Kissing gate - Sam Brown

Sam Brown's second album 'April moon' spawned five singles, of which 'Kissing gate' was the second. It was the biggest hit from the album, peaking at number 23 in the UK singles chart and also reaching number 45 in Canada.

The single was released in a limited edition pop-up sleeve. The popup revealed an image of Sam Brown with the lyric of 'Kissing gate' behind her. The quirky B-side 'Is it mustard or mango?' is a nice treat as well.

My collection: 7" single no. 1258
Found: Tower Records, London, July 5, 1990
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Kissing gate' / 'Is it mustard or mango?'

Don't cry - Seal

I've been buying some Nineties singles recently, and it's interesting how the 7" format continued in America as it was slowly abolished in Europe already.

'Don't cry' was released as the fifth and final single from Seal's fourth album in 1995. It featured a radio edit of the track (which was not that much shorter than the album version). The single reached number 51 in the UK singles chart and number 33 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4117
Found: eBay.com, received October 19, 2009
Cost: $3
Tracks: 'Don't cry (radio edit)' / 'Fast changes'

Hallo spaceboy - David Bowie

'Hallo spaceboy' was a track on David Bowie's 1995 album '1. Outside', a loud rock track that would surprise a lot of listeners if they would hear it. The lyric of the song featured a return of Major Tom, a character wellknown from Bowie's songs 'Space oddity' and 'Ashes to ashes'.

The single version was remixed by the Pet Shop Boys and was far more dance oriented. The introduction was sampled from 'Outside's opening track, 'Leon take us outside'. Bowie initially expressed reservation about the additions, which referenced and 'chopped up' the lyrics to 'Space oddity', but later agreed that they worked well so long as Tennant sung them. The single became a hit for Bowie, peaking at number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 24 in the Dutch Top 40. The 7" single was pressed on pink vinyl. On my copy, the label of the B-side is missing.

My collection: 7" single no. 2632
Found: March 16, 1996
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Hallo spaceboy' / 'The hearts filthy lesson (radio edit)'

Robin (the hooded man) - Clannad

I bought the Clannad compilation album 'Pastpresent' somewhere around 1990 and it was through that cd that I discovered the interesting back catalogue of this Irish band. I went through a phase of buying their singles whenever I came across them - and I still will, I think.

'Robin (the hooded man)' was the only single to be lifted off Clannad's 1984 album 'Legend'. The music of that album was composed for the ITV drama series 'Robin of Sherwood', starring Michael Praed, who appears on the cover of this single. It reached number 42 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2901
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 30, 1997
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Robin (the hooded man)' / 'Lady Marian'

What do I have to do - Kylie Minogue

Kylie Minogue was changing her image from 'girl next door' to 'sex siren', and the music video for 'What do I have to do' was one of the means to do this. The video showed Kylie in a swimming pool, a fairground, doing the ironing in a French maid's costume, and dancing with a female friend in a club. The sexual undertones in the video directed by Dave Hogan proved too much for Saturday morning TV shows, and so they showed a censored version of the video.

The music video was exploited in the single release as well: this limited edition features two free postcards with stills from the video. 'What do I have to do' reached number 6 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2701
Found: House of Rhythm, London, July 3, 1996
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'What do I have to do' / 'What do I have to do (instrumental)'

Hide and seek - Howard Jones

'Hide and seek' was the third single from Howard Jones' debut album 'Human's lib'. The ballad had an almost biblical lyric and intriguing synthesizer sounds. It reached number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 28 in the Dutch Top 40.

This 10" single features both the A- and B-sides of the 7" single, but also an exclusive 'concert version', recorded live in concert at High Wycombe Concert Hall in 1984.

My collection: 10" single [unnubered]
Found: Record Exchange, London, 1990
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Hide & seek (Concert version)' / 'Hide & seek', 'Tao te Ching'

Circle of one - Oleta Adams

'Circle of one' was the second single released by Oleta Adams, taken from her debut album of the same name. Capitalizing on the success she found with Tears for fears wasn't easy at first, because after her debut single 'Rhythm of life' only reached number 52 in the UK singles chart, this one only managed to peak at number 95.

'Circle of one' was written by Adams herself and produced by Roland Orzabal and Dave Bascombe. It would take another single to finally find breakthrough success: the ballad 'Get here'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1302
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 15, 1990
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Circle of one' / 'Think again'