Piove - André Hazes

Under normal circumstances you would never see a single by André Hazes on this blog, because the man has produced an unspeakable array of terrible singles and albums in my opinion. But these are not normal circumstances, because I discovered that the man recorded an entire album of Italian classics in 1986, and of course four Eurovision songs are among those tracks.

One of them was the classic 'Piove', originally performed by Domenico Modugno for Italy in 1959. And André's version was released as a single. And although all those terrible singles reached the Dutch Top 40, this one failed to chart. 

The copy I bought initially played like boots on a gravel path, but a little dishwashing liquid worked miraculously well; the single sounds pretty good now.

My collection: 7" single no. 7549
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Piove' / 'Melancholie'

Don't be my enemy - Wang Chung

It's fun to have a record player from the Eighties, and a Technics too, but the fact that the arm returns to its base automatically from some point means that certain things like Polish postcards can't be played on it. And this 5" picture disc by Wang Chung is a problem too. I found that out after I bought it. Fortunately the music can still be found online, and so both tracks on this disc can be listened to on YouTube. 

'Don't be my enemy' was the band's first single to actually chart. Even if it only reached number 92 in the UK singles chart in 1983, it was just a taster of what was to come. The next year they would have the biggest hit of their career with 'Dance hall days'. 

My collection: 5" single no. 7556
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Don't be my enemy' / 'The waves (instrumental)'

Do it to me (once more with feeling) - Britt Ekland

Britt Ekland (born as Britt-Marie Eklund; 6 October 1942) is a Swedish actress, model, and singer. She appeared in numerous films in her heyday throughout the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties.Her high-profile social life, her 1964 marriage to actor Peter Sellers, and her relationship with singer Rod Stewart attracted considerable press attention, making her one of the world's most photographed celebrities during the Seventies. 

Her singing career was pretty much a one-off. In 1979 she released this single, 'Do it to me (once more with feeling)', very much a disco-inspired track, made more appealing thanks to the cover image. A picture disc single should have improved the sales too, but the single only charted in Sweden.

My collection: 7" single no. 7555
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Do it to me (once more with feeling)' / 'Private party'

Every day hurts - Sad Café

Sure, I have the Old Gold single with 'Every day hurts' in my collection, but somehow such re-releases are a bit disappointing. The real thing, i.e. the original release is always preferred, of course. Especially when it comes as a picture disc!

'Every day hurts' was released as a single in 1979 and became Sad Café's biggest hit, reaching number 3 on the UK singles chart, with a total of 12 weeks on the chart. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7553
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Every day hurts' / 'Wish this night would never end'

Let your love go - Bread

Bread are best known for their soft pop inclinations, but this single is decidedly edgier. 'Let your love go' was released in 1971 and reached number 28 in the US Billboard Hot 100, slightly disappointing after the two previous singles 'Make it with you' and 'It don't matter to me' reached number 1 and 10 respectively. 

The album Manna, from which this was the lead single, was certified gold in the USA. Things would take a turn for the better with their next single, the classic 'If'.

My collection: 7" single no. 7550
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Let your love go' / 'Too much love'

Save a prayer - Duran Duran

When Duran Duran's 'Save a prayer' was re-released in 1985, I somehow got a copy of an earlier release of the song. It features the full length version, instead of the edited version that appears on this single. And of course, the other version is superior, because it builds up very nicely at the end.

This single comes with a live track from the Arena album on the B-side, and of course a sleeve somewhat in the style of 'The wild boys', since it was released in the absence of new material from the boys. It would be a long wait until 'Notorious', for sure.

My collection: 7" single no. 7547
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Save a prayer [edit]' / 'Careless memories (live from the Arena)'

Pickwick Long Play - Billy Ocean

Back in 1989 and 1990, Oldies Unlimited was the mail order service in the UK which made old singles available to people who sent in money using cheques. It sounds bizarre, and I guess in this day and age it is. But that was the way to go, pre-internet. I would send in my list of singles and whenever a single wasn't available you would get the opportunity to order a different one. If I remember correctly, the list should come with some 'reserve' titles.

