Don't break my heart - UB40

After UB40 scored a massive hit with 'I got you babe' (a duet with Chrissie Hynde from the Pretenders), they released a song that I thought was about a thousand times better than that piece of outdated drivel. 'Don't break my heart' was composed by the band, as opposed to the aforementioned cover version.

They managed to reach number 3 in the UK singles chart with this, plus number 13 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 349
Found: 1985
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Don't break my heart' / 'Mek ya rok'

Megamix - Technotronic

I don't know whether it was such a wise move for Technotronic to release a Megamix as a single in the summer of 1990, within months of their breakthrough. If anythnig, it showed how monotonous and interchangeable their track were. 'Pump up the jam', 'Get up' and 'This beat is Technotronic' are all here in the mix, and it's amazing how well they fit together. Or, rather, it's not amazing, it's rather obvious.

This megamix was put together by The Unity Mixers, a.k.a. Patrick Samoy and Luc Rigaux. The single peaked at number 6 in the UK, number 9 in Germany and number 26 in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 1260
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, July 12, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Megamix' / 'Raw update (remix)'

Every little kiss - Bruce Hornsby and the Range

'Every little kiss' was released as the second single from Bruce Hornsby and the Range's 1986 album 'The way it is'. The single reached number14 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 32 in the Dutch Top 40, but didn't chart in the UK.

The B-side of this single was produced by Huey Lewis, who had a successful career in pop himself in the first half of the Eighties.

My collection: 7" single no. 2403
Found: Rotterdam, July 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Every little kiss' / 'The river runs low'

Hand on your heart - Kylie Minogue

'Hand on your heart' was released as the first single from Kylie Minogue's second album, 'Enjoy yourself'. It was another track written and produced by Stock, Aitken & Waterman, so nothing really had changed: Kylie was still making radiofriendly commercial pop without pretences.

The single became her third number 1 hit in the UK, while it reached number 4 in Australia and number 19 in the Dutch Top 40.



My collection: 7" single no. 3324
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, March 24, 2001
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Hand on your heart' / 'Just wanna love you'

Solo so long - Dimestars

In 2000, Roxanne Wilde (Kim Wilde's sister), Morgan Quaintance, Joe Holweger and Tom Hanna signed to Polydor records as Dimestars. They tried to forge a career for themselves, starting off with the single 'Solo so long'. It was released as a cd-single and cassette single, and this 12" single, the only vinyl release by Dimestars as far as I know.

'Solo so long' did not chart. The follow-up single 'My superstar', released in 2001, did. Their album 'Living for the weekend' was pressed and distributed as a promotional disc, but never got a commercial release in the end. Dimestars toured with Kylie Minogue in 2001, but split up after their career didn't take off. Right now, Roxanne Wilde is one of Kylie's backing singers during her current world tour.

My collection: 12" single no. 513
Found: HMV, London, 2000
Cost: 5 pounds
Tracks: 'Solo so long (Cut la Roc remix)' / 'Solo so long (radio edit)'

Dream - Earth and Fire

In October 1981, after a year's absence from the charts, Earth and Fire released their single 'Dream'. It was the first single from their as-yet-untitled new album. When it was released, it was called 'Andromeda girl'. Two further singles, 'Tell me why' and 'Love is an ocean' were released from that album, but neither reached the Dutch Top 40.

Thus, this single was the only successful release, peaking at number 27 in November 1981. The B-side 'Jerney's day off' sounds like an original title for the instrumental version of 'Dream', but instead it is an original instrumental track.

My collection: 7" single no. 1384
Found: All that music, Leiden, February 22, 1991
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Dream' / 'Jerney's day off'

The lion's mouth - Kajagoogoo

With the benefit of hindsight, I think you can conclude that the lack of success for Kajagoogoo can be explained by their inconsistence in sound. After the hard rock sound of 'Big apple', they suddenly presented 'The lion's mouth', a brass-driven affair.

The single reached number 25 in the UK singles chart but failed to chart in many European countries. 25 years later, this track still sounds pretty fresh.

My collection: 7" single no. 3078
Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, May 10, 1999
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'The lion's mouth' / 'The garden (instrumental)'