Somewhere down the crazy river - Robbie Robertson

When asked about the inspiration for the song 'Somewhere down the crazy river', producer Daniel Lanois commented: 'Robbie Robertson was describing what it was like to hang out in Arkansas with Levon Helm in his old neighbourhood. He was telling me about the hot nights and fishing with dynamite, and was asking someone for directions for someplace somewhere down the crazy river... I had presented him with this toy instrument that Eno introduced me to called the Suzuki Omnichord, like an electric autoharp. He found a little chord sequence with it that was sweet and wonderful. As he was developing his chord sequence I recorded him and superimposed his storytelling, which I was secretly recording, on top. That was the birth of 'Somewhere down the crazy river.' It's kind of like a guy with a deep voice telling you about steaming nights in Arkansas.'

The song was released as a single and became notable as Robertson's only solo hit in the UK, reaching number 15 on the UK singles chart. In the Dutch Top 40, it did even better, peaking at number 9.

My collection: 7" single no. 1540
Found: Record fair, October 27, 1991
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Somewhere down the crazy river' / 'American roulette'

Mandy / Copacabana - Barry Manilow

I hate it when artists are labelled 'dodgy' or 'cheesy' when really there's no reason too. But that's exactly what happened to Barry Manilow during the Eighties. His hits in the Seventies were described as cliched and oldfashioned. When you listen to his two biggest hits now, you'll have to admit there's some nifty songwriting in there. And the performance is immaculate.

'Mandy' was originally a hit for Scott English in 1971. When Barry Manilow released his version three years later, it shot to number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100, whereas it reached number 11 in the UK singles chart. In 1977 he released 'Copacabana' (a number 8 hit in the USA, peaking at number 6 in the Dutch Top 40), a song so memorable it was later turned into a fullblown musical.

I'd been searching for the original single of 'Mandy' for years, and finally settled for this 'old gold' re-release.

My collection: 7" single no. 2325
Found: Record fair, June 3, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Mandy' / 'Copacabana'

Don't go - Yazoo

'Don't go' was the second single taken from Yazoo's debut album 'Upstairs at Eric's'. Alison Moyet and Vince Clarke achieved their breakthrough with this single, which became an instant Eighties classic after its release.

The single peaked at number 3 in the UK singles chart and reached number 2 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 153
Found: Studio Echo, 1982
Cost: 5,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Don't go' / 'Winter kills'

It's alright now - Beloved

After the success of their debut album 'Happiness', the Beloved pressed on with a remix album entitled 'Blissed out'. This remix album featured almost all the tracks from 'Happiness' in remixed form, with the addition of some previously unreleased instrumental tunes, and a remix of 'It's alright now'.

The 'regular' version of 'It's alright now' was released as a single to promote the album. The single failed to make the UK top 40, stalling at number 46 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2270
Found: Record fair, April 8, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'It's alright now' / 'Scarlet beautiful (Naked & foxy)'

I hope I never - Split Enz

'I hope I never' was taken from Split Enz's 1980 album 'True colours'. The single version is 40 seconds shorter than the album version. Like many of their records at the time, this single was released as a laser etched disc, although it was a limited edition; I've got a later, non-etched copy.

The single reached number 30 in the Dutch Top 40. Australian singer and songwriter Tina Arena recorded the song in 2008 with the London Studio Orchestra for her album 'Songs of love & loss 2' and changed the lyrics to reflect her gender.

My collection: 7" single no. 1523
Found: Record fair, September 21, 1991
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'I hope I never' / 'The choral sea'

Nothing in my way - Keane

When I listened to 'Under the iron sea', Keane's second album, for the first time, 'Nothing in my way' was one of the first songs to jump out of this new batch of songs. It was only right when this song was released as a single. Tim Rice-Oxley, who wrote the song, explains: 'The song's actually written about some people I know who are married, and their marriage was essentially just bringing a lot of misery to both of them, but for some reason they just refused to acknowledge it. I hate the idea of people being so much in denial that they're prepared to almost let their lives fall apart rather than acknowledge what's going on.'

The single became a modest hit, peaking at number 19 in the UK singles chart and number 20 in the Dutch Top 40. This 7" single is a numbered limited edition; this is number 2278.

My collection: 7" single no. 3575
Found: eBay.co.uk, received February 2, 2009
Cost: 3 pounds
Tracks: 'Nothing in my way' / 'Thin air'

Bird of paradise - Snowy White

Terence Charles White was born on March 3, 1948. He played guitar with the likes of Thin Lizzy (of which he was a member from 1979 to 1981) and Pink Floyd (in 1977 and 1980.

In 1983 he released his first solo album, 'White flames'. The album featured his biggest hit, 'Bird of paradise', the only single to be released from the album. It reached number 6 in both the UK singles chart and the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 424
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 29, 1986
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Bird of paradise' / 'The answer'