It hurts - The Lotus Eaters

'It hurts' was the last hit single for the Lotus Eaters - although this is stretching the term 'hit' a little. Released in1985, it reached number 87 in the UK. The track was taken from their album 'No sense of sin' (1984), which flopped in the UK, but got a significant cult following in Japan and the Philippines.

The band toured extensively through Japan, despite arguments with their record company in that country.

My collection: 7" single no. 1287
Found: All that music, Leiden, August 31, 1990
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'It hurts' / 'The evidence'

Sebastian - Cockney Rebel

Steve Harley was born on February 27, 1951 in London, where he grew up as well. His career in music started in the late Sixties when he was busking and performing his own songs. The original version of Cockney Rebel was formed when he and John Crocker met up in 1972 and auditioned additional members Stuart Elliott, Paul Jeffreys and Milton Reame-James. After just five gigs they were signed to EMI Records.

Their debut single was the impressive 'Sebastian', recorded with a full choir and orchestra. While not a hit in the UK, it reached number 2 in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 310
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 1985
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Sebastian' / 'Rock and roll parade'

Menage a trois - K-Ram

I didn't realise this at the time, but the single 'Menage a trois' by K-Ram sounds a lot like the early singles by Wham!. It didn't help them a lot, because the single flopped in the UK. Surprisingly though, it was a hit in the Netherlands, peaking at number 28. The music video appeared regularly on Music Box and Sky Channel, the European satellite channels who were broadcasting videos at the time.

Singer Amanda Redington subsequently worked as a VJ on Music Box and got involved with Dutch singer/songwriter Frank Boeijen. They were together for a few years, which is more than we can say for K-Ram: they disappeared without a trace.

My collection: 7" single no. 2819
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, February 1, 1997
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'menage a trois' / 'Menage a trois (instrumental)'

Amoureuse - Kiki Dee

Kiki Dee was born as Pauline Matthews on March 6, 1947 in Little Horton, Bradford (UK). In the days before BBC Radio 1, Dee was a regular performer of cover versions on BBC Radio, and she starred with a group of session singers in the BBC Two singalong series One More Time.

Nevertheless, it was only after she signed with Elton John's Rocket Records that she became a household name in the UK. Her first hit was the song 'Amoureuse', written by Véronique Sanson with English lyrics by Gary Osborne. Released in November 1973, it peaked at number 13 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2088
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, March 30, 1994
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Amoureuse' / 'Rest my head'

Fire - Ohio Players

'Fire' was released from the Ohio Players' album of the same name, both released in 1975. The single peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 9 in the Dutch Top 40. The song was recorded at Mercury Record's Chicago-based studio. While performing it in California, the band let Stevie Wonder hear the basic track for the song and he predicted that it would become a big hit.

I bought this single as a gamble. Later on I found out that I was acually looking for the 1968 hit 'Fire' by the Crazy world of Arthur Brown.

My collection: 7" single no. 2855

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, June 21, 1997

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Fire' / 'Together'

Nobody wins - Elton John

'Nobody wins' was a track on Elton John's 1981 album 'The fox'. The album was recorded partly during sessions for Elton's previous album '21 at 33' (1980). The track was not written as usual by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, but by Jean-Paul Dreau and Gary Osborne.

The single was a modest hit, reaching number 42 in the UK and number 31 in the Netherlands. Elton John actually said during a concert at Leeds Castle in 1999 that the album "went 'cardboard' in England", a sarcastic remark on how badly it had been received there.

My collection: 7" single no. 923
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 25, 1989
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Nobody wins' / 'Fools in fashion'

Zwijgen - Het Goede Doel

Released as the third single from the band's 1986 album 'Mooi en onverslijtbaar', het Goede Doel scored the biggest hit from this album with 'Zwijgen'. The single peaked at number 17 in the Dutch Top 40 in the autumn of 1986.

In the song, the protagonist says that he could say that he loves a woman, and everything he wants to do with her, but 'it's better to stay silent'.

My collection: 7" single no. 3768

Found: Marktplaats.nl, received June 3, 2009

Cost: 1 euro

Tracks: 'Zwijgen' / 'Atoombom'