All right - Christopher Cross

At the time of its release in February 1983, I thought that Christopher Cross's 'All right' was one of the dullest songs on the planet. But 27 years later, you can see that I've changed my mind. The fact is, these days it's hard to find any melodic pop songs anymore and it's good to be able to travel back to the early Eighties via singles like this.

'All right' is a track from the album 'Another page', also released in 1983. It reached number 16 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 51 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4453
Found: Kringloop, Lisse, January 23, 2010
Cost: 0,7 euro
Tracks: 'All right' / 'Long world'

Sussudio - Phil Collins

According to Phil Collins, 'Sussudio' is the result of an improvisation. He was just playing around with a drum machine, and the lyric 'sus-sussudio' was what came out of his mouth. 'So I kinda knew I had to find something else for that word, then I went back and tried to find another word that scanned as well as 'sussudio', and I couldn't find one, so I went back to 'sussudio',' Collins explained. The lyrics are about a schoolboy crush on a girl at school.

The single reached number 3 in the Dutch Top 40, number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4452
Found: Kringloop, Lisse, January 23, 2010
Cost: 0,7 euro
Tracks: 'Sussudio' / 'The man with the horn'

I love Rock 'n Roll - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker from The Arrows wrote 'I love Rock 'n Roll' in 1975. They recorded the track on RAK Records, produced by Mickie Most. Although not a chart hit because the label did not promote the song, it did catch the attention of Joan Jett when the Arrows performed the song on their weekly television series The Arrows Show.

She first recorded the song in 1979 with two of the Sex Pistols: Steve Jones and Paul Cook. This first version was not released until 1993 on the album 'Flashback'. In 1982, Jett re-recorded the song, this time with her band, The Blackhearts, and this recording became a U.S. Billboard Hot 100 1 single for seven weeks. The single also hit number 1 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 4 in the UK singles chart. Let us forget about the lifeless version by Britney Spears in 2002, shall we?

My collection: 7" single no. 4451
Found: Kringloop, Lisse, January 23, 2010
Cost: 0,7 euro
Tracks: 'I love Rock 'n Roll' / 'Love is pain'

I was made for dancin' - Leif Garrett

Leif Garrett was born as Leif Per Nervik on November 8, 1961. He started his career in entertainment at just five years old, acting in several television series in America. In 1976, he signed a recording contract and released his self-titled debut album. His second album 'Feel the need' spawned the single 'I was made for dancin'', which became his first worldwide hit single, reaching number 10 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 11 in the Dutch Top 40. Subsequent singles and albums couldn't match this succcess however.

I bought a copy of this single - a UK pressing with a custom record company sleeve - already in 1979 during a holiday in London, which would have placed it among the first 30 singles in my current collection. However, not long after that holiday, my sister talked me into swapping the single for a different one out of her collection, and as I didn't play that single often enough, I agreed. Now, 30 years later, the single is back in my possession: an American pressing in a picture sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 4450
Found: Kringloop, Lisse, January 23, 2010
Cost: 0,7 euro
Tracks: 'I was made for dancin'' / 'Living without your love'

Worn down piano - Mark and Clark Band

This is one single I almost didn't buy because I thought I already had it. I didn't, but the sleeve looks awfully familiar. I just can't work out where I might have seen it.

Anyway: 'Worn down piano' is one of the most interesting songs from 1977. Split into two parts, the full length of the song is over eight minutes. The lyric tells a story of an old piano that's about to be auctioned off, while a poor man plays the most beautiful melodies on it. The single reached number 8 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4449
Found: Kringloop, Lisse, January 23, 2010
Cost: 0,7 euro
Tracks: 'Worn down piano (part 1)' / 'Worn down piano (part 2)'

Funkytown - Lipps Inc.

Lipps Inc. (pronounced like 'lip sync') was a studio band that is quite basically the very definition of the term 'one hit wonder'. The group was formed in Minneapolis by Steven Greenberg, who wrote and produced all of the group's music, and who also played several musical instruments. The lead singer was Cynthia Johnson, and the rest of the group consisted of a changing group of session musicians.

The group released their debut album 'Mouth to mouth' in 1980. The single 'Funkytown' was taken from this album and became a number 1 hit in the USA, the Netherlands and several other European countries. In the UK singles chart it reached number 2. Their further singles failed to chart, and so Lipps Inc. gradually faded from view. They actually released four albums between 1980 and 1983, none of which attracted much attention.

My collection: 7" single no. 4448
Found: Kringloop, Sassenheim, January 23, 2010
Cost: 0,12 euro
Tracks: 'Funkytown' / 'All night dancing'

Jij daar! - Petra and Co.

Petra De Steur was born in Gent, Belgium on June 20, 1972. She was discovered in 1988 and scored a series of hits in Belgium between 1989 and 1992 as Petra & Co. 'Jij daar', a dance song produced by wellknown producer Phil de Wilde (who's worked with Kabouter Plop, K-Otic and Kate Ryan) and low on substance, was their second hit in the Netherlands, peaking at number 8 in the Dutch Top 40.

She reinvented herself in 2006 and is known since then as La Sakhra.

My collection: 7" single no. 4447
Found: Kringloop, Sassenheim, January 23, 2010
Cost: 0,12 euro
Tracks: 'Jij daar!' / 'Where and when'