Where did our love go - Amii Stewart

Written by Holland-Dozier-Holland, 'Where did our love go' was originally a hit for the Supremes in 1964. In 1981, Amii Stewart recorded her cover version of the song, and included it on her 1981 album 'I'm gonna get your love', which was produced by Narada Michael Walden.

When the track was released as a single, it was not a big success, as it didn't chart in most territories.

My collection: 7" single no. 4225
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Where did our love go' / 'Premiere'

Room service - Fischer Z

I read in an article on Wikipedia that the songs written by Fischer Z's John Watts drew heavily on his experience as a mental health care worker. On the B-side of this single, entitled 'Limbo', he sounds like someone who really should be committed himself - but perhaps that was the intention. I remember I was really fascinated by this track back in 1980, and although I've had it on cd for several years, I was very happy to have found this single which features the track as well.

I was also intrigued by the label of the B-side, by the way: it does not contain any information except the logo of the record label. I suspect this is a mispressing. Since this single was not a hit, I can't imagine it's worth much though.

My collection: 7" single no. 4222
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Room service' / 'Limbo'

Who can it be now? - Men at work

'Who can it be now?' was the second single from the 1981 debut album by Men at work, 'Business as usual'. The lyric is the narrative of a reclusive, perhaps paranoid man who hears knocking at his house door and wishes to be left in solitude.

The track peaked at number 2 on the Australian singles chart and reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 45 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4220
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Who can it be now?' / 'Anyone for tennis?'

Ease on down the road - The Wiz Stars

'Ease on down the road' is one of the lesser known Michael Jackson hits. It was taken from the 1978 movie soundtrack 'The Wiz', based on the Wizard of Oz tale. The track was produced by Quincy Jones, with vocal performances by Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. In the song, Dorothy (portrayed in the film by Ross) and the Scarecrow (played by Jackson) dance their way down the Yellow Brick Road, and give each other words of encouragement.

Released as a single, it reached number 41 in the Billboard Hot 100, while peaking at number 45 in the UK singles chart. It was a number 1 hit in Turkey, though.

My collection: 7" single no. 4221
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Ease on down the road' (Diana Ross & Michael Jackson) / 'Poppy girls' (Quincy Jones)

The floral dance - The Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band

The Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band was formed in 1881. Based in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, the band relies on public subscriptions and fundraising.

The Brass Band had one of the most unlikely chart hits of the Seventies, when they released a recording of 'The Floral dance' as a single in November 1977. The single reached number 2 in the UK singles chart and then went on to reach number 7 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4219
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'The floral dance' / 'Bachelor girls'

Then the music stopped - Pussycat

These days, Dutch bands find it hard to come up with a decent song, let alone decent instrumentation, but this 1981 single by Pussycat proves that it is possible even for a Dutch band to produce a great track.

'Then the music stopped' was released in March 1981, and rose to number 11 of the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4218
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Then the music stopped' / 'Cha cha me baby'

Sparvöga - Marie Fredriksson

'Sparvöga' is a 1989 single by Swedish artist Marie Fredriksson. It was written for the Swedish TV series 'Sparvöga', based on Ann-Charlotte Alverfors's book of the same name. The word literally means 'sparrow-eye', but it could be translated to the English word 'hawkeye', as it describes particularly sharp human eyes.

When the single was released in March 1989, it peaked at number 6 in the Swedish singles chart. It was Fredriksson's biggest hit until 2008's 'Där du andas'. 'Sparvöga' was added as a bonus track on the re-release of Marie Fredriksson's 1992 album 'Den ständiga resan' and quickly became one of my favourite tracks by her. Finding this single was a great surprise.

My collection: 7" single no. 4216
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 6 euro
Tracks: 'Sparvöga' / 'Sparvöga (instrumental version)'