Jealous guy - Roxy Music

Following the tragic death of John Lennon in December 1980, Roxy Music recorded a cover version of his song 'Jealous guy'. This was met with some criticism as it was suggested that they were cashing in on his death. Still, the song became a number one chart hit for Roxy Music.

John Lennon wrote the song in ten years earlier, after his relationship with Yoko Ono had become strained because of his drinking problems and jealousy problems with his first wife, Cynthia Powell. Yoko commented, '(The song) said it all! ... After we got together he made me write out a list of all the men I'd slept with before we met. I started to do it quite casually – then I realised how serious it was to John. He didn't even like me speaking Japanese because that was a part of my mind that shut him out.'

My collection: 7" single no. 3508

Found: Record Mania, Amsterdam, December 27, 2008

Cost: 1 euro

Tracks: 'Jealous guy' / 'To turn you on'

Download: here

Are you my baby? - Wendy and Lisa

I'll be honest: I didn't like 'Are you my baby?' when it came out and climbed to number 9 in the Dutch Top 40 in the spring of 1989. Yesterday, while I was buying some old singles, I saw this one and started wondering just why I didn't. After all, I do have all their other hit singles. Listening to the song now makes it sound really wonderful. These days there are much worse songs around, so that helps...

My collection: 7" single no. 3536

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, January 9, 2009

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'Are you my baby?' / 'Happy Birthday'

Download: here

Move in my direction - Bananarama

While most recognised for their eighties work, Bananarama are still around today. Of course, they are not a trio anymore, as only Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward are still at it. 'Move in my direction' was released in 2005, a track from their latest album 'Drama!'. It reached number 14 in the UK singles chart. It was their 24th UK Top 40 hit, and their first since their 1991 single 'Preacher man'.

My collection: 7" single no. 3416

Found: HMV, London, 2005

Cost: 2,5 pounds

Tracks: 'Move in my direction (radio edit)' / 'Move in my direction (Angel City remix edit)'

Download: 11 versions of 'Move in my direction', including both tracks

Ne partez pas sans moi - Celine Dion

A record collection which includes all the winners of the Eurovision Song Contest (well, I do try) should also contain the 1988 winner, Celine Dion. What a great injustice. Dion has to be the singer with the ugliest voice in the business. Her screaming and wailing cuts through the bone and shatters your eardrums. What's more, during the 1988 contest she appearde in a dress which made her look like an ostrich.

It didn't matter. The hearing-impaired judges award her the prize, just one point ahead of that year's real winner, Scott Fitzgerald with 'Go'. I bought that single in 1988. This one, I could only buy now - and only because I have to have all the winners. One bonus: on this single there is an instrumental version, in which a piano takes the place of Dion's horrible vocals. A version which I prefer, of course.

My collection: 7" single no. 3543

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, January 9, 2009

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: 'Ne partez pas sans moi' / 'Ne partez pas sans moi (instrumental)'

Download: here

State of shock - The Jacksons

'State of shock' was recorded by The Jacksons with Mick Jagger in 1984 for the album 'Victory'. Originally the song was going to be a duet with Freddie Mercury, with whom Michael Jackson wrote it. Unreleased demos have surfaced on bootleg discs to testify to this fact. The Jacksons finally recorded the song with Mick Jagger. Mick Jagger performed the song live with Tina Turner during Live Aid in 1985.

I bought this single after my recent surge of interest in Michael Jackson's back catalogue. This is a great example of a powerful pop song with not a lot of substance. Still very enjoyable though.

My collection: 7" single no. 3531

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, January 9, 2009

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: 'State of shock' / 'Your ways'

Download: Album 'Victory', including 'State of shock' / Album 'Triumph', including 'Your ways'

I'm in a different world - Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin

Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin made a career out of covering old soul songs. Starting out with the German number one hit 'It's my party' in 1981, they also recorded covers of songs like 'The Locomotion', 'Johnny Rocco' and this 'I'm in a different world'. It was written by the Motown songwriting team of Holland/Dozier/Holland and it was a hit for the Four Tops in November 1968, reaching number 27 in the UK singles chart. This cover version didn't reach that chart, but it was a minor hit in the Netherlands, only just missing the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 3540

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, January 9, 2009

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'I'm in a different world' / 'Henry and James'

Download: here

Just what I always wanted - Mari Wilson

Mari Wilson appeared on the scene in the early eighties with her skyscraper beehive hairdo, a strange sense of (retro-inspired) fashion and a fully choreographed twelve piece band. Her live shows were very entertaining and this is how she claimed her fame. In 1982, she had her biggest hit with this single, 'Just what I always wanted', which peaked at number eight in the UK singles chart.

I vaguely remembered Mari Wilson, so I took a gamble when I bought this single. But the gamble paid off: it is a great pop song. I wonder why I didn't remember this one...

My collection: 7" single no. 3539

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, January 9, 2009

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'Just what I always wanted' / 'Woe, woe, woe'

Download: here