Obsession - Army of lovers

The Swedish trio Army of lovers formed in 1987. The three members, Alexander Bard, Jean-Pierre Barda and Camilla Henemark (a.k.a. La Camilla) had worked together previously in the band Barbie. Bard was the 'brain' behind the band, and La Camilla was the flamboyant frontwoman.

1991 was their most succesful year, with the release of 'Crucified', which became a worldwide hit, and its follow-up 'Obsession', the only single by the band that I wanted to own. The single reached number 1 in Finland, number 9 in the Netherlands and number 67 in the UK singles chart, but was also a hit in America and several other European countries.

My collection: 7" single no. 2135
Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, August 2, 1994
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Obsession' / 'Obsession (dub mix)'

Some like it hot - The Power Station

After Duran Duran's third album 'Seven and the ragged tiger', the members of the band split into two bands. One was Arcadia, which maintained the melodic and atmospheric aspects of the Duran Duran's previous recordings. The other was the Power Station, in which John and Andy Taylor worked with Robert Palmer, Tony Thompson, and Bernrd Edwards to create a rhythmic harder rock sound. Roger Taylor was mainly the drummer for Arcadia, but also contributed percussion to the Power Station.

The Power Station's debut single was 'Some like it hot', an aggressive-sounding single with soulful vocals by Robert Palmer. The single peaked at number 6 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 13 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 14 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 290
Found: LP Top 100, 1985
Cost: 5,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Some like it hot' / 'The heat is on'

Ik wil je nooit meer zien - Polle Eduard Band

Every now and again, there's a Dutch song on this blog and it is usually met with muted silence. Still, I'm always curious what foreign readers think of these songs. I don't buy the Dutch trash, it's usually the better pop songs that end up here.

'Ik wil je nooit meer zien' ('I never want to see you again') by the Polle Eduard Band is an example of Eighties pop that can certainly compete with international bands around at that time. The lyric is full of hate for an ex-lover. The single did not chart in the Netherlands - and not outside of the country either, obviously.

My collection: 7" single no. 982
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, August 29, 1989
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Ik wil je nooit meer zien' / 'Meiden van de nacht'

I feel love - Bronski Beat and Marc Almond

Entitled 'I feel love', this is actually a medley of three songs: 'Love to love you' and 'I feel love', originally by Donna Summer and 'Johnnie remember me', originally by Johnny Leyton. Bronski Beat invited Marc Almond to sing on their track. Although the original had been one of Marc Almond's all-time favourite songs, he had never read the lyrics and thus incorrectly sang 'What'll it be, what'll it be, you and me' instead of 'Falling free, falling free, falling free'.

The single was a success, peaking at number 3 in the UK singles chart and number 17 in the Dutch Top 40. The music video was a decidedly camp affair.

My collection: 7" single no. 2245
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 23, 1995
Cost: 1 guilders
Tracks: 'I feel love' / 'Puit d'amour'

Soundtrack to a generation - Human League

With the release of 'Heart like a wheel' the Human League seemed to have gotten things back on track. The album 'Romantic?', released a month later, reached number 24 in the UK albums chart, which wasn't particularly high, but it did warrant a second single release. Perhaps 'Soundtrack to a generation' wasn't the best choice, with its generic music score and the incidental exclamations of 'Holy cow!' by Sulley and Catherall.

After losing money on the single's promotion and its music video, Virgin Records ran out of patience with the Human league. There would be no further releases from 'Romantic?' and within a year the band would be dropped by the label.

My collection: 7" single no. 2509
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 30, 1995
Cost: 10p
Tracks: 'Soundtrack to a generation' / 'Soundtrack to a generation (instrumental)'

Opportunities (let's make lots of money) - Pet Shop Boys

After the original version of 'Opportunities' did not become a hit, Pet Shop Boys changed record companies and released the song once again, in a new version. It became their third hit single, after 'West end girls' (also a re-recorded version) and 'Love comes quickly'.

Accoring to Neil Tennant, the lyric of the song is about 'two losers'. The song is written from the perspective of a man who describes himself as being intellectual and educated. The lyrics are addressed towards another character, who is invited to join the song's protagonist in a scheme to 'make lots of money'. Tennant has made it clear, however, that the schemes are doomed to failure. The band have attributed the cynicism of the song, in part, to the punk rock attitudes of the period.

A notable change between the original and re-recorded versions of 'Opportunities' is the omission of the spoken outro 'All the love that we had / And the love that we hide / Who will bury us / When we die?' According to Tennant, the lyrics were removed from the second version of the song as the duo feared the passage would be construed as being 'too pretentious'.

My collection: 7" single no. 456
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, September 13, 1986
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Opportunities (Let's make lots of money)' / 'Was that what it was?'

Love like we do - Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians

Since my sister had bought the cd, I'd heard every track on the album 'Shooting rubberbands at the stars', the debut album by Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians. So when I saw this single during a holiday in London, I did not know it had been released, but I did know it was a nice track. And so I bought the single without blinking an eye.

'Love like we do' is another optimistic track from an already very optimistic album, and comes with a bonus non-album track. It was the third and last single from the album; it did not chart in the UK and Europe.

My collection: 7" single no. 1077
Found: HMV, London, October 19, 1989
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Love like we do' / 'Plain Jane'