Bloedend hart - De Dijk

The Dutch band De Dijk ('The Dike') released the single 'Bloedend hart' ('Bleeding heart') in the summer of 1982. The amusing tale of the Christian broadcaster NCRV always stuck with me: they took offence to the line 'Ik kijk wat door de ramen / en ik krab wat aan mijn kont' ('I'm looking through the windows / and I'm scratching my ass') and through some clever manipulation they managed to change the line to '...en ik krab wat aan mijn hond' ('...and I'm scratching my dog'). Personally, I think scratching your dog is a lot nastier than scratching your own ass.

This minor controversy didn't help the single: it failed to reach the Dutch Top 40 when it was released.

My collection: 7" single no. 158
Found: Den Haag, 1982
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Bloedend hart' / 'Geldgebrek en rock & roll'

As long as you follow - Fleetwood Mac

The production process of making 7" vinyl singles has been successful for millions of copies: you take a piece of vinyl, press the grooves on it, cut off the edges to make a round piece of vinyl and punch a hole in the middle. But sometimes, things go wrong. My copy of 'As long as you follow' by Fleetwood Mac had a hole in the middle, but it was not exactly in the middle. As a result, the sides were unlistenable.

I never went back to the shop with the single, but I did buy a promotional copy of it, made in Spain, seven years later. This copy featured 'As long as you follow' on both sides. For this blog, I used my original copy to record the B-side. It's a matter of putting the record on the right spot on the record player. I think the recording still turned out alright!

'As long as you follow' was a new track on the compilation album 'Greatest hits', released in 1988 after Fleetwood Mac's previous album 'Tango in the night' was very successful. Lindsey Buckingham had left the band and he was replaced by Billy Burnette (mainly for lead vocals) and Rick Vito. The single reached number 13 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 66 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 756 / no. 2612
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, February 23, 1989 / Record fair, Den Haag, February 10, 1996
Cost: 6 guilders / 3 guilders
Tracks (no. 756): 'As long as you follow' / 'Oh well (live)'
Tracks (no. 2612): 'As long as you follow' / 'As long as you follow'

To be with you again - Level 42

The album 'Running in the family' by Level 42 was a big success, and part of the success was the singles that kept entering the charts. 'To be with you again' was the third single from the album and it was just as successful as the previous two.

'To be with you again' reached number 6 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 10 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2752
Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 29, 1996
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'To be with you again' / 'Microkid (live)'

Last days of summer - Imagination

'Last days of summer' was released in the summer of 1985 as a single by Imagination. Their last hit was 1984's 'Thank you my love', and this new single would be the second in a long line of singles that would be unsuccessful in all territories.

The B-side featured a live recording of the earlier hit 'Shoobedoo da dabba doobee', recorded at Hammersmith Odeon in London.

My collection: 7" single no. 3107
Found: Big Company Records, London, May 13, 1999
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Last days of summer' / 'Shoobedoo da dabba doobee (live)'

Oye mi canto - Gloria Estefan

'Oye mi canto' showed off some of Gloria Estefan's musical roots, much like in the style of her earlier music with Miami Sound Machine, and is in the style of the earlier hit 'Conga', which is included on this single as the B-side track.

Released as the fourth single from her album 'Cuts both ways', it reached number 48 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 16 in the UK singles chart and number 8 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1058
Found: London, October 17, 1989
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Oye mi canto' / 'Conga'

If - Janet Jackson

In the song 'If', Janet Jackson is consumed with sexual fantasies of a man who doesn't even know she exists. An electric guitar and a sample from Diana Ross & the Supremes' 1969 song 'Someday we'll be together' are the musical ingredients for this fast-paced track. The single contains a B-side track called 'One more chance', which is a cover of a song her brother Randy wrote, produced, and performed for The Jacksons' 1984 album 'Victory'.

'If' was released as the second single from Janet's album 'janet.' in the summer of 1993. It reached number 1 in Canada, number 14 in the UK singles chart, number 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 10 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2004
Found: HMV, London, October 18, 1993
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'If' / 'One more chance'

Girl you know it's true - Milli Vanilli

The tale of Milli Vanilli is all too familiar: they had a lot of success in the late Eighties, then people found out that they didn't actually sing the songs themselves and started burning their records. I never quite understood that attitude: you like a song or you don't, and it doesn't really matter who sings them, does it? Sure, it is misleading, but Frank Farian was never the most honest man in pop: Boney M's songs were rarely sung by the band members either - and no-one ever complained about that.

