The end of the Eighties was a strange time. Many idols who were very successful in the mid-Eighties were declared 'yesterday's news' and suddenly didn't the charts anymore. One of them was Nik Kershaw, who had been very successful with his first two albums, but the third and fourth one were not so popular.
'One step ahead' was taken from his fourth album 'The works', which left the album charts even before it entered it. Not that the music was bad: personally I think this single is one of his finest tracks. And the remix included on this 12" single is very impressive indeed.
My collection: 12" single no. 356 Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, circa 2000 Cost: 5 guilders Tracks: 'One step ahead (Industrial mix)' / 'One step ahead', 'When I grow up'
Taken from the soundtrack of the movie '1984', for which Eurythmics provided the soundtrack, 'Julia' was the second single from that album. It couldn't be as successful as the catchy 'Sexcrime (1984)' but personally I find this track much more beautiful.
This 12" single features extended versions of both the A- and B-side of the single. Although 'Julia' is labelled as 'extended', it is actually the album version of the track, and not, like the B-side, a 'real' extended version.
My collection: 12" single no. 153 Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, 1992 Cost: 2,5 guilders Tracks: 'Julia (extended)' / 'Ministry of love (extended)'
With a still from the movie 'The line, the cross & the curve', EMI Records could have chosen a better picture for the sleeve of this fantastic 12" single. The one they picked was a bit tasteless, especially since 'Moments of pleasure' is such a beautiful, emotional song. The movie retold the fairy tale of the red shoes, featuring a lot of dance scenes because Kate is forced to dance by the shoes she put on.
Anyway, the 12" single - which was the last 12" single by Kate Bush ever released - features a poster sleeve and one exclusive track which was never officially released on CD: the instrumental version of 'Moments of pleasure'. You can hear the orchestra in its full glory, showing how beautifully crafted these melody lines really are.
Truth be told, I have been feeling a bit sad and this song is the perfect soundtrack for such feelings. It's also one of the most beautiful tracks Kate Bush has ever committed to tape.
My collection: 12" single no. 187 Found: HMV, 1993 Cost: 4 pounds Tracks: 'Moments of pleasure' / 'Moments of pleasure (instrumental)', 'Home for Christmas'
Some 12" singles only appear in my collection because they're cheap. I don't think I would have ever had this one if I'd had to pay more for it than I did back then. 'Everybody's laughing' is a nice pop song, but nothing spectacular.
Still, this 12" single is quite interesting, because it features an extended mix and two instrumental versions. One features Randy Muller (who?) and the other Tom Browne, who had a hit in the early Eighties with 'Funkin' for Jamaica'.
My collection: 12" single no. 273 Found: Spui Records, Den Haag, 1996 Cost: 2,5 guilders Tracks: 'Everybody's laughnig (Sangria mix)' / 'Everybody's laughing (Instrumental featuring Tom Browne)', 'Everybody's laughing (Instrumental featuring Randy Muller)'
'Master and servant' was Depeche Mode's 11th UK single and the second single from their album 'Some great reward'. The production and mixing process of "Master and Servant" are
remembered by Alan Wilder, Daniel Miller, and Gareth Jones, as among the
longest that Depeche Mode ever endured. One famous story about the song
includes a mixing duration of seven days, and after all the reworking
and final mastering of the mix, they realized they left the channel with
the snare drum muted during the last chorus.
Despite controversy surrounding the song, it still managed to reach number 9 in the UK singles chart.
The "Slavery Whip Mix" was the longest 12" Depeche Mode song at the time, with the outro being turned into a swing version of the refrain. This 12" disc, released in Germany, features a so-called 'marbled' vinyl in grey, white and brown.
My collection: 12" single no. 34 Found: Free record shop, Den Haag, 1986 Cost: 8 guilders Tracks: 'Master and servant (Slavery whip mix)' / '(Set me free) Remotivate me (Release mix)', 'Master and servant (voxless)'
'Touch Dance' is a remix album by the Eurythmics. This mini-album was released by RCA Records in May 1984, six months after the release of the album 'Touch'. It contains dance remixes of four tracks from Eurythmics' Touch album, by John 'Jellybean' Benitez and François Kevorkian, who were noted producers in the New York club scene. Amazingly, it omits all the hits from that album: 'Here comes the rain again', 'Right by your side' and 'Who's that girl'.