One of the singles I wanted was this EP. It featured a handful of Billy Ocean's hits for only one or two pounds! It was a steal, but unfortunately that was one of those singles that wasn't available anymore. I wouldn't say I was hunting for it ever since, but it was kinda delightful to come across a copy all of a sudden. It was still a cheap single, and it still contained six Billy Ocean tracks.

My collection: 7" single no. 7546
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Love really hurts without you', 'Who's gonna rock you?', 'Are you ready' / 'Stop me (if you've heard it all before)', 'Red light spells danger', 'American hearts'

Tears run rings - Marc Almond

Marc Almond had an impressive run of singles when he released his album The Stars We Are in 1988. The singles 'Only the moment', 'Bitter-sweet' and 'Something's gotten hold of my heart' all ended up in my collection. One single didn't: 'Tears run rings'. And that was because I somehow couldn't get hold of the special edition box set that was released in the UK at the time.

The box set hung around in my unconscious for many decades, and when I finally saw one last month, I started to doubt whether I had it or not! Fortunately I could check this blog, and so I found out that I had to buy it. According to Marc, 'Tears run rings' is "a song about evil under the cloak of good: though the world falls apart let's hold on to each other'. It sounds like the song was made for right now.

My collection: 7" single no. 7545
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Tears run rings' / 'Everything I wanted love to be'

Engel der Nacht - Nena

With the album Eisbrecher, the band Nena reached the end of their contract with CBS and the single 'Enger der Nacht' would turn out to be their last. It is a good farewell for a band that enjoyed huge success in the first half of the Eighties.

While the previous single 'Mondsong' reached number 37 in the German singles chart (already a low position for the band), 'Engel der Nacht' didn't chart at all. After this, frontwoman Gabriele Susanne Kerner went solo (confusingly under the stage name Nena) and enjoyed some success on her own.

My collection: 7" single no. 7544
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Engel der Nacht (remix)' / 'Zusammen'

Hot in the city - Billy Idol

'Hot in the city' was re-released a few times, but this one here is the original release from 1982. It features a different sleeve and a different B-side. 

This version of 'Hot in the city' reached number 58 in the UK singles chart; it was his first solo chart placing in the UK. It did significantly better in Austria and New Zealand, where the single reached number 5. When 'Hot in the city' was re-released in 1987, it fared significantly better in the UK too: it peaked at number 13.

My collection: 7" single no. 7543
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Hot in the city' / 'Dead on arrival'

Somewhere down the crazy river - Robbie Robertson

Promotional singles can be confusing, especially when they are delivered in 'regular' sleeves. This Robbie Robertson single is a good example.

The sleeve announces the title track and a B-side, 'Broken arrow'. But the disc containes a remix edit and the LP version of 'Somewhere down the crazy river'. This is also why I wanted to have this disc - because it's great to have both versions of the song. The label of the disc clearly indicates 'For promo use only - Not for sale'. And fortunately, a sticker on the front sleeve also says 'Special radio sampler'. Which made me curious.

My collection: 7" single no. 7542
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Somewhere down the crazy river (Remix/Edit)' / 'Somewhere down the crazy river (LP version)'

Es war keine so wunderbar wie du - Cliff Richard und die Shadows

Back in 1964 Cliff Richard had a hit with 'I could easily fall in love with you'. It isn't easy to find a good copy of a single that old, but I managed it five years ago.

And then, here's the German version of that same song, in the same unscathed condition! In this case, the song is credited to 'Cliff Richard und die Shadows'. I can't find out whether this version was a hit in Germany, but I would assume it was. It is a great version.

My collection: 7" single no. 7534
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Es war keine so wunderbar wie du' / 'Es könnte schon morgen sein'

Angie - Rolling Stones

As far as classics go, the Rolling Stones' 'Angie' qualifies as a real classic. Back in the Eighties, when I was listening to the Top 100 of all times on Veronica Radio, this song was in the top 10, and I think it should be there still if anyone compiles a list. Not because I am so Rolling Stones-minded - quite the contrary! - but it says something when a song like this appeals even to someone like me, who doesn't really like whatever this band did. (There are exceptions, of course, and they are all on this blog.)

