Blue eyes - Elton John

'Blue eyes' was written by Elton John and Gary Osborne and released by Elton John in 1982 as the first single from the album 'Jump up!'. The single reached number 8 in the UK singles chart and number 10 in the Dutch Top 40.

At the time of its release, I wasn't particularly impressed with this song, but I've grown to like it almost three decades later. Perhaps I'm getting less critical of Eighties music than I was then.

My collection: 7" single no. 5223
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 19, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Blue eyes' / 'Hey papa Legba'

Never give up - Frizzle Sizzle

My first find at today's record fair in Utrecht was this single from the Dutch girl group Frizzle Sizzle. I thought I had them all, but obviously more singles were released than I was aware of - although this should really be the last one if various website sources are to be trusted.

'Never give up' was released in June 1986 as the follow-up to their Eurovision hit 'Alles heeft ritme' / 'Everything has rhythm' and would become one of the tracks on the girls' debut album 'First date' in 1987. This single did not become a hit.

My collection: 7" single no. 5222
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 19, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Never give up' / 'Never give up (extended instrumental version)'

Ego - Kim Wilde

Of course I couldn't let the birthday of Kim Wilde go by without writing about one of her discs. So I thought I'd dig out a very rare one. This promotional 7" single was released in Australia in 1982. Marked 'For radio play only', it features two tracks from her second album 'Select' which were never released as a single commercially.

'Ego' and 'Words fell down' were the first two tracks from 'Select', both written by Ricky and Marty Wilde, her brother and father respectively. At the time of its release, Kim was only 21 years old. And now she's 51... Time flies, eh? A very happy birthday to Kim.

My collection: 7" single [not numbered]
Found: eBay.com, 2009
Cost: 7 euro
Tracks: 'Ego' / 'Words fell down'

Feedback - Janet Jackson

You can't fault a catchy tune, even if the lyric reads 'Do you like my style / Yeah that's sexy, sexy, sexy'. It's one indication that the album 'Discipline', which 'Feedback' was taken from, would have at least one or two songs about sex on it. The fact of the matter is, the whole album was full of sexual undertones - and overtones, come to think of it. Janet likes to profile herself as being very sexy, and the song lyrics she writes are often very sexy too.

This double 12" single set features a, well, sexy photograph of Janet Jackson on the cover, and includes six remixes of the track, created by four different remixers. It's pretty good stuff. I would say it's all pretty sexy.

My collection: 12" single no. 600
Found: Discogs.com, received November 1, 2011
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Feedback (Moto Blanco full vocal)' / 'Feedback (Wideboys club)', 'Feedback (Jody den Broeder club)' // 'Feedback (Ralphi Rosario Dirty club)' / 'Feedback (Moto Blanco dub)', 'Feedback (Wideboys dub)'

Killer - Seal

'Killer' was originally a hit for Adamski, but even on that version, Seal, who was then unknown in his own right, performed vocals on the track. Shortly after this hit, Seal recorded his debut album, had a major hit with 'Crazy' and released several other singles from the album.

One of those singles was 'Killer', which Seal re-recorded on his own for his debut album. The track was released with a handful of live tracks, but also with a couple of remixes created by William Orbit. The '3D mix' is an exclusive track on this 12" single: the other two mixes appeared on the US CD-single of 'Killer'.

My collection: 12" single no. 129
Found: 1992
Cost: 15 guilders
Tracks: 'Killer (William Orbit remix)' / 'Killer (William Orbit dub mix)', 'Killer (3D mix)'

Running up that hill - Kate Bush

These are exciting times for Kate Bush fans. Earlier this year, she released 'Director's cut', a collection of re-recorded, and in some cases, re-edited tracks from her albums 'The red shoes' and 'The sensual world', and now, within days, her tenth album '50 words for snow' is coming out. Two albums by Kate Bush in one year? Well it must be 1978 all over again.

Back in 1985, Kate Bush's absence from the music scene for three years was perceived as an extremely long time. After this absence she delivered 'Hounds of love', one of her finest albums, and this first single, 'Running up that hill', was the first of her tracks ever to appear in an extended remix. I bought the 7" and 12" single at the same day - and that was the first time I ever did that.

My collection: 12" single no. 11
Found: LP Top 100, 1985
Cost: 15 guilders
Tracks: 'Running up that hill (extended version)' / 'Under the ivy', 'Running up that hill (instrumental)'

One night in Bangkok - Murray Head

Only two years after buying the 7" single, I bought the 12" single of 'One night in Bangkok', the hit single from the musical Chess written by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus from Abba with Tim Rice.

I was curious about this extended version, and I have to admit I was a bit disappointed when I heard it. The mix does have an interesting structure, but the idea to incorporate other pieces of music from the musical into this mix was not a particularly good one. Still, 'Chess' fans will certainly like this version.

