Golden hits volume 2 - Prefab Sprout

I bought this 'golden' single during the first record fair I ever went to. I thought it was a great find, because it featured 'Goodbye Lucille', which I thought was an earlier version of the single 'Johnny Johnny', which I'd bought a couple of years before. As it turned out, it was pretty much the same as that single, only the title was different.

Still, this is an interesting little EP, because of the colour of course, but also because of the great selection of hit singles. Although 'hit singles' might be stretching that term a bit: none of these tracks made the UK top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1220

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

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Golden calf (edit)', 'Faron Young' / 'Goodbye Lucille no. 1', 'Hey Manhattan'

Go west - Village People

Another track I've featured on this blog before, but now in the shorter single version, as opposed to the long 12" version. 'Go west' peaked at number 31 in the Netherlands in the summer of 1979. At the same time, it made number 15 in the UK.

At the time, I was spending my weekly allowance of 3 guilders in the local record shop. While chart singles cost 6 guilders, the shop discounted them once they left the Top 40. I went round that shop almost every week, hoping for something good to be available. I seem to recall that this catch was a relative disappointment, since more singles had left the chart, but they were already sold out. So I made do with this one. I'm glad I have it now, because of course it is the original version of the Pet Shop Boys' 1992 cover version. But how was I to know?

My collection: 7" single no. 23

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1979

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Go west' / 'I wanna shake your hand'

Doot doot - Freur

As written before, 'Doot doot' was Freur's debut single and only hit. The 7" single was a revelation for me, I bought almost as soon as it hit the Dutch 'bubbling under' chart. The single didn't make the Dutch Top 40, which at the time I saw as a big injustice.

Earlier editions of the single didn't have the explanatory '(Freur)' in the upper left corner. I've always searched for a copy of that, but so far, without luck.

My collection: 7" single no. 196

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1983

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Doot doot' / 'Hold me mother'

Honey - Mariah Carey

Buried under too much breathy vocals and hiphop influences, here's a nice tune. Mariah Carey's 'Honey' was released in 1997, as the first single from her album 'Butterfly', the last album before the disastrous 'Glitter' project. This single made number one in America, number 3 in the UK and number 15 in the Netherlands.

The track uses two samples: 'Hey DJ', originally performed by the World Famous Supreme Team, and 'The Body Rock' by the Treacherous Three.

My collection: 7" single no. 2933

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, January 17, 1998

Cost: 8 guilders

Tracks: 'Honey' / 'Honey (Bad Boy remix)'

The robots - Kraftwerk

Released as the first single from their 1991 remix album 'The Mix', Kraftwerk's 'The Robots' was a big success in the UK, peaking at number 20. 'The robots', remixed by the band, was originally released in 1978 as a single from their seventh album 'Man machine'.

The lyrics reference the revolutionary technique of robotics, and how humans can use them as they wish. The Russian lines "Я твой слуга" (Ya tvoi sluga, I'm your servant) and "Я твой работник" (Ya tvoi rabotnik, I'm your worker) appear repeatedly both in the original version and in this remix.

My collection: 7" single no. 2354

Found: Marlyn Music, Eastbourne, June 28, 1995

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'The robots (single edit)' / 'Robotronik (single version)'

Nightmares - Flip

After the release of 'That's what they say about love', the band Flip tried once more with the remixed single 'Nightmares'. It was even less of a success than the debut single. It must have eventually led to the end of the band in 1987.

The additional single 'Plague of hearts' does exist, but until now I haven't been able to locate a copy. I'm especially looking for the 12" single. Well, here's hoping they will turn up someday...

My collection: 7" single no. 655

Found: V&D, Leiden, September 23, 1988

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Nightmares (Big Drum 7")' / 'Dark on the water'

Cold cold heart - Midge Ure

Midge Ure released his third solo album 'Pure' in 1991. It was a collection of traditionally influenced songs. 'Cold cold heart' was the first single released from the album, which managed to get to number 17 in the UK singles chart. It was also the last single by Ure to make the top 40 in the UK.

Personally I lost track of Midge Ure after his excellent 1989 album 'Answers to nothing'. I picked up this single in 1995 on the strength of his name, but I didn't think it was one of his better songs. Hearing it again, I have to say I like it better now.

My collection: 7" single no. 2434

Found: Concerto, Amsterdam, August 19, 1995

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Cold cold heart' / 'Flowers'