One of the synthpop bands of the early Eighties was Heaven 17, formed by Glenn Gregory, Ian Craig-Marsh and Martyn Ware, after the latter two had left Human League.
'Play to win' was their third single and the second one to be taken from their debut album 'Penthouse and pavement'. It reached number 46 in the UK singles chart. This single is a Dutch pressing which also includes their next UK single, 'Penthouse and pavement'. You guessed it: the title track from their debut album.
My collection: 7" single no. 4649 Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Play to win' / 'Penthouse and pavement'
The song 'Just one cornetto' started out as an adaptation of the Italian traditional 'O sole mio' in this television advert. It was slightly rewritten and recorded by the Brighton retro/busker band Pookiesnackenburger, released as a single on Stiff records in 1982.
Pookiesnackenburger consisted of Steve McNicholas, Sue Bradley, Paul Clark, John Helmer and Nick Dwyer. Although chart success eluded the band, they later morphed into Stomp, who went on to have international success with their theatre shows.
My collection: 7" single no. 4646 Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Just one cornetto' / 'Turkish bath'
Contrary to all the R&B and hiphop dross they make today, black artists used to actually come up with good songs every once in a while, back in the Eighties. Alexander O'Neal's 'Criticize' is a good example: a catchy tune with aggressively delivered vocals. The track was produced by Jellybean, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, which makes it sound almost like a Janet Jackson track.
'Criticize' peaked at number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 17 in the Dutch Top 40 in the autumn of 1987.
My collection: 7" single no. 4644 Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Criticize' / 'A broken heart can mend'
After their second single 'Fred Astaire' reached number 18 in the Dutch Top 40, attention for the Dutch synthpop group Mo was growing. They do a tour around the country, with mixes responses from the audience.
'Oh... Young people' is released as the third single from their debut album 'Mo' in early 1981, but it does not chart. Meanwhile, three members of the band, including woman singer Heili Helder, leave the band. After the summer of 1981, only drummer Harm Bieger remains from the original line-up. Ton van der Meer and Hans Nieuwint are recruited, as well as the new frontwoman Linda Bloemhardt. This new line-up records the second Mo album, which is released later on in 1981.
My collection: 7" single no. 4638 Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Oh... Young people' / 'TV Talks'
The impact of the fall of the Berlin wall was so big, that even Austria delivered a song about the subject on the 1990 Eurovision Song Contest. The song was performed by Simone Stelzer, who was born on October 1, 1969 in Vienna.
The lyric of the song speaks about the freedom brought about through the fall of the Wall. In keeping with the multi-national theme, she sung the song in German, English, French and Serbo-Croatian. The song finished tenth in a field of 22 competitors.
My collection: 7" single no. 4409 Found: Second Life Music, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Keine Mauern mehr' / 'No walls anywhere'
The Nolans released their album 'Making waves' in 1980. While it only peaked at number 11 in the albums chart, it had the longest chart run of their career, spanning 33 weeks. Four singles were taken from the album, of which 'Attention to me' was the best known.
'Gotta pull myself together' was released as the third single from the album in the autumn of 1980. It reached number 9 in the UK singles chart and number 8 in Ireland. It was also their first Australian chart hit, peaking at number 3 in 1981.
My collection: 7" single no. 4641 Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Gotta pull myself together' / 'Directions of love'
Not to be confused with the 1975 track by Fleetwood Mac, 'Landslide' was written by Olivia Newton-John's producer John Farrar for her 1981 album 'Physical'. It was released as the third single from the album in early 1982.
Although the single did not chart in the Netherlands, it was a success in the UK, where it peaked at number 18. In the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, 'Landslide' peaked at number 52.
My collection: 7" single no. 4639 Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Landslide' / 'Falling'
Dutch broadcaster Veronica had some success in the late Eighties with the weekly drama 'Spijkerhoek'. The story focused on two families with children in their late puberty. The son of one family was a biker and the daughter of the other family wanted to make it big in the music scene. Actress Mary-Lou van Steenis played Patty, who got to record a song called 'Wonderful'. It's no surprise that this song was released as a single to promote the television series even further. It turned out to be a hit, too, peaking at number 2 in the Dutch Top 40.