'Angie' was also the hardest Rolling Stones single to find - because of its status as a classic. You have to get lucky and find a decent copy for a reasonable price. So last month, I was finally lucky. Sexy cover, too. Probably won't hold up on those prude American media.

My collection: 7" single no. 7533
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Angie' / 'Silver train'

You can't get what you want (till you know what you want) - Joe Jackson

'You can't get what you want (till you know what you want)' is a single from Joe Jackson's 1984 album Body and Soul. It spent sixteen weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was Jackson's second-highest charted song in America when it peaked at number 15 in June 1984. 

The track features a slap bass performance from Jackson's longtime bassist Graham Maby. Maby recalled, 'For 'You can't get what you want', Joe wanted me to slap. It was certainly not one of my strengths, but I think the track came out fine, and it was fun to play live.'

My collection: 7" single no. 7532
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'You can't get what you want (till you know what you want)' / 'Cha cha loco'

Rockin' Robin - Michael Jackson

'Rockin' Robin' was written by Leon René under the pseudonym Jimmie Thomas, and recorded by American singer Bobby Day in 1958. 

In 1972, Michael Jackson released his own version of the song, which was released as a single from his gold-certified solo album titled Got to be there as a follow-up single to the song of the same name. It was the biggest hit from the album, hitting number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 3 on the UK singles chart. It was also Michael's second solo single, while he was still a member of the Jackson Five  too.

My collection: 7" single no. 7531
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Rockin' Robin' / 'Love is here and now you're gone'

My life - Billy Joel

Coincidentally, the last Billy Joel single I bought was 'My life', back in 2011. I'm not excatly collecting Billy Joel records, but this Japanese pressing of that same single was just too irresistible. For some reason, Japanese singles have become significantly cheaper recently, and so I just wanted to take this one with me, although it doesn't contain any other music than that other single I bought 14 years ago.

My collection: 7" single no. 7530
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'My life' / '52nd street'

Je t'aime (moi non plus) - Judge Dread

Most people are familiar with 'Je t'aime... moi non plus', the French songs with lots of excited whispering and panting. I don't know if the song has been covered a lot, but I found this single and I just couldn't resist.

It's a version of the song in reggae style by Judge Dread, released in 1974. However, if you expect a rehash of the original, you're quite wrong: in this version things are decidedly less steamy. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7529
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Je t'aime (moi non plus)' / 'The belle of Snodland Town'

Say it again - Precious

Back in 2017 I bought the 7" single of 'Say it again' by Precious. It was an almost superfluous acquisition since I already had the tracks on a cd-single. However, I recently found out that several remixes of the track were only ever released on a 12" single! 

The remixes on this disc come from James Lavonz and Master Stepz. And like many remixes of the Nineties, it is questionable whether these remixes were ever meant to be enjoyed at home - it is mainly club fodder, to be honest. But I'll let you make up your mind. Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 15 January 2025
Tracks: 'Say it again (James Lavonz full vocal mix)', 'Say it again (James Lavonz Ruffa dub mix)' / 'Say it again (Master Stepz Trouble mix)', 'Say it again (Master Stepz Smooth dub mix)'.

Look at you now - OMD

The latest single by OMD is 'Look at you now', taken from their most recent album Bauhaus Staircase. This single was pressed on pink vinyl. The song was announced as 'the final single' from the album.

'Look at you now' is not the strongest track from the album, but it is a pleasant enough track to be released as a single. The B-side, 'Tomorrow is today', is a new track.

My collection: 7" single no. 7526
Found: OMD website, received 7 December 2024
Tracks: 'Look at you now' / 'Tomorrow is today'

Epica Oxygene - Jean Michel Jarre

The French synth wizard Jean Michel Jarre returns to his epic work 'Oxygene' every once in a while, and whenever he does, it's always interesting. This particular version comes from a live performance at the palace of Versailles, and it's a rework that breathes some new life into the composition.

The single, pressed on green vinyl, was released along with Electronic Sounds magazine in the UK. The magazine keeps coming up with interesting releases from time to time, and whenever they do, I'm there to order a copy!

My collection: 7" single no. 7539
Found: Electronic Sounds magazine website, received 28 December 2024
Tracks: 'Epica Oxygene' / 'Equinoxe 7'