Left to my own devices - Pet Shop Boys

Produced by Trevor Horn, it's no surprise that 'Left to my devices', taken from the Pet Shop Boys' 1987 album 'Introspective', is quite a bombastic tune. As for the lyrics, Neil Tennant explains: 'I liked the idea of writing a really up pop song about being left alone. This song is a day in the life of someone, so it starts off with getting out of bed and being on the phone and drinking tea and all the rest of it, and it ends up with coming home. By this time I was making the words very exaggerated and camp, though writing a book and going on stage were both things I had wanted to do when I was young.'

The single peaked at number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 19 in the Dutch Top 40. It did much worse in America, where it stalled at number 84. The Pet Shop Boys failed to regain their popularity there ever since.

My collection: 7" single no. 707
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, December 17, 1988
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Left to my own devices' / 'The sound of the atom splitting'

In my arms - Erasure

While in the UK their record company had stopped releasing 7" singles by Erasure after 'Run to the sun', their American record company apparently continued for some time, judging from this copy of 'In my arms', released in 1997.

'In my arms', released as the first single from Erasure's 1997 album 'Cowboy', became their first Billboard Hot 100 entry since 1994's 'Always', peaking at number 55. In the UK, the single reached number 13. The B-side features a cover of Blondie's 'Heart of glass'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4059
Found: eBay.com, received September 23, 2009
Cost: $4
Tracks: 'In my arms' / 'Heart of glass'

My first night without you - Cyndi Lauper

Cyndi Lauper, Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg wrote 'My first night without you', a song about coming home for the first time without a partner being there after a break up. The single was considered a failure in most of the world because it failed to make a big impact on most charts. However, in South America it was a big success, reaching number 1 in Brazil and Colombia.

The track is also a personal favourite of mine. I remember playing it lots of times after I bought it out of curiosity.

My collection: 7" single no. 1269
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, July 14, 1990
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'My first night without you' / 'Unabbreviated love'

Bet that's what you say - Mai Tai

Released in April 1987, 'Bet that's what you say' was Mai Tai's penultimate hit single in the Netherlands. The song was produced by Eric van Tijn and Jochem Fluitsma, who also wrote the it. The single reached number 36 in the Dutch Top 40 during a three week chart run.

The sleeve photograph was taken by one of the Netherlands' most wellknown photographers, Govert de Roos.

My collection: 7" single no. 4090
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received September 25, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Bet that's what you say' / 'Bet that's what you say (dub mix)'

Don't forget to dance - The Kinks

'Don't forget to dance' is a beautiful ballad from the Kinks' 1983 album 'State of confusion'. The single followed 'Come dancing', which was one of the band's most successful singles in the United States. By comparison, this single did not do well.

In the UK, this single reached number 58, while in the Netherlands it did not chart. It was the first Kinks single I ever bought. The band has of course been active since the early Sixties, but most of their material just doesn't interest me much.

My collection: 7" single no. 497
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1984
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Don't forget to dance' / 'Young conservatives'

Maid of Orleans - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

The intro of 'Maid of Orleans' is one of the strangest sounds I'd ever heard in 1982. It piqued my interest, and with the aid of the intriguing music video, this became one of my favourite tracks of the year. About the intro, Andy McCluskey explained: 'The idea came about because we actually had the song recorded but thought the track started oddly and needed something else to announce its arrival. It's not meant to "mean" anything specific, just set up a feeling to let the track grow out of the strange noises. I think that it worked well! Most of the noises are mellotron vocal sounds slowed down/sped up and greatly distorted simply by completely overdriving the old Helios desk in The Manor Studio. Pink noise and snare drum in lots of reverb.'

The song was a big success, peaking at number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 1 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 308
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 1985
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Maid of Orleans' / 'Navigation'

Love is stronger than pride - Sade

The first single from Sade's third album 'Stronger than pride' was the track 'Love is stronger than pride'. On the sleeve and in the accompanying music video, frontwoman Sade Adu was pictured on the beach in an attempt to 'sex up' the band. It didn't entirely work, as there was a certain distance exuding from her.

The single performed best, chart-wise, in the Netherlands, where it reached number 18. In the UK, where this limited edition single with a free colour poster was released, the single stalled at number 44.

My collection: 7" single no. 2631
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, March 16, 1996
Cost: 7 guilders
Tracks: 'Love is stronger than pride' / 'Super bien total'