Friday, 26 March 2010

I hang on to my vertigo - Rupert Hine

'I hang on to my vertigo' was released as a single in 1981. Like all of his solo work, it failed to reach the singles chart in any territory.

Both sides of this single were taken from Rupert Hine's 1981 album 'Immunity'. The album also failed to have any impact on the album charts.

My collection: 7" single no. 4710
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'I hang on to my vertigo' / 'Samsara'

Thursday, 25 March 2010

You to me are everything - The Real Thing

'You to me are everything' was released in 1976 as the debut single by The Real Thing. Written by Ken Gold and Michael Denne and produced by Ken Gold, it became the band's only number 1 single in the UK, spending three weeks at the top in July 1976.

The song was a minor hit in the USA, where it peaked at number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Part of the reason for its lack of success was the flood of cover versions of the song released at the same time. American groups Broadway and Revelation both released versions of the song the same week, and at one point all three versions of the song appeared on Billboard Hot 100 chart. The three singles effectively prevented each other from becoming a hit.

My collection: 7" single no. 4684
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'You to me are everything' / 'Keep an eye'

Throwing it all away - Genesis

'Throwing it all away' was released as the last single from the Genesis album 'Invisible touch' in the summer of 1987. It reached number 22 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The sleeve uses an adaptation of the Tidyman logo from the Keep Britain Tidy Group.

My collection: 7" single no. 4702
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Throwing it all away' / 'I'd rather be you'

Found my girl - Imagination

Released in 1985, 'Found my girl' was dedicated to Charlotte. The song was written by Leee John and Ashley Ingram, so without any additional information I can only assume that the girl meant something to one of them - or both. However passionate the message in the song, it left the audiences cold, as the single didn't chart in any territory.

The B-side of this single is a reggae-fuelled version of 'In and out of love', a far cry from the smooth soul track they recorded in the studio.

My collection: 7" single no. 4656
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Found my girl' / 'In and out of love (live)'

Promised you a miracle (live) - Simple Minds

In 1987, the Simple Minds released the album 'Live in the city of light', which as the name vaguely describes, was a recording of their concerts at Le Zenith in Paris on August 12 and 13, 1986.

The live recording of 'Promised you a miracle' was released as the first and only single from this album in order to promote the album. One has to wonder at this: the live version doesn't add to the studio version but rather detracts from it because it's sung so flatly. The single still managed to reach number 19 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4669
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Promised you a miracle (live)' / 'Book of brilliant things'

Telephone - Lady Gaga featuring Beyonce

Gaga originally wrote 'Telephone' together with Rodney Jerkins, for Britney Spears. however, Spears' label rejected it and Gaga recorded the song as a collaboration with Beyoncé Knowles for her own album 'The fame monster'. According to Gaga, the telephone addressed in the lyric of the song is not a physical phone, but a person in her head telling her to keep working harder and harder.

This single was released yet again as a picture disc on vinyl. Released in February 2010, 'Telephone' reached number 1 in the UK singles chart, number 20 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4735
Found: La La Land, Den Haag, March 25, 2010
Cost: 6 euro
Tracks: 'Telephone' / 'Telephone (Passion pit remix)'

Lovely day - Bill Withers

Although I've known Bill Withers' 1978 hit single 'Lovely day' pretty much since it came out, I never actually bought the single. While I did own the 1988 remix by Ben Liebrand on this single, I can't say that I actually saw this original single very often.

Although this single doesn't add very much (the original version of 'Lovely day' appeared on the B-side of the 1988 remix), it's still very interesting to own the original version in its original appearance. After all, this is what record collecting is all about.

My collection: 7" single no. 4673
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Lovely day' / 'It ain't because of me baby'

We'll be together - Sting

'We'll be together' was originally written by Sting for a beer commercial for Kirin Brewery Company. The original recording included Eric Clapton on guitar, while other takes feature Brian Loren instead. The original version would surface on Sting's 1994 greatest hits album. Near the end of the song, Sting sings a snippet of his earlier hit, 'If you love somebody set them free'.

The single reached number 7 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 41 in the UK singles chart and number 31 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4708
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'We'll be together' / 'Conversation with a dog'

Wednesday, 24 March 2010

If looks could kill - Transvision Vamp

Released in 1991, 'If looks could kill' was the final single by Transvision Vamp, the second to be taken from their third album 'Little magnets versus the bubble of babble'. This album took on a more mellow sound which was the reason that their record company at one stage refused to release it - it was eventually released in the USA but never in the UK.

Although released in a variety of formats, this single only managed to reach number 41 on the UK singles chart. The band subsequently broke up 'unofficially' before Christmas 1991 and officially with a statement through their label in February 1992.

My collection: 7" single no. 4659
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'If looks could kill' / 'My friend the tom cat', 'Puppy dogs tails'

You can't hurry love - Phil Collins

Unlike many of the earlier Supremes records, 'You can't hurry love' has inspired many different cover versions. The most notable of these was released in late 1982 as a single by Phil Collins from his second solo album, 'Hello, I must be going'.

