Burn it up (Mr. DJ) - Risqué

Risqué were never excessively popular, even in their native Netherlands, because the formula just didn't fit: they never worked with the best producers, they were trying to be sexy but they couldn't (because they were ugly!) and there was little or no variation in their music. It's rather strange to notice that they perform all their tracks singing together - there are no solos and that makes the whole thing go flat. All this gives Risqué this naff Eighties quality that I'm a sucker for.

'Burn it up (Mr. DJ)' was the last chart hit for the quartet, released in September 1983. It peaked at number 20 in the Dutch Top 40. Two further singles did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4095
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received September 25, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Burn it up (Mr. DJ)' / 'Burn it up (instrumental)'

Money don't matter 2 night - Prince and the New Power Generation

Personally, I think Prince perfected his craft with this particular song. It sounds very Prince, but the lyric has more substance than any other Prince song. It deals directly with money, poverty and greed - both on a personal and a political level.

The song is notable for its promotional video, directed by Spike Lee. Featuring a poverty-stricken African-American family, with no shots of Prince at all, it was considered overly political and not 'MTV-friendly'. A second version was issued, which included footage of the song being performed by Prince and The New Power Generation. The single reached number 7 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 19 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4094
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received September 25, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Money don't matter 2 night' / 'Call the law'

Toughen up - Olivia Newton-John

In 1985, Olivia Newton-John released the album 'Soul kiss'. The first single was the title track, and the second single was 'Toughen up'. While the first single was a hit in several countries, 'Toughen up' did not chart anywhere - the only exception being Australia, where the single stalled at number 93.

Olivia's pregnancy limited her ability to promote the album and singles properly. Her daughter Chloe Rose Lattanzi was born in January 1986 - by then, the album 'Soul kiss' was already forgotten by most people.

My collection: 7" single no. 4093
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received September 25, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Toughen up' / 'Driving music'

Asia - Mo

The Dutch synthpop band Mo, it has been written on here many times before, was sadly underrated. It has become some sort of mission for me to hunt down their singles, and 'Asia' is the latest victory in that search.

'Asia' was released in April 1984 and it was, as far as I know, the band's last single. It was taken from their third and last album, 'Stop staring'. The beautiful sleeve of this single was designed by Ton Friesen.

My collection: 7" single no. 4092
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received September 25, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Asia' / 'He's so silly negative'

Turn your love around - Mai Tai

It took an international breakthrough for the Dutch group Mai Tai to become popular in the Netherlands. After 'History' reached the charts all over the world, the first single from their second album '1 touch 2 much' entitled 'Turn your love around' suddenly reached number 7 in the Dutch Top 40 - after their previous efforts barely reached the top 20.

Their music was produced by Eric van Tijn and Jochem Fluitsma, one of the leading producer duos in the Netherlands at the time. Both the producers and the performers would later be involved in Eurovision music: Mai Tai failed to reach the international Contest, while the producers would - and repeatedly too.

My collection: 7" single no. 4089
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received September 25, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Turn your love around' / 'Turn your love around (dub mix)'

There's a guy works down the chip shop swears he's Elvis - Kirsty MacColl

I was already an avid follower of the Dutch Top 40 in 1981, and as such I was always impressed with the title of this single. The song itself, however, was a different matter. It took me two decades to start to like the track.

The single reached nmber 14 in the UK singles chart and number 16 in the Dutch Top 40. In America, a version was released called 'There's a guy works down the truck stop swears he's Elvis', since a 'chip shop' is a very British thing - but this alteration didn't help it reach the chart across the big pond. The country version on the B-side is a great alternate version, by the way.

My collection: 7" single no. 4088
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received September 25, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'There's a guy works down the chip shop swears he's Elvis' / 'Hard to believe', 'There's a guy works down the chip shop swears he's Elvis (Country version)'

My man - Luv'

Luv's debut single 'My man' was released in 1977. It was a far cry from the unpretentious, happy, bubbly pop songs that would become their trademark sound. Instead, this track was a tearjerker of sorts, about a woman whose man, a railroad worker, has been murdered when he tries to stop a fight between two men. The song shocked the Netherlands, because it was released at a time when a train was hijacked.

The single reached number 12 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 10 in Belgium. It was the official start of a career that would take off for real with 'U.O. me' the next year.

My collection: 7" single no. 4087
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received September 25, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'My man' / 'Don't let me down'