My collection: 12" single no. 324
Found: Record fair, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'One night in Bangkok [extended version]' / 'Merano'

Love changes (everything) - Climie Fisher

Climie Fisher had their first hit with 'Love changes (everything)' in September 1987, although it only made number 67 in the UK singles chart. After the follow-up 'Rise to the occasion' reached number 10 in that chart three months later, 'Love changes (everything)' was re-released, and that time it reached number 2 in the UK singles chart.

This 12" single features both the single version and its B-side, and an extended remix.

My collection: 12" single no. 68
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1988
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Love changes (everything) (The love mix)' / 'Love changes (everything)', 'Never close the show'

Love is a wonderful colour - Icicle works

The Icicle Works' frontman Ian McNabb sounds suspiciously like David Bowie in this track, 'Love is a wonderful colour'. Their first hit single, entering the UK singles chart on December 24, 1983, it was also their biggest, peaking at number 15 during a 9 week chart run.

This 12" single features an extended remix of almost 7 minutes created by Hugh Jones. The two B-side tracks also appeared on a limited edition double single which I've written about almost three years ago.

My collection: 12" single no. 226
Found: Plaatboef, Den Haag, 1994
Cost: 2,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Love is a wonderful colour (long version)' / 'Waterline', 'In the dance the shaman led'

Underground - David Bowie

Back in the Nineties, there was a record fair in Leiden every six months. During that record fair, they used to always play a remix of David Bowie's 'Underground'. It was quite an obscure remix, because as it turned out, that remix does not appear on the 12" single of 'Underground' that was released in 1986. I've never been able to track down that remix. (Any tips are welcome below.)

Meanwhile, I did buy this disc, a Spanish pressing of 'Underground' on 12". That was not a deliberate choice: I just happened to find this copy for a low price, so I bought it. Perhaps some David Bowie fans out there are hunting down this version, I wouldn't know... Anyway, it contains the same tracks as other pressings of this disc: remixes created by Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero.

My collection: 12" single no. 269
Found: Record fair, 1996
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Underground (Extended dance mix)' / 'Underground (dub)', 'Underground (instrumental)'

Who's that girl - Eurythmics

There was some doubt in my mind upon buying this 12" single, whether it would contain an extended version of 'Who's that girl', as it wasn't described as such on the label. Strange, because the extended version of 'Who's that girl' would be something to brag about as it's actually quite good.

'Who's that girl' was the first single from the band's third album 'Touch' and a top 10 hit in several European countries. In the UK, the single peaked at number 3.

My collection: 12" single no. 605
Found: Record Exchange, London, 200X
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Who's that girl [extended version]' / 'You take some lentils... and you take some rice', 'ABC (Freeform)'

I'm the one who really loves you - Mel & Kim

'I'm the one who really loves you' was originally recorded by British singer Austin Howard in 1986. The track was written and produced by Stock/Aitken/Waterman, who also recorded the track with Mel & Kim a year later for their debut album 'F.L.M.'.

Although never released as a single in Europe where the duo celebrated their biggest successes, the track was remixed by Civilles & Cole and released on 7" and 12" in the USA. I bought the import 12" when it was just released.

My collection: 12" single no. 62
Found: LP Top 100, 1987
Cost: 15 guilders
Tracks: 'I'm the one who really loves you (Stardom groove club mix)', 'I'm the one who really loves you (Groove dub)' / 'I'm the one who really loves you (Kick 'n live mix)', 'I'm the one who really loves you (Done properly dub)'

Martha's harbour - All about Eve

All about Eve have really had only one big hit; the immortal 'Martha's harbour'. The single reached number 10 and it was their only single to reach the top 10 in the UK. It was an astonishing success, since at the time, inane house music and assembly line pop from the Stock/Aitken/Waterman stable was dominating the charts.

This 12" single in a box was one of the many formats available at the time. It featured a large poster, signatures of all four band members and two exclusive live tracks on the B-side. It was a numbered limited edition; I have number 4943.

My collection: 12" single no. 271
Found: Record fair, 1996
Cost: 20 guilders
Tracks: 'Martha's harbour', 'Another door' / 'In the clouds (live)', 'Shelter from the rain (live)'

Everlasting love - Sandra

Sandra recorded and released 'Everlasting love' in 1987 after becoming familiar with the song via the 1968 version by Love Affair. She commented: 'I have always loved it...Even as a little child I heard that song and I said that I would like to sing it sometime.'

This 12" single features the original extended version of the track, released in Germany at the time of its original release. In 1988 the track was acquired by Pete Waterman who had it remixed by Pete Hammond and released it as the 'PWL mix'.

