The day before you came - Abba

You can't tell from the sleeve design of this single - which is absolutely horrible - but with 'The day before you came' Abba arguably reached the creative peak of their career. It's a very melancholy song, written by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson while they took time off in 1981 to write new material for Abba as well as beginning to create their first musical, 'Chess'.

'The day before you came' was recorded in August 1982. To date, this song was the last song the group ever recorded together in the studio. Agnetha performed the lead without the lights on and said that the mood had become sad and everybody in the studio knew that 'this was the end'.

My collection: 7" single no. 164
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1982
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'The day before you came' / 'Cassandra'

I don't wanna dance - Eddy Grant

This song sounds incredibly dated now, but back in 1982 it was a huge hit, reaching number 2 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 1 in the UK singles chart! It was Eddy Grant's first number one hit in the UK since 'Baby come back' by the Equals (of which he was a member) in 1968.

The track was recorded in Barbados for his album 'Killer on the rampage', which reached number 7 in the UK albums chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 975
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, August 29, 1989
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'I don't wanna dance' / 'I don't wanna dance (acapella)'

19 - Paul Hardcastle

Paul Hardcastle's biggest hit '19' was released on two 12" singles, of which this was the first one. As far as extended remixes go, this one really isn't that shocking. It does contain some new material, but on the whole it's just a slightly longer version of the familiar track that appeared on the 7" single.

Although the remixer is not credited, it's safe to assume Paul Hardcastle created this extended version himself.

My collection: 12" single no. 520
Found: Record fair, 2000
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: '19 (extended version)' / 'Fly by night', 'Dolores'

Alone without you - King

'Alone without you' was the first single taken from King's second album 'Bitter sweet'. The single reached number 8 in the UK singles chart but fared less well in other territories. Still, it launched the album well in the UK. 'Bitter sweet' ended up reaching number 16 in the UK albums chart.

A slow ballad version, entitled 'reprise', was featured on the 12" single of the next release, 'Taste of your tears'.

My collection: 7" single no. 324
Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Alone without you' / 'I kissed the spikey fridge (Rock hard mix)'

99 Luftballons - Nena

It was not their debut single, but the biggest hit of Nena's career did come early on in their career. The lyric of the song was written by the band's guitarist Carlo Karges after he was at a Rolling Stones concert in Berlin. He noticed that balloons were being released. As he watched them move toward the horizon, he noticed them shifting and changing shapes, to the point of looking a lot like some UFO. He thought about what might happen if they floated over the Berlin Wall to the Soviet sector. The lyric speaks of an apocalyptic overreaction by military forces.

When the song was released as a single from Nena's debut album in early 1983, it was an immediate hit not only in German-speaking countries, but also in the Netherlands, where it topped the Dutch Top 40 for a few weeks.

My collection: 7" single no. 444
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, August 9, 1986
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: '99 Luftballons' / 'Ich bleib' im Bett'

Valentine - Nils Lofgren

Nils Lofgren released his first album with Rykodisc in 1991. It was titled 'Silver lining' and featured the single 'Valentine'. The track featured Bruce Springsteen on backing vocals. For most artists, this is quite a feat, but Nils Lofgren had already been in Springsteen's E-Street band for almost a decade. The arrangement must have been really easy.

It meant a hit for Lofgren, at least in the Dutch Top 40 where the single reached number 16. The single did not chart in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 1645
Found: May 3, 1992
Cost: 4 guilders
Tracks: 'Valentine (edit)' / 'Valentine (album version)'

Don't look back in anger - Oasis

'Don't look back in anger' was written by Noel Gallagher from the band Oasis. He commented: '[It] reminds me of a cross between 'All the young dudes' and something the Beatles might have done.' And: 'I don't actually know anybody called Sally. It's just a word that fit, y'know, might as well throw a girl's name in there. It's gotta guarantee somebody a shag off a bird called Sally, hasn't it?'.

The single reached number 1 in Irelandand the UK, but stalled at number 55 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 33 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2634
Found: April 13, 1996
Cost: 8 guilders
Tracks: 'Don't look back in anger' / 'Step out'