Rock me Amadeus - Falco

The history of the track 'Rock me Amadeus' has been badly documented on the web. A remix version of the track was a big hit around the world, but this single is the original version, released in early 1985. On this single, the track has the lengthy title 'Rock me Amadeus (Ihn liebten alle Frauen)', the subtitle of which means 'All the women loved him'.

The track was produced by the Dutch brothers Bolland and was going to be included on the forthcoming album 'Falco 3' later on in 1985. Of course, the remix version of this single was a number 1 hit all over the world, but this single didn't cause much of a stir.

My collection: 7" single no. 4799
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Rock me Amadeus (Ihn liebten alle Frauen)' / 'Urban tropical'

Cold in my heart - Frank Boeijen

Although none of the singles from Frank Boeijen's debut solo album charted in the Netherlands, the record company still thought it might be good to try and launch his career abroad. Two songs, 'Koud in mijn hart' and 'Vaarwel' were translated in English by J. Balin and released on this single. It was released in some European countries, but not in the Netherlands.

This, of course, instantly turned it into a sort of collector's item for Boeijen fans. I have to say I never even saw this single until I bought it last week. The single, of course, had no commercial success. It is next to impossible to locate a copy, unless you meet a German dealer who doesn't know what he's selling...

My collection: 7" single no. 4783
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Cold in my heart' / 'Farewell'

Sugar walls - Sheena Easton

Alexander Nevermind was credited for composing and producing Sheena Easton's 1984 single 'Sugar walls'. It was a pseudonym of Prince, marking the first time the purple midget from Minneapolis worked with the innocent Scottish girl.

'Sugar walls' was a suggestive song, for its repeating innuendo about a woman's private parts where the listener should 'come inside', adding 'Take advantage, it's all right' just to be sure. The single was not a hit in Europe, but reached number 9 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4807
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Sugar walls' / 'Straight talking'

Love in the natural way - Kim Wilde

Such was the success of Kim Wilde's sixth album 'Close', that the record company decided to release a fifth single in early 1989. 'Love in the natural way' was released in Germany, Ireland and the UK only, but failed to chart in Germany. In the UK singles chart, the single reached number 32, whereas in Ireland it reached number 26.

This was Kim's final single release of the Eighties, the decade in which she had become the biggest selling British female solo singer.

My collection: 7" single no. 764
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, March 9, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Love in the natural way' / 'You'll be the one who'll lose'

Food for thought - UB40

'Food for thought' was the first single release by British reggae band UB40. The song was an attempt to publicize and condemn the Ethiopian famine in Africa, comparing it with the Western over-indulgent celebration of Christmas, a full five years before Band Aid brought the subject to widespread attention.

It was released as a double A side along with 'King', which was a song written about the late Martin Luther King, questioning the lost direction of his followers and the state of mourning of a nation after his death. The single reached number 4 in the UK singles chart early in 1980 and number 1 in New Zealand a few months later.

My collection: 7" single no. 4813
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Food for thought' / 'King'

Playing the blues - Maarten Peters

In early 1991, Maarten Peters came up with the follow-up to his successful 1989 album 'White horses in the snow'. Entitled 'A scary tale', it was a collection of songs mainly inspired by fairytales.

The first single 'Playing the blues', however, was not one of them. This one sounded like a poppy version of a blues track. It probably didn't sound that believable coming from a white Dutch man, because the single failed to chart even in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 1397
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, March 9, 1991
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Playing the blues' / 'Merlin'

Mach die Augen zu (und wünsch dir einen Traum) - Severine

In 1971, Severine won the Eurovision Song Contest for Monaco with the song 'Un banc, un arbre, une rue'. She recorded three alternative versions of the song: 'Chance in time' (English version), 'Il posto' (Italian) and 'Mach die Augen zu (und wünsch dir einen Traum)'.

This German version was released in German-speaking countries. It reached number 23 in the German singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4771
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Mach die Augen zu (und wünsch dir einen Traum)' / 'Ich denke oft noch an dich'

Angel - Eurythmics

'Angel' was written by Eurythmics band members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart. It was the fourth single taken from their album 'We too are one'.

The single reached number 23 in the UK singles chart, but failed to reach the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1233
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, May 8, 1990
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Angel' / 'Angel (Choir version)'

Whatever happened to Benny Santini? - Chris Rea

When Chris Rea signed his first record deal with Magnet Records in 1978, they suggested he use the stage name Benny Santini. He refused, but it did inspire him to write the song 'Whatever happened to Benny Santini?'. What's more, his debut album was named after this song.

And the song in turn was released as the second single from the album. Although this single flopped all over Europe, it did manage to reach number 71 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Even more remarkable: only 'Fool (if you think it's over)' (1978) and 'Diamonds' (1979) were bigger single hits for Rea in the USA.

My collection: 7" single no. 4794
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Whatever happened to Benny Santini?' / 'Three angels'

De verzoening - Frank Boeijen Groep

There was always something quite embarrassing about 'De verzoening' ('The reconsiliation') by the Frank Boeijen Groep. Frontman Frank Boeijen wrote the song with a very personal lyric, leading to a chorus that proclaimed 'Heb me lief' ('Love me'). During live concerts and television performances this led to hysterical audiences singing along to those lines, something that always struck me as something otherworldly.

Anyway, the song struck a chord with many people, which led to it becoming a modest hit: it reached number 32 in the Dutch Top 40. The response endures to this day: whenever Boeijen sings this song, audiences sing along as if their lives depend on it. I just chuckle whenever I notice that.

