Are 'friends' electric? - Tubeway Army

One of the most famous hits from the Eighties is actually a song from the Seventies: 'Are 'friends' electric?' was released in 1979. Tubeway Army consisted of many different musicians, but the main members were Gary Webb (a.k.a. Gary Numan) and Paul Gardiner. 'Are 'friends' electric?' became their first hit after appearances in 'Whistle Test' and 'Top of the pops'. The single climbed steadily to stay at number one in the UK charts for 4 weeks. After this hit, Tubeway Army disbanded and Gary Numan went on solo.

These days, the track is a regular on Eighties compilation cd's. They were obviously ahead of their time...

My collection: 7" single no. 1216

Found: Record fair, Den Haag, April 22, 1990

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Are 'friends' electric?' / 'We are so fragile'

Download: Album 'Replicas', including both tracks

Eat it - Weird Al Yankovic

In a world where Michael Jackson was just about the most famous person alive, it was no wonder that other people tried to make some money out of his work. Or try to parody him. Weird Al Yankovic shot to worldwide fame when he made a parody of Michael Jackson's video for 'Beat it', and a song to match. Entitled 'Eat it', the video was a shot-for-shot parody.

In America, the single made number 12 of the Billboard Hot 100, while it made number 36 in the UK singles chart. The single didn't chart in the Netherlands, but the video was on TV quite regularly.

My collection: 7" single no. 1917

Found: Record fair, Leiden, May 22, 1993

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Eat it' / 'That boy could dance'

Download: Album 'In 3D', including both tracks

Blue emotion - Fiat Lux

Fiat Lux followed up their single 'Secrets' with the up-tempo track 'Blue emotion'. Some sounds on this track reminded me very much of Ultravox, and if someone had told me it was their new single, I probably would have believed it. My sister played this single a lot when I was younger, so when I came across this single years later, I still knew I wanted to have it.

I was really surprised, then, to find out I'd bought a copy on coloured vinyl. 'Blue emotion' was released on - wait for it - blue vinyl. How imaginative.

My collection: 7" single no. 2369

Found: House of Rhythm, London, July 1, 1995

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Blue emotion' / 'Sleepless nightmare'

Download: here

Kiss me - Indecent Obsession

Indecent Obsession formed in 1987 in Brisbane, Australia. David Dixon, Andrew Coyne, Michael Szumowski and Daryl Sims hit the Australian chart in 1989 with their single 'Say goodbye'. follow-up single 'Tell Me Something' peaked at number 17 two months later, but would be the band's last Australian Top 20 single.

Their second album 'Indio' spawned the single 'Kiss me', which became an international hit. It was number one in South Africa for an amazing 27 weeks. By comparison, they had a modest hit with this in the Netherlands, where it peaked at number 21 in the summer of 1992. In the UK, where I bought this limited poster bag edition of the single, it didn't chart at all.

My collection: 7" single no. 1773

Found: Kensington Market, London, October 21, 1992

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Kiss me' / 'Mystery'

Download: here

Een beetje vrede - Nicole

The winner of the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest, Nicole, recorded her winning song 'Ein Bisschen Frieden' in six languages. One of them was the Dutch version, 'Een beetje vrede'. The thing that struck me back then was that this young German girl spoke (sang) better Dutch than my aunt in her fourties, who was born in Germany but spent two decades in the Netherlands, did.

Not only the A-side, but also the B-side, 'Thank you, merci, danke' was recorded in Dutch. It all helped Nicole reach the first place in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 3477

Found: Geest, Den Haag, 2003

Cost: 1 euro

Tracks: 'Een beetje vrede' / 'Thank you, merci, danke'

Download: here

Wunderbar - Tenpole Tudor

Eddie Tudor-Pole formed the British punk band Tenpole Tudor in 1974 with Bob Kingston, Dick Crippen and Gary Long. In 1980, they signed a recording contract with Stiff Records and released their debut single 'Three bells in a row' in 1980. A year later, their debut album 'Eddie, Old Bob, Dick and Gary' was released. This album spawned two hit singles, 'Sword of a thousand men' and 'Wunderbar'. The latter was the only single to have some success abroad: it reached number 4 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 3385

Found: Geest, Den Haag, 2003

Cost: 1 euro

Tracks: 'Wunderbar' / 'Tenpole 45'

Download: Album 'The Stiff Records Singles Collection', including both tracks

Sloppy heart - Frazier Chorus

Frazier Chorus released the single 'Sloppy heart' twice: their debut single in 1987 on 4AD records, and as their fourth single on Virgin Records in 1989. This is the latter. It features an edited version of the track on their debut album 'Sue'. The single reached number 73 in the UK singles chart.

The real treat of this single is the B-side: a cover of the Sex Pistols' 'Anarchy in the UK'. You would think that song doesn't lend itself to a ballad version, until you hear this.

My collection: 7" single no. 2524

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

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Sloppy heart' / 'Anarchy in the UK'

Download: here