Sit and wait - Sydney Youngblood

'Sit and wait' was Sydney Youngblood's second single, taken from his debut album 'Feeling free'. Written by Ralf Hamm, Mike Staab, Sydney Youngblood and Claus Zundel, it was another dance song with a catchy hook.

The single became a success in Europe, peaking at number 2 in Austria, Germany and Sweden, number 6 in Switzerland and the Netherlands. It was only less successful in the UK (where it peaked at number 16), Ireland (15) and France (number 21).

My collection: 7" single no. 1141
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, January 6, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Sit and wait' / 'Feeling free' (duet with Elaine Hudson)

Dear sir - Mice

With the album 'Because I can' making the Indie Top Ten, things were looking up for Mice. A third single was released from the album: 'Dear sir', released as a cd-single and a 7" vinyl single pressed on orange vinyl.

Then, disaster struck: Permanent Records went out of business in 1997, shortly after the release of 'Dear sir', prompting one fan to remark: 'it turned out to be Temporary Records'. The single was not promoted, nor could it be replaced after it sold out. It marked the end of Mice, and frontwoman Julianne Regan pursued other musical interests.

My collection: 7" single no. 2739
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 21, 1996
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Dear sir' / 'Pyjamadrama'

Promises promises - Naked Eyes

There's no mistaking the sound of producer Tony Mansfield on this single. It might well have been a New Musik track. Instead, it's Naked Eyes, with their second hit single 'Promises promises' (1983). At least, it was a hit single in the USA, where it peaked at number 11. Oddly enough, the British duo didn't manage to have a hit with this in their own country.

The B-side features an early version of '(What) In the name of love', a track they would release as a single in 1984.

My collection: 7" single no. 2131
Found: Record Palace, Amsterdam, July 30, 1994
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Promises promises' / 'In the name of love'

Sweet harmony - The Beloved

'Sweet harmony' was the Beloved's biggest hit. It peaked at number 8 in the UK and even landed in the charts in Europe, peaking at number 22 in the Netherlands.

The song gained notoriety for its music video, which some considered to be controversial. It consisted of a naked Jon Marsh and a bevy of other equally naked females - including Tess Daly - lipsynching the lyrics. In an interview, Marsh pointed out that the video was 'not intended to be sexual' and was 'as A-sexual as you can get'. The video is supposed to represent unity between humans.

My collection: 7" single no. 1927
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, June 8, 1993
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Sweet harmony' / 'Motivation (Energised)'

Real love - Jody Watley

In the spring of 1989, Jody Watley released her second album, 'Larger than life'. She co-wrote 11 of the album's 12 songs. The first single release, 'Real love", sold over 500,000 copies in the USA alone and was certified gold. It reached number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

In the UK, people were less impressed, as it only made number 31 there. In the Netherlands, the single peaked at number 19.

My collection: 7" single no. 949
Found: V&D, Den Haag, July 21, 1989
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Real love' / 'Real love (instrumental)'

Woman in chains - Tears for Fears featuring Oleta Adams

After the release of Tears for Fears' compilation album 'Tears roll down: Greatest hits 82-92' in 1992, their 1989 single 'Woman in chains' was re-released in the UK. By that time, Oleta Adams, who was virtually unknown at the time of the original release, had become a famous singer in her own right, so this single was actually credited to 'Tears for Fears featuring Oleta Adams'. The record company even went so far to include the other album track from 'The seeds of love' (1989) featuring Adams on the B-side.

While the original release reached number 26 in the UK singles chart, this re-release only managed to scrape in at number 57, and then dropped of the chart again the next week.

My collection: 7" single no. 2843
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 5, 1997
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Woman in chains' / 'Badman's song'

Sunny - Boney M

'Sunny' was originally written and performed by Bobby Hebb in 1966. It was covered by Boney M in 1976, and released as a single from their debut album 'Take the heat off me', following their breakthrough single 'Daddy cool'. Hebb himself released a disco version of the song, also in 1976, and had minor success on Billboard's R&B chart.

Boney M's version topped the charts in Germany and the Netherlands and reached number 3 in the UK. The track was remixed in 1988 and 1999, but when released as singles they didn't have the same amount of success. While Liz Mitchell sang the original lead vocals on Boney M.'s version, original member Maizie Williams recorded a solo version in 2006.

My collection: 7" single no. 183
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1982
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Sunny' / 'New York City'