Little bird / Love song for a vampire - Annie Lennox

While the fourth single from Annie Lennox's album 'Diva' (1992), 'Cold' was not released on 7" vinyl, it was a surprise that the fifth single was. It was a double A-side single, featuring 'Little bird' in a remixed version from the album, plus a new track: 'Love song for a vampire', recorded for the soundtrack of the movie 'Bram Stoker's Dracula'.

The single reached number 3 in the UK singles chart, but did not chart in other territories.

My collection: 7" single no. 2548

Found: Record Exchange, London, November 1, 1995

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Little bird' / 'Love song for a vampire'

All of my heart - ABC

Released as the fourth single from their debut album 'The lexicon of love', ABC hit number 5 in the UK and number 19 in the Netherlands with 'All of my heart', a beautiful ballad with orchestral backing. It was one of the standout tracks from the album.

The orchestral theme was visible on the whole of the release: the four members of the band posed as classical musicians on the sleeve and the B-side was 'Overture', essentially a medley of tracks from 'The lexicon of love' played by a full orchestra.

My collection: 7" single no. 1188

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, March 3, 1990

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'All of my heart' / 'Overture'

My foolish friend - Talk Talk

Released in 1983, 'My foolish friend' was the first Talk Talk single of that year, in between singles taken from their debut album 'The party's over' (1982) and 'It's my life' (1984). 'My foolish friend' did not appear on any of their albums, but the B-side 'Call in the night boys' would appear on 'It's my life'.

The single was not very successful, stalling at number 57 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2167

Found: Record Exchange, London, September 26, 1994

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'My foolish friend' / 'Call in the night boys'

Your love takes me higher - The Beloved

'Your love takes me higher' was a hit for the Beloved in March 1990, as a single drawn from their debut album 'Happiness'. However, this is not that single: this single was released a year before and features both band members on the sleeve instead of a drawing which featured on the sleeve of the 1990 release.

Jon Marsh and Steve Waddington released this single ten months before 'The sun rising', which would become their first real UK hit. 'Your love takes me higher' was re-released after 'Hello' was their second hit in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 2277

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, May 6, 1995

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Your love takes me higher' / 'Paradise (My darling, my angel)'

I'm falling - The Bluebells

The Scottish band the Bluebells was formed in the first half of the Eighties by Bobby Bluebell, David McCluskey, Ken McCluskey, Lawrence Donegan, Craig Gannon, Russell Irvine and Neal Baldwin. 'I'm falling' was their first big hit, peaking at number 11 in the UK singles chart.

I discovered the song after 'Young at heart' made it into the charts later on in 1984. I hated that song and preferred this one. Unfortunately, it was 'Young at heart' that made a revival in 1993, eight years after the band had fallen apart. I still think this song is a lot better.

My collection: 7" single no. 373

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'I'm falling' / 'H.O.L.L.A.N.D.'

The laughing gnome - David Bowie

A full ten years before Dutch singer Father Abraham made his claim to fame with the Smurf song, David Bowie recorded and released 'The laughing gnome', a novelty song which failed to give him the chart recognition he so desperately desired.

The song still became a hit in the UK when it was re-released after Bowie's commercial breakthrough with 'The rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars' in 1973. Despite the song being totally different from Bowie's material at that time, the single still made number 6 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 3170

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, January 18, 2000

Cost: 3 pounds

Tracks: 'The laughing gnome' / 'The gospel according to Tony Day'

Colorado - Xandra

Dutch singer Sandra Reemer (born October 17, 1950 in Bandung, Indonesia) participated three times in the Eurovision Song Contest. Her third and last attempt took place in 1979 as Xandra with the song 'Colorado'. While she made fourth place in 1972 together with Andres and ninth place in 1976 singing 'The party's over', this time she only made twelfth place.

Written by Rob and Ferdi Bolland together with Gerard Cox, 'Colorado' was only a minor hit in the Netherlands, peaking at number 37 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 3347

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 2002

Cost: 1 euro

Tracks: 'Colorado' / 'Intercity'