Somewhere somebody - Five Star

Shep Pettibone was commissioned to remix 'Somewhere somebody', the third single from Five Star's third album 'Between the lines'. The result was included on this 12" single, released in December 1987: three versions of his remix work, of which the 'short version' is an edit of the 'Pettibone remix'.

'Somewhere somebody' was released while the band was touring. Hence, live photographs were used on the sleeve.

My collection: 12" single no. 535
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010
Cost: 2,5 euro
Tracks: 'Somewhere somebody (The Pettibone remix)', 'Somewhere somebody (Dub beats)' / 'Somewhere somebody (Short version - The Pettibone remix)', 'Have a good time'

There goes my baby - Donna Summer

'There goes my baby' was written by Ben E. King and the songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. The Drifters recorded the song in 1959, with Ben E. King performing lead vocals.

Donna Summer recorded a cover version of this song in 1984, which was released as the first single from her album 'Cats without claws'. At this time Summer had a contract with Geffen Records who had refused to release much of her work, including the previous album which in the end was released by Mercury Records. After the success of that album, Geffen hired its producer, Michael Omartian to produce Summer's new album. This single reached number 31 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4575
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'There goes my baby' / 'Maybe it's over'

Haus der drei Sonnen - Nena

Having bought the 12" single of 'It's all in the game' and the 7" single of 'Haus der drei Sonnen', it's obvious that I still had to have the 7" single of the former and the 12" single of the latter. The mission continues, but half of it has been successful: I found the 12" single of 'Haus der drei Sonnen'.

The 12" mix of this track is not different from the English version, but of course it is sung in German. The B-side is the same as the B-side of the 7" single.

My collection: 12" single no. 532
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010
Cost: 2,5 euro
Tracks: 'Haus der drei Sonnen (extended)' / 'Ein Brief'

Little river - Audrey Landers

Written by the Germans Bernd Dietrich, Gerd Grabowski and Engelbert Simons, 'Little river' has all the hallmarks of a real German Schlager song. Audrey Landers recorded it as a single in 1983, to follow up the great summer hit 'Manuel goodbye'.

This single, however, failed to dent the charts outside of Germany.

My collection: 7" single no. 4596
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Little river' / 'Give me back my heart'

You take my breath away - Dollar

Dollar's 1982 album 'The Paris collection' was recently re-released by Cherry Pop records, adding several bonus tracks to the tracklisting. I won't be buying it, because singles by Dollar is quite enough, I have to say. There is this undeniable kitch appeal, but I couldn't stand it for a whole album.

This limited edition picture disc was released to boost sales of the single 'You take my breath away'. It didn't work, as the single did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4605
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'You take my breath away' / 'Don't change your life'

Pandora's box - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

By 1991, the cd-single had become a dominant format in the record industry. The 12" single was quickly losing ground, and this problem was tackled by including exclusive tracks on them. This record of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's 'Pandora's box' is a good example: it features one remix that was not released on cd, the 'Abstract mix'.

Like the single version, it was created by Steve Anderson, and as such it can be considered an 'extended version'.

My collection: 12" single no. 530
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010
Cost: 2,5 euro
Tracks: 'Pandora's box (Constant Pressure 12"mix)', 'Pandora's box' / 'Pandora's mix (Abstract mix)'

That's just the way it is - Phil Collins

'That's just the way it is' was written by Phil Collins as an anti-war ballad, about the conflict in Northern Ireland, The Troubles. Collins commented: 'It's about Northern Ireland as far as I am concerned. (...) If you are living in England and you just sort of constantly people getting blown to smithereens because this thing that's been going on for the last twenty years. You see newsreels of kids throwing petrol bombs because their brothers throw them and then their dads throw them and their dads dads and it's just bred, inbred now this violence. I just thought someone somewhere, and it's got to be from both sides, has got to say 'Hang on, life means more than this. This has got to stop.''

The B-side of the single is 'Broadway chorus', a demo version of the previous hit single from the album, 'Something happened on the way to heaven'. The single reached number 26 in the UK singles chart and number 10 in the Dutch Top 40 in the summer of 1990.

My collection: 7" single no. 4598
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'That's just the way it is' / 'Broadway chorus'