Women and I - Feargal Sharkey

Once I'd bought the cd 'After the mardi gras' by Feargal Sharkey I decided I wanted to have the 7" singles taken from that album as well. All this despite the fact that I didn't actually play that cd very often. I liked it enough, and so I went for it.

'Women & I' was one of these singles, released in the summer of 1991. The single did not chart, ringing in the end of Sharkey's musical career.

My collection: 7" single no. 2246
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 23, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Women & I' / 'I'll take it back (live)'

Sam - Olivia Newton-John

'Sam' was written by Don Blac kand Hank Marvin and appears on Olivia Newton-John's 1977 album 'Don't stop believin''. It was released as a single in the summer of 1977 and reached number 6 in the UK singles chart.

I found this American promotional 7" single during a holiday in London in a slightly worndown shop in Berwick street. Having searched this single for years, I decided to buy it despite the fact that it didn't have a picture sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 3237
Found: London, October 19, 2000
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Sam' / 'I bet you a kangaroo'

Somewhere in my heart - Aztec Camera

After I'd bought the cd-single of 'Somewhere in my heart', I bought the 7" single. I didn't do this immediately: I think it took me eight years to get to that, but I did it anyway. And six years after that, I bought the 12" single too.

'Somewhere in my heart' was the biggest hit for Aztec Camera, reaching number 3 in the UK singles chart. It was the third single from their 1987 album 'Love'.

My collection: 7" single no. 2986
Found: House of Rhythm, London, May 23, 1998
Cost: 40p
Tracks: 'Somewhere in my heart' / 'Everybody is a number one (Boston '86 version)'

Thought I'd died and gone to heaven - Bryan Adams

'Thought I'd died and gone to heaven' was the fourth single taken from Bryan Adams' 1991 album 'Waking up the neighbours'. The song was written by Jim Vallance and Bryan Adams and is a rock song of the type Adams has recorded several times during his career.

The single reached number 13 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 8 in the UK singles chart and number 1 in Canada.

My collection: 7" single no. 1589
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, February 29, 1992
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Thought I'd died and gone to heaven' / 'Somebody (live)'

EDIT (April 5, 2010): I received a notice from Blogger that two posts about Bryan Adams got a complaint. I trust it's from the same people who posted a reaction on this post. They are obviously terrified that anyone should hear any Bryan Adams music, even if it's any good. The message these people are sending is: don't listen to music, you might get inspired to buy it yourself. And they wonder why the music industry is in such terrible shape...
Anyway, I'm taking down all of Bryan Adams' music. I don't need this. The divshare box is gone, all I can do now is write the following:

DON'T BUY BRYAN ADAMS MUSIC.

I hope they're satisfied now.

Star - Time Bandits

I can recall I was jealous as hell when I saw that my cousin had this single, whereas I'd been searching high and low for it for years and still didn't own it. 'Star' by the Time Bandits did not chart in the Dutch Top 40, but the single was unavailable in shops and even in the years that followed I couldn't locate a copy.

In the end, of course, it all turned out alright: I found the single during a record fair and as it was almost a decade later, I wasn't quite as passionate about it anymore. Still, it's a nice song.

My collection: 7" single no. 1817
Found: Record fair, January 13, 1993
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Star' / 'Star (instrumental version)

Put your love in me - Hot Chocolate

I first heard 'Put your love in me' on a compilation double LP which I got as a present in the summer of 1979. The double LP contained hits from the year 1978, and 'Put your love in me' was one of two Hot Chocolate tracks on that album. The track sounded very, er, erotic, which at the time I thought was rather funny. The tension of the track and the - at the time - futuristic synthesizer sounds always stuck in my mind. I finally bought the 7" single twenty years after its original release.

The single reached number 28 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 10 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 3014
Found: All that music, Leiden, September 5, 1998
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Put your love in me' / 'Let them be the judge'

What have you done for me lately - Janet Jackson

Michael Jackson's little sister Janet made her worldwide breakthrough with this single, 'What have you done for me lately'. The song was written by her with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and produced by Jam & Lewis. The single reached number 1 in the Dutch Top 40, number 3 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Rapper King MC recorded a track called 'What have I done for you lately' ('...Well what have you done for me baby') that same year in response to this track.

My collection: 7" single no. 2010
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 18, 1993
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'What have you done for me lately' / 'Young love'