My collection: 7" single no. 487
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'De verzoening' / 'Niemand heeft gelijk'

Only for love - Limahl

'Only for love' is the debut single by former Kajagoogoo singer Limahl, who was fired from the group by his bandmates in 1983. The song was later included on Limahl's 1984 debut solo album, 'Don't suppose'. The song became his first solo hit, peaking at number 16 in the UK singles chart.

It also played a part in the singer meeting producer Giorgio Moroder, while he was performing the song at a rock festival in Tokyo the following year. Moroder would help Limahl reach greater international success later in his career.

My collection: 7" single no. 4790
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Only for love' / 'OTT (Over the top)'

Running up that hill - Kate Bush

During many televised interviews and in dozens of magazine articles, Kate Bush has had to explain the meaning behind her 1985 single 'Running up that hill' while she was promoting her album 'Hounds of love'. I'm sure this is one of the reasons why she did so little promotion ever since. She commented: 'I was trying to say that, really, a man and a woman, can't understand each other because we are a man and a woman. And if we could actually swap each other's roles, if we could actually be in each other's place for a while, I think we'd both be very surprised!'

The single was released in August 1985 and was basically Kate's comeback single after an absence of over two years from the pop scene. Many people thought this was an extremely long time. (Little did they know about what Kate would do later on in her career...). She was welcomed back in many countries with one of the biggest hits of her career. 'Running up that hill' reached number 3 in the UK, number 6 in the Netherlands and number 30 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 316
Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, August 1985
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Running up that hill' / 'Under the ivy'

You and your heart so blue - Bucks Fizz

'You and your heart so blue' was released when band member Jay Aston announced she was leaving Bucks Fizz .Halfway through promoting the single, the group recruited a new female singer, Shelley Preston. More publicity went towards a TV special that was filmed in Mauritius, but remained unscreened as the production company went bankrupt midway through filming.

The single became overshadowed in all the publicity and failed to reach the UK top 40, stalling at number 43.

My collection: 7" single no. 4784
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'You and your heart so blue' / 'Now those days are gone'

Both sides of the story - Phil Collins

'Both sides of the story' was the first single from Phil Collins' 1994 album 'Both sides'. It was one of his socially conscious lyrics, trying to make a case for listening to both sides of a story before making a judgement.

The single reached number 25 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2008
Found: Virgin Megastore, London, October 18, 1993
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Both sides of the story' / 'Always (live)'

The wizard - Paul Hardcastle

'Top of the Pops' was the most popular television chart programme in the history of television. Broadcast by the BBC in the UK between 1964 and 2006, it had a weekly audience of millions, tuning in to see studio performances of the biggest chart hits by all the artists and bands that mattered.

This show also had a theme tune, which changed from time to time. Between April 1986 and October 1991, Paul Hardcastle's 'The wizard' was the tune that was used. It was released as a single in 1986, just after the success of Hardcastle's '19'. This single reached number 15 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4809
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'The wizard (part 1)' / 'The wizard (part 2)'

Louise - Clouseau

Released as the follow-up to their biggest hit up until then, 'Daar gaat ze', 'Louise' was the second single by Clouseau with a girl's name as the title. And just like 1989's 'Anne', 'Louise', released in May 1990, was a song about a girl that is adored by the protagonist.

The band had no complaints about popularity: the single reached number 9 in the Belgian chart and number 12 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1464
Found: Record fair, June 29, 1991
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Louise' / 'Zij is van mij'

Year of the cat - Al Stewart

Al Stewart and Peter Wood wrote 'Year of the cat', the title track of Stewart's 1976 album. The lyric tells the story of a tourist who meets a hippie girl in an exotic market, stays the night with her, and thus misses his tour bus. The album version of the track includes many instrumental passages and clocks in at 6 minutes and 37 seconds. This single version is edited down to 3 minutes and 25 seconds, which is way too short in my opinion.

The single reached number 8 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 31 in the UK singles chart and number 6 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4818
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Year of the cat' / 'Broadway Hotel'

Let me be yours - Five Star

'Let me be yours' was released in November 1988 as the fourth and final single from Five Star's fourth album 'Rock the world'.

The album wasn't the band's biggest success, and the single was just as unfortunate: it stalled at number 51 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2575
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, December 16, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Let me be yours' / 'Rare groove'

Das Model - Kraftwerk

Hard to believe, but although Kraftwerk's 'The model' has become some sort of Eighties classic, the track was actually released in 1978. It just goes to show how ahead of their time the German perfectionists were even in the beginning of their career. The German version of 'The model' was called 'Das Model', and was released in Germany with the English version on the B-side.

When radio DJ's started playing the B-side, EMI re-issued the single in December 1981 – apparently against the band's wishes – with 'The model' as the A-side. That single reached number 1 in February 1982 and spent a total of 21 weeks in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4788
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Das Model' / 'The model'

It's a hard life - Queen

'It's a hard life' was written by Queen's frontman Freddie Mercury. A track on their 1984 album 'The works', it was released as the third single from that album. It reached number 6 in the UK singles chart.

The song is a continuation of the theme presented in earlier single 'Play the game': Mercury writes from the same lover's perspective at a later stage in their search for true love. The opening lyric of 'It's a hard life' is based on the line 'Ridi, Pagliaccio, sul tuo amore infranto!' ('Laugh, Pagliaccio, at your broken love!') from 'Vesti la giubba', an aria from Ruggiero Leoncavallo's opera Pagliacci.

My collection: 7" single no. 585
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 6, 1988
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'It's a hard life' / 'Is this the world we created?'