One night stand - Lois Lane

Released as the follow-up to their debut single 'Break it up', 'One night stand' was Lois Lane's second single, and the second and last one of their five singles released by WEA records to not reach the Dutch Top 40.

This particular copy appears to be a mispressing: although the B-side is announced as 'Goodbye girl' on the label, it simply plays 'One night stand' once again.

My collection: 7" single no. 4576
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks (label): 'One night stand' / 'Goodbye girl'
Tracks (disc): 'One night stand' / 'One night stand'

The road to hell (part 2) - Chris Rea

Chris Rea's 'The road to hell' was written about the frustrations of driving on the M25 during rush hour. It's strange how such a boring subject can lead to such a great song. It was the title track of his 1989 album, which featured two parts of the track.

Part 2 was released as a single. The single reached number 10 in the UK singles chart. In 2009, the song inspired the title of a crime novel by northeast author Sheila Quigley, 'The road to hell', the fifth book in the Seahills series of novels.

My collection: 7" single no. 4580
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'The road to hell (part 2)' / 'He should know better'

Een nacht in Mokum - Dingetje

At his best, Dingetje can be called the Weird Al Yankovic of the Netherlands. And this single represents one of his best parodies, which I have to admit didn't know existed. 'Een nacht in Mokum' translates as 'One night in Amsterdam', and is a parody of the Murray Head single 'One night in Bangkok', written by Tim Rice with Benny and Bjorn of Abba.

Dingetje describes a night out in the capital of the Netherlands in his version, using some elements from the original lyric, such as 'the massage parlours'. The single did not chart - and I have to say I've never seen it before.

My collection: 7" single no. 4585
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Een nacht in Mokum' / 'Sukke heb ze'

Every time I see you - Fra Lippo Lippi

Fra Lippo Lippi released three singles from their 1985 album 'Songs', of which 'Every time I see you' was the last. The track was remixed before it was released as a single, but the single version and the version on this 12" single are the same.

The bonus is included on the B-side. Besides the single B-side 'The heather on the hills', it adds another beautiful instrumental track, 'The true story'. This track was definitely worth the money for buying this disc.

My collection: 12" single no. 142
Found: Record Exchange, London, 1992
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Every time I see you' / 'The true story', 'The heather on the hills'

Looking for the summer - Chris Rea

'Looking for the summer' was a track on Chris Rea's 1990 album 'Auberge'. The album reached number 1 in the UK albums chart, however the three singles taken from the album wouldn't meet a similar fate in the singles chart.

The single version of 'Looking for the summer' was a remix, shorter and faster than the album version. It reached number 49 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1511
Found: August 17, 1991
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Looking for the summer' / 'Six up'

Sex and drugs and rock and roll - Ian Dury

'Sex & drugs & rock & roll' was written by Ian Dury and Chas Jankel in Dury's flat in Oval Mansions, London. According to Chas, he would be repeatedly given the lyric for the song by Dury but Jankel kept rejecting the song only for it to be at the top of the pile again the next time - only to be rejected again. This went on until Dury sung the song's guitar riff to Chas and sang the song's title in time with it.

Released as it was at the height of the popularity of punk rock, the song was misinterpreted as a song about excess as its title would suggest. Dury himself maintained that the song was not a punk anthem and said he was trying to suggest that there was more to life than a 9-to-5 existence.

My collection: 7" single no. 1738
Found: Out on the floor, London, October 18, 1992
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Sex & drugs & rock & roll' / 'Razzle in my pocket'

That's all - Genesis

The nicest feature of this single is the sleeve: the label which carries a photograph of flowers is visible through a larger hole at the front, whereas the back cover is entirely brown and doesn't have a hole in it.

'That's all' is a group composition by Genesis with lyrics written by Phil Collins. Released as the second single from their self-titled 1983 album, it reached number 16 in the UK singles chart and number 6 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1101
Found: All that music, Leiden, November 11, 1989
Cost: 4 guilders
Tracks: 'That's all' / 'Taking it all too hard'