Fantasy dream - Ami Aspelund

Ami Aspelund was born on September 7, 1953 in Vaasa, Finland. While her sister Monica represented Finland during the 1977 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Lapponia', Ami followed in her footsteps in 1983 with the song 'Fantasiaa'. Monica finished on 10th place, Ami did only slightly worse, finishing on 11th place.

The single 'Fantasy dream', released in Germany, features both the English and Finnish versions of the song. It's a great upbeat track, and one of the better Finnish contributions to the Contest during the Eighties.

My collection: 7" single no. 3714

Found: Marktplaats.nl, received May 22, 2009

Cost: 2,5 euro

Tracks: 'Fantasy dream' / 'Fantasiaa'

Tears are not enough - ABC

Hard to imagine now, but there was a time when no-one knew the band ABC. They even had to release their debut single 'Tears are not enough' in 1981 to try and catch the public eye. The single version of 'Tears are not enough' was different from the album version. While the album version was produced by Trevor Horn, the single version was produced by one Steve Brown.

As far as debuts go, the band did well. The single peaked at number 19 at the end of 1981. The next year the debut album 'Lexicon of love' would be released - it would become a classic album of the Eighties.

My collection: 7" single no. 2015

Found: Record Exchange, London, October 19, 1993

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Tears are not enough' / 'Alphabet soup'

Mono - The Monotones

During the Seventies Aart Mol, Geertjan Hessing, Erwin van Prehn, Cees Bergman and Elmer Veerhoff were members of the successful group Catapult. When success eluded them they decided to start over as Rubberen Robbie, a group specializing in Dutch music, and The Monotones, making new wave music.

In January 1980 the Monotones release the single 'Mono', a track that sounds a bit like 'Popmuzik' and 'Video killed the radio star'. They are rewarded with a number 15 placing in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 3327

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, March 24, 2001

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Mono' / 'Monotone music'

Winter - Tori Amos

Taken from the debut album 'Little earthquakes', Winter was Tori Amos' third single for Atlantic Records. It was released in 1992. Amos wrote the song about her relationship with her father, who is a minister.

The single became Tori's first UK top 40 hit, peaking at number 25. It was released in a variety of formats, but the UK was the only country where this song was released on 7" vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 1741

Found: Record Exchange, London, October 18, 1992

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Winter' / 'The pool'

The turn of a friendly card - The Alan Parsons Project

The title track of the Alan Parsons Project album 'The turn of a friendly card' was released as a single in the autumn of 1980. On the album, the track was divided into two parts of 2'44 and 3'22. The single version lasts 3'20 but is not the same as part two.

The single appeared in the Dutch Tipparade, the 'bubbling under' chart for the Top 40, but did not reach the top 40 itself. Still, it made enough of an impression on me to still want to have it a decade later.

My collection: 7" single no. 1461

Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, June 27, 1991

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'The turn of a friendly card' / 'Snake eyes'

If she knew what she wants - The Bangles

This limited edition double single features not one, but two hit singles. Although 'hit' singles may be overstating things a bit. 'Hero takes a fall' was originally released in 1984 and only managed a number 96 placing in the UK singles chart. 'If she knew what she wants' was a bit more successful, reaching number 31 in the UK and Australia, but also number 30 in Austria, number 29 in the USA, number 20 in Switzerland and number 17 in Germany!

'If she knew what she wants' was the second single taken from the Bangles' 1986 album 'Different light', the album that would later bring forth the biggest hit of the group's career: 'Walk like an Egyptian'.

My collection: 7" single no. 3165

Found: House of Rhythm, London, January 18, 2000

Cost: 1,5 pounds

Tracks: 'If she knew what she wants' / 'Angels don't fall in love' // 'Hero takes a fall (remix)' / 'James'

Hocus pocus - Focus

The Dutch band Focus was formed in 1969. After their debut album the line-up changed to Jan Akkerman, Cyril Havermans, Pierre van der Linden and Thijs van Leer. Their 1971 album 'Moving waves' included the song 'Hocus pocus', which would achieve international fame. The instrumental rock classic consists of Akkerman's guitar chord sequence used as a recurring theme, with interludes that include alto flute riffs, accordion, guitar, and drum solos, whistling, nonsensical vocals, falsetto singing, and yodeling.

Their third album 'Focus III' (1972) included the track 'Sylvia', written by Van Leer, which became a major hit in many countries including the UK, where it reached number 4. This single contains both tracks, which made number 9 in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 2950

Found: Record fair, Leiden, January 31, 1998

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Hocus pocus' / 'Sylvia'