The song itself is a cliched, tacky affair, so the real treat on this single is the B-side, as it contains the theme of 'Spijkerhoek'. It's an attractive instrumental, sounding a bit like Harold Faltermeyer meets Jan Hammer. And I guess that's what the producers were aiming for anyway, since both 'Miami Vice' and the 'Beverley Hills Cop' movies were broadcast by Veronica as well back then.
My collection: 7" single no. 789 Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, April 7, 1989 Cost: 6 guilders Tracks: 'Wonderful' / 'Theme from 'Spijkerhoek''
My brother mentioned last week that he was looking for this song. The title and performer stuck in my head for some reason, and when I went shopping the next day, imagine my surprise when I came across this single. I figured I could take it with me. If I didn't like it at least he would have an addition to his collection. As it turns out, I like the track a lot - bad luck for him.
Peters & Lee was a British duo consisting of Lennie Peters (November 22, 1931 - October 10, 1992) and Dianne Lee (born in 1950). Their first performance was with Rolf Harris on April 30 1970 at a concert in Bournemouth. They remained popular all through the Seventies. 'Song from Moulin Rouge' was recorded in the Netherlands with the Harry van Hoof Orchestra, with Will Hoebee producing. It was their only hit in the Netherlands, peaking at number 23 in the Dutch Top 40 in the summer of 1977.
My collection: 7" single no. 4645 Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Song from Moulin Rouge' / 'Don't lay your head'
Every now and again, one has to take into account all the strong points of a particular single. As you can see on this sleeve, this single by the Dutch band the Tamara's has at least two strong points. I became interested enough anyway to find out what this single was all about.
Turns out that the Tamara's is a group of studio musicians which performs Dutch versions of wellknown rock and roll tracks. 'Good golly Miss Molly' was originally recorded in 1958 by Little Richard. This cover version was never a hit - but I do have to wonder why.
My collection: 7" single no. 4664 Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Good golly Miss Molly' / 'Donna Donna'
Trevor Horn must be one of the most impressive producers out there, as he's been responsible for so many great records. I am certainly not the only person to think this, since when he produced Godley & Creme's 1985 single 'Cry', it was played to death on radio and television at the time. So much so, that I became sick of the track altogether. Now, 25 years later, I finally brought myself to the point where I could buy and listen to it again.
The single reached number 8 in the Dutch Top 40, number 16 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and number 19 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 4637 Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Cry' / 'Love bombs'
After the breakup of his band Bread, David Gates recorded a solo album entitled 'First', which in my book is definitely a classic album. I never really knew how many singles were taken from that album, but I came across another one, and despite the state it was in, I knew I had to have it.
'Lorilee' was released in early 1974 and featured two tracks from the album: 'Lorilee' (the last track on the album) and 'Sail around the world' (The first track on the album). The single did not chart in any territory.
My collection: 7" single no. 4636 Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Lorilee' / 'Sail around the world'
In 1984, Audrey Landers recorded 'Mi Amor' as a duet with Camilo Sesto. He was born on September 16, 1946 as Camilo Blanes Cortés and became a prominent performer of Spanish pop music in the Seventies and Eighties.
The duo recorded the duet for Landers' album 'Holiday dreams', which was mainly a success in Germany. The production sounds a lot like German schlagers, and this went down well in Germany: the album was certified Gold within weeks of its release. The single also managed to reach number 30 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 4635 Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Mi amor' / 'Guantanamera'
Over the past year, I have made an effort in completing some artist discographies. One of those artists was the British band the Korgis. They have released many singles in the first half of the Eighties, and most of them turn up in second hand shops for really good prices.
One of the singles I couldn't find last year was 'Don't say that it's over'. So I was glad to finally add that one to my collection last weekend. The picture sleeve is a bit boring, but the two tracks on this disc more than make up for that.
