A town called malice - The Jam

Paul Weller was always at his best when he was angry, and he was the most angry while he was part of his band The Jam. Furious drums and wild guitars always made for interesting hit singles.

'A town called malice' is a great example of their sound. It was released in January 1982 as the first single from their album 'The gift'. It ended up a number one hit single in the UK, while also peaking at number 7 in the Dutch Top 40 (their first and last top 10 hit in the Netherlands). Weller commented that the song was about his teenage experiences in the English city of Woking.

My collection: 7" single no. 4988
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, January 15, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'A town called malice' / 'Precious'

Some people / Imagination - Belouis Some

I remember it well: the extended version of Belouis Some's 'Imagination' was used for a version of the music video of that song, which was played quite regularly on Music Box, the previous incarnation of MTV in Europe. I searched for the 12" single for some time, but after a while I realised there was so much more to buy and I gave up.

Fast forward more than a decade, and I see myself in London, going through rows and rows of bargain 12" singles.... including this one: a double 12" single of 'Some people' and 'Imagination' by Belouis Some. An amazing deal at an amazing price. Somehow I'm glad I never found the 12" when it was just out...

My collection: 12" single no. 414
Found: Record Exchange, London, 1998
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Some people (extended remix)' / 'Some people (dub version)', 'Walk away' // 'Imagination (extended remix)' / 'Imagination (dub mix), 'Imagination (7" version)', 'Have you ever been in love'

The dreamer - All about Eve

Although by 1991 the chart rules in the UK had restricted the number of different formats any single could be released on in order to count for sales, All about Eve still used the maximum amount of different formats to sell their singles. 'The dreamer', the last single to be taken from the album 'Touched by Jesus', was released on 7" single, cd-single, 12" single and this picture disc 12".

And this picture disc 12" came with one exclusive track, too: the demo version of the previous single 'Strange way'. It's an interesting version as the lyric of the song wasn't complete yet. The two instrumental B-sides, which were included on other formats too, have become classics in their own right.

My collection: 12" single no. 137
Found: Rhythm Records, London, October 1992
Cost: 4 pounds
Tracks: 'The dreamer (remix)', 'Frida of blood and gold' / 'Road to Damascus', 'Strange way (demo)'

Manchild - Neneh Cherry

This 12" single was a bit of a gamble: a rap artist who by chance had made a reasonable track, remixed by a triphop band that had made a reasonable track as well. Unfortunately, all this didn't add up: the remixes on this disc are not very interesting at all.

Also, while I thought this 12" was quite rare, it turns out it is offered on discogs.com for less than 5 euros. Sometimes you're less lucky with a gamble than you think.

My collection: 12" single no. 291
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 1993
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Manchild (Massive attack remix)', 'Manchild (Massive Attack bonus beats)' / 'Manchild (Smith n Mighty remix)', 'Manchild (More bass less vocal style)'

Shouldn't have to be like that - Fra Lippo Lippi

'Shouldn't have to be like that' was Fra Lippo Lippi's international breakthrough single. They had already built up a reputation in Scandinavia as an indie band, but this pop song caused some international interest.

When the single was released, a 12" single quickly followed. In the absence of any remixes, the archive of the indie label which they originally released their music on was plundered: 'Say something' was licensed from Uniton records. It sounds less polished than the other tracks, but it is a very interesting piece of electronic music.

My collection: 12" single no. 78
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Shouldn't have to be like that', 'The distance between us' / 'Say something', 'Shouldn't have to be like that (original version)'

Daddy - Pussycat

Released in the summer of 1979, the Dutch band Pussycat managed to reach number 14 in the Dutch Top 40 with the song 'Daddy'. Like many of their previous hits, the track was written by band member Werner Theunissen.

The seven piece band continued to be successful throughout the second half of the Seventies. As is evidenced on Youtube, many people still feel very positive about the band's Seventies output.