Annie Lennox has said in interviews that she disliked the record, as it was too much of a commercial product and was put together by RCA with little involvement from herself and Dave Stewart.
My collection: LP (unnumbered) Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'The first cut (François Kevorkian mix)', 'Cool blue (Jellybean remix)', 'Paint a rumour (Jellybean remix)', 'Regrets (François Kevorkian mix)' / 'The first cut (instrumental)', 'Cool blue (instrumental)', 'Paint a
rumour (instrumental)'
The last single to be released by Altered Images was 'Change of heart', taken from their third album 'Bite'. Although that album reached the UK album top 20, it sold less than the two previous albums. Following a concert tour, the band decided to break up.
Clare Grogan and Steve Lironi formed Universal Love School, performing live together but never releasing any recordings. Eventually they got married and lived happily ever after!
My collection: 7" single no. 5306 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Change of heart' / 'Another lost look'
Released in March 1960, 'Johnny Rocco' was the first single by Marty Wilde in a long time to peak outside the UK top 10. He'd just married Joyce Baker (in December 1959) and record company executives must have thought they were right when they said that Marty would lose his appeal to teenagers by his new status as a married man. Marty couldn't care less: love was more important to him than fame and he probably already knew that a child was underway: his daughter Kim was born in November 1960.
'Johnny Rocco' was written by Les Vandyke, who would go on to write many hit singles during the Sixties and early Seventies for Adam Faith, Eden Kane, John Leyton and Clodagh Rodgers.
My collection: 7" single no. 5317 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Johnny Rocco' / 'My heart and I'
Decca Records supplied a press information sheet within the sleeve of this single, and so we can read the following: 'Kit is honest enough to admit that 'Dancing in the city' kept her going financially, along with a lot of encouragement and moral support from friends in the business. At times she didn't know what to do. She even thought about going back to teaching in an infants school and playing in pubs at night if it came to it. But, what Kit did learn was to be patient and to recognise the right situation when it happened. It did happen last year when she signed to Decca and teamed up with Mike Thorne, who has also produced Wire, The Shirts, Soft Machine and John Cale. The result is Kit's first single "Uninvited guests" on Decca with her first album in the pipe-line for future release.'
The single was released on January 23, 1981 and didn't chart. The album 'Spirits walking out' was released later that year to similar lack of success...
My collection: 7" single no. 5308 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Uninvited guests' / 'Talk to me'
Paul Young was very successful with his first two albums, 'No parlez' and 'The secret of association'. Sell-out tours and many hit singles followed between 1983 and 1986. This version of 'Everything must change' was a limited edition featuring a free second single. It was a marketing ploy that was very popular at the time.
Released near the end of 1984, it was quite fitting that Paul recorded a Christmas message for his fans to be included on this single. One can wonder whether it was a good idea to put it right in the middle of the instrumental version of 'Everything must change' though.
My collection: 7" single no. 5324 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Everything must change' / 'Give me my freedom' // 'Everything must change', 'Paul's Christmas message' / 'I close my eyes and count to ten (live)'
Clannad wrote the music for the soundtrack of the television series 'Robin Hood', broadcast by the BBC in the mid-Eighties and released on the album 'Legend' by the band. This single was the second one to be taken from that album, featuring the previous single 'Robin (The hooded man)' on the B-side, as well as the very successful theme from another television series, 'Harry's game' from 1982.
Those two songs reached number 42 and number 5 respectively in the UK singles chart, but this single sank without a trace.
My collection: 7" single no. 5303 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Scarlet inside' / 'Robin (the hooded man)', 'Theme from Harry's game'
Between 1971 and 1986, Dusty Springfield had no hits in the American or British charts. That is a long time by any standard. Still, she kept on releasing singles. This single, released in 1985, explains a little about her lack of good fortune. The song is a bit bland and Dusty's voice sounds a little tired - or is that just the production?
Originally recorded in 1981, this single was released in 1985 and coupled with a B-side of that year, written by Jess Bailey, Diane Schnitzer and Dusty herself. The single didn't chart. In 1987, Dusty would return to the spotlights with a little help from the Pet Shop Boys.
My collection: 7" single no. 5300 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Sometimes like butterflies' / 'I wanna control you'
'A million love songs' was the penultimate single from Take That's debut album and was written by lead vocalist Gary Barlow at the age of 15. The single peaked at number 7 in the UK Singles Chart.
