Light of the world - Kim Appleby

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'

The power of goodbye - Madonna

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'

Book of days - Enya

Inside the dark castle

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'

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'