Sounding rather retro, his version was immensely popular and reached number 1 in the UK and the Netherlands. Although Collins had previously done covers as album tracks (of Genesis' 'Behind the lines' and the Beatles' 'Tomorrow never knows' on his debut album 'Face value'), 'You can't hurry love' was the first cover he released as a single.

My collection: 7" single no. 4703
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'You can't hurry love' / 'I cannot believe it's true'

Chicano - Pussycat

'Chicano' was released in 1983 as a single by Pussycat. It was taken from their album 'After all', also released that year. The song was written by Werner Theunissen, who was also responsible for the band's early successes.

However, this Latin-tinted track couldn't match those successes, as it failed to chart even in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 4678
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Chicano' / 'It's over'

Heart attack - Olivia Newton-John

'Heart attack' was one of two new tracks on the 1982 compilation album 'Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2'. It was released as the first single of the two to promote the album.

The single reached number 46 in the UK singles chart, but fared much better on the other side of the Atlantic: it reached number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 2 in Canada.

My collection: 7" single no. 4698
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Heart attack' / 'Recovery'

That's what they always say - Chris Rea

'That's what they always say' was the second single taken from Chris Rea's 1989 album 'The road to hell'. The track was remixed for the single release, but it didn't help much: the single didn't chart in any territory.

I knew the album 'Road to hell' when it came out, and I didn't think this was the best track to release as a single. There are some standout tracks on the album, but this one wasn't one of them...

My collection: 7" single no. 4682
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'That's what they always say (remix)' / '1975'

Little girl - Marty Wilde

I wouldn't be surprised if people in 1960 compared Marty Wilde with Elvis Presley, as he sounds a lot like him on these recordings. 'Little girl' was Marty's eighth hit single in the UK, peaking at number 16 at the end of the year.

The B-side, 'Your seventeenth spring' sounds even more like an Elvis track. With all the imagery of proms and first boyfriends, it's a very American track. But that's what Marty Wilde was known for at the time: good covers of American rock 'n' roll tracks.

My collection: 7" single no. 4719
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Little girl' / 'Your seventeenth spring'

Rockaria! - Electric Light Orchestra

'Rockaria!' was the second single from Electric Light Orchestra's 1976 album 'A new world record'. The track features the operatic voice of Mary Thomas during the introduction. She flubbed the first take by starting the vocals too early. However, Jeff Lynne elected to use the take (complete with her interjection, 'Oops!') anyway.

The single reached number 9 in the UK singles chart and number 28 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4689
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Rockaria!' / 'Poker'

Love lies lost - Helen Terry

Helen Terry was born on May 25, 1956. She is best known for her work as a backing vocalist with Culture Club and the Pet Shop Boys, but she also had a solo single hit with 'Love lies lost' in 1984. It reached number 34 in the UK singles chart.

After this, she pursued a career in film and television production, most prominently behind the scenes as a producer and executive producer for the TV broadcast of the BRIT Awards since 2001.

My collection: 7" single no. 4704
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Love lies lost' / 'Laughter on my mind'

Zoals vrienden doen - Bonnie en José

'Zoals vrienden doen' was released as the follow up to Bonnie & José's 1984 single 'Cassandra'. It was a translation of the Abba track 'The way old friends do', featured on their 1980 album 'Super trouper'.

The Dutch duo had a minor hit with this single, peaking at number 36 in the Dutch Top 40 in the summer of 1985. The album 'Herinnering' ('Memory'), released almost at the same time, featured more Abba covers translated into Dutch.

My collection: 7" single no. 4722
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Zoals vrienden doen' / 'Vandaag of morgen'

Gotta give up your love - Hot Chocolate

After the single 'No doubt about it', the band Hot Chocolate lingered on the theme of visitors from outer space some more on their next single, 'Gotta give up your love', albeit on the B-side, 'Children of spacemen'.

'Gotta give up your love' was released in February 1981 but failed to chart in any territory. The B-side resurfaced as the B-side of the later single 'I'm losing you'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4653
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Gotta give up your love' / 'Children of spacemen'

Las palabras de amor - Queen

'Las palabras de amor' was inspired by the band's close relationship with their Latin American fans. It was released as a single from Queen's 1982 album 'Hot space' in June 1982. The single reached number 17 in the UK singles chart and number 26 in the Dutch Top 40.

The baby's face image of the single's cover would reappear on The Cross single for their song 'New dark ages'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4705
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Las palabras de amor' / 'Cool cat'

Into the blue - The Mission

'Into the blue' was released in 1990 as the third single from the Mission's fourth album 'Carved in sand'. I never bought the single because of the similarity between the sleeve of this single and the one of 'Hands across the ocean' (at least, in my mind), which made me think I already had it.

The single reached number 32 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4714
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Into the blue' / 'Bird of passage'

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