Smells like teen spirit - Nirvana

It wasn't until 'Weird Al' Yankovic released 'Smells like Nirvana' that I became interested in Nirvana's 'Smells like teen spirit'. When it was released, I just thought it was a lot of noise - infernal racket to be precise - and I didn't want to listen to it at all. Tori Amos also made a very beautiful ballad version of this song, and so in the end I had to concede there was some merit to this track after all.

'Smells like teen spirit' can be considered as the one single that introduced the world to the Seatlle grunge scene. Ironically, Kurt Cobain commented about the song: 'I was trying to write the ultimate pop song. I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies. (...) We used their sense of dynamics, being soft and quiet and then loud and hard.' The single reached number 6 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 3 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1786
Found: Record fair, November 7, 1992
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Smells like teen spirit' / 'Even in his youth'

I knew you were waiting (for me) - George Michael and Aretha Franklin

To say that two legendary artists recorded 'I knew you were waiting (for me)' in 1986 would be a little far-fetched, but I bet that's how this single will be perceived in a few decades from now. Aretha Franklin is often called the queen of soul, whereas George Michael was still working on his status as a songwriter and performer - but nowadays he can be considered quite the legend himself.

The single was a number 1 hit for the duo in the UK, the USA, the Netherlands and Australia. In Canada, 'I knew you were waiting (for me)' reached number 4. I bought the 12" single four years after I found this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 2440
Found: August 26, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'I knew you were waiting (for me)' / 'I knew you were waiting (for me) (instrumental)'

Sailing / Da ya think I'm sexy? - Rod Stewart

This single was made in 1980, combining two of Rod Stewart's biggest hits of the Seventies on one disc. 'Sailing' was written by Gavin Sutherland and originally recorded by his band, Sutherland Brothers & Quiver. Stewart recorded his version in 1975, giving him a number 1 hit in the UK and the Netherlands, among other countries.

'Da ya think I'm sexy' is basically, according to Carmine Appice, who played drums on the track: 'a story of a guy meeting a chick in a club. If you listen to the lyrics, 'She sits alone, waiting for suggestions, he's so nervous...' it's the feelings of what was going on in a dance club. The guy sees a chick he digs, she's nervous and he's nervous and she's alone and doesn't know what's going on, then they end up at his place having sex, and then she's gone.' Again, Stewart hit number 1 in the UK, and peaked at number 4 in the Dutch Top 40 with this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 452
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1986
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Sailing' / 'Da ya think I'm sexy?'

Tu - Mecano

The Spanish pop group Mecano released their album 'Aidalai' in 1991: an eclectic mix of intimate ballads, technopop and traditional Spanish music. The album was released amidst rumours of the band splitting up because of creative differences between the band's main songwriters, Nacho Cano and José Maria Cano.

The single 'Tu' was released in the autumn of 1991 and gave them their second and last hit in the Netherlands: it reached number 36 in the Dutch Top 40. As you can hear, this is a mispressing of the single, as it warbles like a madman.

My collection: 7" single no. 3177
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 19, 2000
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Tu' / '1917'

A simple little song - Bandjo with Anne Cathrine Herdorf

Anne-Cathrine Herdorf was born on July 10, 1967. She represented Denmark during the 1987 Eurovision Song Contest with the group Bandjo, performing 'En lillle melodi'. The song finished in fifth place in a field of 22 contestants.

This single features the English version of the song, 'A simple little song', plus the instrumental version. Surprisingly, this single was made in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 4405
Found: Second Life Music, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'A simple little song' / 'En lille melodi (instrumental)'

Night fever - Bee Gees

'Night fever' was another song written and recorded by the Bee Gees for the soundtrack of the movie 'Saturday night fever'. Originally the movie was going to be called 'Saturday night', but Robin Gibb expressed hesitation at that title. When the song 'Night fever' was made, the two titles were combined, hence 'Saturday night fever'.

The single reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and stayed at that position for two months. The single also topped the chart in Canada, the UK, Spain, Ireland and Brazil. In the Dutch Top 40, 'Night fever' reached number 3.

My collection: 7" single no. 1478
Found: July 3, 1991
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Night fever' / 'Down the road'

They dance alone - Sting

In 1987, Sting was going through his messiah phase, thinking that his status as a rock star could give him the power to save the world. He toured around the world with an indian with a plate in his lower lip, while also trying to stop the Chilean regime of Augusto Pinochet.

He did so by composing 'They dance alone', a track on his second solo album '...Nothing like the sun' and subsequently released as a single. The song is a metaphor referring to mourning Chilean women who were dancing the Cueca, the national dance of Chile, alone with photographs of their disappeared loved ones in their hands. Sting explained his song as a symbolic gesture of protest against Pinochet, whose regime killed thousands of people between 1973 and 1990. Of course, this didn't move Pinochet to immediately stop his actions. Sting did reach number 29 in the Dutch Top 40, but the single flopped in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 1009
Found: London, October 17, 1989
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'They dance alone' / 'Ellas danzan solas'