Underground - David Bowie

David Bowie played a starring role in the Jim Henson movie 'Labyrinth' and also contributed music to the soundtrack of that movie. 'Underground' was selected as the lead single, a deviation from Bowie's catalogue in that it sounded slightly like a gospel track, with a large chorus of backing vocalists and blues guitarist Albert Collins.

The single reached number 21 in the UK charts and number 6 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1459
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 27, 1991
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Underground' / 'Underground (instrumental)'

Brothers in arms - Dire Straits

'Brothers in arms' is a classic album by Dire Straits, which spawned the hit single 'Money for nothing'. A few years later, things got turned around: the compilation album 'Money for nothing' spawned the single 'Brothers in arms'. The single was re-released to promote the compilation album, which came out just in time for Christmas 1988.

'Brothers in arms' was a hit in the UK in 1985, but this re-release was unsuccessful in all territories. For me, it was the first opportunity to get this track on a 7" single.

My collection: 7" single no. 695
Found: Den Haag, December 5, 1988
Cost: - (present)
Tracks: 'Brothers in arms' / 'Going home (live)'

If I ever lose my faith in you - Sting

'If I ever lose my faith in you' was released as the second single from Sting's 1993 album 'Ten summoner's tales' in January 1993.

The single reached number 17 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, also winning a Grammy award in 1994 for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. In the Dutch top 40, the single reached number 15 and in the UK singles chart it reached number 14.

My collection: 7" single no. 2345
Found: Record Exchange, London, June 26, 1995
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'If I ever lose my faith in you' / 'Every breath you take (live)'

Little bit of snow - Howard Jones

Although Howard Jones's current album 'Ordinary heroes' is full of ballads, none of them can come close to this epic ballad, 'Little bit of snow'. It's a very intimate work, but this is what makes it so special. A track on his third album 'One to one', it was an unlikely single release.

Hence, the UK single release was the only one: the song was not released as a single in other territories. The success wasn't overwhelming either: during a one week chart run, it reached number 70 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2529
Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, November 1, 1995
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Little bit of snow' / 'Let it flow'

I don't want to live without you - Foreigner

Recorded as a track on Foreigner's 1987 album 'Inside information', 'I don't want to live without you' was released as the second single from that album.

The single became the band's sixteenth and - to this day - final entry in the Billboard top 40, peaking at number 5 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The single did not chart in the UK, but reached number 19 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1978
Found: London, October 17, 1993
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'I don't want to live without you' / 'Face to face'

Talking in your sleep - Bucks Fizz

'Talking in your sleep' was written and recorded by the Romantics in 1983. It was a hit in the USA, but failed to chart in the UK.

The song was picked up in 1984 by Bucks Fizz. Their version was recorded on their fourth album 'I hear talk' and released as a single. Their version reached number 15 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 3143
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 18, 1999
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Talking in your sleep' / 'Don't think you're fooling me'

Away - Maarten Peters

After having been a member of the Frank Boeijen Groep for a year, Maarten Peters embarked on a solo career that gave him some success in the second half of the Eighties. His first taste of chart success came when he released the single 'Away', a song written by himself and produced by Jos Haagmans, not coincidentally a member of the Frank Boeijen Groep.

The single reached number 36 in the Dutch Top 40 during a 4 week chart run. Not a high placing, but then better things were on their way in the years to come.

My collection: 7" single no. 514
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1986
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Away' / 'Away (instrumental)'

I gave you my heart (didn't I) - Hot Chocolate

Although this single was released in 1983, I didn't hear it until 1988. When I did hear it, it was hard to believe that this was a Hot Chocolate track: it was a poppy track, but lacked the funky feel of most of their material. Still, I liked it a lot and after some time hunting for this single, I found it.

'I gave you my heart (didn't I)' was the last original hit single for Hot Chocolate in the UK, peaking at number 13 in early 1984. Although the band never formally broke up, they stopped releasing original material in 1984. Remixes and reissues did manage to get into the UK singles chart subsequently, but this single represents the end of Hot Chocolate as an active band.

My collection: 7" single no. 841
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, May 27, 1989
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'I gave you my heart (Didn't I)' / 'Jeannie'

Hey now, whatcha gonna do - José

Released in 1983, 'Hey now, whatcha gonna do' was another single by José that failed to chart in the Dutch Top 40. The song was written and produced by Pim Koopman and stayed faithful to the uptempo, major key popsongs that José was known for even when she was still a member of the girl trio Luv'. Still, the single failed to become a success.

I bought the single when it came out, and always wondered about the photograph on the sleeve: for a woman, the upper body looks decidedly, er, flat.

My collection: 7" single no. 219
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1983
Cost: 3,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Hey now whatcha gonna do' / 'Hey now whatcha gonna do (instrumental)'

Enséñame a cantar - Micky

Micky was born as Miguel Ángel Carreño Schmelter in Madrid in 1943. He began his music career in 1962 leading the band Micky y Los Tonys, which released 30 singles and 5 albums. He started a solo career in the Seventies. After his single 'Bye bye fräulein' (1976) entered the charts in Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, he was chosen to represent Spain during the 1977 Eurovision Song Contest.

The song 'Enséñame a cantar' ('Teach me to sing') was written by Fernando Arbex. On the night of the Contest, it finished ninth in a field of 18 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 4458
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received January 28, 2010
Cost: 1,5 euro
Tracks: 'Enséñame a cantar' / 'Profundamente'

Young Turks - Rod Stewart

'Young Turks' is a track on Rod Stewart's 1981 album 'Tonight I'm yours'. It was released as the second single from the album. In English slang, a 'Young Turk' is a rebellious kind of teenager who would go against the grain.

The single reached number 5 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 11 on the UK Singles chart. In the Dutch Top 40, the single reached number 9.

