'Pleasure' was released as the fifth and last single from Spandau Ballet's 1983 album 'True'. After the massive hits 'True' and 'Gold', this single was a commercial disappointment, failing to reach the chart almost everywhere.
The single did chart in Germany, where it reached number 61. It was the lowest chart placing for any Spandau Ballet single in that country.
My collection: 7" single no. 4032 Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Pleasure' / 'Pleasure (live)'
'Anyone who had a heart' was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and originally performed by Dionne Warwick in 1963. Outside of America, the song is better known in a version by Cilla Black, released in 1964 and a number 1 hit for her in the UK. Black later commented: 'Dionne was dead choked, and she's never forgiven me, to this day'.
Sandie Shaw was one of the few British girl singers who did not cover the song in the Sixties. In 1982, she was introduced to the British Electric Foundation by future husband Nik Powell. The B.E.F. (Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh, who would go on to form Heaven 17 with Glenn Gregory) asked Shaw to record a song for their album 'Music of Quality and Distinction Volume 1', on which they intended people to cover old songs and give them an updated electronic sound. Shaw was particularly proud of her emotional vocals on the song, which was subsequently released as a single. This proved to be the beginning of her 1980s comeback.
My collection: 7" single no. 4031 Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Anyone who had a heart' / 'Anyone who had a heart (instrumental)'
As I was a fan of the Sparks back in 1974, I must have heard this song a few times back then. As I was only four years old at the time, I cannot remember that at all. So the first time I can actually recall hearing this song was in 1989, on Martin Gore's 'Counterfeit EP', an EP of six cover versions as performed by the Depeche Mode band member.
Since I really love that version, I got curious about the original. And so I bought this single the first time I saw it - which was yesterday. The single reached number 13 in the UK singles chart, but did not chart in the Netherlands.
My collection: 7" single no. 4030 Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Never turn your back on mother earth' / 'Alabamy right'
According to Prince, he wrote the song 'Cream' while he was standing in front of a mirror. It was included on Prince & the New Power Generation's 1991 album 'Diamonds and pearls'.
Released as the second single from the album, it reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 15 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 4029 Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Cream' / 'Horny pony'
One More Time formed in the early Nineties. The band consisted of Peter Grönvall (son of Abba's Benny Andersson) and his wife Nanne, with Maria Rådsten and Therese Löf. In 1992 they began their international career with the release of the single and album 'Highland'. The single became an international success, hitting number 1 in ten countries, peaking at number 18 in the Dutch Top 40.
'Highland' was released on 7" vinyl at a time when most record companies were abandoning the format. As such, you could almost consider it a collectors item.
My collection: 7" single no. 4028 Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Highland' / 'Vitality'
'Raspberry beret' was released as the second single from Prince & the Revolution's 1985 album 'Around the world in a day'. Back then, Prince was a Big Thing, and after the phenomenal success of 'Purple rain', this new album was highly anticipated. Although the song was originally recorded in 1982, Prince drastically reworked it with The Revolution to give it more of an international sound.
The lyric of the song tells of a teenage romance and first sexual experience with a girl who wears the titular hat. The single peaked at number 25 in the UK singles chart and number 19 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 4027 Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Raspberry beret' / 'She's always in my hair'
Since Rupert Hine has never had a hit, it isn't easy to be aware of the singles he's released. Every time I see one, I am pleasantly surprised. 'The set up' is the second single from his 1982 album 'Waving not drowning'. It includes a non-album track on the B-side, 'Kwok's quease', a quirky song in the best of Hine's traditions.
For some reason, the record buying audience has never given Hine a hit, although his production work has been appreciated by millions, as evidenced by the millionselling albums by Howard Jones, Noa and the Fixx, to name but a few.
My collection: 7" single no. 4026 Found: Vinylfabriek, Haaksbergen, September 14, 2009 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'The set up' / 'Kwok's quease'
'Pleasure' was released as the fifth and last single from Spandau Ballet's 1983 album 'True'. After the massive hits 'True' and 'Gold', this single was a commercial disappointment, failing to reach the chart almost everywhere.
