I drove all night - Cyndi Lauper

'I drove all night' was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly for Roy Orbison. He first recorded the song in 1987, but it was only released in 1992, after it was a top 10 hit for Cyndi Lauper in 1989.

Lauper recorded the track for her third solo album 'A night to remember'. The single reached number 6 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 7 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 876
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, June 10, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'I drove all night' / 'Maybe he'll know'

Never as good as the first time - Sade

I'm glad to say that my collection of Sade singles also contains some rarities. Some of them have already been featured on this blog - and here's another one. 'Never as good as the first time' was the third single from Sade's second album 'Promise' and while it was re-recorded for the single release, this Spanish promo contains the album version of the track.

What's more, it is a one-sided disc. Although the B-side does have a label, there is no groove pressed on it. The sleeve features the Spanish tour dates and a photograph that is not used on the regular sleeve of the single. Quite the collector's item!

My collection: 7" single no. 3268
Found: October 22, 2000
Cost: ?
Tracks: 'Never as good as the first time'

I want that man - Deborah Harry

After having been in the band Blondie for years, Debbie Harry recorded her first solo album 'Kookoo' in 1981. The band then regrouped briefly, before disbanding in 1983. Six years later, Harry released her second solo album 'Def dumb and blonde'.

'I want that man' was the first single taken from that album. Produced by Tom Bailey (ex-Thompson Twins) and Eric "E.T." Thorngren, the single sounded more poppy than any of her previous work, either with or without the band Blondie. She was rewarded with a number 13 peak position in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1057
Found: HMV, London, October 17, 1989
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'I want that man' / 'Bike boy'

Irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann - Nena

Nena released the original version of 'Irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann' in 1984. It was the first single from their 1985 album 'Feuer und Flamme', released a year later. After two previous singles failed to reach the German top 10, this one shot up to number 3, shuffling the band right back into the limelight again.

This 12" single features an extended mix of the track. It would be translated into English by Lisa Dalbello as 'Anyplace, anywhere, anytime' that same year, recorded on the band's 1985 English album 'It's all in the game'. In 2003, Nena had a hit with that track when she re-recorded it with Kim Wilde.

My collection: 12" single no. 330
Found: Record fair, 1999
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann' / 'Ganz oben (live)', 'Der bus is' schon weg (live)'

Drag me down - The Boomtown Rats

'Drag me down' was a single by the Boomtown rats, released in 1984, shortly before lead singer Bob Geldof became a charity celebrity, writing 'Do they know it's Christmas' for Band Aid and organising Live Aid a year later.

It was a good career move for Geldof, as 'Drag me down' was the last chart hit for the Boomtown Rats, stalling at number 50 in May 1984.

My collection: 7" single no. 4052
Found: La La Land, Den Haag, September 19, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Drag me down' / 'An icicle in the sun'

Dreamers - David Soul

'Dreamers' is a David Soul single from 1981. The track was taken from his album 'The best days of my life', although, it has to be said, those days were already a few years behind him. He performed one of the title roles of the television series 'Starsky & Hutch' between 1975 and 1979, and his biggest hits 'Don't give up on us' and 'Going in with my eyes open' charted in 1976 and 1977 respectively.

'Dreamers' is a bit of a middle of the road affair, which didn't give him the chart success he must have been hoping for.

My collection: 7" single no. 4051
Found: La La Land, Den Haag, September 19, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Dreamers' / 'That's enough for me'

Without you - Chaz Jankel

'Without you' was a single by Chaz Jankel released in 1982. I never heard the track back then, which is not surprising since it didn't chart. Still, it is quite a great song, in the mould of other Chaz Jankel tracks. As an added bonus, the B-side is a dub version of his earlier single 'Questionnaire'.

What's funny about this single (and two others I bought the same day) is that it comes from the stock of Disco Market, the shop where I bought loads of singles between 1975 and 2002. I recognized it from the '1' written on the right hand corner on the back of the sleeve - indicating that this single once cost 1 guilder.

My collection: 7" single no. 4050
Found: La La Land, Den Haag, September 19, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Without you' / 'Rêve de chèvre'