Faith - George Michael

You don't hear it much on the radio nowadays, but George Michael's 'Faith' actually starts out with an organ intro, playing the Wham! song 'Freedom'. There were high expectations preceding the release of this solo single, since all of Michael's previous solo singles resulted in top three hits in the UK. This was the last single release before his debut album, also called 'Faith' saw the light of day one month later.

The single 'Faith' did not disappoint: it reached number 2 in the UK singles and topped the charts in Australia, Italy, New Zealand, the Netherlands and the USA.

My collection: 7" single no. 2452
Found: Record fair, September 2, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Faith' / 'Hand to mouth'

Hurts to be in love - Gino Vanelli

Gino Vanelli was born on June 16, 1952 in Montreal, Quebec. His career took off in the Seventies, when he signed to A&M Records, releasing his debut album in 1973. Although successful in Europe and America, Vanelli never had a hit in the UK.

He continued to be successful in the Eighties, with this ballad as a good example. 'Hurts to be in love' was released in December 1985 and reached number 6 in the Dutch Top 40. The single also reached number 57 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1410
Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, April 3, 1991
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Hurts to be in love' / 'Here she comes'

Last words - Ten Sharp

Ten Sharp were unable to release an album between 1985 and 1987, but they did release four singles on the CBS label. This one was the third and probably the best of them. 'Last words' was not a hit for the band, causing them to rethink their sound and come back in 1987 with a hardrock-esque track, 'Way of the west'.

The 12" single contains a good extended remix of 'Last words'.

My collection: 7" single no. 419
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, June 28, 1986
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Last words' / 'White gold'

Pump up the jam - Technotronic

I've always been a fan of songs with a beautiful melody and deep, meaningful lyrics. I like to be touched by music, feel the passion and the warmth of the artist in it, that's also why I have a lot of singer/songwriters in my record collection. But every now and again, I have to buy a record because it does not fit the profile.

In the autumn of 1989, I was suddenly grabbed by the nonsensical track 'Pump up the jam' by Belgian producers act Technotronic. I suddenly felt the desire to write down the lyrics and take it all in. Until you do that, there's no way to pin down the utter vacuousness of it all. In the end, I bought the single because I laughed so hard at the track. It has been a top 10 hit around the world. Used to be a time when one had to actually be able to compose to achieve that. But in 1989, all you had to do was say 'Pump up the jam / Pump it pump it pump it pump it'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1178
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, February 17, 1990
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Pump up the jam' / 'Pump up the jam (original mix)'

Sleeping satellite - Tasmin Archer

Although first released in 1992, Archer and her co-writers wrote 'Sleeping satellite' in the late Eighties, but it was only when Archer got a record deal that the song saw the light of day. Archer sings backing vocals on the track along with Tessa Niles and Carol Kenyon. Released on August 31, 1992, the single rose to the top of the chart in the UK, creating an instant media hype at the time.

The single was also a success in other countries. In the Netherlands, 'Sleeping satellite' became Archer's only chart hit, peaking at number 9 in November 1992.

My collection: 7" single no. 2482
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 29, 1995
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Sleeping satellite' / 'Sleeping satellite (acoustic version)'

Shadow on the wall - Mike Oldfield

'Shadow in the wall' by Mike Oldfield was taken from his 1983 album 'Crises'. Vocals on this track were performed by Roger Chapman, formerly from the band Streetwalkers. The single had an aggressive sound, very different from the biggest hit from the same album, 'Moonlight shadow'.

The single was a number 1 hit in Austria, reached number 10 in the Netherlands and stalled at number 95 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 218
Found: Studio Echo, Den Haag, 1983
Cost: 5,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Shadow on the wall' / 'Taurus 3'

What's in a kiss - Gilbert O'Sullivan

Gilbert O'Sullivan was born on December 1, 1946 in Waterford, Ireland. After scoring worldwide successes with songs like 'Alone again (naturally)' and 'Get down', he released the 1980 album 'Off centre', with 'What's in a kiss' as the first single from that album.

The single reached number 19 in the UK singles chart and number 21 in Japan. I got to know the song thanks to a compilation album released in the second half of the Eighties, and bought the single not long after that.

My collection: 7" single no. 846
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, May 27, 1989
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'What's in a kiss' / 'Down, down, down'