God thank you woman - Culture Club

'God thank you woman' was the last single from the Culture Club before they broke up in 1986. Lacking the immediate appeal of their early singles, it has actually stood the test of time better than those big hits. At least, that's what I think now that I've heard this track for the first time in a long time. It is a positive, uplifting song with a few strange and surprising turns.

The B-side of this single is the track 'From luxury to heartache', which was the title of their 1986 album. This track, however, was only available here, on this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 3521

Found: La La Land, Den Haag, January 3, 2009

Cost: 1,5 euro

Tracks: 'God thank you woman' / 'From luxury to heartache'

Download: here

Soul kiss - Olivia Newton-John

In 1985, Olivia Newton-John released her comeback album 'Soul kiss' and the title track was also the lead single. She'd been out of the limelight since 1982 when she had a worldwide hit with 'Physical'. 'Soul kiss' was a steamy popsong performed by Olivia while pregnant. It limited her ability to do promotion for the album, which stalled at no. 66 in the UK albums chart. The single didn't even chart. In the Netherlands, it was only a small hit.

The extended remix version of 'Soul kiss' is a beautifully arranged version, which actually improves on the original shorter version. A great find.

My collection: 12" single no. 478

Found: La La Land, Den Haag, January 3, 2009

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: 'Soul kiss (extended remix version)' / 'Soul kiss (dub mix)', 'Electric'

Download: 12" single 'Soul kiss', including these tracks

Sign of the times - Belle Stars

In January 1983 the Belle Stars, an all-female group consisting of Stella Barker, Sarah-Jane Owen, Miranda Joyce, Penny Leyton, Judy Parsons, Lesley Shone and Jennie Matthias, released 'Sign of the times'. It peaked at number 3 in the UK singles chart, and would become their signature song.

I bought the 12" single today, being rather surprised because I'd never seen a 12" single of this track before. This 12" single was made in America.

My collection: 12" single no. 477

Found: La La Land, Den Haag, January 3, 2009

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: 'Sign of the times (Remixed extended 12" version)' / 'Madness'

Download: here

Eve's volcano - Julian Cope

'Eve's volcano' was taken from Julian Cope's 1987 album 'Saint Julian', which also included the hit singles 'World shut your mouth' and 'Trampolene'. After the top 40 success in the UK of these two singles, 'Eve's volcano' did less well by comparison, only reaching no. 41. Still, I loved this single, which was played a lot on Dutch radio at the time. I bought the single soon after it came out. During that year's holiday in London, this was also the first cd-single I ever bought.

My collection: 7" single no. 521

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1987

Cost: 3,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Eve's volcano' / 'Almost beautiful child (I & II)'

Download: Album 'The followers of Saint Julian', including both tracks

Eaten alive - Diana Ross

Last week I wrote about Diana Ross's second single from her 1985 album 'Eaten alive', 'Chain reaction'. I was a bit surprised when I came across a copy of the first single and title track from that album today. I couldn't resist buying it, I hadn't heard it for more than a decade. The song was written by the Bee Gees and Michael Jackson, with the latter and Barry Gibb doing backing vocals on the track. Jackson sings the lead vocals with Diana Ross here and there.

My collection: 7" single no. 3520

Found: La La Land, Den Haag, January 3, 2009

Cost: 1,5 euro

Tracks: 'Eaten alive' / 'I'm watching you'

Download: Album 'Eaten alive', including both tracks

Barco a venus - Mecano

The Spanish group Mecano started as a synthpop outfit in 1981 in Madrid. Mecano consisted of brothers Nacho and Jose Maria Cano and singer Ana Torroja. Their debut album 'Mecano' (1982) was a hit in Spain despite criticism of their overt commercial sound. The follow-up album '¿Dónde Está El País De Las Hadas?' ('Where is fairyland?') featured this single, 'Barco a venus'. It is a slice of cheerful synthpop that attracted my attention almost a decade later.

I found this single during a daytrip in Brussels. It's always nice to stumble upon a single you've been searching for a long time, and this time was no exception.

My collection: 7" single no. 1536

Found: Brussels, October 11, 1991

Cost: 40 Belgian Francs

Tracks: 'Barco a venus' / 'Este chico es una joya'

Download: Album '¿Dónde Está El País De Las Hadas?', including both tracks

Monté la rivié - Kali

In 1992, France decided to send a reggae king to the Eurovision Song Contest. Kali's 'Monté la rivié' was a beautifully arranged reggae track, sung in French and Haitian Creole. The lyrics are full of metaphors about the river, which the listener should 'go up'. The listener is told that 'One day you'll see the source of the river'. Thus, the lyrics deal with the need to find peace and love in the modern world.

The b-side of the single contains a live cover of the Bob Marley track 'One drop'. I bought my copy of the single in Vienna during a holiday. Not the most predictable place to find a French single...

My collection: 7" single no. 1931

Found: Vienna, July 6, 1993

Cost: 55 Austrian Schilling

Tracks: 'Monté la rivié' / 'One drop (live)'

Download: here