Mama - Genesis

'Mama' was written and recorded by Genesis on their 1983 album 'Genesis'. Phil Collins commented at the time: 'Our manager, when he first heard it, thought it was about abortion, the kind of feeling of the foetus saying to the mother 'Please give me a chance, can't you feel my heart, don't take away my last chance'. All those lyrics are in the song but in fact what it is, is just about a young teenager that's got a mother fixation with a prostitute that he's just happened to have met in passing and he has such a strong feeling for her and doesn't understand why she isn't interested in him.'

Most people remember the song for Phil Collins' sinister laugh halfway through. Producer Hugh Padgham revealed that the inspiration for the laugh came from rap music pioneer Grandmaster Flash's song 'The Message'. The single reached number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 7 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 213
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1983
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Mama' / 'It's gonna get better'

1999 / Little red corvette - Prince

'1999' was recorded by Prince on his 1982 album of the same name. Prince shares lead vocals on the track with members of his band The Revolution, namely Dez Dickerson, Lisa Coleman and Jill Jones. Originally conceived to be a three-part harmony, it was later decided to separate out the voices that started each verse. It was released as a single in the same year, launching Prince to superstardom along the way.

On New Year's Eve 1999, Prince (his stage name at that time still being an unpronounceable symbol) held a concert entitled 'Rave un2 the year 2000' at his Paisley Park Studios Soundstage, and he later vowed never to play it again. However, in August 2007, as part of his Earth Tour, he reintroduced the song to his set after an absence of eight years.

My collection: 7" single no. 2908
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 31, 1997
Cost: 50p
Tracks: '1999' / 'Little red corvette'

How many lies - Spandau Ballet

'How many lies' was released in early 1987 as the third and final single from Spandau Ballet's 1986 album 'Through the barricades'. The single featured a live version of 'Communication', recorded at the NEC in Birmingham on the B-side.

The single reached number 34 in the UK singles chart and number 25 in the Dutch Top 40. While the band was traditionally also successful in Australia and Germany, 'How many lies' did not chart in these countries.

My collection: 7" single no. 2603
Found: Record fair, January 27, 1996
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'How many lies?' / 'Communication (live)'

Bailemos un vals - José Vélez

José Vélez was born as José Velásquez Jiménez, November 15, 1951 in Telde, Gran Canaria. He started his career in music in the late Sixties as a member of the Grupo Marabilla. He started a solo career after the group dissolved.

He represented Spain during the 1978 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Bailmos un vals' ('Let's dance a Waltz'). The song was written by Manuel de la Calva and Ramón Arcusa, the team beind Massiel's winning entry in the 1968 Contest, 'La la la'. It ended up ninth in a field of 20 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 4403
Found: Second Life Music, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Bailemos un vals' / 'Por que te fuiste 'pa'?'

Ik ben de man - Raymond van het Groenewoud

I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but in hindsight I wonder if it was really a good idea to accept this single into my collection: I never played it besides the time I got it and now for this blog. 'Ik ben de man' ('I am the man') by Belgian single Raymond van het Groenewoud is a nice song, but it's nothing remarkable.

I got it from the shop owner at the shop where I went to get my weekly chart singles back in 1990. It was probably the only way for him to get rid of these singles, as they didn't sell at all. Six months later, Van het Groenewoud would have his first and only number 1 hit in the Netherlands with 'Liefde voor muziek' ('Love for music').

My collection: 7" single no. 1271
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, July 28, 1990
Cost: -
Tracks: 'Ik ben de man' / 'Geen boodschap'

Red letter day - China Crisis

I don't know if Valentine's day qualifies as a red letter day, but it's Sunday today, so what the heck. Here's a special song for the occasion: China Crisis's 'Red letter day'. It was released as the second single from their 1989 album 'Diary of a hollow horse'. A special treat on this single is the acoustic version of the title track of that album, as it's been so beautifully done. I actually like the acoustic version better than the original version.

The single was not a hit in the UK, despite its special packaging: the single was housed in a special outer sleeve: a red envelope.

My collection: 7" single no. 995
Found: HMV, London, October 16, 1989
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Red letter day' / 'Diary of a hollow horse (acoustic)'

Love take over - Five Star

I don't think anyone remembers the band The Limit. They had a hit in 1985 with the track 'Say yeah'. (And no, I don't have it either.) The Limit consisted of Rob van Schaik and Bernard Oates, and they also wrote 'Love take over' for Five Star.

'Love take over' was released as the fifth single from Five Star's debut album 'Luxury of life'. It reached number 25 in the UK singles chart and number 27 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2409
Found: Record fair, 1994
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Love take over' / 'Keep in touch'