Someday (I'm coming back) - Lisa Stansfield

Lisa Stansfield recorded 'Someday (I'm coming back)' for the soundtrack of 'The Bodyguard', the 1992 movie starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. Stansfield had just had a very successful year with her album 'Real love' reaching number 3 in the UK albums chart and top 10 in several other countries. The album spawned four hit singles, and when this one was released as a single, it went to number 10 in the UK singles chart.

The 12" single featured a remix not found on the cd-single. (Another piece of evidence that the vinyl format was still the most interesting of all.) I bought the 12" single in London, which in the Nineties was just about the only place where they were still to be found.

My collection: 12" single no. 215

Found: Record Exchange, London, 1992

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Someday (I'm coming back)', 'Live together/Young hearts run free (live)' / 'Someday (I'm coming back) (Absolute remix)', 'Tenderly (live)'

Download: here

Popcorn - Hot Butter

Hot Butter was an instrumental cover band consisting of Stan Free, Dave Mullaney, John Abbott, Bill Jerome, Steve Jerome and Danny Jordan. Their version of Gershon Kingsley's composition 'Popcorn' is one of the best known versions of the wave of versions that were released in 1972. Sales in the UK exceeded a quarter of a million, and worldwide Hot Butter sold two million copies of this single.

I bought my copy in London, after having searched for this version for years. Unfortunately it didn't have a picture sleeve. But sometimes you just take what you can get.

My collection: 7" single no. 2526

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, November 1, 1995

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Popcorn' / 'At the movies'
Download: here

To the unknown man - Vangelis

Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou was born near Volos, Greece on March 29, 1943. He became a composer of electronic music under the artist name Vangelis in the Sixties. In 1968, he founded Aphrodite's Child with that other famous Greek, Demis Roussos. Their first single became their biggest hit: 'Rain and tears'.

In the Seventies Vangelis moved to London, set up his own studio and signed with RCA Records. Between 1975 and 1980 he released five albums with electronic music. One of them was 'Spiral' (1977), from which this single, 'To the unknown man' was drawn. It gave him a minor hit in the Netherlands, reaching number 32 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2940

Found: Record fair, January 31, 1998

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'To the unknown man' / 'To the unknown man (part 2)'

Download: here

Dream kitchen - Frazier Chorus

Frazier Chorus were an unconventional band, as they didn't have a drummer, guitarist and bassist. Tim Freeman, who wrote most of the songs, semi-whispered the vocals, Kate Holmes played the flute, Chris Taplin played clarinet and keyboards and Michele Allardyce played the bongos. Still, they made very danceable music, as evidenced in this single, 'Dream kitchen', released in the first week of 1989.

I don't remember it, but I must have seen the video of this song. I wouldn't know why I bought this single in October of 1989. It's a purchase I never regretted, because I bought lots of Frazier Chorus records since then.

My collection: 7" single no. 1081

Found: Record Exchange, London, October 19, 1989

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Dream kitchen' / 'Down'

Download: here

I wanna rock - Twisted Sister

'Hello students'... So begins one of the most hilarious videos of 1984 (see it here). Actor Mark Metcalf, best known as the sadistic Neidermeyer from the movie 'Animal house', portrays a teacher who attacks a student for drawing the Twisted Sister logo on his textbook. A version of this song appeared in the Spongebob Squarepants Movie in 2006. It was actually one of the less amusing part of that movie, but it was nice to recognise a familiar song nonetheless.

My collection: 7" single no. 3422

Found: Esbjerg, Denmark, June 17, 2006

Cost: 10 Danish crowns

Tracks: 'I wanna rock' / 'Burn in hell (live at Hammersmith Odeon)'

Download: here

I can't stand the rain - Eruption

Silent Eruption was formed in 1974 in Britain. The members were lead singer Leslie Johnson, Greg Perrineau, Morgan Perrineau, Gerry Williams and Eric Kingsley. In 1975 they won the RCA Soul Search contest. A year later, their debut single 'Let me take you back in time' was released. The lack of success disappointed Johnson, so she left the band and backing singer Precious Wilson stepped in to replace her. During a tour in Germany they got noticed by producer Frank Farian, who signed them to Hansa Records, and gave them a support slot during Boney M's tour. After a minor hit single with 'Party party', they released 'I can't stand the rain' in December 1977. It became a big hit, reaching number 5 in the UK and the Netherlands and even making number 18 in the US Billboard Hot 100.

My collection: 7" single no. 3470

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, December 11, 2008

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'I can't stand the rain' / 'Be yourself'

Download: Album 'Eruption', including both tracks

Amsterdamned - Lois Lane

'Amsterdamned' is the name of a thriller movie produced in the Netherlands in 1988. Two bands were asked to deliver a song for the soundtrack of the movie: the famous rock group Golden Earring and the relatively unknown group Lois Lane. Surprisingly, the latter were asked to sing the title song. 'Amsterdamned' was released in April 1988 and peaked at number 33 in the Dutch Top 40. It was the first success for Lois Lane. From then on, they would have more hit singles.

My collection: 7" single no. 3468

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, December 11, 2008

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'Amsterdamned' / 'Amsterdamned (B-side mix)'

Download: here