Released in 1989, 'A bit of U2' is the debut single by Kiss AMC, featuring a sample of U2's 'New Year's Day'. This single was quite controversial because the title actually mentioned U2, something the band wasn't too happy about. Later copies would cut the word from the title, naming it 'A bit of...' instead. This is why I wanted to buy this copy, because it is a rarity in a way. And you know how much I like rarities.
Kiss AMC consisted of sisters Anne and Marie Copeland. They took a chance on using the sample but still got permission from the band to use it. Further singles by the duo were unsuccessful. Which really isn't much of a surprise if you listen to the B-side of this single.
My collection: 7" single no. 5432 Found: Music Exchange, London Tracks: 'A bit of U2' / 'The raw side'
'Ring Ring' was originally a 1973 single by ABBA, which gave the group their big break in several European countries (although the rest of Europe, North America and Australia would be introduced to ABBA the following year). It was originally written in Swedish by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, along with their manager Stig Anderson, and the translation into English lyrics was helped by Neil Sedaka and Phil Cody.
This German single was actually released in 1974, after ABBA had won the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Waterloo'. It couples 'Ring Ring' with another previous single hit, 'Honey Honey'.
My collection: 7" single no. 5365 Found: unknown Tracks: 'Ring Ring' / 'Honey Honey'
Listening to this old single by Fleetwood Mac, you realise the band has got quite a history. You wouldn't recognise this as a Fleetwood Mac single if you grew up in the Eighties or later. There is a reason, of course, for this metamorphosis: in the Sixties, the band's blues rock guitarist and founder member Peter Green was a major member of the band, until he left in 1970, being diagnosed with schizophrenia and spending time in psychiatric hospitals.
The composition and its arrangement suggest a relaxing sea setting, with
cymbals imitating the sound of waves (Mick Fleetwood played his drum
kit using timpani mallets to give a muted sound) and a dreamy solo from
Green's guitar. It is often assumed that Green used his Les Paul but he said it was his Fender Stratocaster, as there is subtle use of the vibrato bar. The single, released in November 1968, went no. 1 in the UK singles chart and no. 2 in the Netherlands.The B-side, 'Need your love so bad', released as a single in its own right four months earlier, was similarly successful, reaching no. 31 and no. 4 respectively.
My collection: 7" single no. 5395 Found: unknown Tracks: 'Albatross' / 'Need your love so bad'
No, this is not the big - and sometimes very irritating - hit single by Pharrell Williams, but a song recorded in 1973 by Michael Jackson for the movie 'Lady sings the blues' (although it doesn't actually appear in that movie). According to Smokey Robinson, who wrote 'Happy', the song was inspired
by the film's melody, which was originally composed by Michel Legrand.
He explained, "I was looking at the movie one day, and I was listening
to that melody, and I thought it was just such a beautiful melody, until
I wanted to write some words for that melody, which I did, and I went
and I sang them for Berry Gordy, and he was really upset because I
didn't write them before he finished the movie so they could've been in
the movie." Jackson continued to perform the track in concert as late as 1977, citing it as one of his favorite songs.
Record companies are always eager to cash in on success, and so Motown re-released this track in 1983 when Jackson hit it big with the many hit singles from his album 'Thriller'. 'Happy' appeared as a regular single, a limited edition in a poster sleeve and this, a picture disc.
My collection: 7" single no. 5645 Found: Alan's Records, London, September 9, 2014 Cost: 3,5 pounds Tracks: 'Happy' / 'We're almost there'
'I close my eyes and count to ten' was written by Clive Westlake. Recorded June 1, 1968 at Chappel Studios in London, Dusty Springfield's version was released that August to reach number 4 in the UK singles chart, where it ranks as one of Springfield's biggest hits: only 'I just don't know what to do with myself" (number 3) and 'You don't have to say you love me' (number 1) fared better.
It is quite rare to find such a good copy of one of Springfield's singles, so when I did, I jumped at the chance. It is one of very few 'early' Dusty Springfield singles in my collection. Well, there's always the CD box set 'Dusty', of course.
My collection: 7" single no. 5410 Found: unknown Tracks: 'I close my eyes and count to ten' / 'No stranger am I'
Described as "a record about the person I am now and the people around me... about real life after forty", Tracey Thorn (ex-Everything But The Girl) released 'Love and its opposite' in 2010. 'Oh, the divorces!' was released as the first single from that album, as a free digital download on February 17, 2010.
Fortunately, that wasn't all there was to it: 'Oh, the divorces!' - which by the way is a beautiful song - was also released on a 7" single, pressed on clear vinyl no less. The B-side, 'Taxi cab', was not included on the album and is exclusive to this release.
