Sophie B. Hawkins was born on November 1, 1967 in Manhattan, New York City. Her debut album 'Tongues and tails' was released in 1992. Her debut single was 'Damn I wish I was your lover', which became a number 5 hit in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In Europe, the single's succes was more moderate. It reached number 14 in the UK singles chart and number 32 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 1672 Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, June 20, 1992 Cost: 6 guilders Tracks: 'Damn I wish I was your lover' / 'Don't stop swaying'
Bob Marley composed 'Stir it up' in 1967. It was first made popular by Johnny Nash in 1972. It was finally released by Bob Marley himself in 1979. This live recording of 'Stir it up' reached the Dutch Top 40 in March1979 and peaked at number 2.
It was Marley's first top 10 hit in the Netherlands. It's interesting to note that his next two hits in the Netherlands also reached number 2.
My collection: 7" single no. 1625 Found: April 18, 1992 Cost: 1 guilder Tracks: 'Stir it up' / 'Rat race'
In the summer of 1975, Summer approached Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte with an idea for a song. She had come up with the lyric 'Love to love you, baby' as the possible title for the song. Moroder in particular was interested in developing the new disco sound, and used Summer's idea to develop the song into an overtly sexual disco track. Summer was initially hesitant to go along with this idea, but eventually agreed on recording a demo so someone else could record the song after that. Moroder was so astounded with Summer's orgasmic vocals and her imaginative moans and groans that he insisted she should release the single herself. Summer reluctantly agreed and the song, titled 'Love to love you', was released to modest success in Europe.
when the song reached American record company executive Neil Bogart, he was so impressed that he requested Moroder to produce a longer version of the track. Moroder, Bellotte and Summer recorded a 17 minute version, renamed it 'Love to love you baby', and had an American number 2 hit before they knew it. Sex sells.
My collection: 7" single no. 2231 Found: January 10, 1995 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: 'Love to love you' / 'Need-a-man blues'
I think it's fair to say that 'Breathing' is an early masterpiece by Kate Bush. The lyric is about a foetus, very much aware of what is going on outside the womb and frightened to be born into a world poisoned by nuclear fallout. The lyrics also refer to the foetus absorbing nicotine from the mother's smoking.
The single version is different from the album version, although only the most avid Kate Bush fans can tell the difference: it's a sound missing in the first verse, and an extra drumroll in the musical intermezzo later on in the song. (This single version was released on cd only once, on a compilation to benefit Greenpeace.)
Thanks to these avid fans we also know what is said by the scientist in this song: 'In point of fact it is possible to tell the difference between a small nuclear explosion and a large one by a very simple method. The calling card of a nuclear bomb is the blinding flash that is far more dazzling than any light on earth--brighter even than the sun itself--and it is by the duration of this flash that we are able to determine the size of the weapon. After the flash a fireball can be seen to rise, sucking up under it the debris, dust and living things around the area of the explosion, and as this ascends, it soon becomes recognisable as the familiar "mushroom cloud". As a demonstration of the flash duration test let's try and count the number of seconds for the flash emitted by a very small bomb; then a more substantial, medium-sized bomb; and finally, one of our very powerful,"high-yield" bombs.' It's rather scary.
The sleeve of the single was originally designed to be mostly black, but a white version was made as well, released in France and Germany.
My collection: 7" single no. 273 (black) / no. 2050 (white) Found: Den Haag, 1983 / November 13, 1993 Cost: 1 guilder / 10 guilders Tracks: 'Breathing' / 'The empty bullring'
'Tusk' was recorded by Fleetwood Mac on their 1979 double album of the same name. It was based in part on a rehearsal riff the band used for sound-checks. 'Tusk' was recorded live at Dodger Stadium (without an audience) in Los Angeles, California in collaboration with the University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band. The performance was also filmed for the song's music video.
The single reached number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 6 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 718 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, January 13, 1989 Cost: 1 guilder Tracks: 'Tusk' / 'Never make me cry'
'Nasty' was written by Janet Jackson after she was confronted with abusive men. She later commented: 'They were emotionally abusive. Sexually threatening. Instead of running to Jimmy or Terry for protection, I took a stand. I backed them down. That's how songs like 'Nasty' and 'What have you done for me lately' were born, out of a sense of self-defense. Control meant not only taking care of myself but living in a much less protected world. And doing that meant growing a tough skin. Getting attitude. '
The song became the second single taken from Janet Jackson's 1986 album 'Control'. It reached number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 19 in the UK singles chart and number 5 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 2470 Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 16, 1995 Cost: 1 guilder Tracks: 'Nasty' / 'You'll never find (a love like mine)'
The 1990 single 'Sadeness' was written by Michael Cretu, Frank Peterson and David Fairstein. The lyrics are in Latin and French; the Latin text includes a quotation from Psalm 24:7-8. The gregorian vocals were mostly taken from the 1976 album 'Paschale Mysterium' by Munich choir 'capella antiqua' with conductor Konrad Ruhland, specifically from their track 'Cum angelis + Psalm 24(23)'. Thie samples were first used without permission, and after a lawsuit in 1994 the matter was settled by compensation.
'Sadeness (part 1)' was the debut single of Cretu's music project Enigma, which would continue for two decades and (so far) seven albums. Each one gets more predictable. This first release still sounds fresh, with quite interesting vocals by Cretu's wife, Sandra.
My collection: 7" single no. 1373 Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, January 21, 1991 Cost: 6 guilders Tracks: 'Sadeness (part 1) (radio edit)' / 'Sadeness (part 1) (Meditation mix)'
Sophie B. Hawkins was born on November 1, 1967 in Manhattan, New York City. Her debut album 'Tongues and tails' was released in 1992. Her debut single was 'Damn I wish I was your lover', which became a number 5 hit in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
