Time to make you mine - Lisa Stansfield

As much as I like the song 'Time to make you mine' by Lisa Stansfield, even I have to admit that the music video was the real headturner here. With all the animation and Stansfield appearing to be naked in a field of flowers, some people definitely were in awe of this video.

The song, meanwhile, was the third single to be lifted from her second album 'Real love' in 1992. The single reached number 14 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1647
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, 1992
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Time to make you mine' / 'All around the world' (with Barry White)

Angelina - Matia Bazar

'Angelina' was the second single taken from Matia Bazar's 1986 album 'Melanchólia'. Although the Italian band had just had an international hit with 'Ti sento', this single did not manage to break the charts the way its predecessor had done.

It has to be said that this song is a lot less catchy. I didn't know the track when I bought the single - and I quickly found out that I wouldn't play it very often. Still, it is a nice track.

My collection: 7" single no. 2957
Found: Record fair, February 7, 1998
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Angelina' / 'Fiumi di parole'

You made me the thief of your heart - Sinéad O'Connor

The movie 'In the name of the father' was directed by Jim Sheridan and was based on the true life story of the Guildford Four, four people falsely convicted of the IRA's Guildford pub bombing, which killed four British soldiers and a civilian.

The soundtrack of the movie, which was an Irish production, featured a host of Irish musicians, most notably Sinéad O'Connor, who perfomed 'You made me the thief of your heart', the first single release from the soundtrack. The song was written by Maurice Seezer, Gavin Friday and Bono from U2. The single reached number 42 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2072
Found: Record fair, February 19, 1994
Cost: 8 guilders
Tracks: 'You made me the thief of your heart' / 'The father and his wife the spirit'

Still loving you - The Scorpions

The German rock band The Scorpions recorded 'Still loving you' in 1984 on their album 'Love at first sting'. It was released as the second single from the album, reaching number 64 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Oddly enough, the single only managed to hit the Dutch Top 40 in 1987, when it reached number 4. On that occasion, the track was taken from the Scorpions compilation album 'Gold ballads'.

The song is considered to be a thinly veiled metaphor for a still divided Eastern & Western Germany. 'Your pride has built a wall so strong that I can't get through, is there really no chance to start once again?' was a clear reference to the Berlin Wall and the despair many Germans felt about their divided homeland.

My collection: 7" single no. 512
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Still loving you' / 'Holiday'

I'll put you together again - Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate followed up one of the biggest hits of their career, 'Every 1's a winner' with the ballad 'I'll put you together again'. The track was written by Don Black and composed by Geoff Stephens. Stephens is one of the most successful composers of the UK, based on the number of weeks which his songs have spent in the UK singles chart.

'I'll put you together again' was released in December 1978 and reached number 13 in the UK singles chart and number 11 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2442
Found: August 26, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'I'll put you together again' / 'West End of Park Lane'

Piece of the action - Bucks Fizz

Bucks Fizz followed up their Eurovision-winning song 'Making your mind up' with their second single, 'Piece of the action'. The song was written by Andy Hill and included on their self-titled debut album, released later on in 1981.

The single reached number 12 in the UK singles chart. The song was covered by the Bay City Rollers in 1983 as a Japanese-only single release.

My collection: 7" single no. 938
Found: All that music, Leiden, July 7, 1989
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Piece of the action' / 'Took it to the limit'

Elisabeth's eyes - Nik Kershaw

'Elisabeth's eyes' was the second and last single to be released from Nik Kershaw's fourth album 'The works'. Unlike the previous single, this one failed to reach the UK singles chart.

After this, Kershaw devoted himself to writing songs for other artists - the most successful track being 'The one and only' which launched Chesney Hawkes' career in 1991, peaking at number 1 in the UK - and only returned with an album called '15 minutes' in 1999, ten years after the release of this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 2718
Found: July 20, 1996
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Elisabeth's eyes' / 'My friend John'