True Faith - New Order

New Order wrote and recorded 'True Faith' and '1963' during a 10-day studio session with producer Stephen Hague. The two songs were written as new material for New Order's first singles compilation album, 'Substance 1987'. After the two songs were recorded, the band's US management decided that 'True Faith' was the stronger track and would be released as the new single, with '1963' as the B-side.

As is the case for many New Order songs, the words in the title do not appear anywhere in the lyrics. The song is about Ecstacy. This is more obvious in the original lyrics, which contain the line, 'They're all taking drugs with me', in place of, 'They're afraid of what they see.' The line was changed at the last minute due to pressure from label executives, but the original line is often used when the band performs the song live.

The single peaked at number 4 in the UK, but did not chart in the Netherlands. I mainly remembered it because of the bizarre music video. In it bizarrely costumed dancers leap about, fight and slap each other in time to the music; while a girl in dark green makeup emerges from an upside down boxer's speed bag and signs the lyrics.

My collection: 7" single no. 918

Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 25, 1989

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'True faith' / '1963'

Go - Scott Fitzgerald

Scott Fitzgerald was born as William McPhail in Glasgow, Scotland on April 28, 1948. He represented the UK in the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Go', written by Julie Forsyth, a former member of singing group Guys & Dolls. Scott lost the contest, by one point, to Switzerland's entry performed by Celine Dion.

'Go' is still the better song of the two: a heartfelt rendition instead of the plastic, cold and emotionless voice of Dion. The Contest juries were once again failing.

My collection: 7" single no. 796

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, April 15, 1989

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Go' / 'Love don't live here anymore'

Everybody's changing - Keane

After Keane had hit it big with 'Somewhere only we know' in 2004, they had the major task of following the single up with something equally successful. They succeeded: 'Everybody's changing' peaked at number 4 in the UK singles chart while reaching number 18 in the Netherlands.

I had actually sortof stopped buying 7" singles during that year, so when I decided to revitalise my collection last year I had to start finding those old Keane singles. I bought a whole bunch of them from an online dealer. This single was released as a limited numbered edition. This is number 28.

My collection: 7" single no. 3488
Found: eBay, received December 20, 2008
Cost: 3 pounds
Tracks: 'Everybody's changing' / 'Fly to me'

Gravitate to me - The The

When it was decided that 'Gravitate to me' would be a single from The The's album 'Mind bomb', I imagine that it was a wise decision to edit the track down. The album version takes up all of eight minutes, while the 'little version' on this single is just over half that length.

Unfortunately, it didn't help matters much: the single only reached number 63 in the UK, which was a disappointment after 'The beat(en) generation' had been a top 20 hit.

My collection: 7" single no. 1007

Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1989

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Gravitate to me (little version)' / 'The violence of truth'

I need love - LL Cool J

Hip hop will always be a genre dominated by people who feel the need to use a lot of words to say... well... nothing. It doesn't happen very often - well, once every decade on average as far as I know - that I actually like a hip hop record. LL Cool J released 'I need love' in 1987 and took care of the Eighties for me.

The idea of making a rap about a troubled lovelife in a kindof ballad setting was pretty good I have to admit. He was rewarded with chart placings around the word, reaching number 8 in the UK and number 3 in the Netherlands. Just forget about all the other rubbish he's made since then. (And yes, the B-side of this single is very bad as well.)

My collection: 7" single no. 566

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1987

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'I need love' / 'My rhyme ain't done'

So lang' man träume noch leben kann - Münchener Freiheit

'So lang' man träume noch leben kann' is a fine piece of orchestral pop, performed by Münchener Freiheit with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Jackson Singers. In the English-speaking world this track is better known as 'Keeping the dream alive', but this German version was recorded for their home turf.

The single was recorded in three separate location, the back of the sleeve reveals: Münchener Freiheit were recorded in Weryton Studios in Cologne, the Jackson Singers were recorded at Far Music-Studio in Rosbach and the London Symphony Orchestra, led by Andrew Powell, were recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London.

My collection: 7" single no. 3275

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 11, 2000

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'So lang' man träume noch leben kann' / 'So lang' man träume noch leben kann (instrumental version)'

New frontier - Donald Fagen

I was quick to discard Donald Fagen's single 'New frontier' as boring when it was released in 1983. Just like previous single 'I.G.Y.', I couldn't appreciate the subtle sound of this track. Chances are, I was simply to young to appreciate it.

I had to chance my point of view a decade later, when the music video (which strangely enough can not be found on YouTube) appeared regularly on MTV for some reason. I quite like the track now.

My collection: 7" single no. 2285
Found: May 6, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'New frontier (edit)' / 'Maxine'