Woman in chains - Tears for Fears

'Woman in chains' was the second single from Tears for Fears' 1989 album 'The seeds of love'. Band members Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith discovered Oleta Adams while she was singing in a seedy bar somewhere in America. They decided that she had to work with them on the album, and 'Woman in chains' was one of two tracks on which she appeared. The track features Phil Collins on drums.

Roland Orzabal explained about the lyric: 'The song is also about how men traditionally play down the feminine side of their characters and how both men and women suffer for it.... I think men in a patriarchal society are sold down the river a bit - okay, maybe we're told that we're in control but there are also a hell of a lot of things that we miss out on, which women are allowed to be.' The single peaked at number 26 in the UK singles chart and number 12 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1115
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, November 17, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Woman in chains' / 'Always in the past'

In 't leven - Het Goede Doel

'In 't leven' ('In life') was the debut single of Het Goede Doel, a Dutch band formed by Henk Temming and Henk Westbroek. The lyric of the song described a one night stand, initiated by a woman who was interested in love nor money. The singer finds himself smelling the sweat of her body when he's eating a sandwich a few days later.

The single did not chart in the Dutch Top 40, despite repeated airplay in 1982, when it was released. Things turned out alright for the band: they would have a dozen hit singles during the Eighties.

My collection: 7" single no. 3761
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received June 3, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'In 't leven' / 'Alleen'

Same old story - Ultravox

Released in September 1986, 'Same old story' was the first single from Ultravox's final album in the classic line-up with Midge Ure, 'U-vox'. The band moved away from their previous synth-based pop songs and showcased a more rock-oriented sound on this single.

The single wasn't a big hit for the band, peaking at number 31 in the UK singles chart. This limited edition version of the single is a nice item: the outer pvc sleeve has stripes on it, with which you can make the inner sleeve 'invisible', i.e. just a green square and no letters.

My collection: 7" single no. 2457
Found: Record fair, September 9, 1995
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Same old story' / '3'

The downtown lights - The Blue Nile

In 1989, the Scottish band The Blue Nile released their second album after five years of absence from the music scene. It was accepted by music critics with rave reviews, including a rare five-star rating from the UK's Q magazine.

The lead single from the album was 'The downtown lights', one of the few up-tempo tracks from the album. For the first time, the band reached the UK singles chart at number 67 during a one week chart run. The track was later covered by Annie Lennox on her second album 'Medusa'.

My collection: 7" single no. 990
Found: Tower Records, London, October 16, 1989
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'The downtown lights' / 'The wires are down'

Together forever - Rick Astley

'Together forever' was the fourth single from Rick Astley's debut album 'Whenever you need somebody'. The track was remixed for the single by Pete Hammond.

The single reached number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and number 2 in the UK singles chart. In the Netherlands, the single reached number 12.

My collection: 7" single no. 2445
Found: September 2, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Together forever (Lover's leap remix)' / 'I'll never set you free'

I've got you under my skin - Neneh Cherry

In 1990, the album 'Red Hot and Blue' was released in order to raise funds for AIDS research. Twenty artists contributed cover versions of Cole Porter songs to the album. Neneh Cherry's version of 'I've got you under my skin' was released as the lead single from the album.

She did a rather creative cover version of the track, with some added raps and lyrics, a strong bassline and a little less melody. Still, the track stands up well. The single reached number 25 in the UK singles chart and number 14 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2136
Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, August 2, 1994
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'I've got you under my skin' / 'I've got you under my skin (instrumental)'

Get on your feet - Gloria Estefan

Such is the nature of my record collection, that I sometimes buy a single I moderately like when the limited edition version is attractive enough. This single came in a foldout box set with four postcards. The price was right, so I bought it.

'Get on your feet' is taken from Gloria Estefan's album 'Cuts both ways'. The single peaked at number 23 in the UK singles chart and number 12 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2909
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 31, 1997
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Get on your feet' / '1, 2, 3 (live)'