Lost again - Yello

At only twelve, I was getting into electronic music really fast. I was aided somewhat by my sister, who is six years older than me and was already buying loads of singles. That is how I heard 'Lost again' (1983) by Yello, a mysterious-sounding track that, although it did not chart, ended up high in my personal top 100.

As I grew older, I had trouble finding the single. I was jealous as hell when my sister came home in 1985 with a double single of this track - but fortunately, she was willing to part with her original copy, and so I ended up owning this single anyway.

My collection: 7" single no. 369
Found: at home
Cost: - (present)
Tracks: 'Lost again' / 'Pumping velvet'

Thanks for the love - Earth and Fire

'Thanks for the love' was another hit single for the Dutch band Earth & Fire. It reached number 8 in the Dutch Top 40.

The B-side is an interesting one: it contains excerpts of the band's album 'To the world of the future', released a year earlier. The voice-over, Radio Veronica's DJ Lex Harding, explains that 'too few people know this album' and that the band 'has worked a half year on the album'. Back then, that was pretty impressive. These days bands need years of course...

My collection: 7" single no. 1371
Found: Concerto, Amsterdam, January 3, 1991
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Thanks for the love' / 'Excerpts from 'To the world of the future''

I owe you nothing - Bros

Originally released as their debut single in 1987, 'I owe you nothing' flopped. After the success of their breakthrough single 'When will I be famous?' it was re-released. It was accepted by the teenage audience as Bros mania was at its height. The single became the band's only UK number one, spending two weeks at the top in June 1988.

While the band ever broke through in America, the single did make number 10 on the Billboard dance chart. The single was also released as a lengthy 18 minute dance mix on a special 12" single.

My collection: 7" single no. 1032
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1989
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'I owe you nothing' / 'I owe you nothing (The voice)'

Ship of fools - World Party

World Party was essentially the project of Karl Wallinger, as he was the sole member of the band. The debut album 'Private revolution' was released in 1986 and contained the debut single 'Ship of fools', a retro-sounding track like most of the work on that album. The single reached number 42 in the UK singles chart and number 35 in the Dutch Top 40.

A 'Ship of fools' is actually an allegory that is a fixture in Western literature and art. The allegory depicts a vessel populated by human inhabitants who are deranged, frivolous, or oblivious, passengers aboard a ship without a pilot, and seemingly ignorant of their own direction.

My collection: 7" single no. 530
Found: Free Record Shop, 1987
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Ship of fools' / 'World groove (Do the mind guerrilla)'

Word up! - Cameo

'Word up!' was released by Cameo as a single from their 1986 album of the same name. The single peaked at number 6 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 3 in the UK singles chart and number 10 in the Dutch Top 40.

In more recent years, the single has been covered by bands like Gun and Korn and former Spice Girl Melanie Brown.

My collection: 7" single no. 2423
Found: July 22, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Word up!' / 'Urban warrior'

Free your mind - En Vogue

'Free your mind' was released after the uprising that took place in Los Angeles, California from April 29 to May 4, 1992 following the acquittal of the police officers who had beaten up Rodney King. The song used the chorus line of a George Clinton song with his permission.

The track was taken from En Vogue's 1992 album 'Funky Divas'. It peaked at number 18 in the US Billboard Hot 100, number 16 in the UK singles chart and number 7 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1789
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, November 14, 1992
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Free your mind' / 'Giving him something he can feel'

You stole a little piece of my heart - Patty Brard

After leaving Luv', Patty Brard had a solo career in the first half of the Eighties. She recorded three albums in Los Angeles, of which 'You're in the pocket' (1983) was the second one. The single 'You stole a little piece of my heart' was an unusually hardrock-sounding track, released as the first single from that album.

The single did not chart, like most of her other singles. Still, it is an impressive popsong, even if Brard herself is an extremely irritating person these days.

My collection: 7" single no. 213
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1983
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'You stole a little piece of my heart' / 'Just a tease'