The things we do for love - 10CC

After the departure of Godley and Creme, Stewart and Gouldman opted to continue as 10CC, bringing in to the studio drummer Paul Burgess, who had up to that point been their tour backup drummer. Their first album as a three piece band was 'Deceptive bends' in 1977.

The album yielded three hit singles, of which 'The things we do for love' was the first. It reached number 6 in the UK singles chart, number 5 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 13 in the Dutch Top 40. Stewart later said he and Gouldman felt vindicated by the success: 'I was out to prove also that we could write a hit album without Kevin and Lol ... we did!'

My collection: 7" single no. 4513
Found: Any old time, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 0,1 euro
Tracks: 'The things we do for love' / 'Hot to trot'

It's a long way there - Little River Band

Fueled by a very successful Australian hit single 'Curiosity killed the cat', the band began making promotional visits to the USA in 1976. This resulted in a hit single Stateside, 'It's a long way there', edited down from an album track over 8 minutes long.

The single reached number 28 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 13 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4512
Found: Any old time, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 0,1 euro
Tracks: 'It's a long way there' / 'Meanwhile'

Tiger feet - Mud

'Tiger feet' was written and produced by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman and recorded by Mud. It was the first of Mud's three number 1 hit singles in the UK, reaching the top of the UK charts in January 1974. Two months later, the single also reached number 1 in the Dutch Top 40.

Co-writer Mike Chapman credited bassist Ray Stiles with a particularly memorable bass lick which helped fuel the success of the record.

My collection: 7" single no. 4511
Found: Any old time, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 0,1 euro
Tracks: 'Tiger feet' / 'Mr. Bagatelle'

I want you to want me - Cheap Trick

'I want you to want me' was originally recorded by Cheap Trick on their second album 'In color' (1977). It was the first single released from that album, but it didn't chart. However, it was a number 1 hit in Japan.

This success, as well as the success of other singles, prompted Cheap Trick to play a few concerts at the Tokyo Budokan in April 1978. These concerts were recorded and a selection of track ended up on the album 'Cheap Trick at Budokan'. When the live version of 'I want you to want me' was released as a single in early 1979, it reached number 7 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 29 in the UK singles chart and a surprising number 1 in the Dutch Top 40: the band had never charted in the Netherlands before.

My collection: 7" single no. 4510
Found: Any old time, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 0,1 euro
Tracks: 'I want you to want me' / 'Look out'

Room with a view - Deco

Noël Coward wrote 'Room with a view' for the 1928 revue 'This year of grace'. The Noël Coward Society, drawing on performing statistics from the publishers and the Performing Rights Society, ranks 'Room with a view' among Coward's ten most popular songs.

One of the many cover versions recorded throughout the last century was released by Deco, a trio consisting of Charles Grant, Tim Donaldson and John Melvin. The single did not chart in the UK, but reached number 30 in the Dutch Top 40 in April 1979.

My collection: 7" single no. 4509
Found: Any old time, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 0,1 euro
Tracks: 'Room with a view' / 'She's a great great girl'

Fool (if you think it's over) - Chris Rea

Although I have a lot of singles by Chris Rea, I had a hard time locating a copy of his debut hit, 'Fool (if you think it's over)'. You can imagine my surprise when I found a UK copy of this single in this shop where I got all these singles for 10 cents each.

The single originally failed to chart in Rea's native UK. In the USA, the single peaked at number 12 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart in September 1978, while in the Dutch Top 40 it reached number 25. When re-released in the UK in October 1978, the single made it to number 30 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4508
Found: Any old time, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 0,1 euro
Tracks: 'Fool (if you think it's over)' / 'Midnight love'

Beautiful noise - Neil Diamond

The album 'Beautiful noise' marked a radical departure in production, style, arrangements and compositional diversity for Neil Diamond and is considered by many to be his finest album. It was billed at the time of its release as something of a 'comeback' album, and did mark a new and highly productive phase of Diamond's recording and touring career.

The title track was released as a single in the autumn of 1976 and reached number 13 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4507
Found: Any old time, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 0,1 euro
Tracks: 'Beautiful noise' / 'Home is a wounded heart'