Limahl is forever associated to his band Kajagoogoo and his dodgy haircut. But people tend to forget that he's also had a solo career with considerable success, mostly in central Europe. And he's made some very nice pop tunes too.
'Inside to outside' was released in 1986 as the follow-up to 'Love in your eyes', a track from his second solo album 'Colour all my days'. The single reached number 57 in the German singles chart - and actually his last chart hit in that country until now.
My collection: 7" single no. 5058 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Inside to outside' / 'Shock'
Every now and then I play an old cd that's been orphaned in my collection. A few weeks ago I took out the greatest hits collection of the Fine Young Cannibals, and the standout track on that, I felt, was their version of 'Suspicious minds'. I never liked this track much in the past, but things change. The hysterical backing vocals by Jimmy Somerville add a certain something to this track. I decided I had to buy the single after all these years.
'Suspicious minds' was a hit in the UK, peaking at number 8. The track was also used in the cult films 'Dangerously close' and 'Down twisted'.
My collection: 7" single no. 5057 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Suspicious minds' / 'Prick up your ears'
'Heavenly Action' was released in November 1985 as Erasure's second single. Released after 'Who needs love like that', it was another commercial failure for the duo. In the UK it is still their lowest charting single, peaking as it did at number 100.
The song was later included on the duo's debut album Wonderland, released in June 1986. This German pressing is a limited edition on red vinyl.
My collection: 7" single no. 5056 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Heavenly action' / 'Don't say no'
When Siobhan Fahey left Bananarama some might have thought she would disappear into nothingness, but nothing was further from the truth: within months she set up Shakespear's sister together with Marcella Detroit and the duo released a couple of very successful and artistically interestig albums.
Their debut single, released in 1988, was 'Break my heart', a track that would also appear on their debut album in 1989. Siobhan Fahey wanted 'Heroine' to be the group's debut single, but her label was not convinced it was a strong enough single, and instead opted for 'Break my heart'. It didn't matter much: the single flopped anyway. Thankfully, later singles would be more successful.
My collection: 7" single no. 5055 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Break my heart' / 'Heroine'
In August 1981, Bowie had begun rehearsals to appear in the BBC version of Bertolt Brecht's play 'Baal'. The lyrics to the songs were all translated by Ralph Manheim and John Willett. Dominic Muldowney provided all new musical settings, except for 'The drowned girl', which was a setting by Kurt Weill done originally for Das Berliner Requiem. In September 1981, Bowie and Tony Visconti returned to the Hansa studios in Berlin to re-record the five songs Baal performed in the play.
'Baal’s Hymn' is a combination of the vignettes spread throughout the play, and establishes Baal’s amoral character. 'Remembering Marie A' concerns Baal’s reminiscences of a past conquest, where he can remember a cloud drifting overhead, but not the face of the girl he was with. 'Ballad of the Adventurers' is Baal’s aggressive lament to the death of his mother. 'The Drowned Girl' relates the suicide of one of Baal’s conquests. 'The Dirty Song' is a short number, with Baal humiliating his lover Sophie.
Bowie's performance as Baal was broadcast on February 2, 1982, and RCA issued the EP to coincide with this. Both the play and EP were well received, with the latter reaching number 29 in the UK chart, which was a high placing considering the unconventional tracks. The 7" single comes packaged in a double gatefold sleeve containing extensive notes pertaining to the musical content and a short biography of Bertolt Brecht. This EP was Bowie’s final new release for RCA Records. Bowie's next release was issued by EMI. The EP was re-released as a digital download in 2007.
My collection: 7" single no. 5054 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Baal's hymn', 'Remembering Marie A.' / 'Ballad of the adventurers', 'The drowned girl', 'The dirty song'
Giorgio Moroder made a restoration and new edit of 'Metropolis', the 1927 movie by Fritz Lang. Moroder’s version of the film introduced a new contemporary pop music soundtrack for the film. Although it restored a number of previously missing scenes and plot details from the original release (in particular, Moroder's version restores the character of Hel, who was omitted from the original release version of the film), his version of the film runs to only 80 minutes in length, compared to the original 153 minute version.
The lead single for the soundtrack was Freddie Mercury's 'Love kills', a Moroder-produced track that sounded very similar to Queen tracks that were released around the same time. The single reached number 10 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in Ireland. It also reached the charts around Europe, but peaking at lower positions.
