Follow you follow me - Genesis

I didn't hear 'Follow you follow me' until the second half of the Eighties, and I couldn't believe this was a song from 1978. The track was taken from Genesis's ninth studio album 'And then there were three...', a title to reflect the departure of band member Steve Hackett, reducing the band to a trio. This lineup would last until 1996, and give them their biggest mainstream successes.

The slow, sentimental ballad was composed by the band with lyrics by Mike Rutherford. The band had concluded that their music was attracting mainly male audiences, and this song was a deliberate attempt to attract female audiences as well. The strategy worked: they had their first top 10 hit in the UK (peaking at number 7) and their first top 40 hit in America (peaking at number 23). It was also their first single hit in the Netherlands, where it peaked at number 17 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 816
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, May 13, 1989
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Follow you follow me' / 'Ballad of big'

Blue Monday - New Order

'Blue Monday' has often been named as the best selling 12" single of all times. It was never released as a single (although a 1988 remix of the track was) and sold over one million copies when it was released. In an interview the band claimed to have written the song in response to crowd disappointment at the fact that they never played encores. This song, they say, allowed them to return to the stage, press play on a synthesiser and leave the stage again.

The 12" single's die-cut sleeve, which looks like a floppy disk, was designed by Peter Saville. A popular story about the sleeve is that it cost so much to produce it that the record company lost money on each copy sold. Although this seems very unlikely, it is probably true that New Order saw little profit from the single's success, since an investment in the Haçienda nightclub swallowed much of the money they made from their hit.

My collection: 12" single no. 157
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1993
Cost: 2,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Blue Monday' / 'On the beach'

RSVP - Five Star

'R.S.V.P.' was the sixth single release from Five Star's debut album 'Luxury of life'. A limited edition poster bag was released to boost sales, featuring not only two photographs of the band but also a fact file on all five members. Apparently a cassette with dub mixes was included in the package, but I didn't get that when I bought my second hand copy years after the release.

The single peaked at number 45 in the UK singles chart, but failed to chart in other territories.

My collection: 7" single no. 3102
Found: London, May 13, 1999
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'R.S.V.P.' / 'Say goodbye'

Music and lights - Imagination

Even if their music was a bit formulaic, Imagination were masters of the soulpop genre. Or rather, their producers Tony Swain and Steve Jolley knew how to create a sound that the lead singer Leee John's voice thrived in.

'Music and lights' was another example of their brand of music, and successful it was too: it reached number 12 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 5 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2876
Found: London, October 28, 1997
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Music and lights' / 'Music and light (instrumental)'

Everyday - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

'Everyday' was the third and last single from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's 1993 album 'Liberator'. It was also their last to be released on the 7" vinyl format. Although Paul Humphreys was no longer a member of the band, he was still one of the writers of this song.

It reached number 59 in the UK singles chart and number 60 in the German singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2005
Found: HMV, London, October 18, 1993
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Everyday' / 'Every time'

This is the right time - Lisa Stansfield

Released in August 1989, 'This is the right time' was Lisa Stansfield's first solo success, reaching number 13 in the UK singles chart. The single was released after Stansfield had a hit with the dance combo Coldcut in March that year. 'People hold on' reached number 11 in the UK singles chart and was a Europe-wide hit.

'This is the right time' was included on Stansfield's debut album 'Affection', the same album that would give her her breakthrough single, 'All around the world'.

My collection: 7" single no. 2033
Found: Sounds Familiar, London, October 19, 1993
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'This is the right time' / 'Affection'

Running in the family - Level 42

The single 'Running in the family', released in February 1987, was the title track from their most successful album, released in March 1987. The band first performed the song live in 1986, but at the time it featured different lyrics.

The single release peaked at number 6 in the UK singles chart and number 3 in the Dutch Top 40. In the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, the single stalled at number 83.

My collection: 7" single no. 2821
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, February 1, 1997
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Running in the family' / 'Dream crazy'