More than a feeling - Boston

The American rock band Boston released their self-titled debut album in 1976. It was an instant success. The album's biggest hit was 'More than a feeling', a song that has since become a rock classic. The song took writer Tom Scholz five years to complete. He cited 'Walk away Renee' by the Left Banke as the song's main inspiration.

'More than a feeling' reached number 22 in the UK singles chart and number 11 in the Dutch Top 40. This single is a re-release, also featuring the later hit 'Don't look back'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1369
Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, January 3, 1991
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'More than a feeling' / 'Don't look back'

Sign of the times - Belle Stars

Only this year I bought the 12" single of 'Sign of the times' by the Belle Stars, but I've had the 7" single for years. I bought my copy during a holiday in London 16 years ago - and then again a few years later as I'd forgotten I already had it.

The song borrows loosely from Sixties Motown tracks, but sounds very Eighties production-wise. The single peaked at number 3 in the UK and the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 2025
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 19, 1993
Cost: 80p
Tracks: 'Sign of the times' / 'Madness'

Atlantic - Keane

'Atlantic' is a track from Keane's second album 'Under the iron sea', released in 2006. This one-sided vinyl 7" single was released in a numbered limited edition of 1000 copies (this is number 34) in a boxed set together with the first single taken from that album, 'Is it any wonder'. 'Atlantic' was promoted with a music video before the album was released, but it wasn't released as a single commercially.

My collection: 7" single no. 3489
Found: eBay.co.uk, received December 20, 2008
Cost: 4 pounds
Tracks: 'Atlantic'

Malaika - Boney M

Malaika means 'Angel' in Swahili. The song was first recorded by Kenyan musician Fadhili William and his band Jambo Boys in 1960. In 1981, the song was covered by Boney M for their album 'Boonoonoonoos'. The single reached number 13 in the German charts and number 20 in the Dutch Top 40.

These lower placings were a first sign of Boney M's popularity decreasing. In the Netherlands, they would never reach the top 20 again (except for a Megamix released in 1993, which reached number 13).

My collection: 7" single no. 86
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1981
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Malaika' / 'Consuela Biaz'

Tainted love 91 - Soft Cell

In 1991, the compilation album 'Memorabilia' was released, featuring the biggest hits by Soft Cell and Marc Almond. There was one problem: some of the tracks were remixes and re-recordings. Soft Cell's 'Tainted love', for instance, was slightly remixed - a version that would later reappear on less well documented Eighties compilation albums.

This 91 version of 'Tainted love' still became a hit in the UK, peaking at number 5, whereas the original version had been a charttopper.

My collection: 7" single no. 3312
Found: Record fair, February 24, 2001
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Tainted love 91' / 'Where the heart is'

Find a way - Amy Grant

Amy Grant had just earned the title 'Queen of Christian Pop' in her native USA when she changed direction and started recording secular albums. She wanted to become as successful in the mainstream as she had been in Christian circles. Her 1985 album 'Unguarded' was an album not very different from other artists production-wise, but the fact that her lyrics were no longer riddled with references to Jesus, God and the Bible shocked her fanbase.

'Find a way' was a single from this album and it became a hit in America. She didn't cross over to Europe yet (it would take her a few more years to do that), but this single is a promotional copy made in England. Proof that A&M Records were already trying hard to try and make her a star in the UK too.

My collection: 7" single no. 2396
Found: London, July 6, 1995
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Find a way' / 'It's not a song'

Hello - The Beloved

Taken from their 1990 album 'Happiness', 'Hello' was the second hit single for the Beloved, peaking at number 19 in the UK singles chart. It was released in a limited edition 7" single box set, including three square postcards.

As well as the names of some the band members' friends, the song mentions a number of famous people, chosen to loosely fit a "saints and sinners" theme. In alphabetical order, the people listed in the song are: Jeffrey Archer (politician and novelist), Fred Astaire, Bobby Ball (comedian), Charlie Brown, Tommy Cannon (comedian), Billy Corkhill (soap opera character), Leslie Crowther (TV presenter), "Freddie" Flintstone, Paris Grey (singer), Brian Hayes (broadcaster), Vince Hilaire (footballer), Barry Humphries, The LSO, Kym Mazelle (singer), Mork and Mindy, Little Nell, Charlie Parker, Andre Previn, Little Richard, Salman Rushdie, Jean Paul Sartre, The Supremes ("Mary Wilson, Di and Flo"), William Tell, Sir Bufton Tufton, Desmond Tutu, Willy Wonka, Zippy and Bungle (TV characters). There are also references to "Peter" and "Paul", presumably the Christian apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Kym Mazelle, who's mentioned in the song, actually sings backing vocals on it.

My collection: 7" single no. 2771
Found: London, October 30, 1996
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Hello' / 'Hello (Dolly)'