Private eyes - Daryl Hall and John Oates

According to Daryl Hall, 'Private eyes' is 'a real Janna Allen(co-writer and sister of Sara Allen) song. Janna, and I, and Warren Pash wrote that. Warren and Janna wrote most of the song, and I took it and changed it around-changed the chords. Sandy [Sara Allen] and I wrote the lyrics. It’s a real family song, the Allen sisters and me.'

The single carries a similar rhythm to the duo's number one hit from earlier that year, 'Kiss on my list', with the difference being a handclap chorus that has made the song an audience-participation favorite at live Hall and Oates shows. The single reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 32 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2499
Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 30, 1995
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Private eyes' / 'Tell me what you want'

Twilight zone - Golden Earring

My earlier post about 'Long blond animal' by the Golden Earring caused some readers to write a comment. I wrote that if the group had quit like they planned, it would have saved us a lot of unnecessary music. 'What about 'Twilight zone'?', was the general complaint.

Well, indeed. I did like the song when it came out in 1982, and I even bought the single. At the same time, the song has been played so often on radio and television that I'm still very bored by it. So would the world have been a darker place without this single? I don't really think so. But it was a number 1 hit for the band, which should have been, again, reason enough for them to call it quits. Unfortunately, they didn't...

My collection: 7" single no. 149
Found: Studio Echo, Den Haag, 1982
Cost: 5,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Twilight zone' / 'King dark'

Church of your heart - Roxette

'Church of your heart' was the last single release from Roxette's 1991 album 'Joyride' in February 1992. It was the last top 40 hit for Roxette in the USA, peaking at number 36. In the UK, the single reached number 21.

More important to me than the 7" single at the time was the double cd-single release from the UK. I spent ages trying to find it, until I finally did during a record fair in the summer of 1992. This single was much easier to get: I bought it as soon as it came out.

My collection: 7" single no. 1648
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, April 1992
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Church of your heart' / 'I call your name'

Wanted dead or alive - Bon Jovi

'Wanted dead or alive' is the phrase Jon Bon Jovi used for this song to show how he identifies with wild west heroes as being hated (wanted dead or alive). The band Bon Jovi had originally planned to do a wild west-themed album in the Eighties, but scrapped the idea.

Released as the third single from Bon Jovi's 1986 album 'Slippery when wet'. It peaked at number 7 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 13 in the UK singles chart and number 24 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 532
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Wanted dead or alive' / 'Shot through the heart'

Trödler und Co - Peter, Sue and Marc

One of four appearances at the Eurovision Song Contest by Peter, Sue & Marc, 'Trödler & Co' is certainly the most memorable one. Together with the unknown trio Pfuri, Gorps & Kniri, they performed a track that sounded a lot like slightly deranged gypsy music. 'Trödler' translates like 'dawdler', so presumably this is music by people who procrastinate a lot. (No, I don't know what that means either).

Representing Switzerland for the third time in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1979 with this song, they finished tenth in a field of 19 competitors.

My collection: 7" single no. 4457
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received January 28, 2010
Cost: 3,5 euro
Tracks: 'Trödler & Co' / 'Groovy Musik'

Mai Tai - Body and soul

'Body and soul' was Mai Tai's second hit single in the UK, but there was a difference with the European version of 'Body and soul': it was released on the Virgin label, had a different sleeve and a different B-side. The B-side was 'What goes on', a hit single in the Netherlands in the previous summer.

Released in July 1985, Mai Tai scored their second top 10 hit in the UK, peaking at number 9.

My collection: 7" single no. 2385
Found: House of Rhythm, London, July 1, 1995
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Body & soul' / 'What goes on'

Isn't it midnight - Fleetwood Mac

'Isn't it midnight' was released as the sixth and final single from Fleetwood Mac's 1987 album 'Tango in the night'. The song was co-written and sung by Christine McVie.

In the UK singles chart, 'Isn't it midnight' reached number 60 in June 1988. In Ireland, the single reached number 23.

My collection: 7" single no. 3197
Found: Record fair, Amterdam, September 16, 2000
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Isn't it midnight' / 'Mystified'