Love comes - Bananarama

'Love comes' is the brand new single by Bananarama, released on September 6 - just two weeks ago. Much to my delight, the single was released as two separate 7" picture discs. Since they are a duo these days (and have been since 1993), each disc portrays a member of Bananarama.

Picture disc number one features Sara Dallin and the B-side is a cover of Bryan Ferry's song 'Tokyo Joe'. 'Love comes' peaked at number 44 in the UK singles chart earlier this month.

My collection: 7" single no. 4053
Found: Townsend Records, UK, received September 22, 2009
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Love comes (radio edit)' / 'Tokyo Joe'

Never too late - Kylie Minogue

'Never too late' was the third single taken from Kylie Minogue's second album 'Enjoy yourself'. Kylie herself wanted the title track to be released as the third single, but she was overruled by producer Pete Waterman - illustrating once more who had creative control over her career at that point.

The B-side, called 'Kylie's Smiley Mix', was a megamix of Kylie's biggest hits up until then, including the tracks 'Je ne sais pas pourquoi', 'Turn it into love', 'I should be so lucky' and 'Got to be certain'. 'Never too late' was apparently the favourite Kylie song of the late INXS lead singer and Kylie's ex-boyfriend Michael Hutchence.

My collection: 7" single no. 3330
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, March 24, 2001
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Never too late' / 'Kylie's Smiley mix'

Breakaway - Kim Appleby

'Breakaway' was the second and last single from Kim Appleby's second album of the same name, both released in 1993. The single reached number 56 in the UK singles chart, the lowest charting single of her entire career.

This single was the last 7" release by Appleby. The 1994 single 'Free spirit' was only released on cd-single and 12" single.

My collection: 7" single no. 2681
Found: Record fair, July 3, 1996
Cost: ?
Tracks: 'Breakaway' / 'Mama (acoustic)'

Old town - Phil Lynnott

Ex-Thin Lizzy frontman Philip Lynnott recorded the song 'Old town' on his 1982 self-titled solo album. The song was written about the breakup of two lovers. It features a great piano solo by Darren Wharton. Unbelievably, this single did not chart in any territory.

In 1999 the Corrs performed this song during their Unplugged session for MTV. a studio recording featured six years later on their album 'Home'.

My collection: 7" single no. 2426
Found: July 22, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Old town' / 'Beat of the drum'

Because you're young - Private lives

This single from 1982 features an early version of the track 'Because you're young' by the then-unknown group Private Lives. The sleeve only added to the mystery: there was no photograph of its members anywhere. A listing of names on the back of the sleeve reveals that Private Lives consisted of John Adams, Steve Harvey, Brother James, Rick Lane, John Reid and Bobby Valentino. Session musicians Paul Harvey and Gary Barnacle appeared on this track as well.

The single did not reach the charts, but the track would resurface in 1984 as a re-recorded B-side of the single 'From a river to a sea'.

My collection: 7" single no. 2953
Found: Record fair, February 7, 1998
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Because you're young' / 'Because you're young (instrumental)'

Future love paradise - Seal

Entitled the Future Love EP, this 7" single actually is not an EP, as EP's usually feature more than two tracks. Apparently the UK version of this single did feature three tracks, but as always, European buyers were ripped off.

It was the second single from Seal's 1991 self-titled debut album. It reached the top 10 in Ireland, Norway and Switzerland, whereas it peaked at number 6 in the Netherlands and number 12 in the UK singles chart. 'Violet' is a beautiful acoustic version of the track that appears on the album.

My collection: 7" single no. 1432
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, 1991
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Future love paradise' / 'Violet'

Alone - Heart

'Alone' was composed by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. It was first recorded in 1983 by Steinberg and Kelly's pet project, I-Ten, on the album 'Taking a cold look'. Heart recorded it in 1987 on their album 'Bad animals'. It was released as the first single from that album. It became their biggest hit, spending three weeks at number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and reaching number 3 in the UK singles chart.

In 2007, disaster struck. Canadian shrieking witch Celine Dion recorded a cover version of this great song, shattering eardrums wherever her version was played. Her cold, metallic voice cut right through any sense of beauty. Thankfully, we still have Heart's version.

My collection: 7" single no. 1715
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 19, 1992
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Alone' / 'Barracuda (live)'