Turn your back on me - Kajagoogoo

Released in the summer of 1984, 'Turn your back on me' was Kajagoogoo's last significant hit. Although it only reached number 47 in the UK singles chart, it reached number 16 in the Dutch Top 40 and also made number 2 in the American dance chart.

This single contains the original version of the song. It was subsequently remixed, and that version appears on most cd's nowadays.

My collection: 7" single no. 1390
Found: All that music, Leiden, February 22, 1991
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Turn your back on me' / 'The pump rooms of Bath'

Chance - Big Country

Big Country was formed in 1981 by Stuart Adamson, Bruce Watson, Tony Butler and Mark Brzezicki in Fife, Scotland.

'Chance' was released as the fourth single from Big Country's debut album 'The crossing' in 1983. It became the biggest hit from the album, peaking at number 9 in the UK singles chart, but also charting in the Netherlands, reaching number 14.

My collection: 7" single no. 904
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 25, 1989
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Chance' / 'Tracks of my tears'

Step back in time - Kylie Minogue

'Step back in time' was released in October 1990 as the second single from Kylie Minogue's third album 'Rhythm of love'. The lyric is about how modern music can never beat the swinging disco music from the Seventies ('Remembering the old days / Remember the O'Jays').

Kylie prolongued her success in Australia and the UK with this single, reaching number 5 and 4 in the charts respectively. Although her music, still produced by UK producers Stock, Aitken & Waterman, was not radically removed from her previous output, Kylie did change her image from 'girl next door' to a more raunchy look. It did not only have positive effects: for the first time she was nominated for 'worst dressed popstar' in the teen magazines of the day.

My collection: 7" single no. 3311
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 24, 2001
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Step back in time' / 'Step back in time (instrumental)'

Toy soldiers - Martika

If you think you're suffering from deja vu, you're almost right. I did write about Martika's 1989 single 'Toy soldiers' once before, right in the first month of this blog's existance. But this single is different: for one, it has a diferent sleeve, and also, it contains an edit of the track, cutting it short by a full 37 seconds.

While the single reached number 17 in the Netherlands, this UK version reached number 5. So I guess the lesson is: if you can edit a song for commerciality's sake, don't hesitate to do so.

My collection: 7" single no. 2703
Found: House of Rhythm, London, July 3, 1996
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Toy soldiers (edit)' / 'Exchange of hearts'

Geboren voor het geluk - Het Goede Doel

Taken from their 1984 album 'Tempo Doeloe', 'Geboren voor het geluk' was an ill-fated single. Despite the humorous lyric and the strong music, the Dutch audience was no longer interested in the group, it seemed.

'Geboren voor het geluk' ('Born to be lucky') is about a man who is always unlucky (falling off the stairs, a wife who is unfaithful to him) but consolates himself with the statement that things could always be worse. As often with the band, it's hard to tell if this is meant to be taken at face value, or more cynical.

My collection: 7" single no. 2857
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, June 21, 1997
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Geboren voor het geluk' / 'Sous-chef'

Crazy - Seal

Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel was born on February 19, 1963. As a son of Nigerian parents, he was adopted because his parents were unable to support him financially. He was raised in London and studied architecture. In the Eighties, he joined a funk band, before meeting Adamski, with whom he recorded 'Killer', which became a huge hit in 1990.

Seal subsequently signed to ZTT Records and released his debut album, produced by Trevor Horn, in 1991. The first single from that album was 'Crazy'. It reached number 1 in the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland and peaked at number 2 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1374
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, January 21, 1991
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Crazy' / 'Sparkle'

Madam Butterfly - Malcolm McLaren

Malcolm McLaren achieved notoriety as the 'brains' behind the Sex Pistols and Bow Wow Wow. In the Eighties, he started recording his own tracks. After the New York-influenced 1983 album 'Duck rock', he turned his attention to electronic music, recording the unique single 'Madam Butterfly', which was released in 1984.

The track was based on the opera by Puccini from 1902. With atmospheric synthesizers, drum machines and spoken verses, it was an unlikely chart hit, but it reached number 13 in the UK and number 16 in the Dutch Top 40. The music video had nothing to do with the song, showing women in a sauna while wearing make up and clothing for some reason.

My collection: 7" single no. 426
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 29, 1986
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Madam Butterfly' / 'First couple out'