'Ik ben verkouwe' ('I have a cold') is a Dutch parody on the famous 1990 hit 'The power' by Snap, released in the same year. The track was created by the team behind Rubberen Robbie, seven years after they stopped releasing tracks under that name.
The B-side featured a story by a new character called 'Ome Henk' ('Uncle Henk'), who would become a regular visitor of the Dutch Top 40 between 1991 and 1999.
My collection: 7" single no. 5215 Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, October 22, 2011 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'Ik ben verkouwe!' / 'De spannende verhalen van Ome Henk'
The Bluebells was a Scotting band, performing jangly guitar based pop. Their single 'Young at heart', originally released in 1984, was written by guitarist and founder member Bobby Bluebell with Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama (and originally recorded on Bananarama's album 'Deep sea skiving') and made it to number 8 in the UK Singles Chart.
The band split up in the mid 1980s, but enjoyed an unexpected revival in 1993 when 'Young at heart" was used in a Volkswagen television advertisement. Re-issued as a single, it was number 1 in the UK for four weeks and led to the band reforming temporarily to perform the song on BBC Television's Top of the Pops. In the Netherlands, where the Bluebells never had a hit, the re-released single reached number 20.
My collection: 7" single no. 5214 Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, October 22, 2011 Cost: 0,5 euro Tracks: 'Young at heart' / 'Tendy mercy'
I bought Big Fun's cover of the Jackson's 'Blame it on the boogie' last year, a single that was released in 1989.
This 12" single features three remixes of the track, as well as a free giant poster of the boys. The remixes were made by Phil Harding, who was one of the big names from the Stock Aitken & Waterman stable.
My collection: 12" single no. 596 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 14, 2011 Cost: 10p Tracks: 'Blame it on the boogie (PWL mix)' / 'Blame it on the boogie (dub mix)', 'Blame it on the boogie (instrumental mix)'
'King of the mountain' was released on October 24, 2005, 12 years after Kate Bush's previous single, 'And so is love'. Written about ten years before most of the songs on the album 'Aerial', the lyrics enquire whether Elvis Presley might still be alive someplace, '...looking like a happy man...' and playing with 'Rosebud', Kane's childhood's sledge, and comment on the pressures of extreme fame and wealth. In a November 2005 interview with BBC4's 'Front Row' Bush said, "I don't think human beings are really built to withstand that kind of fame.'
The B-side of the UK single is a cover version of Marvin Gaye's 'Sexual healing', which features Irish musician Davy Spillane on uilleann pipes, originally recorded for his 1994 'A place among the stones' album. The track was left off the Spillane album as it didn't fit with the sound of the rest of the record. Before the 2005 release, Kate's version of 'Sexual Healing' had only been heard publicly once, at the 1994 Kate Bush fan club convention in the Hippodrome, London.
As for this 7" single, it was a picture disc release only, featuring a drawing by Kate's son Bertie on the A-side. The quality of the vinyl left much to be desire as you can clearly hear below. Despite all this, the single reached number 4 in the UK singles chart. It is the only single from the album 'Aerial'.
My collection: 7" single no. 3417 Found: HMV, London, received November 2005 Cost: 3 pounds Tracks: 'King of the mountain' / 'Sexual healing'
Regular readers of this blog will have seen another 12" single of the Beloved's 'Your love takes me higher' some time ago. When I bought this 12" single I'd frankly forgotten about that other one.
Fortunately, I didn't buy this disc for nothing: two different tracks appear on this disc, i.e. the 7" version and the 'Rise up higher' remix. Whether it was truly worth the price of this disc, I'll let you decide.
My collection: 12" single no. 594 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 15, 2011 Cost: 2 pounds Tracks: 'Your love takes me higher (Deep joy)', 'Your love takes me higher (7" mix)' / 'Your love takes me higher (Simply divine)', 'Your love takes me higher (Rise up higher)'
'Sexdrive' is a 1993 single by Grace Jones, which was due to be featured on her now shelved album, 'Black Marilyn'. It was released on September 23, 1993 by Island Records, and it is a cover version of the Sheep on Drugs song 'Track X'. The song was eventually included in a French version of Island Life, called 'Island Life 2' in the form of two remixes.
This American promotional 12" single was released on see-through red vinyl. The track reached number 82 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 12" single no. 595 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 15, 2011 Cost: 50p Tracks: 'Sex drive (Sex pitch mix)', 'Sex drive (Sexstrumental)' / 'Sex drive (Hard drive mix)'
'Red frame/White light' is the second single of the synthpop group Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. The song is about the red telephone box that was used by the band to make calls to organise their gigs. The single reached number 67 in the UK singles chart.
