Zo gaat ons leven voorbij - Rob Meier

This is one very strange single. 'Zo gaat ons leven voorbij' ('And so our lives pass by') is a collection of short talks with several characters, including such immortal lines as 'Vreet maar uit je neus en je bent toch al zo vet' ('Eating out of your nose as if you're not fat enough').

So who's Rob Meier? Where did he come from? What did he do before and after this single? No-one really knows. There is no information about the man anywhere and the single itself did not chart in the Netherlands. All that remains is this rather strange single.


I do wonder what foreign readers make of this. Tell me your thoughts after hearing this...

My collection: 7" single no. 211
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1983
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Zo gaat ons leven voorbij' / 'Klaas is de baas'

Ich bin wie du - Marianne Rosenberg

Marianne Rosenberg was born on March 10, 1955 in Berlin, Germany. She is the fifth of seven children of Auschwitz survivor Otto Rosenberg, who was part Roma. At age fourteen, she won a talent show, after which she recorded her first single.

'Ich bin wie du' was released in late 1975, at the height of the disco craze. The single reached number 18 in Germany, but (amazingly) did better in the Netherlands, peaking at number 2 in early 1976. It has since become a disco classic.

My collection: 7" single no. 3128

Found: July 24, 1999

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Ich bin wie du' / 'Was kann ich tun'

I don't want to be a hero - Johnny hates Jazz

'I don't want to be a hero' was the second hit single for Johnny hates Jazz. The song has a strong anti-war sentiment and is written from the perspective of a soldier who is questioning their participation in what they consider an unjust war. The band's American record company were reluctant to release the single in the U.S. because of its anti-war stance.

Still, it was released in the US and peaked at number 31 in the Billboard Hot 100. Meanwhile, the single peaked at number 11 in the UK singles chart and number 25 in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 1474

Found: Record exchange, London, June 30, 1991

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'I don't want to be a hero' / 'The cage'

Maybe tomorrow, maybe tonight - Earth and Fire

While Jerney Kaagman is best known in the Netherlands for the static expression on her face thanks to an overkill of botox treatments these days, she used to be the singer in a successful Dutch band called Earth & Fire. The group started out in the early Seventies as a progressive rock outfit, tending more towards pop as the Eighties came along.

'Maybe tomorrow, maybe tonight' was released in 1973 and shows a successful blend of the two genres. Slightly bombastic but very effective, this single peaked at number 3 in the Dutch Top 40 in April 1973.

My collection: 7" single no. 1138
Found: All that music, Leiden, December 28, 1989
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Maybe tomorrow, maybe tonight' / 'Theme from Atlantis'

Why do I always get it wrong - Live report

Live Report was originally called Midnight Blue and was formed by Ray Caruana, John Beeby, Brian Hodgson and Maggie Jay. Their moment of fame came in 1989 when they participated in the Eurovision Song Contest, representing the UK. Their song 'Why do I always get it wrong' finished second in the Contest, behind one of the worst winners in the history of the Contest: 'Rock me' by Riva.

I still rate this as one of the UK's best songs for Eurovision ever. Strangely enough, the citizens of the UK don't agree. The single only landed in the UK singles chart for one week, at number 73.

My collection: 7" single no. 839

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, May 27, 1989

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Why do I always get it wrong' / 'Take a chance on me'

The eve of the war - Jeff Wayne

Jeff Wayne was born on July 1, 1943. He turned to music after finishing his academic studies. In 1966, his father Jerry Wayne offered him the opportunity to score the West End musical 'Two cities'. Then Jeff produced David Essex's album 'Rock on'.

After working on his project for a long time, 1978 saw the release of the double album 'Jeff Wayne's musical version of The War of the Worlds'. 'The eve of the war' was released as its first single, achieving a lot of success in various countries. In the Netherlands, the single peaked at number 3. The version of the single is very different from the one on the album.

My collection: 7" single no. 413

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1986

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'The eve of the war' / 'The red weed'

In the name of love - Thompson Twins

Thompson Twins formed in 1977. The original line-up consisted of Tom Bailey, Pete Dodd, John Roog and Jon Podgorski. By 1981, Podgorski had left and three new members had joined: Chris Bell, former band roadie Joe Leeway and Jane Shorter. After their debut album, Shorter left, to be replaced by Alannah Currie. The band then signed to Arista Records and released their second album 'Set'.

From this album, the single 'In the name of love' was taken. Although the single did not chart in the UK, it was a top 40 hit in the Netherlands, peaking at number 27. This edition, made in Germany, was pressed on red vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 295

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'In the name of love (edit remix)' / 'In the beginning'