Anyway, 'Girl you know it's true' is a fine example of a Milli Vanilli track. (And let's be honest: when you've heard one, you've heard them all.) This remix is of special interest for Boney M fans. What a coincidence!

My collection: 12" single no. 528
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 199X
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Girl you know it's true (Super club mix)' / 'Girl you know it's true (radio mix)', 'Magic touch'

E.S.P. - Bee Gees

E.S.P. stands for Extrasensory perception, a paranormal ability, but it's also the title track of the Bee Gees' 1987 album, which was released as a single in the autumn of 1987. The acapella intro on the album version was edited out for the single version.

The single reached number 51 in the UK singles chart and number 32 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2596
Found: Utrecht, December 30, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'E.S.P.' / 'Overnight'

Babe - Styx

Syrupy sweet and slightly silly, the ballad 'Babe' was a big hit at the end of the Seventies for the American band Styx. Written by band member Dennis DeYoung as a birthday present for his wife Suzanne, it was not originally intended to be a Styx track, but the band decided to include it on their album 'Cornerstone' upon hearing the demo by DeYoung and Styx membes John and Chuck Panozzo.

The song became Styx's first and last US number-one single, also reaching number 6 in the UK singles chart and number 9 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1089
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, October 27, 1988
Cost: 1 guilders
Tracks: 'Babe' / 'I'm OK'

Strangelove - Depeche Mode

'Strangelove' may well be one of Depeche Mode's best singles ever. The melody, the hook, the lyric and the instrumentation: it's all damn near perfect. The band was able to combine the upbeat poppy influences of their earlier work with the gloomy, disturbing vibe of their later work.

I wasn't the only one to appreciate the single: even in the Netherlands, where Depeche Mode have always had a hard time reaching the charts, it peaked at number 24 in the Dutch Top 40. In the UK singles chart, 'Strangelove' hit number 16.

My collection: 7" single no. 523
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Strangelove' / 'Pimpf'

When tomorrow comes - Eurythmics

I remember the feeling of disillusionment when I first heard 'When tomorrow comes' by the Eurythmics. They were always known for their synthpop tracks, but on this song, there was literally no synthesizer in sight. And weren't there already too many guitar bands?

'When tomorrow comes' isn't a bad song, though. The album 'Revenge' would continue this rock sound, making the synthpop label on Eurythmics a bit misplaced anyway. Meanwhile, this single only reached number 30 in the UK singles chart and number 19 in the Dutch Top 40, while becoming a top 10 hit in Scandinavia and Australia.

My collection: 7" single no. 463
Found: V&D, Den Haag, 1986
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'When tomorrow comes' / 'Take your pain away'

Whenever you're ready - Five Star

Released in August 1987, 'Whenever you're ready' was the first single from Five Star's third album 'Between the lines'. It is a bouncy popsong full of subtle sounds and a rather straightforward chorus-verse structure.

The single reached number 11 in the UK singles chart and number 18 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1184
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, March 3, 1990
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Whenever you're ready' / 'Forever yours'

Suspended in gaffa - Kate Bush

'I'm scared of the changes' says a little voice in this track, 'Suspended in gaffa' by Kate Bush. It's a minor detail in the enormous soundscape created by Kate Bush in this track, but one that caused me to listen to this track over and over again from 1982 until today. The song lyric is about seeing something one really wants, then not being able to see or experience it ever again. The 'gaffa' of the title and chorus refers to gaffer tape, the tough black tape used by technicians in film and concert industries.

Released as the third single from her fourth album 'The dreaming' - with the exception of the UK where 'There goes a tenner' was released instead - it was not a commercial success for Kate Bush. I actually own two versions of this single: I bought the first one, a German pressing, as soon as it came out. Just four months ago, I found the Dutch edition with a slightly different sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 172 / no. 4116
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1982
Cost: 3,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Suspended in gaffa' / 'Ne t'en fuis pas'

On my own - Patti Labelle and Michael McDonald

Although 'On my own' was a duet between Patti Labelle and Michael McDonald, both were in separate cities when they recorded their individual parts. They were mixed together during mastering. This was reflected in the music video, which showed Labelle and McDonald performing the song on two different locations. 'On my own' couldn't have been a more apt title for this song.