My collection: 7" single no. 4633 Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010 Cost: 1,25 euro Tracks: 'Don't say that it's over' / 'Drawn and quartered'
'Sound and vision' was recorded by David Bowie on his 1977 album 'Low'. The track features a lengthy introduction with guitar and synthesizer, followed by withdrawn lyrics, inspired by the cocaine-fueled paranoia the singer had lived in while residing in Los Angeles. In keeping with the minimalist approach of Low, Visconti and Bowie originally recorded the track as an instrumental, bar the backing vocal (performed by Visconti’s wife, Mary Hopkin). Bowie then recorded his vocal after the rest of the band had left the studio, before trimming verses off the lyric.
Released as a first single from the album, the song was used by the BBC on trailers at the time. This provided considerable exposure, which was much needed as Bowie opted to do nothing to promote the single himself, and helped the song to number 3. In the Dutch Top 40, it even made number 2.
My collection: 7" single no. 1412 Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, April 3, 1991 Cost: 5,5 guilders Tracks: 'Sound and vision' / 'A new career in a new town'
Tony Sherman's version of 'Dancing in the dark' was released in 1983, shortly after Kim Wilde's version. The song was unsuccessful in both versions, but Tony Sherman's version was only released in the Netherlands.
Last year I found the 12" single, but I've had the 7" single for a few years already.
My collection: 7" single no. 4632 Found: Record fair, Utrecht Cost: unknown Tracks: 'Dancing in the dark' / 'Another fool, another love'
In February 1983, Doe Maar released the single 'Pa' from their new album '4us', the first album in Dutch language that was recorded entirely digitally.
It became the groups' second consecutive number one hit in the Netherlands. By this time, they had become so popular that anything they released could count on mass attention. This was, by the way, also the reason why they called it quits one year later.
My collection: 7" single no. 1363 Found: Disco Market, Den haag, December 28, 1990 Cost: 1 guilder Tracks: 'Pa' / 'Lajeninaja'
'Hold on my heart' is one of the few ballads released as a single by Genesis. Taken from their 1991 album 'We can't dance', it was released as the third single in April 1992.
The single reached number 16 in the UK singles chart and number 12 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the Dutch Top 40, 'Hold on my heart' reached number 11.
My collection: 7" single no. 2278 Found: May 6, 1995 Cost: 3 guilders Tracks: 'Hold on my heart' / 'Way of the world'
Rudi Carrell was born on December 19, 1934 in Alkmaar, the Netherlands as Rudolf Wijbrand Kesselaar. In 1960, he represented his country in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Wat een geluk' ('Such luck'), becoming the first male singer to represent the Netherlands.
At the close of voting, the song had received just 2 points, placing it twelfth in a field of 13 competitors. The single did manage to reach number 9 in the Dutch charts.
My collection: 7" single no. 4631 Found: Marktplaats.nl, received March 12, 2010 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'Wat een geluk' / 'Panama-kanaal'
Saskia & Serge are a Dutch vocal duo consisting of singer Trudy van den Berg (born April 23, 1947, Grootebroek) and singer-guitarist Ruud Schaap (born March 22, 1946, Den Helder). They first attracted attention when they won a talent contest in 1967, performing as Trudy & Ruud. They married in 1969 and changed their professional name to Saskia & Serge, as their gentle, folksy style began to attract favourable attention.
In 1970, Saskia & Serge took part in the national final for Eurovision with the song 'Het spinnewiel' ('The spinning-wheel'), which was narrowly beaten into second place. They returned in 1971, this time singing all six songs in the selection, and 'Tijd' ('Time') was chosen to represent the Netherlands during the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest. Although Saskia suffered a microphone malfunction at the start of the song, they finished in joint sixth place in a field of 18 competitors.
My collection: 7" single no. 4630 Found: Marktplaats.nl, received March 12, 2010 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'Tijd' / 'Vandaag begint de toekomst'