'Working on it' is another one of those catchy rock tunes by Chris Rea that sticks in your head once you've heard it. It was released in 1989 when his compilation album 'New light through old windows' had just seen the light of day. This compilation featured new versions of Chris Rea hits.
This single was only a minor hit, reaching number 53 in the UK singles chart and number 73 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 2486 Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 30, 1995 Cost: 40p Tracks: 'Working on it' / 'One golden rule'
London Beat were less successful in their home country, the UK, than they were in the Netherlands. 'You bring on the sun' reached number 5 in the Dutch Top 40 when it was released in May 1992, but only managed to reach number 32 in the UK singles chart.
At the same time, 'You bring on the sun' was also the last top 10 hit for London Beat in the Netherlands.
My collection: 7" single no. 1657 Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, May 30, 1992 Cost: 6,5 guilders Tracks: 'You bring on the sun' / 'Dreaming of you (Deep sleep mix)'
Laurent Voulzy wrote 'Les nuits sans Kim Wilde' together with his writing partner Alain Souchon after seeing music videos of Kim Wilde on television. He felt rather infatuated by this beautiful lady on the screen. Kim was approached to sing guest vocals on the track, and after some hesitation, she agreed. She eventually even appeared in the music video to promote this single. Released in the summer of 1985, it was a hit in France, but was not released in other territories.
However, in early 1986 the single was re-released. The sides were switched, and 'Belle-ile-en-mer Marie-Galante' was now the A-side. This single was an even bigger hit in France, and was also released outside of France. During a TV programme in France a few years later, Voulzy and Kim Wilde performed a version of this song together.
I found a German pressing of 'Belle-ile-en-mer Marie-Galante' while searching for 'Les nuits sans Kim Wilde' during a holiday in Paris in 1986. I would find the original release only seven years later...
My collection: 7" single no. 434 / no. 1907 Found: Paris, July 11, 1986 / Groningen, May 15, 1993 Cost: - (present) / 3 guilders Tracks: 'Les nuits sans Kim Wilde' / 'Belle-ile-en-mer Marie-Galante'
Rod Stewart released his fourteenth studio album 'Every beat of my heart' in June 1986. The title track was released as a single a month later. A sentimental piece about longing for one's country of birth - in this case, Scotland - Stewart wrote this track together with Kevin Savigar.
The single became a hit in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, peaking at number 8 and number 2 respectively.
My collection: 7" single no. 471 Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1986 Cost: 3 guilders Tracks: 'Every beat of my heart' / 'Trouble'
'Words get in the way' was the third single by Miami Sound Machine, taken from their second English language album, and ninth overall, 'Primitive love'. As a ballad, the song marked a change in sound from the band's earlier singles and was the first sign that Gloria Estefan, who wrote the song, would be successful as an artist in her own right.
The single reached number 5 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart - their biggest hit so far in the USA - and number 17 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 1784 Found: Record fair, Almere, November 7, 1992 Cost: 3 guilders Tracks: 'Words get in the way' / 'Movies'
The third and last single from the album 'Foto van een mooie dag' by the Frank Boeijen Groep was the ballad 'Schaduw' ('Shadow') . The record company probably thought they would build on the success of the previous single 'Kronenburg park' - also a ballad - with this single, but unfortunately, 'Schaduw' failed to chart.
The B-side was announced as a 'special version' of 'Kronenburg park', but it is in fact just an instrumental version.
My collection: 7" single no. 326 Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1985 Cost: 6 guilders Tracks: 'Schaduw' / 'Kronenburg park (special version)'
The intro of 'Heaven in my hands' was used a lot on Dutch radio during programmes. I was more familiar with the intro than I was with the song: only years later I found out it was this Level 42 track.
The track was taken from the album 'Staring at the sun'. It was the first single not to feature the Gould brothers, Boon and Phil, following their departure the previous year. The single reached number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 7 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 3101 Found: Record fair, May 13, 1999 Cost: 5 guilders Tracks: 'Heaven in my hands' / 'Gresham blues'
'Working on it' is another one of those catchy rock tunes by Chris Rea that sticks in your head once you've heard it. It was released in 1989 when his compilation album 'New light through old windows' had just seen the light of day. This compilation featured new versions of Chris Rea hits.
