Twenty four hours - Athlete

Released as the fourth and final single from Athlete's 2005 album 'Tourist', 'Twenty four hours' was a real treat for fans. The cd-single featured two new tracks, whereas the 7" single, released as a picture disc, featured one of those new tracks plus another new track exclusive to the 7" format.

The single peaked at number 42 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 3418
Found: HMV mail order, received November 2005
Cost: 3 pounds
Tracks: 'Twenty four hours' / 'Stand in the sun', 'Before tomorrow'

Saturday night - The Blue Nile

Although the Blue Nile released their second album 'Hats' in the autumn of 1989, the sticker on the back of this single states that 'Saturday night', the third single from that album, was released on January 7, 1991. But then, the Blue Niles were always a bit slower than the average pop band.

Two weeks later, the single entered the UK singles chart and reached number 50 during a 2 week chart run. It was the last anyone heard from the band, until they returned with 'Peace at last', their third album. When? Well, in 1996.

My collection: 7" single no. 2191
Found: Record Exchange, London, September 29, 1994
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Saturday night (edit)' / 'Saturday night (album version)'

The river - Bruce Springsteen

'The river' was written by Bruce Springsteen right after he'd completed an album that was to be titled 'The ties that bind'. The imagery of the chorus and the end of the song were inspired by lines from Hank Williams' 1950 hit, 'Long gone lonesome blues'. When this song came up, Springsteen decided to write several others with a similarly darker feel, and eventually released a double album entitled 'The river' in 1980.

Released as a single, it reached number 12 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 35 in the UK singles chart. It remains one of Springsteen's signature songs.

My collection: 7" single no. 2691
Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, July 3, 1996
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'The river' / 'Independence day'

Nooduitgang (live) - Het Goede Doel

Het Goede Doel released a live version of their song 'Nooduitgang' ('Emergency exit') in 1987. Their album 'Mooi en onverslijtbaar' and its associated singles sold rather well, but the release of a live album was imminent, and so this single was released to promote it. Band member Sander van Herk wrote a piece on the history of the band in 2001 in a booklet for a 4cd box set and confessed that the track on the single was played live, but the audience participation was mixed in.

The record buying public was unaware of this, and the single reached number 25 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 3769
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received June 3, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Nooduitgang (live)' / 'The sonic ranger rides again'

We'll be together - Sandra

Released in November 1988, 'We'll be together' was the third single taken from Sandra's third album 'Into a secret land'. For the first time ever, this song was co-written by Sandra herself. The single reached number 9 in the German singles chart.

When I bought this single, it came with a Spanish promotional sheet. Printed in colour, the front of the A4 paper features the album cover and the back features a biography, written in Spanish.

My collection: 7" single no. 1777
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, October 25, 1992
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'We'll be together' / 'It means forever'

Sign your name - Terence Trent d'Arby

Although I hated the first few singles by Terence Trent d'Arby, I had to admit that 'Sign your name' was actually a very good ballad. It was taken from his debut album 'Introducing the hardline according to Terence Trent d'Arby', released in 1987.

It was a big hit in countries around the world, peaking at number 2 in the UK singles chart and the Dutch Top 40, and number 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100.

My collection: 7" single no. 1331
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1990
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Sign your name' / 'Greasy chicken'

To turn the stone - Frida

'To turn the stone' was the second single taken from Frida's 1982 album 'Something's going on'. It was considerably less successful than the previous one, 'I know there's something going on', which reached the charts all over Europe.

'To turn the stone' only managed to reach number 39 in the German singles chart and flopped everywhere else. As a result, no further singles were taken from the album.

My collection: 7" single no. 160
Found: Studio Echo, Den Haag, 1982
Cost: 5,5 guilders
Tracks: 'To turn the stone' / 'I got something'