The touch - Kim Wilde

The second single from Kim Wilde's 1984 album 'Teases & dares', entitled 'The touch', didn't do much to restore her image in her native UK. She hadn't had a top 20 hit since 1982's 'View from a bridge', and this one didn't even make the top 50. Peaking at number 56, it qualified as a real disappointment.

Outside of the UK, things were not quite that problematic. The single reached number 20 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 29 in Germany. The single was also released as a shaped picture disc and featured for the first time a composition by Kim Wilde herself: 'Shangri-la' was included as the B-side track. Plus quite a lovely sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 252
Found: LP Top 100, 1984
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'The touch' / 'Shangri-la'

Woman - John Lennon

'Woman' was written by John Lennon as an ode to his wife Yoko Ono. In an interview for Rolling Stone magazine on December 5, 1980, Lennon said that 'Woman' was a 'grown-up version' of the song 'Girl'.

The song was released as the second single from Lennon's 'Double fantasy' album, and the first single released after his tragic death on December 8, 1980. It spent two weeks at number 1 in the UK singles chart and five weeks at number 1 in New Zealand. In the Netherlands, the single only managed to reach number 21, while in the US it reached number 2.

My collection: 7" single no. 2384
Found: House of Rhythm, London, July 1, 1995
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Woman' (John Lennon) / 'Beautiful boys' (Yoko Ono)

The sweetest taboo - Sade

Sade introduced her second album 'Promise' with this single, 'The sweetest taboo'. The track built on the sound that was laid down on her debut album 'Diamond life'. Although at first I was not convinced by this composition, it grew on me over the years.

The single peaked at number 31 in the UK singles chart, but did much better in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 5. In the Netherlands, 'The sweetest taboo' reached number 14. 'You're not the man' was a non-album track, although it was later included on the Compact Disc release of 'Promise'.

My collection: 7" single no. 340
Found: LP Top 100, 1985
Cost: 5,5 guilders
Tracks: 'The sweetest taboo' / 'You're not the man'

Nightshift - Commodores

Without Lionel Richie as their frontman, the Commodores soldiered on. They surprised everyone with this 1985 hit, 'Nightshift'. Written as a tribute to Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye, two musicians who died in 1984. The single reached number 3 in the UK singles chart and number 1 in the Netherlands - the only number 1 hit for the Commodores in this country.

'Nightshift' won a Grammy Award in 1985 for best R&B Performance by a duo or group with vocals.

My collection: 7" single no. 1722
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, October 3, 1992
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Nightshift' / 'I keep running'

One more try - George Michael

'One more try' was written by George Michael to express his unwillingness to return to a new relationship because he had been emotionally hurt so many times previously. The song concludes with temptation taking over, and Michael ends by singing the title of the song for the only time.

The song was released as the fourth single from George Michael's debut album 'Faith'. Despite the fact that the song clocks in at almost six minutes, it was still a hit in several countries. It peaked at number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100, number 4 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 8 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2453
Found: Record fair, September 2, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'One more try' / 'Look at your hands'

Lambada - Kaoma

The summer is almost over, so it's high time I would present this single, Kaoma's summer hit from 1989. It is kindof tricky, because this song is cheesier than a Gruyere these days. When I bought it, it was still fresh, although it was already clear that it was becoming a bigger hit than it should. Twenty years later, you will hear this song regularly whenever and wherever you don't want it.

In 1988 a French entrepreneur, Olivier Lamotte d'Incamps, visited Porto Seguro and discovered locals dancing the tightly syncopated lambada to a melody that turned out to be Bolivian. With a lot of publicity, d'Incamps originated a lambada dance craze, largely by promoting a European tour of Kaoma, a band formed from a Porto Seguro dance group Touré Kunda. He bought the musical rights of about 300 lambada songs. He went back to France, and created the Kaoma Band. They turned Lambada into a worldwide known style. When Kaoma recorded 'Lambada' in 1989, it became a worldwide hit, reaching number 1 in several countries including the Netherlands. However, the song was an unauthorized translation of the song 'Llorando se fue' (1982) from the Bolivian group Los K’jarkas. Due to the clear act of plagiarism, Los Kjarkas successfully sued Kaoma.

My collection: 7" single no. 1073
Found: HMV, London, October 19, 1989
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Lambada' / 'Lambada (instrumental)'

Around my heart - Sandra

'Around my heart' was released as the fourth single from Sandra's third album 'Into a secret land'. The song was written by Hubert Kemmler, Markus Lohr, Sör Otto's, Frank Peterson, Klaus Hirschburger and produced by Michael Cretu. The track was remixed for the single release.

The single peaked at number 6 in Israel, number 11 in Germany, number 19 in Switzerland, number 23 in Austria and number 28 in France. My copy of the single includes a biography of Sandra in Spanish.

My collection: 7" single no. 1778
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, October 25, 1992
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Around my heart' / 'Around my drums'