The track was taken from LaBelle's album 'Winner in you' and written and produced by Burt Bacharach and his former wife Carole Bayer Sager. The single reached number 2 in the Dutch Top 40 and the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 448
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, August 26, 1986
Cost: 4 guilders
Tracks: 'On my own' / 'Stir it up'

Everlasting love - Howard Jones

Sometimes even Wikipedia is intriguing. In the description for 'Everlasting love' by Howard Jones it says: 'The video had mummies.' I'm sure this is true, but having never seen the video, it was a bit puzzling. These days, fortunately, you can hop over to YouTube and see it for yourself. (Proving the point that this blog is still a journey of discovery for me too.)

The song was co-produced by ex-Tears for Fears band member Ian Stanley. It was released as the first single from Howard Jones' 1989 album 'Cross that line'. It reached number 12 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, while stalling at number 62 on the UK Singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1019
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1989
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'Everlasting love' / 'The brutality of fact'

1.000.000 sterren - Frank Boeijen Groep

The Frank Boeijen Groep had to come up with another hit after their previous single 'Zwart wit' had been such a convincing top 5 hit. '1.000.000 sterren' ('1,000,0000 stars') was a song that didn't meet these expectations, although it was still able to reach number 29 in the Dutch Top 40.

Having been successful with their first music video for 'Zwart wit', another music video was made for this single. While 'Zwart wit' was shown sometimes in later years, the video for '1.000.000 sterren' disappeared from tv screens forever.

My collection: 7" single no. 229
Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, 1984
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: '1.000.000 sterren' / 'Het antwoord (live)'

Aufrecht geh'n - Mary Roos

'Aufrecht geh'n' ('Walk tall') was the German entry in the 1984 Eurovision Song Contest, performed by Mary Roos. The song was composed by Michael Reinecke with lyrics by Michael Kunze, who previously had written the lyrics to Silver Convention's 1977 entry 'Telegram'. This was also Mary Roos' second Eurovision entry; she had represented Germany at the 1972 Contest with 'Nur die Liebe läßt uns leben', which finished third in a field of 18 competitors.

Obviously, the Germans were hoping for a similar result in 1984. But this time around Mary Roos wasn't so lucky: she finished 13th in a field of 19 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 4392
Found: Second Life Music, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Aufrecht geh'n' / 'Wer sagt, daß ich verlier''

Que mon coeur lâche - Mylene Farmer

This is the last single by Mylene Farmer to be released on the 7" vinyl format. It was released to coincide with the release of the album 'Dance remixes', which was a collection of remixes of previous hits by Mylene. The track was originally recorded for a charity compilation album coordinated by Etienne Daho, which would benefit AIDS research. However, it was refused for that album, because the lyric was considered to be too ambiguous and seemed to advocate sexual intercourse without the use of a condom. Mylene did refute these claims, but in the end she recorded an acoustic version of an other track for the charity album, and this track ended up being a single.

The single reached number 9 in the French singles chart and number 8 in the Belgian (Wallonia) singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2629
Found: Record fair, March 16, 1996
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Que mon coeur lâche' / 'Que mon coeur lâche'

Worship - Clouseau

The third and final single from Clouseau's second English language album 'In every small town' (1993) was the beautiful ballad 'Worship'. A simple yet effective track with just vocals and keyboards, it is one of the essential love songs in my collection.

The single was not a commercial success, but I'm still happy to have found a 7" vinyl copy. These were the days that 7" singles were becoming extinct, after all.

My collection: 7" single no. 2844
Found: Record fair, April 5, 1997
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Worship' / 'How long'

Burning bush - Savage Progress

'Burning bush' was one of those strange synthpop singles from 1984 that irritated me at first, until I grew to like it later. Although none of the four singles from Savage Progress were a hit in the UK, 'Burning bush' is probably their best known song.

This 12" single features both the A- and B-sides of the 7" single, plus a remix entitled 'Mad Mix II'. It's one of those remixes you either love or loathe. I've still not decided, though.

My collection: 12" single no. 416
Found: Record fair, 1999
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Burning bush (Mad Mix II)' / 'Burning bush', 'Tears of love'