The song has also been voted by critics and music fans as the greatest ballad of all time. That seems a bit odd, but considering the numbers 2 and 3 were 'Everything I do' by Bryan Adams and 'Always' by Bon Jovi, you can just about figure out the blandness of the general public. So... greatest ballad of all time? Not really. A nice little song nonetheless.
My collection: 7" single no. 5301 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'A million love songs' / 'A million love songs (Lovers mix)'
'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. I bought a sleeveless version in 2011 and a year later I found one with a picture sleeve. Sometimes one has to have a better copy of a single.
My collection: 7" single no. 5042 / no. 5319 Found: Kringloop, Haarlem, March 11, 2011 / Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 0,25 euro / 1 euro Tracks: 'Son of a preacher man' / 'Just a little lovin' (Early in the mornin')'
'Sister Moon' was Transvision Vamp's fifth single release and the final single to be taken from their debut album Pop Art. It was a minor hit on the UK singles chart in 1988, peaking at number 41. Like most of their singles it featured two tracks on the B-side.
The album 'Pop Art' peaked at number 4 in the UK albums chart and became the 25th highest selling album of 1989 in Australia, peaking at number thirteen.
My collection: 7" single no. 5307 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Sister moon' / 'Oh yeah', 'Walk on by'
'I wanna be loved by you' was written by Herbert Stothart and Harry Ruby with lyrics by Bert Kalmar for the 1928 musical 'Good boy'. First performed by Helen Kane, the song became best known in a version by Marilyn Monroe in Billy Wilder's classic movie 'Some like it hot'.
It was a bit of a surprise when I found this single by Marty Wilde, because I didn't know he'd recorded a version too. It was released in the summer of 1960 but didn't reach the UK singles chart. And of course I should have known about this track because I actually have it on the lengthy 3 cd compilation, 'The full Marty'. D'oh!
My collection: 7" single no. 5318 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'I wanna be loved by you' / 'Angry'
'Hide and Seek' was Five Star's second single and would later be included on their 1985 debut album 'Luxury of life'. The single was written by Gary Bell (who co-wrote their later hit 'System addict'), and Anne Dudley, one of the UK's top female songwriters and composers. The single wasn't a hit, only charting at number 113. The song was later covered by New Edition in 1984 as part of their self-titled album.
The video to the single featured a colourful setting with an early Five Star logo as a backdrop, with the floor resembling the American stars and stripes flag, and a very simple dance routine.
My collection: 7" single no. 5315 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Hide and seek' / 'I'm gonna make this a night you will never forget'
After their top 10 hit with 'Halfway down the stairs' in the summer of 1977, the Muppets followed that single up with an EP featuring four songs. It was another hit for the Jim Henson creations, peaking at number 19 in the UK singles chart in December 1977.
The single displays much of the charm the old television series had, although obviously the songs were a bit more important on this disc than all the slapstick and visual jokes the audiences enjoyed on television. Still, the back of the sleeve displays this message from Miss Piggy: 'To my adoring fans, Thank you for making me the superstar I was destined to become.' Quite.
My collection: 7" single no. 5312 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Don't dilly dally on the way', 'Waiting at the church' / 'The boy in the gallery', 'Wotcher knocked 'em in the Old Kent Road'
I first discovered this song when I bought the 12" single in November 2008, also at the record fair in Utrecht. I'd just started this blog and it was a great discovery. Now that this blog is slowly winding down (I only have to add a couple of dozen 12" singles and any new records I buy) it's nice to find this single.
According to the information on the sleeve of this single, it doesn't just feature the two famous singers (from Heaven 17 and Propaganda respectively), but also Midge Ure (from Ultravox) on keyboards. The single was released in August 1985 and wasn't a hit.
My collection: 7" single no. 5310 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'When your heart runs out of time' / 'When your heart runs out of time (drumless)'
A photographic memory isn't of much use when record companies decide to have different picture sleeves for singles in different territories. I was convinced I didn't have 'Looking for you' by Kit Hain when I bought this, but as it turns out I did (see it here). Fortunately the B-side of this single is different, and it's a good one too.
'Looking for you' was released in 1982, four years after Kit Hain scored a massive hit together with Julian Marshall: 'Dancing in the city'. It's the same delightful voice with different material. She could have been a star, but the general public wasn't interested.
My collection: 7" single no. 5305 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Looking for you' / 'Lost domain'