My collection: 12" single no. 314
Found: Record fair, 1995
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Everlasting love (extended version)' / 'Change your mind', 'Everlasting love (single version)'

Stay - The Blue Nile

The Scottish band The Blue Nile debuted in 1981 with 'I love this life', a single that went by unnoticed partly because of the disappearance of their label RSO. The trio kept writing and recording over the next couple of years, including a couple of tracks that would later surface on their debut album.

'Stay' was released in 1983 by Linn Records, a label created by a local hi-fi manufacturer. It was not a hit, however the band was noticed enough for Linn to released a debut album called 'A walk across the rooftops' a year later: a critically acclaimed album that sold very well too. This 12" single features the full length version of 'Stay' as well as 'Saddle the horses', an instrumental version of the album track 'Automobile noise'.

My collection: 12" single no. 294
Found: Record fair, 1996
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Stay' / 'Saddle the horses'

Dizzy miss Lizzie - Flying Lizards

In 1984, the Flying Lizards released an album consisting entirely of covers, called 'Top Ten'. The covers were deliberately done in an emotionless, harsh and robotic style. 'Dizzy miss Lizzie' was one of them, a track originally written by Larry Williams in 1958 and covered many times since, most famously by the Beatles on their 1965 album 'Help!'.

I got to know the single shortly after its release via television. A strange music video accompanied the song, which you can see below. It was this video that made me interested in the song - but I had a heard time finding the single. Instead, I bought the 12" single when I saw it years later. The B-side 'Gyrostatics' is a sonic experiment not too dissimilar from tracks by Art of Noise.



My collection: 12" single no. 180
Found: Record Exchange, London, 1993
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Dizzy miss Lizzie', 'Dizzy' / 'Gyrostatics'

Baby it's you - Promises

Promises was a Canadian based pop group which was founded 1978 in Thousand Oaks, California. The members were the siblings Leslie Maria Knauer (born August 20, 1957, Vancouver, vocals), Jed Knauer (born July 17, 1955, Toronto, guitar, piano) and Benny Knauer (born October 21, 1958, Vancouver, keyboards).

Their album 'Promises', which was recorded by EMI Electrola record producer Steve Verroca became a flop in the USA and in the UK but their single 'Baby It's You' became a hit in Europe. It reached number 4 in the German singles chart and number 17 in the Dutch Top 40. After the second single "Let's Get Back Together" became much less successful (only number 18 in Germany), the group split.

My collection: 7" single no. 1107
Found: All that music, Leiden, November 11, 1989
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Baby it's you' / 'What's a girl to do'

Go deep - Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson released 'Go deep' in the summer of 1998 as a single from her 1997 album 'The velvet rope'. It is an upbeat song, written by Jackson with James Harris III, Terry Lewis and René Elizondo Jr.

According to a listing on Wikipedia, there are 27 remixes of the song, and five of them appear on this promotional double 12" single. All five remixes on these discs were created by Masters at Work. Other remixes were made by Roni Size, Timbaland, Teddy Riley and Jam & Lewis.

My collection: 12" single no. 603
Found: Discogs.com, received November 1, 2011
Cost: 4 euro
Tracks: 'Go deep (Thunder mix)', 'Go deep (Bonus beats)' / 'Go deep (Spiritual flute mix)' // 'Go deep (Vocal deep disco dub)' / 'Go deep (Alternative mix)'

This is your life - Banderas

Although 'This is your life' by the Banderas was a hit in several European countries, I never realised there might me a local release of this track. So when I found out about this Italian 12" single, I was very surprised.

I collects four remixes of the track by four different Italian remixers, and they all have their own input on the track. It was great that I could buy this 12" single quite easily from the same website where I found out about it: the great discogs.com.

My collection: 12" single no. 602
Found: Discogs.com, received November 1, 2011
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'This is your life (Remix by Joe T. Vannelli for J.T. Company)', 'This is your life (Remix by S. Carboni, R. Corinaldesi, M. Violante)' / 'This is your life (Remix by FPI Project)', 'This is your life (Remix by Massimino & Fabio B.)

Enjoy - Solid Gold Easy Amex featuring Red Box

'Enjoy' started its life as the B-side of Red Box's single 'Heart of the sun'. Three years after its release, the track was remixed by Paul Oakenfold. This 12" single was the result: a track credited to 'Solid Gold Easy Amex featuring Red Box'. Side A featured the remix, the B-side was the original 1987 track.

The remix became a club hit, charting at number 75 on Independent Radio's Network Chart, although failing to reach the official UK singles chart.

My collection: 12" single no. 599
Found: Discogs.com, received November 1, 2011
Cost: 3 pounds
Tracks: 'Enjoy (Paul Oakenfold future mix)' / 'Enjoy (Original Golden Lay)'