My collection: 7" single no. 5646 Found: Music Exchange, Greenwich, London, September 11, 2014 Cost: 4 pounds Tracks: 'Oh, the divorces!' / 'Taxi cab'
'Chance of a lifetime' was the Irish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1968, performed by Pat McGeegan. It was written by John Kennedy.
The song is a ballad, with McGeegan reminiscing about the first time he saw his lover. He tells her that he thought her appearance in his life was "the chance of a lifetime", and goes on to explain that he doesn't want to lose such a chance.
The song was performed fourteenth on the night. At the close of voting, it had received 18 points, placing 4th in a field of 17. Subsequently, the song went to the top of the Irish singles chart.
My collection: 7" single 5596 Found: Marktplaats.nl, received August 2, 2014 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'Chance of a lifetime' / 'Don't laugh at me (if I cry)'
'Wild and Lonely' was the last album released by the Associates in 1990. It may have been an accurate description of the state of affairs at the time, since Billy MacKenzie, the sole member of the band by then, had seen band mate Alan Rankine leave, and his previous album, 'The Glamour Chase', unreleased as the record company deemed it not commercially viable.
The first single from this album, 'Fever', had flopped, and 'Fire and Ice' had to face the same fate. After the release of a third single, 'Just can't say goodbye', which also didn't chart, the Associates name was finally put to rest. That's not to say that the material from the 1990 album was necessarily bad: this single is a good example of nice, melodic pop.
My collection: 7" single no. 5449 Found: unknown Tracks: 'Fire to ice' / 'Green tambourine'
In 1983, Thompson Twins released their third album 'Quick Step and Side Kick', featuring the singles 'We are detective' and 'Watching'. The album reached number 2 in the UK albums chart and number 34 in the USA.
The latter of the two singles is featured here. It peaked at number 33 in the UK singles chart. Even in 1984, this was still a regularly rotated video on satellite TV channels like Music Box.
My collection: 7" single no. 5468 Found: unknown Tracks: 'Watching (you watching me)' / 'Dancersaurus (Even Large Reptiles Have Emotional Problems)'
'Busy doing nothing' was released in 1983 as the fourth single by Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin. It was quite a whimsical song, originally written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke, and recorded by Bing Crosby in 1949.
Throughout his forty year career, Van Heusen received 10 Oscar Nominations for Best Song in a Motion Picture, 4 Academy Awards for Best Song in a Motion Picture, 1 Emmy Award for Best Musical Contribution and 6 Golden Laurel Nominations for Best Music in a Motion Picture. He died on February 7, 1990, just under two weeks after his 77th birthday.
My collection: 7" single no. 5467 Found: unknown Tracks: 'Busy doing nothing' / 'The world spins so slow'
Orange Juice formed in the Glasgow suburb of Bearsden as the Nu-Sonics in 1976. Edwyn Collins formed the Nu-Sonics (named after a cheap brand of guitar) with his school-mate Alan Duncan and was subsequently joined by James Kirk and Steven Daly, who left a band called The Machetes. The band became Orange Juice in 1979. They are best known for the hit 'Rip It Up'.
This limited edition features a colour poster and a free second single. The single was taken from the band's second album, also entitled 'Rip it up', and peaked at number 8 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1983, the band's only UK Top 40 hit.
My collection: 7" single no. 5460 Found: Marktplaats.nl, received July 23, 2014. Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Rip it up' / 'Snake charmer' // 'Lovesick (live)' / 'A sad lament'
'Sneaking out the back door' was the second single by Matt Bianco, taken from the band's debut album 'Whose side are you on'. Released in April 1984, this single reached number 44 in the UK singles chart and number 22 in Ireland.
The single is considered a double A-side, since the instrumental 'Matt's Mood' was used a lot on the radio in the Eighties. When you play the track (below), you will almost certainly recognise it.
My collection: 7" single no. 5622
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, August 10, 2014
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Sneaking out the back door' / 'Matt's Mood'
'Love fire' is a single taken from Simply Red's second album 'Men & women'. The single was only made in Germany and Spain, although this probably implies a Europe-wide release. However, this did not earn them any chart success.
Only three of the six singles released from 'Men & women' had some substantial (international) chart success, which was surprising in light of the sales of the album. The band's third album 'A new flame' would yield four hit singles and remains their biggest success.
My collection: 7" single no. 5445 Found: unknown Cost: unknown Tracks: 'Love fire' / 'Love fire (dub mix)'
Most people would consider Mory Kante a one hit wonder, as his only hit was 'Yé ké yé ké', released in 1987. Fair enough, I suppose. However, this single is evidence that the man produced some more music. 'Tama' was taken from the same album, and even managed to reach number 44 in the German singles chart.