My collection: 7" single no. 5053 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Love kills' / 'Rotwang's party (Robot dance)' (Giorgio Moroder)
In 1992, Erasure released the Abba-esque EP, featuring four covers of Abba songs. All formats were released with four tracks on them, so one would think no other formats would exist.
But here it is: a Spanish promotional one-track single, featuring the track 'Take a chance on me'. Probably worth something to a Erasure fan, but I just happened to stumble across this copy while browsing the racks.
My collection: 7" single no. 5052 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Take a chance on me'
Freda Charcilia Payne was born on September 19, 1945. She's an American singer and actress best known for her million selling, 1970 hit single, 'Band of Gold'. The song, written by the famous writing team Holland-Dozier-Holland, tells a story of a recently married woman whose husband is incapable of loving her (even though he tried), resulting in the couple sleeping in separate rooms on their honeymoon, to her dismay. It would appear that the marriage ended in the husband's abandoning his bride, leaving her with no more than the titular 'band of gold'.
The single reached number 1 in the UK singles chart and remains a wellknown classic to this day.
My collection: 7" single no. 5051 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Band of gold' / 'The easiest way to fall'
'We'll live it all again' (Italian title: 'Noi lo rivivremo di nuovo') was the Italian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1976, performed in Italian and English by Al Bano & Romina Power. So far, this the country's only ever entry not to be sung entirely in Italian (although this year's entry will also be in English, I understand).
Bano and Power also recorded the song in French, entitled 'T'aimer encore une fois'. This single contains the original English/Italian version and the French version. At the close of voting, the duo's song had received 69 points, placing 7th in a field of 18 contenders.
My collection: 7" single no. 5050 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'T'aimer encore une fois' / 'We'll live it all again'
In 1974, France did not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. Still, here it is: a single of the 1974 entry by Dani. How come?
France had been going to enter the contest with the song 'La vie à vingt-cinq ans' by Dani, but they withdrew after the French President, Georges Pompidou, died during the week before the contest. Since his funeral was held the day of the contest, it was deemed inappropriate for the French to take part. Dani was seen by viewers in the audience at the point the French song should have been performed, after the Irish and before the German entry.
My collection: 7" single no. 5049 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'La vie a 25 ans' / 'Pour que ça dure'
'Tubular bells' is Mike Oldfield's signature theme and he has released several versions around the theme of the thunderpipes, as well as several singles. The original album was released in 1973 and at the time it came with a single in the UK and a different single in the US.
The American single was released when Mike Oldfield's music was used in the motion picture for 'The Exorcist', and this single features an extract from the album that differs from the UK single. I never knew this, of course, and so when I found out, I had to have this single. It's a bit of a shame it's not in better shape.
My collection: 7" single no. 5044 Found: eBay.com, received March 23, 2011 Cost: 4 euro Tracks: 'Tubular bells (Now the original theme from 'The Exorcist')' / 'Tubular bells'
'To love somebody' was originally recorded and released by the Bee Gees in 1967, back when they were still a quintet. The song was written on a boat in Monte Carlo the day the Beatles manager, Brian Epstein was found dead (August 1967) after manager Robert Stigwood encouraged Barry Gibb to write a soul song for Otis Redding. Redding, however, died in an airplane crash before he could record the song.
In 1990, Jimmy Somerville released a reggaefied cover version of the track. Released as a single in November of that year, it reached number 8 in the UK singles chart, his last top 10 hit until now.
My collection: 7" single no. 5043 Found: Kringloop, Haarlem, March 11, 2011 Cost: 0,25 euro Tracks: 'To love somebody' / 'Rain'
'Son of a Preacher Man' was recorded by Dusty Springfield in September 1968 as a track on her legendary album 'Dusty in Memphis'. Written by John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins, the song was originally offered to Aretha Franklin, but she turned it down. Only after she'd heard Springfield's version she recorded the song herself. By that time, however, Springfield's version had already become a hit; thus, Franklin's version, included on her 1970 album, 'This girl's in love with you', ended up as a B-side of the single 'Call me' only.
Although the album 'Dusty in Memphis' was released in stereo, the singles off the album were remixed and released in mono. This single reached number 10 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 9 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 5042 Found: Kringloop, Haarlem, March 11, 2011 Cost: 0,25 euro Tracks: 'Son of a preacher man' / 'Just a little lovin' (Early in the mornin')'
Janet Jackson's album 'Control' was a big success, and the way the album was 'milked' for singles was equal to her brother Michael's 'Thriller' a few years before. After six singles released internationally, 'Funny how time flies (when you're having fun)' was released as single number seven in the UK and Australia.
