 hit in the UK and the Netherlands, among other countries.

'Da ya think I'm sexy' is basically, according to Carmine Appice, who played drums on the track: 'a story of a guy meeting a chick in a club. If you listen to the lyrics, 'She sits alone, waiting for suggestions, he's so nervous...' it's the feelings of what was going on in a dance club. The guy sees a chick he digs, she's nervous and he's nervous and she's alone and doesn't know what's going on, then they end up at his place having sex, and then she's gone.' Again, Stewart hit number 1 in the UK, and peaked at number 4 in the Dutch Top 40 with this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 452
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1986
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Sailing' / 'Da ya think I'm sexy?'

Tu - Mecano

The Spanish pop group Mecano released their album 'Aidalai' in 1991: an eclectic mix of intimate ballads, technopop and traditional Spanish music. The album was released amidst rumours of the band splitting up because of creative differences between the band's main songwriters, Nacho Cano and José Maria Cano.

The single 'Tu' was released in the autumn of 1991 and gave them their second and last hit in the Netherlands: it reached number 36 in the Dutch Top 40. As you can hear, this is a mispressing of the single, as it warbles like a madman.

My collection: 7" single no. 3177
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 19, 2000
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Tu' / '1917'

A simple little song - Bandjo with Anne Cathrine Herdorf

Anne-Cathrine Herdorf was born on July 10, 1967. She represented Denmark during the 1987 Eurovision Song Contest with the group Bandjo, performing 'En lillle melodi'. The song finished in fifth place in a field of 22 contestants.

This single features the English version of the song, 'A simple little song', plus the instrumental version. Surprisingly, this single was made in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 4405
Found: Second Life Music, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'A simple little song' / 'En lille melodi (instrumental)'

Night fever - Bee Gees

'Night fever' was another song written and recorded by the Bee Gees for the soundtrack of the movie 'Saturday night fever'. Originally the movie was going to be called 'Saturday night', but Robin Gibb expressed hesitation at that title. When the song 'Night fever' was made, the two titles were combined, hence 'Saturday night fever'.

The single reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and stayed at that position for two months. The single also topped the chart in Canada, the UK, Spain, Ireland and Brazil. In the Dutch Top 40, 'Night fever' reached number 3.

My collection: 7" single no. 1478
Found: July 3, 1991
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Night fever' / 'Down the road'

They dance alone - Sting

In 1987, Sting was going through his messiah phase, thinking that his status as a rock star could give him the power to save the world. He toured around the world with an indian with a plate in his lower lip, while also trying to stop the Chilean regime of Augusto Pinochet.

He did so by composing 'They dance alone', a track on his second solo album '...Nothing like the sun' and subsequently released as a single. The song is a metaphor referring to mourning Chilean women who were dancing the Cueca, the national dance of Chile, alone with photographs of their disappeared loved ones in their hands. Sting explained his song as a symbolic gesture of protest against Pinochet, whose regime killed thousands of people between 1973 and 1990. Of course, this didn't move Pinochet to immediately stop his actions. Sting did reach number 29 in the Dutch Top 40, but the single flopped in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 1009
Found: London, October 17, 1989
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'They dance alone' / 'Ellas danzan solas'