If I say yes - Five Star

'If I say yes' was released in 1986 as the fourth single from Five Star's second album 'Silk and steel'. The single reached number 15 in the UK singles chart, but failed to chart in other territories.

The sleeve of this single featured a few photographs taken during the filming of the accompanying music video. Although Five Star never reached the kind of popularity they found in the UK, it was through music videos that I still got to know most of their singles, as music stations were all broadcasting from the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 2174
Found: House of Rhythm, London, September 27, 1994
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'If I say yes' / 'Let me down easy'

Air disaster - Albert Hammond

Albert Hammond was born in London on May 18, 1944. He is one of the more successful songwriters to come out of England during the Sixties and Seventies, and has also enjoyed a long career as a recording artist.

One of his hit singles is the 1974 track 'Air disaster'. It appeared regularly on the radio in the Eighties as a 'golden oldie', which is how I found out about this song. I bought this single at the first opportunity. Perhaps I shouldn't have: in more recent years I have seen this single with a picture sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 307
Found: Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Air disaster' / 'Candle light, sweet candle light'

Hungry eyes - Sniff 'n' the Tears

'Hungry eyes' is a rather unknown single by the British band Sniff 'n' the Tears. Core member of the band is Paul Roberts, who is also a noted painter. He is responsible for much of the band's singles, and it was the sleeve of this single more than anything else that made me buy this single. I liked the picture, and in fact I still do.

The song, meanwhile, is not much to write home about. Maybe that's why it didn't chart in any territory.

My collection: 7" single no. 2592
Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, December 30, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Hungry eyes' / 'Fight for love'

Run for your life - Bucks Fizz

'Run for your life' was one of the single releases from Bucks Fizz's third album 'Hand cut'. It suffers from all the hallmarks of Eighties production values: loads of synths, loads of echos and a much too busy arrangement. And still it is a nice pop song, somehow.

The song's lyric talks about feelings of paranoia and insecurity. The single eventually rose to a peak of number 14 in the UK singles chart during a 7 week chart run.

My collection: 7" single no. 3230
Found: London, November 2001
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Run for your life' / 'Shot me through the heart'

Walking down your street - The Bangles

It didn't happen very often - even in the UK - that a single was released in two different limited editions, but in the case of the Bangles, it did happen. 'Walking down your street' was first released as a double single featuring the previous single 'Walk like an Egyptian' as disc number 2, but then there was also this edition: a gatefold sleeve with a 'highlights of the year' foldout.

The single peaked at number 16 in the UK singles chart and number 33 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2663
Found: Record fair, June 30, 1996
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Walking down your street' / 'Return post'

I want to know what love is - Foreigner

Foreigner had a worldwide number 1 hit with 'I want to know what love is', a powerballad written by Mick Jones, with some degree of uncredited contribution by Lou Gramm. It was the first single from their 1984 album 'Agent provocateur'.

The single features backing vocals from the New Jersey Mass Choir, which soon after Foreigner's single topped the charts, released its own, similar-sounding version of the song.

My collection: 7" single no. 250
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, December 1984
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'I want to know what love is' / 'Street thunder'

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'