My collection: 7" single no. 4986
Found: Flea market, Leidschendam, January 2, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Daddy' / 'Three steps and then...'

Kiss this one goodbye - Andrew Gold

Andrew Gold released his fourth solo album 'Whirlwind' in 1979. An edited version of the song 'Kiss this one goodbye' was released as a single the following year. The single was unsuccessful, as it didn't make the charts anywhere.

Shortly afterwards, Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman asked Andrew Gold to join 10CC, but business conflicts prevented him from doing so. After 10CC folded in 1983, Gold started the duo Wax with Gouldman.

My collection: 7" single no. 4985
Found: Flea market, Leidschendam, January 2, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Kiss this one goodbye' / 'Make up your mind'

My life - Billy Joel

Billy Joel wrote 'My life', released as a single in 1978, in reference to comedian Richard Lewis. He 'closed the shop, sold the house, bought a ticket to the west coast, now he gives them a stand up routine in LA'.

The single reached number 22 in the Dutch Top 40, number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100.

My collection: 7" single no. 4984
Found: Flea market, Leidschendam, January 2, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'My life', '52nd street'

I'll be your woman - Pussycat

The Dutch band Pussycat had four top 10 hits in the Netherlands in 1976 and 1977 with a few country-tinged songs. The country-influence was still evident in their fifth hit single, 'I'll be your woman', but this time, the single peaked at number 11 in the Dutch Top 40.

'I'll be your woman' was the third single taken from Pussycat's 1977 album 'Souvenirs' and the song was written by band member Werner Theunissen.

My collection: 7" single no. 4983
Found: Flea market, Leidschendam, January 2, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'I'll be your woman' / 'Just a woman'

Der Sommer ging vorüber - Lys Assia

Although the 7" single of Lys Assia's winning Eurovision number 'Refrain' still eludes me, I did find another treasure today: her German version of the 1963 winning song 'Dansevise'. Entitled 'Der Sommer ging vorüber', the song lyric was translated into German by Ralph Siegel, another Eurovision legend.

The B-side is another cover: it's a German translation of the 1963 English contestant 'Say wonderful things to me'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4982
Found: Flea market, Leidschendam, January 2, 2011
Cost: 2,5 euro
Tracks: 'Der Sommer ging vorüber' / 'Zwei blaue Vergissmeinnicht'

The getaway - Athlete

One of the standout tracks on Athlete's most recent album 'Black swan', 'The getaway' was released as an EP in the UK a few months ago. It was only released on the elusive 10" vinyl format, and as I never heard about its release I nearly didn't get it at all. A shame, because the bonus tracks on this EP are quite magnificent.

Like the previous singles from the album, 'The getaway' didn't reach the UK top 40. The band subsequently released a 'greatest hits' album which unfortunately was equally unsuccessful.

My collection: 10" single [unnumbered]
Found: Recordstore.co.uk, received December 29, 2010
Cost: 3 pounds
Tracks: 'The getaway (US radio mix)', 'Somewhere beneath my skin', 'Corner of my baby's eyes' / 'With you I never lose', 'The getaway (Athlete re-work)

Better than today - Kylie Minogue

'Better than today' was released on December 5, 2010 as the third single from Kylie's latest album 'Aphrodite'. Written by Nerina Pallot and Andy Chatterley, an earlier, acoustic version of the track was included on Pallot's EP 'Buckminster Fuller'.

Released on two cd-singles and a picture disc 7" single, it was a relatively minor hit for Kylie, as it only made number 32 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4981
Found: Recordstore.co.uk, received December 29, 2010
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Better than today' / 'Better than today (Bills and Hurr remix)'

Cold as Christmas (in the middle of the year) - Elton John

Although this single was released in late 1983 and the title actually mentions Christmas, this song is not a very Christmassy affair.

Taken from Elton John's 1983 album 'Too low for zero', this single only reached number 33 in the UK singles chart and number 52 in Australia. In other territories it remained unreleased or unsuccessful.

