'Lolly lolly' was the second single released from Wendy & Lisa's second album 'Fruit at the bottom' (1989). The single was remixed by their former employer Prince, who made the track sound bouncier and funkier than on the album.
Despite his efforts, the single was only a minor hit in the UK, peaking at number 64. However, in the Netherlands 'Lolly lolly' shot to number 8.
My collection: 7" single no. 936 Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, July 7, 1989 Cost: 6 guilders Tracks: 'Lolly lolly' / 'Hip hop love'
Back in 1984, while I was constantly watching television to see music videos, I got to know the duo Naked Eyes thanks to their video of '(What) In the name of love'. They were unknown in the Netherlands, but in the UK - where Music Box was based - they already had one hit under their belt with 'Always something there to remind me'.
It took me years to find this single, but I finally did in 1995. What a relief! It was not a hit for Naked Eyes, even though the music video was a regular on television in the summer of 1984.
My collection: 7" single no. 2431 Found: August 19, 1995 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: '(What) In the name of love' / 'Two heads together'
Yazoo released their second album 'You and me both' in 1982, and 'The other side of love' was the first single taken from that album. It was an uptempo song with a strong synth hook. Alison Moyet's soulful vocals completed the package.
While the album reached the top of the UK albums chart, the single stalled just outside the top 10, peaking at number 13. It's an energetic sort of song that has stood the test of time.
My collection: 7" single no. 177 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1982 Cost: 3,5 guilders Tracks: 'The other side of love' / 'Ode to boy'
Duran Duran was chosen to do the theme song of the 1984 James Bond movie 'A view to a kill' after bassist John Taylor (a lifelong Bond fan) approached producer Cubby Broccoli at a party and asked: 'When are you going to get someone decent to do one of your theme songs?'. As a result, the band was introduced to Bond composer John Barry. Simon le Bon comments: 'He didn't really come up with any of the basic musical ideas. He heard what we came up with and he put them into an order. And that's why it happened so quickly because he was able to separate the good ideas from the bad ones, and he arranged them.'
The song was completed in April, and was released worldwide in May 1984. It was the last track that the original five members of Duran Duran recorded together until their reunion sixteen years later, in 2001.
My collection: 7" single no. 1866 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 13, 1993 Cost: 1 guilder Tracks: 'A view to a kill' / 'A view to a kill (That fatal kiss)'
In 1993, Kim Appleby released her second solo album 'Breakaway'. The album was preceded by this single, 'Light of the world'. With the material co-written with her sister Mel Appleby all used up, she turned to new co-writers Davidge and Slateford to make this track. You would think that such an uplifting song housed in a sexy sleeve like this one would have been a big hit.
But these were strange times; people were still listening to tuneless, depressing 'grunge rock' and dance was not as en vogue as it was before. Hence, 'Light of the world' stalled at number 41 in the UK singles chart and did not chart in other territories.
My collection: 7" single no. 2001 Found: London, October 18, 1993 Cost: 2 pounds Tracks: 'Light of the world' / 'Don't worry'
According to Australian music critic Molly Meldrum the lyric of Madonna's 'The power of goodbye' was written about Madonna's ex-husband Sean Penn. The track was released as a single in the fall of 1998. The single reached number 6 in the UK and the Netherlands, but stalled at number 11 in the US Billboard Hot 100.
'The power of goodbye' was taken from Madonna's 1998 album 'Ray of light', the best work of her career. After this single, her singles would slowly fall back to the mediocre material she's issuing these days.
My collection: 7" single no. 3046 Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, December 23, 1998 Cost: 10 guilders Tracks: 'The power of goodbye' / 'Mer girl'
Nicky Ryan enters the dark castle, a gloomy place where few people ever dare to enter. 'Enya? Enya? Where are you?' A dark rumbling comes from afar, a cough, a rattle, and then a deep, dark voice sounds from across the hall. -'Who the hell is that?' 'It's Nicky. Enya? I've got a request...' - 'Go away, I want to sleep', comes the answer, and another coughing fit ensues. 'But I got a call from the record company. They want you to record some vocals for this movie soundtrack.' - 'Vocals? Are you mad?', rumbles the voice. 'Do you think I still have that same voice I had ten years ago? Now where did I keep my fags and my whiskey...' 'Enya, please. We could make a good deal of money on this.' - 'But I can't, I just can't. Listen to me, man! You really think I could pull it off with this? I sound like Tom Waits or Marianne Faithfull...' Nicky sighs. The darkness of the castle makes him depressed. 'Maybe you're right... But if we slow down the music, perhaps...? ' A silence. Then: 'How much money are we talking about?'
Exclusively on this blog: the original version of 'Book of days', as recorded in Enya's dark castle.
My collection: 7" single no.1731 (pictured above) Found: Virgin Megastore, London, October 17, 1992 Cost: 1 pound Tracks: 'Book of days' / 'As baile'
My collection: 7" single no. 2239 (pictured below) Found: Record fair, February 18, 1995 Cost: 3 guilders Tracks: 'Book of days' / 'On your shore'
'Lolly lolly' was the second single released from Wendy & Lisa's second album 'Fruit at the bottom' (1989). The single was remixed by their former employer Prince, who made the track sound bouncier and funkier than on the album.
