The fifth studio album by Howard Jones, 'In the running', was his least successful one in commercial terms. The album failed to chart in all territories, and the singles didn't do much to raise its profile either.
'Lift me up', released as the first single from the album, was the only single to reach the UK singles chart, peaking at number 52. This was also his last chart single in the UK: all subsequent single releases between 1992 and now have been ignored by the general public. I wonder why, because his music has only got better and better.
My collection: 7" single no. 1733 Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1992 Cost: 1 pound Tracks: 'Lift me up' / 'I.G.Y. (live)'
'Sleeping in my car' was written by Per Gessle and recording by Roxette on their 1994 album 'Crash! Boom! Bang!'. It was also released as the first single from that album. It reached number 1 in Sweden, number 14 on the UK singles chart and number 50 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the Dutch Top 40, the single reached number 15.
When Roxette did a concert in Beijing, China in 1995, they were asked to change the suggestive lyrics of the song. 'We agreed, but didn't change them in the end', says Per Gessle.
My collection: 7" single no. 2098 Found: Record fair, April 6, 1994 Cost: 8 guilders Tracks: 'Sleeping in my car' / 'The look (MTV Unplugged live version)'
The lyric of the song 'Cannonball' by Supertramp may have been seen as a veiled message to former member Roger Hodgson - who left Supertramp a year before - but writer Rick Davies revealed in a French radio interview that the lyric to 'Cannonball' was inspired by a less than perfect concert promoter whom he refused to name but added that the guy knew who he was.
The track was written and sung by keyboardist Rick Davies all in the chord of G. Davies stated in an interview 'I did it simply to see if it could be done'. The single reached number 28 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in the spring of 1985. In the Dutch Top 40, the single only got as far as number 35.
My collection: 7" single no. 468 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, October 20, 1986 Cost: 2 guilders Track: 'Cannonball' / 'Ever open door'
'Here comes the rain again' was performed by the Eurythmics on their 1983 album 'Touch' and written by its members, Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart. Dave Stewart commented: 'The whole song was about that undecided thing, like here comes depression, or here comes that downward spiral. But then it goes, 'so talk to me like lovers do.' It's the wandering in and out of melancholy, a dark beauty that sort of is like the rose that's when it's darkest unfolding and bloodred just before the garden, dies. And capturing that in kind of oblique statements and sentiments.' He also revealed that the lyric to the song came into being after an argument between himself and Lennox while they were doing some songwriting in New York City's Columbus Hotel. The basic melody had already been written and Lennox looked out the window after their fight and noticed it was starting to rain. She announced, 'Here comes the rain again'.
The string arrangements by Michael Kamen were performed by members of the British Philharmonic Orchestra. The track actually lasted for five minutes, but was edited when it was released on the 'Touch' album to four and a half minutes. The track was edited even further for the single release. The full length version only appeared in 1991 on the US edition of 'Greatest hits'.
My collection: 7" single no. 981 Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, August 29, 1989 Cost: 2 guilder Tracks: 'Here comes the rain again' / 'Paint a rumour'
Depeche Mode released 'Personal Jesus' in the autumn of 1989 as the first single from their album 'Violator'. According to Martin Gore, the song was inspired by the book 'Elvis and me' by Priscilla Presley: 'It's a song about being a Jesus for somebody else, someone to give you hope and care. It's about how Elvis was her man and her mentor and how often that happens in love relationships; how everybody's heart is like a god in some way, and that's not a very balanced view of someone, is it?'
My collection: 7" single no. 1067 Found: HMV, London, October 18, 1989 Cost: 2 pounds Tracks: 'Personal Jesus' / 'Dangerous'
Five Star's single 'With every heartbeat' was released in 1989. It was their last single for RCA, the label they signed with in 1983. It proved a failure for the group, stalling at number 49 in the UK singles chart. The song never appeared on a studio album, but was included on the group's 'Greatest hits' album, released later in 1989.
The single was released in a limited edition with a gatefold sleeve including a booklet with pictures of the group members and the lyric of the song.
My collection: 7" single no. 2753 Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 29, 1996 Cost: 1,5 pounds Tracks: 'With every heartbeat' / 'Sound sweet'
With 'This time I know it's for real', Donna Summer presented herself as a Stock Aitken & Waterman protege for the first time. It was the first single to be taken from her 1989 album 'Another place and time', which was entirely written and produced by the infamous trio.
The single became Donna Summer's biggest hit since the Seventies, peaking at number 3 and number 7 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the Dutch Top 40, the single managed to get to number 5.
My collection: 7" single no. 788 Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, April 1, 1989 Cost: 6 guilders Tracks: 'This time I know it's for real' / 'Whatever your heart desires'
The fifth studio album by Howard Jones, 'In the running', was his least successful one in commercial terms. The album failed to chart in all territories, and the singles didn't do much to raise its profile either.