It is even more stunning to realise that Mory Kante has released more than ten albums during a career that began in 1981. So is this single worth a spin? It is, even if the B-side is a bit wordy.
My collection: 7" single no. 5427 Found: unknown Cost: unknown Tracks: 'Tama' / 'Inch'Allah'
David Soul was best known for his acting, starring as Ken Hutchinson on the American TV series Starsky & Hutch, when he embarked on a singing career. His debut single, 'Don't give up on us' was a smash hit, as was the follow-up, 'Going in with my eyes open', but subsequent releases weren't as successful.
'It sure brings out the love in your eyes' was his last hit in the UK, peaking at number 12. For some reason, the B-side of this single appears in Mono sound only.
My collection: 7" single no. 5466 Found: unknown Cost: unknown Tracks: 'It sure brings out the love in your eyes' / 'A friend of mine'
'Love will tear us apart' was written in August 1979, and debuted when the band supported Buzzcocks on their UK tour in September and October 1979. It is one of the few songs in which singer Ian Curtis played guitar (albeit somewhat minimally). The lyrics reflect the problems in Ian Curtis's marriage to Deborah Curtis, as well as his general frame of mind in the time leading up to his suicide in May 1980.
The song was first released in June 1980 and became the band's first chart hit, reaching number 13 in the UK Singles Chart. The band postponed their US tour after Ian Curtis's death, performed a few short sets as The No-Names, then finally renamed the group as New Order. 'Love Will Tear Us Apart" was re-released in 1983 and reached number 19 on the UK charts.
My collection: 7" single no. 5425 Found: unknown Cost: unknown Tracks: 'Love will tear us apart' / 'These days', 'Love will tear us apart'
'Quédate esta noche' ('Stay this night') was the Spanish entry in the 1980 Eurovision Song Contest, performed in Spanish by Trigo Limpio, a popular trio in Spain during the Seventies and Eighties, consisting of Amaya Saizar, Iñaki de Pablo and Luis Carlos Gil. During their performance in Eurovision, however, Amaya Saizar was replaced by Patricia Fernández.
The song is a romantic up-tempo number with influences from disco, in which the trio sings 'If perhaps I made a mistake / I want to say I'm sorry'. They go on to sing 'Put away the keys / and put the suitcase back in its place again' and the chorus is a direct invitation to the other part; 'Sleep beside me tonight / Stay beside me tonight / Love me a lot tonight / I'll be yours tonight...' The B-side is a French translation of the song.
My collection: 7" single no. 5606 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, August 10, 2014 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Quedate esta noche' / 'Viens rever'
Some would argue that this music blog could never be a music blog when there isn't a single mention of "The King", Elvis Presley. I would reply in turn that rock & roll isn't the focus of my collection - aside from the occasional Marty Wilde gems, of course - but now that I finally have an Elvis single in my possession, there is no need for controversy.
'Wooden heart' was re-released just after Elvis died. Perhaps that's why this song is such a powerful childhood memory, as I vividly recall seeing a video of this song on television around that time. The song was originally a hit in 1961, when it was number 1 for six weeks in the UK singles chart. Upon its re-release in the Netherlands in August 1977, it reached number 2.
My collection: 7" single no. 5439 Found: unknown Cost: unknown Tracks: 'Wooden heart' / 'Tonight is so right for love'
Some time ago, I bought a compilation cd of Earth & Fire's greatest hits, and it came with a remix of their biggest hit 'Weekend'. I didn't realise - although I probably should have - that this remix version was released as a single at the time of that album release.
The remix sounds decent enough, it certainly updates the sound to the year 1988, but it wasn't a chart success for the band. Not that they were still together: Earth & Fire disbanded in 1983. After this single release the band regrouped a year later, releasing just one more album: 'Phoenix'.
My collection: 7" single no. 5393 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag Cost: 3,5 guilders Tracks: 'Weekend (Remix '88)' / 'Weekend'
The single 'Another kind of loving', which I described four years ago, is an English version of 'E' de' det här du kallar kärlek', the Swedish entry of the 1986 Eurovision Song Contest. That song appears on this single as the A-side, coupled with another Swedish track. The title actually means 'Is this what you call love?'.
During the 2010 Swedish national final of the Eurovision Song Contest, this song was performed by Timo Räisanen and Hanna Eklöf.
My collection: 7" single no. 5642 Found: eBay, received September 2, 2014 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'E' de' det här du kallar kärlek' / 'En kärleksmagi'
