Shame - Evelyn 'Champagne' King

Evelyn 'Champagne' King was born on July 1, 1960. She released 'Shame', her only top 10 hit in America, in 1978. After a long struggle in the UK singles chart, 'Shame' eventually made the top 40, peaking at number 39. In the Netherlands, it did considerably better: peaking at number 18.

The song was covered by Kim Wilde in 1996. This is how I became interested in the original version. I bought the single in 2000 after a long hunt.

My collection: 7" single no. 3212

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 30, 2000

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Shame' / 'Dancin', dancin', dancin''

Sweet love - Anita Baker

Anita Baker was born on January 26, 1958 in Toledo, Ohio (USA). She released her debut album 'The Songstress' in 1983. Three years later, the album 'Rapture' spawned her first mainstream hit, 'Sweet love'. It peaked at number 8 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 13 in the UK.

This double single edition was released in the UK, featuring two live tracks on the second disc, originally broadcast by BBC Radio 1. I bought this single because I liked the title track ánd because I'm a sucker for limited editions. But I have to admit, I don't really like the other three tracks in this package.

My collection: 7" single no. 2204

Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, October 8, 1994

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Sweet love' / 'No one in the world' // 'Same ole love (live)' / 'You bring me joy (live)'

Blank sheets - Bel canto

Circa 2000 I had a growing interest in alternative and not-so-wellknown bands. This interest was fairly shortlived as many bands disappointed me: I bought their cd's and didn't play them as much as I would if I really would have liked them. But sometimes I bought some 'alternative' singles as well - with varying success.

This single by Bel Canto, for instance, is a good one, but I still didn't play it much. And I really should: the instrumental B-side is fascinating, whereas the A-side is an interesting song. The Norwegian synthpop band, consisting of Anneli Drecker and Nils Johansen, has been going strong since 1985. This single was tken from their 1988 album 'White-out conditions'.

My collection: 7" single no. 3271

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, November 10, 2000

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Blank sheets' / 'Chaideinoi'

Gotta go home / El Lute - Boney M

In 1979 Boney M released their fourth album 'Oceans of fantasy'. The album contained two hit singles, of which 'Gotta go home / El Lute' (a double A-side single) was the first. 'Gotta go home' is an upbeat summer track, released just in time for the season. The track 'El Lute' was based on the life of Spanish outlaw and writer Eleuterio Sánchez.

The single was another hit for the German band, reaching number 12 in the UK and number 2 in the Netherlands. I bought the single while it was still in the charts. As young as I was, Boney M had an irresistible appeal to me.

My collection: 7" single no. 58

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1979

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Gotta go home' / 'El Lute'

King in a catholic style - China Crisis

Compared to their previous single 'Black man Ray', 'King in a catholic style' was, to me, a relative disappointment. It was much more a straightforward pop song than the shimmering beauty of the ballad that went before. Some people agreed with me, because the single peaked at number 19 in the UK, five places lower than 'Black man Ray'.

I was in a record shop last Friday and saw this 12" single. I started doubting whether or not I had it. In the end, I didn't buy it, and I was right: the disc was sitting here on the shelf all along. Sometimes a big collection takes up too much memory space in your head.

My collection: 12" single no. 460

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 22, 2008

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: 'King in a catholic style (extended version)' / 'Blue sea', 'King in a catholic style'

Every time I see you - Fra Lippo Lippi

I bought the Fra Lippo Lippi LP 'Songs' some time after it was released at discount price. I discovered that not only their most famous single 'Shouldn't have to be like that' and its B-side were very good, but also the eight other tracks on the album. And so I spent years trying to find the other singles released from this album.

'Every time I see you' is probably the most interesting of them all, with a re-recorded version on the A-side and the instrumental track 'The heather on the hills' on the B-side. Norwegian pop at its very best.

My collection: 7" single no. 2020

Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 19, 1993

Cost: 60p

Tracks: 'Every time I see you' / 'The heather on the hills'

Love like blood - Killing Joke

Having been at it for seven years, the English post-punk rock band Killing Joke achieved mainstream success with their 1985 single 'Love like blood'. It peaked at number 18 in the UK and number 6 in the Netherlands.

Killing Joke consisted of Paul Ferguson, Jeremy Coleman, Kevin Walker and Paul Raven at the time. Two years prior to that, Martin Glover, a.k.a. 'Youth' had left the band. He went on, of course, to become a famous producer.

My collection: 7" single no. 762
Found: March 6, 1989
Cost: unknown
Tracks: 'Love like blood' / 'Blue feather (version)'