The telephone box is located at the crossing of Birkenhead Road and Greenwood Road in Meols. In the nearby pub 'The Railway Inn' the band would meet. In the songs lyrics the phone number is mentioned: 6323003[3]. Fans would ring the number expecting to get one of the band members, but got a confused home owner in their own area code. Over the years it has become a bit of a sacred place for OMD fans. In 2004 OMD fan Stephen Cork started a successful campaign to get the telephone box repainted in time for a fan tour on April 10, 2005.
My collection: 7" single no. 5213 Found: Sister Ray, London, October 16, 2011 Cost: 2 pounds Tracks: 'Red frame/White light' / 'I betray my friends'
I already own a copy of the 1982 Wham! single 'Wham rap', but this one seemed different because of the 'Special US remix' badge on the sleeve. And indeed, when you compare the intro of the other single with this one, you'll notice that it sounds different.
It gets better. Whereas the sleeve and label of this single speak of a 'Special US remix' and a 'Special club mix', the tracks included on this disc are in fact part 1 and part 2 of a special US remix, which is also included on the 12" single as the A-side. This single was released in 1983 as a reissue, which - contrary to the 1982 release - charted in the UK and Australia, peaking at number 8 and 9 respectively.
My collection: 7" single no. 5212 Found: Sister Ray, London, October 16, 2011 Cost: 1 pound Tracks: 'Wham rap (Special US remix) [= Special US remix part 1]' / 'Wham rap (Special Club mix) [= Special US remix part 2]'
'Stand by love' was released in 1991 as the third single from their tenth album 'Real life'. The song was written by Charlie Burchill and Jim Kerr and was produced by Stephen Lipson. The B-side was recorded live at the Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles (USA) on June 19, 1991.
This numbered limited edition (this is number 16403) features an exclusive colour poster. Unfortunately, this copy suffers from water damage, so I haven't been able to watch the poster...
My collection: 7" single no. 5211 Found: Sister Ray, London, October 16, 2011 Cost: 50p Tracks: 'Stand by love' / 'King is white and in the crowd (live)'
'Wastelands' was the third single taken from Midge Ure's debut album 'The gift'. The album was released in 1985, the single followed in early 1986. It reached number 46 in the UK singles chart, but was unsuccessful in other territories.
The B-side was recorded live at the Wembley Arena on December 23, 1985. This limited edition features a clear vinyl disc.
My collection: 7" single no. 5210 Found: Out on the floor, London, October 15, 2011 Cost: 1 pound Tracks: 'Wastelands' / 'The chieftain/The dancer (live)'
Finding the debut single of Duran Duran has become something of a nightmare for me in recent years. I think I have all of their 7" singles, but this one eluded me - until this weekend. It's not that I never saw a copy, it's just that I wasn't prepared to spend double digits in any western currency for it.
The single was released on February 2, 1981, and was an immediate hit in the UK, peaking at number 12 later that month. The track was the first to explicitly acknowledge the New Romantic fashion movement, with the line 'Like some New Romantic looking for the TV sound'.
My collection: 7" single no. 5209 Found: Out on the floor, London, October 15, 2011 Cost: 2 pounds Tracks: 'Planet earth' / 'Late bar'
This is the second of two promotional double 12" single packages of Janet Jackson remixes I bought this weekend. Whereas 'Runaway / When I think of you' featured remixes of one recent track and an old one, this package featured remixes of two old tracks: 'The pleasure principle' (from Janet's 1986 album 'Control') and 'Alright' (from the follow-up, 'Rhythm nation 1814').
The remixes were created by Danny Tenaglia and Todd Terry and these may not be their best work, actually. At least, I've certainly heard better remixes from both of them.
My collection: 12" single no. 593 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 15, 2011 Cost: 2 pounds Tracks: 'The pleasure principle (Legendary Club mix)' / 'The pleasure principle (NuFlava Vocal Dub)', 'The pleasure principle (Banji dub)' // 'The pleasure principle (DT's Twilo dub)' / 'Alright (Tee's club mix)', 'Alright (Tee's Beats)'
There isn't much point in denying the good looks of Sandra during the mid-Eighties. It may have been part of what her career was all about. With sleeves like this, people are bound to buy your records. Fortunately, she also made some pretty good pop tunes, as this 'Innocent love' - despite the slightly inane lyrics - proves.
The 12" single features an extended version that was quite common at the time: with more instrumental passages and an extra chorus here and there.
