Haunt me - Sade

In 1988, Sade released her third album, 'Stronger than pride'. As far as I knew, three singles were drawn from it: 'Love is stronger than pride', 'Paradise', 'Nothing can come between us' and 'Turn my back on you'. I was greatly surprised when I found this single, 'Haunt me', in 1996. It was the first and only time I saw it.

According to the information I got when I bought this single, it was released in Spain. However, the single was made in Holland, as the label says. A 12" single also exists, with the extended version of 'Make some room' on the B-side.

My collection: 7" single no. 2628

Found: Record fair, March 16, 1996

Cost: 10 guilders

Tracks: 'Haunt me' / 'Make some room'

Download: here

Luxemburg - The Good Cause

The Dutch group Het Goede Doel decided to try and forge an international career with this single, 'Luxemburg'. It was an English translation of 'België' ('Belgium'), their biggest hit in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, in the translation a lot of the humour of the original version had been lost. If only for the cultural fact that the Dutch tend to look down on their southerly neighbours, whereas no-one really has an opinion about Luxemburg.

After an appearance in a European broadcast (with this video), the single sunk without a trace. Still, it is kindof a collectors item in the Netherlands, because it wasn't released there.

My collection: 7" single no. 3018

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 5, 1998

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Luxemburg' / 'Bread and circuses (instrumental)'

Download: here

Dynamite - Mud

Mud was founded in 1968 by Rob Davis, Les Gray, Dave Mount and Ray Stiles. They were one of Britain's most successful glam rock bands, with three number one singles and eight further top 10 hits.

Even though 'Dynamite' only reached number 4 in the UK, it was a number 1 hit in the Netherlands in 1974. This is also how I found out about the band. Even though I was only four years old, I was watching the Dutch chart show Toppop every week, and my family still remembers how I kept requesting whether bands like the Sparks or Mud would return in that week's edition. I bought this single mostly for sentimental reasons. I didn't play it very often. I'd grown up, after all.

My collection: 7" single no. 1902

Found: Record fair, Den Haag, May 2, 1993

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Dynamite' / 'Do it all over again'

Download: here

Alane - Wes

One of the most irritating songs of 1998 was 'Alane' by Wes - at least, that's my opinion. Not that a lot of people agreed: it was a top 10 hit in the Netherlands and reached number 11 in the UK singles chart.

Still, when I found out that there was a remix of this track by the Trouser Enthusiasts, it piqued my interest. I went hunting for this remix - but for some time I wasn't successful. Until I finally found a 12" single with the remix and a dub version. It makes a great dance track out of a stupid, boring song. Well, that's quite an achievement!

My collection: 12" single no. 415

Found: London, 2000

Cost: 5 pounds

Tracks: 'Alane (Trouser Enthusiasts Orgasmic Apparition Mix)' / 'Alane (Trouser Enthusiasts Spectrophiliac Dub)'

Download: here

Bandido - Azucar Moreno

The sisters Antonia and Encarnación Salazar formed Azucar Moreno (meaning 'brown sugar') in 1982. They signed with EMI Spain and recorded two albums, to moderate success in their home country. In 1988 they signed with CBS-Epic and relaunched their music with a bolder production style and matching sexier image.

In 1990 they represented Spain in that year's Eurovision Song Contest, taking place in Zagreb with this song, 'Bandido'. The start of their performance was marred by sound problems. Due to a tape technician not starting the pre-recorded backing track in time both the singers, their band and the live orchestra missed their cues. The song then started all over. Despite all this, 'Bandido' finished fifth. I bought the single as soon as I could. In those days, Eurovision songs - even the non-winning ones - still appeared in record shops around the corner...

My collection: 7" single no. 1234

Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, May 19, 1990

Cost: 6,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Bandido' / 'Bandido (Instrumental)'
Download: here

Waterfall - Triumvirat

Triumvirat formed in 1969 in Cologne (Germany). The founding members were Hans-Jürgen Fritz, Hans Bathelt and Werner Frangenberg. They started out by performing covers of chart hits, but then got influenced by progressive rock bands like the Nice and Emerson Lake and Palmer. So much so, that they were eventually called 'The German Emerson Lake and Palmer' in their home country.

Their 1979 album 'A la carte' signalled a change in direction, containing more pop-oriented songs. This single, 'Waterfall', was their first and only hit in the Netherlands, reaching number 37 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 372

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Waterfall' / 'Jo Ann Walker'

Download: Album 'A la carte', including both tracks

Incredibly red - Esther Tuely

Esther Teule was born on October 30, 1963 in Vancouver, Canada. In the eighties she became a singer in the Dutch disco band the Novo Band. In 1991 she recorded her first (and only) solo album, the self-titled 'Esther Tuely'. 'Incredibly red' was the first single drawn from this album. It became a modest hit in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 1558

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1991

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Incredibly red' / 'Walk on'

Download: here