My collection: 7" single no. 4961
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 31, 2010
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Cold as Christmas (in the middle of the year)' / 'Crystal'

Jingle bell rock - Daryl Hall & John Oates

Daryl Hall and John Oates usually recorded their songs together, but on this single, there is a separate side for each of them. 'Jingle bell rock' was recorded by Daryl Hall on one side, and John Oates on the other.

This promotional 7" single from 1985 was released in America in time for Christmas, although the song was actually first released two years before. The green vinyl adds a touch of collectability to an already quite surprising offering. I bought it back in the time when it was actually possible to get to the record fair in Utrecht.

My collection: 7" single no. 4779
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Jingle bell rock' (Daryl Hall) / 'Jingle bell rock' (John Oates)

Christmas forever - Nova

It's impossible to find information about the Dutch duo Nova, that recorded the single 'Christmas forever' in 1981. It was released but never charted, and the song is credited to E.O. MacDonald and H. Promes and recorded and mixed at 'Rena Sound' in Rotterdam. The single was released on the unknown MacProPoc label.

Of course, there was also 3a synthesizer duo called Nova around at the time, but this duo remains unlisted on any of the websites around today. Still, it's a Christmas song with religious overtones and a nifty melody line.

My collection: 7" single no. 4643
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Christmas forever' / 'My dream'

Last Christmas - Wham!

Most people know Wham's 'Last Christmas' - and about half of them love the song, the other half loathes it. It's a holiday staple every year, and more than a hundred covers of it exist.

It's less wellknown that the first release of this single appeared in a limited edition gatefold sleeve. I certainly didn't know this until January this year, when I bought this single in Amsterdam. The inside of the gatefold features the lyric of the song and an extra photograph of the popular duo.

My collection: 7" single no. 4488
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Last Christmas' / 'Everything she wants'

Doris Day - Doe Maar

Contrary to what people from abroad may think, Doe Maar's song 'Doris Day' was not a tribute to the American actress, but rather a complaint about the fact that there was never anything good on TV, just a film with Doris Day or a boring opera. The song suggests that it's better to turn off the one eyed monster and go out and have fun.

The single was released in the first half of 1982 and was the first big hit for the band, who would subsequently become 'as big as the Beatles' in the Netherlands for two consecutive years. 'Doris Day' reached number 9 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4980
Found: Kringloop, Lisse, December 18, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Doris Day' / 'Winnetoe'

Going back to my roots - Odyssey

The writing team of Holland-Dozier-Holland had several hits in the Sixties, as writers of songs by the Supremes, the Four Tops and the Isley Brothers. This single, 'Going back to my roots' by Odyssey was released in 1981 - the song was written by Lamont Dozier alone.

He still had what it takes: the single reached number 4 in the UK singles chart and in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4979
Found: Kringloop, Lisse, December 18, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Going back to my roots' / 'Baba awa'

Get up and boogie - Freddie James

It's strange how a run of the mill disco track can sound quite good thirty years on. Freddie James recorded the track in 1979 and managed to get a worldwide hit with it, despite his age (he was just a young kid).

The single reached number 54 in the UK singles chart, but reached number 3 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4973
Found: Empire Record, Den Haag, December 3, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Get up and boogie' / 'Get up and boogie (instrumental)'

Heartache all over the world - Elton John

Double singles have always been irresistible to me, so when I spotted this one I bought it despite the fact that I didn't know the A-side track. Elton John is a classic singer/songwriter anyway, so most of his stuff is worth listening to. With the exception, perhaps, of 'Heartache all over the world', which is a piece of music that doesn't really go anywhere.

Despite being described as a 'non-hit' on Wikipedia, it still managed to reach number 7 in Australia. In the UK, it didn't get past number 45.

My collection: 7" single no. 4966
Found: Sister Ray, London, October 31, 2010
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Heartache all over the world' / 'Highlander' // 'I'm still standing' / 'Passengers'