My collection: 12" single no. 201 Found: Marik, Vienna, July 1994 Cost: 99 Schilling Tracks: 'Innocent love (extended)' / 'Innocent theme'
Mel & Kim Appleby debuted in 1986 with 'Showing out (Get Fresh at the weekend)'. The Stock/Aitken/Waterman production was an immediate success and reached number 1 in various European countries.
This 12" single, released at the time, features an extended remix of the track, as well as a remix of 'System', a track that was originally planned as an A-side, but set aside when 'Showing out' was deemed to be a better track. The sleeve was, as with all Mel & Kim releases, another strong argument for buying this record.
My collection: 12" single no. 591 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 14, 2011 Cost: 30p Tracks: 'Showing out (Get fresh at the weekend) [extended]' / 'System (House mix)'
'World's first backward playing record' screams the sleeve of this 7" single, and with that, the subliminal message 'novelty item'. An irresistible thing for me, as I have more than 5000 7" singles, but all of them play from the outside in - and this one promised plays from the inside outwards. At least, the A-side does: the record company was wise enough to also include the same track on the B-side with a 'normal' groove. Most record players won't let you play from the centre, as they pick up the needle automatically when the centre is reached.
So is this the only interesting thing about this single? Indeed it is: Freda Gothenburg is not a good singer and the song isn't very much cop at all. I guess the record company thought that this would be the only thing to sell this particular track: a record that plays from the centre outwards.
See it in action in this video:
My collection: 7" single no. 5208 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 15, 2011 Cost: 3 pounds Tracks: 'Like a dream' / 'Like a dream'
'Sweat in bullet' was released in 1981 as the second single from Simple Minds' fourth album 'Sons and fascination'. The single was released as a special double single, featuring a second disc with two live recordings from a performance at the Hammersmith Odeon on September 25, 1981.
The single became a modest hit for the band, reaching number 52 in the UK singles chart, number 47 in New Zealand and number 17 in Sweden.
My collection: 7" single no. 5207 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 15, 2011 Cost: 2 pounds Tracks: 'Sweat in bullet' / '20th century promised land' // 'Premonition (live)' / 'League of nations (live)'
'Crushed by the wheels of industry' was the last single taken from Heaven 17's 1983 album 'The luxury gap'. It peaked at number 17 in the UK singles chart, spending 7 weeks in the chart. It would be the band's last top 20 hit until 1992, when a remix of 'Temptation' was released.
The name of the album 'The luxury gap' was another description of the divide between the 'haves' and 'have-nots' (just like the band's debut album, 'Penthouse and pavement') and this track described a lot of what was going on in Thatcher's England at the time.
My collection: 7" single no. 5206 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 15, 2011 Cost: 1 pound Tracks: 'Crushed by the wheels of industry (part 1)' / 'Crushed by the wheels of industry (part 2)'
'Beautiful' was originally released as a single from Athlete's debut album 'Vehicles and animals' in 2002. It was re-released in 2010 when the band released their contract-fulfilling compilation album 'Singles 01-10'.
It's not entirely clear when this 7" single was made. The sleeve and label only state the year 2002, but I suspect this record was actually made in 2010. However, I can't be sure. I'm just glad I found this single as it's pretty difficult to find.
My collection: 7" single no. 5205 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 15, 2011 Cost: 1 pound Tracks: 'Beautiful' / 'On and on'
Animal Nightlife had a hit with 'Love is just the great pretender' in July 1985, reaching number 28 in the UK singles chart. That single was featured on this blog two years ago (here).
I found this single the other day, which features a rather different version of the song. It was released in 1982 on the Inner Vision label. Proof that the band existed a few years before they actually became better known.
My collection: 7" single no. 5204 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 15, 2011 Cost: 50p Tracks: 'Love is just the great pretender' / 'The great pretender'
Elton John and Gary Osborne wrote this song, which was released in 1980 as a single from Elton John's album '21 at 33'. The song can be described as an uptempo ballad. In the US, it would be Elton's highest-charting single co-written with Gary Osborne, while in the UK, where the song only reached number 33, 'Blue eyes' would eventually hold that honour.
Despite its impressive performance in the US charts, Elton has rarely performed 'Little Jeannie' live, doing so only on his 1980 tour and during 2000's One Night Only concerts.
My collection: 7" single no. 5203 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 15, 2011 Cost: 50p Tracks: 'Little Jeannie' / 'Conquer the sun'
'Ik ben verkouwe' ('I have a cold') is a Dutch parody on the famous 1990 hit 'The power' by Snap, released in the same year. The track was created by the team behind Rubberen Robbie, seven years after they stopped releasing tracks under that name.
