Neon City - Mistral

Another single, another singer. The studio band Mistral had a different singer for every single - although they were all released in 1978. 'Neon city' was the least futuristic-sounding of the three, while the vocals on this one were performed by Mariska Veres, who was like band member Robbie van Leeuwen formerly in Shocking Blue.

This single only made it to number 37 in the Dutch Top 40. Although Mistral released three further singles in 1980, this one was the last to reach the chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 3842
Found: Zeeheldenfestival, Den Haag, July 4, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Neon city' / 'Asphalt'

Tunnel of love - Fun Boy Three

Fun Boy Three released 'The tunnel of love' in 1983. It was a rather cynical song, bemoaning life and the twists and turns it takes. Despite this rather dark subject, the single made number 10 in the UK and peaked a number 25 in the Netherlands.

The single would be the trio's penultimate success in the UK, the rather more poppy 'Our lips are sealed' being the last.

My collection: 7" single no. 3834
Found: Zeeheldenfestival, Den Haag, July 4, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'The tunnel of love' / 'The lunacy legacy'

If I had words - Scott Fitzgerald and Yvonne Keeley

Before Scott Fitzgerald represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1988 with 'Go', he'd had one previous success, a decade earlier. Together with Yvonne Keeley and the St. Thomas Moore School Choir he performed 'If I had words', a song that topped the chart in the Netherlands and peaked at number 3 in the UK.

The music was taken from the main theme of the Maestoso from Saint-Saens Symphony No.3 in C minor (Organ Symphony) with an added reggae beat. The lyrics and arrangement were by Jonathan Hodge, a prolific writer of TV jingles and movie themes, who also produced the single.

My collection: 7" single no. 3838
Found: Zeeheldenfestival, Den Haag, July 4, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'If I had words' / 'This time of year'

Heaven on earth - Nathalie

Beautiful Belgian girl Nathalie had only one international hit - 'My love won't let you down' - but released a few more singles during the Eighties. The 1984 single 'Heaven on earth' was, like the hit single that preceded it, produced by Peter Godwin, a minor god of Eighties pop music.

Things become more interesting when you listen to the B-side, which is produced by 'Twilight'. It becomes rather obvious on that track that the girl can't really sing that well... But her looks are still, er, heaven on earth - as is obvious from the cover.

My collection: 7" single no. 3835
Found: Zeeheldenfestival, Den Haag, July 4, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Heaven on earth' / 'Cyclops dancer'

Lovers of a kind - Pussycat

After their success in the Seventies, the Dutch band Pussycat never really recovered during the Eighties. They only managed a few minor hits in the Netherlands. What's more, the band slimmed down to only four members, having originally started with eight.

'Lovers of a kind', a modern sounding song was their last hit in the Netherlands, reaching number 15 in February 1983.

My collection: 7" single no. 3840
Found: Zeeheldenfestival, Den Haag, July 4, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Lovers of a kind' / 'Closer to you'

Barracuda - Heart

'Barracuda' was released in 1977 as the first single from Heart's third album 'Little queen'. The song is an aggressive hard rock number notable for its galloping guitar riff. In interviews, Ann Wilson commented that the song was about the band's anger towards Mushroom Records, after they attempted a publicity stunt involving sisters Ann and Nancy and a made-up lesbian affair. The song particularly focuses on Ann's rage towards a man who came up to her after a concert asking how her 'lover' was. She initially thought he was talking about her then-boyfriend, band manager Michael Fisher. After he revealed he was talking about her sister Nancy Wilson, Ann became angry and went back to her hotel room to write the original lyrics of the song.

The single reached number 11 in the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, but wasn't such a success in Europe.

My collection: 7" single no. 3839
Found: Zeeheldenfestival, Den Haag, July 4, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Barracuda' / 'Cry to me'

Nobody does it better - Carly Simon

'Nobody does it better' was written by Carole Bayer Sager and composed by Marvin Hamlisch. Carly Simon recorded it as the theme song for the 1977 James Bond film 'The spy who loved me'. For the first time, the Bond theme song did not have the same title as the movie itself, although the phrase 'The spy who loved me' does appear in the lyric.

The single reached number 2 in the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, number 7 in the UK and a rather disappointing number 31 in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 3845
Found: Zeeheldenfestival, Den Haag, July 4, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Nobody does it better' / 'After the storm'