This limited edition version from the UK featured a giant poster with two pictures of Janet in black and white. The single performed poorly in the UK singles chart despite this: it only reached number 59. Janet performed the song live for the first time in 2008, during her Rock Witchu Tour.
My collection: 7" single no. 5041 Found: Ebay.co.uk, received February 28, 2011 Cost: 2 pounds Tracks: 'Funny how time flies (when you're having fun)' / 'When I think of you'
I always get a kick out of buying really old singles, and this one is almost 50 years old. Marty Wilde released 'Tomorrow's clown' in October 1961, and reached number 33 in the UK singles charts with it.
The B-side is called 'The Hellions' and that's also the title of the movie he starred in. The western movie has never been released officially on DVD, but I got a recording of it last year and it's really interesting to see how the rocker proves himself as a credible actor.
My collection: 7" single no. 5040 Found: Ebay.co.uk, received February 21, 2011 Cost: 2 pounds Tracks: 'Tomorrow's clown' / 'The Hellions'.
'Some kind of lover' was the fourth single taken from Jody Watley's self-titled debut solo album. It was a relative failure, reaching number 81 in the UK singles chart, but it is one of the nicest funky tracks on the album.
These remixes were made by Louil Silas, jr., who mostly adds a lot of 'bounce' to the track. The 12" single features three versions of the tracks which are quite similar to one another. Still, good stuff.
My collection: 12" single no. 217 Found: Record Exchange, London, 1994 Cost: 1,5 pounds Tracks: 'Some kind of lover (extended version)' / 'Some kind of lover (instrumental)', 'Some kind of lover (dub)'
'If it happens again' is one of my favourite tunes by UB40, and a lot of that has to do with the last few minutes of the track. So I was hoping that the 12" version would offer more of that. Well it doesn't, but that's okay because this dub mix is quite interesting too.
It was the seventh top 10 hit in the UK for UB40. It peaked at number 9 in the UK singles chart, but did even better in the Netherlands, where it peaked at number 7 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 12" single no. 375 Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, 1999 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: 'If it happens again (12" version)' / 'Nkomo a gogo'
'We were so turned on: A tribute to David Bowie' was released worldwide on September 6, 2010 as a charity for War Child UK. It is the only tribute album that has been approved by David Bowie and his management.
This single was released from the album, featuring the tracks by Duran Duran and Carla Bruni. It is the first Duran Duran 7" vinyl single since 1995's 'Perfect day'. Upon first listen, I have to say I like the cover by French president Nicolas Sarkozy's wife Carla Bruni better: she has turned the wonderfully rich original into an intimate piano-and-vocal song - and that works very well. This single is a limited edition and was pressed on clear vinyl.
My collection: 7" single no. 5039 Found: HMV, London, received February 16, 2011 Cost: 4 pounds Tracks: 'Boys keep swinging' (Duran Duran)' / 'Absolute beginners' (Carla Bruni)
Released in 1972, Ricky Wilde (yep, Kim's brother) was just eleven years old when he sang 'I am an astronaut'. The single was not a hit all over Europe, but the single was released in several countries.
Attentive readers of this blog will have seen the previous entry about 'I am an astronaut' from two years ago, but this single is a recent acquisition: a Belgian pressing featuring a beautiful photo sleeve of a young Ricky. And so it merits a repost.
My collection: 7" single no. 5038 Found: Marktplaats.nl, received February 9, 2011 Cost: 5 euro Tracks: 'I am an astronaut' / 'The Hertfordshire rock'
'Verlieben verlieren' can be translated as 'loving and losing', which qualifies this song as a story everyone has gone through at one point or another. It's a pleasant popsong and the B-side is a nice bonus, as it holds a remix of the A-side track.
It's another single from Münchener Freiheit's 1989 album 'Purpurmond', and this wasn't a hit either.
My collection: 7" single no. 5028 Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, January 29, 2011 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'Verlieben verlieren' / 'Verlieben verlieren (Rhythm mix)'
Limahl is forever associated to his band Kajagoogoo and his dodgy haircut. But people tend to forget that he's also had a solo career with considerable success, mostly in central Europe. And he's made some very nice pop tunes too.