My collection: 7" single no. 445
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, August 9, 1986
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Young Turks' / 'Tora tora tora'

Little bit of heaven - Lisa Stansfield

The last single taken from Lisa Stansfield's 1993 album 'So natural' was the dance track 'Little bit of heaven'. Written by Lisa Stansfield and her husband Ian Devaney, it was one of the few uptempo tracks on the album, and a bit of a return to form.

The single reached number 32 in the UK singles chart during a 4 week chart run. After this, Stansfield's career went into a nosedive, as subsequent albums failed to impress the recordbuying audiences.

My collection: 7" single no. 2091
Found: April 16, 1994
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Little bit of heaven' / 'Gonna try it anyway'

Queen of rain - Roxette

'Queen of rain' was originally written and recorded for Roxette's highly successful album 'Joyride' and considered as the closing track. When it was replaced by another ballad called 'Perfect day', the song reappeared on Roxette's next album, 'Tourism'.

It was released as the second single from that album in the autumn of 1992. It reached number 12 in Sweden, number 19 in Germany, number 28 in the UK singles chart and number 26 in the Dutch Top 40. The B-side was recorded live at the Entertainment Centre in Sydney, Australia in December 1991.

My collection: 7" single no. 1781
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, October 31, 1992
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Queen of rain' / 'It must have been love (live)'

Empty garden - Elton John

'Empty garden' was written by Elton John after his friend John Lennon was murdered by an obsessed fan in front of his New York City apartment on December 8, 1980. He first performed the song live at Madison Square Garden in 1982, with Lennon's widow Yoko Ono and their son Sean in the audience.

The 'Empty garden' referred to in the song is Madison Square Garden, where John Lennon did a duet with Elton in 1974 during his last stage performance. Elton has since performed the song several times at Madison Square Garden. The single was released in the summer of 1982, reaching number 13 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 51 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2435
Found: All that music, Leiden, August 19, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Empty garden' / 'Take me down to the ocean'

Adieu sweet Bahnhof - The Nits

'Adieu sweet Bahnhof' is the title of the Nits' 1984 album, which they recorded with producer Jaap Eggermont, who became famous internationally thanks to his 'Stars on 45' project. The song was the title track of that album.

It is also the title of a single, which the Nits released five years later. The single version was recorded live and included on their 3LP box 'Urk', a collection of live recordings made in Amsterdam, Utrecht and Moscow in the winter of 1988. The single reached number 26 in the Dutch Top 40 and was their last hit single until 1992's 'Soap bubble box'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1124
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Adieu sweet Bahnhof (live)' / 'In the Dutch mountains (live)'

Empty spaces - Spandau Ballet

As the Eighties drew to a close, the career of Spandau Ballet was also seemingly coming to an end. The album 'Heart like a sky' did not meet the expectations commercially speaking, and the singles taken from the album also had little success in the charts.

'Empty spaces' was the third single from 'Heart like a sky', and stalled at number 94 in the UK singles chart. In other territories, the single did not chart at all.

My collection: 7" single no. 1142
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, January 13, 1990
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Empty spaces' / 'Fight for ourselves (live)'

That's the way love goes - Janet Jackson

'That's the way love goes' was written and produced by Janet Jackson with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Jackson came up with the title, inspired by the downbeat tone of the music created by Jam and Lewis.

Although the record company wanted to have 'If' as the first single from Janet's new album in 1993, Jam and Lewis argued that 'That's the way love goes' would be the better choice. They were right: it was a number 1 hit in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, also reaching number 5 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 2 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2003
Found: HMV, London, October 18, 1993
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'That's the way love goes' / 'That's the way love goes (instrumental)'

Nothing else matters - Metallica

Metallica's James Hetfield wrote this song while on the phone with his girlfriend. Since he held the phone with one hand, he plucked the four open strings with the other, which eventually made up the first two bars of the song. The lyrics were also dedicated to his girlfriend, which talk about being 'so close, no matter how far', indicating the bond they shared even when Hetfield was on tour. Initially, the song wasn't meant to go on the album, and Hetfield had written it for himself, but when drummer Lars Ulrich heard it, it was recorded for the album anyway.

The single reached number 5 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 6 in the UK singles chart. The band re-recorded the track with a full orchestra in 1999 for the album 'S&M'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1816
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, January 9, 1993
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Nothing else matters' / 'Enter sandman (live)'

Socrates - Elpida

Elpida Karayiannopoulou was born October 1, 1950 in Spercheiada, Greece. At 14, she moved to Athens with her two older brothers to study. After this, she started a career in music when she became a singer of an orchestra, eventually recording an album with them and then forging her own career.

She became internationally known when she represented Greece during the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Socrates'. She finished eighth out of 19 competitors. She returned to the contest in 1986, representing Cyprus with the song 'Tora zo'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4570
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received February 20, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Socrates' / 'Pou na ise agapi'

Eternal flame - The Bangles

Written by Susanna Hoffs with Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg, 'Eternal flame' was inspired by two eternal flames: one for Elvis Presley that Michael Steele saw when the band was at Graceland, and one at a local synagogue in Palm Springs which Steinberg attended as a child. Steinberg: 'Susanna was talking about The Bangles having visited Graceland, and she said there was some type of shrine to Elvis that included some kind of eternal flame. As soon as those words were mentioned, I immediately thought of the synagogue in the town of Palm Springs, California where I grew up. I remember during our Sunday school class they would walk us through the sanctuary. There was one little red light and they told us it was called the eternal flame.'

Released as a single from the Bangles' 1988 album 'Everything', it reached number 1 in the USA, the UK, the Netherlands, Australia, Ireland, Norway and Sweden.

My collection: 7" single no. 734
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, February 7, 1989
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Eternal flame' / 'What I meant to say'