Ik dans dus ik besta - Het Goede Doel

Sometimes, when you're buying records, you find something you didn't know about. It's these nice surprises that makes all the record hunting so worthwhile. This 12" single is a very good example: there aren't that many extended remixes of Dutch songs, certainly from circa 1986.

And yet, here it is: a remix version of 'Ik dans dus ik besta' ('I dance, therefore I am') by the Dutch group Het Goede Doel. And it is quite a rare version: as far as I know it has never been released on cd. Finding this 12" single was a very nice surprise.

My collection: 12" single no. 524
Found: Second Life Music, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Ik dans dus ik besta (Special maxi version)' / 'Ik dans dus ik besta (instrumental)'

Bem bom - Doce

The female quartet Doce, consisting of Laura Diogo, Lena Coelho, Fátima Padinha and Teresa Miguel, represented Portugal during the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest with the catchy pop song 'Bem bom' ('Very good'). During their performance, the four women were dressed in musketeer outfits.

They finished 13th in a field of 18 competitors. The single was released in several European countries, but failed to chart outside of Portugal.

My collection: 7" single no. 4400
Found: Second Life Music, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Bem bom (English version)' / 'Bem bom (Portuguese version)'

Tomb of memories - Paul Young

I bought a copy of 'Tomb of memories' for something quite close to nothing in July 2009, although I was aware of the limited edition double single version. I didn't really think I would find it so fast for such a reasonable price.

This limited edition double single has two live tracks on the second disc. It's nothing very special, but it is a double single. Did I ever mention that I am a sucker for such limited editions?

My collection: 7" single no. 4386
Found: Second Life Music, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 3,5 euro
Tracks: 'Tomb of memories' / 'Man in the iron mask' // 'Bite the hand that feeds (live)' / 'Love will tear us apart (live)'

Vamos a la playa - Righeira

'Vamos a la playa' was originally performed by the Mexican band Los Joao. Righeira recorded their version of the song in 1983. It reached number 53 in the UK singles chart and number 2 in the Dutch Top 40.

This single features 'Vamos a la playa' on both sides - the labels give no further information. I'm not sure, but I think the B-side version is performed in Italian instead of Spanish.

My collection: 7" single no. 4384
Found: Second Life Music, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Vamos a la playa' / 'Vamos a la playa'

The eve of the war - Jeff Wayne

I've already got two copies of 'The eve of the war', namely the Dutch pressing and the UK pressing from 1978. When you listen to the version of 'The eve of the war' on this single, you will hear that it is performed by a different vocalist. And this is where the confusion begins...

When 'Eve of the war' was released as a single, Justin Hayward had already had a hit with 'Forever autumn'. There was no rights clearance for a single release of 'The eve of the war', and so Chris Thompson stepped in and sung an alternative version of the song. That version is featured on the 1978 singles - although the Justin Hayward version was also available circa 1978 when the rights issues were sorted out. This single was released in 1989, when Jeff Wayne's musical version of the War of the Worlds was re-released on lp and cd. And it features the Justin Hayward version! Obviously, I had to have this one as well.

My collection: 7" single no. 4382
Found: Second Life Music, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'The eve of the war' / 'The red weed'

Where did love go wrong - Belle and the Devotions

The response on this blog is sometimes very useful. Last year I found out that there are three singles by Belle and the Devotions: their Eurovision entry 'Love games' of course, 'Got to let you know', released in 1983, and this one: 'Where did love go wrong'.

It was of course just a matter of time until I would find this one. And as always, I found it in a place where I least expected it: in a second hand shop in Amsterdam. Like the other two singles, it sounds like a modern Motown track. And I guess that was the sound that the group was always going for. I have to say that in my opinion, this is the least interesting single of the three.

My collection: 7" single no. 4383
Found: Second Life Music, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Where did love go wrong' / 'When you're alone'

She loved like diamond - Spandau Ballet

'She loved like diamond' sounds a bit like a rough demo, and so it is quite a surprise to find that it is actually Spandau Ballet's sixth single, the third single taken from their second album 'Diamond'. Earlier singles like 'Muscle bound' and 'Chant no. 1' sound a lot more sophisticated than this track.

Perhaps this is also why it was less successful chart-wise: 'She loved like diamond' only reached number 49 in the UK singles chart, the lowest chart placing for any Spandau Ballet single up until then.

My collection: 7" single no. 4381
Found: Second Life Music, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'She loved like diamond' / 'She loved like diamond (instrumental)'