The getaway - Athlete

One of the standout tracks on Athlete's most recent album 'Black swan', 'The getaway' was released as an EP in the UK a few months ago. It was only released on the elusive 10" vinyl format, and as I never heard about its release I nearly didn't get it at all. A shame, because the bonus tracks on this EP are quite magnificent.

Like the previous singles from the album, 'The getaway' didn't reach the UK top 40. The band subsequently released a 'greatest hits' album which unfortunately was equally unsuccessful.

My collection: 10" single [unnumbered]
Found: Recordstore.co.uk, received December 29, 2010
Cost: 3 pounds
Tracks: 'The getaway (US radio mix)', 'Somewhere beneath my skin', 'Corner of my baby's eyes' / 'With you I never lose', 'The getaway (Athlete re-work)

Better than today - Kylie Minogue

'Better than today' was released on December 5, 2010 as the third single from Kylie's latest album 'Aphrodite'. Written by Nerina Pallot and Andy Chatterley, an earlier, acoustic version of the track was included on Pallot's EP 'Buckminster Fuller'.

Released on two cd-singles and a picture disc 7" single, it was a relatively minor hit for Kylie, as it only made number 32 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4981
Found: Recordstore.co.uk, received December 29, 2010
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Better than today' / 'Better than today (Bills and Hurr remix)'

Cold as Christmas (in the middle of the year) - Elton John

Although this single was released in late 1983 and the title actually mentions Christmas, this song is not a very Christmassy affair.

Taken from Elton John's 1983 album 'Too low for zero', this single only reached number 33 in the UK singles chart and number 52 in Australia. In other territories it remained unreleased or unsuccessful.

My collection: 7" single no. 4961
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 31, 2010
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Cold as Christmas (in the middle of the year)' / 'Crystal'

Jingle bell rock - Daryl Hall & John Oates

Daryl Hall and John Oates usually recorded their songs together, but on this single, there is a separate side for each of them. 'Jingle bell rock' was recorded by Daryl Hall on one side, and John Oates on the other.

This promotional 7" single from 1985 was released in America in time for Christmas, although the song was actually first released two years before. The green vinyl adds a touch of collectability to an already quite surprising offering. I bought it back in the time when it was actually possible to get to the record fair in Utrecht.

My collection: 7" single no. 4779
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Jingle bell rock' (Daryl Hall) / 'Jingle bell rock' (John Oates)

Christmas forever - Nova

It's impossible to find information about the Dutch duo Nova, that recorded the single 'Christmas forever' in 1981. It was released but never charted, and the song is credited to E.O. MacDonald and H. Promes and recorded and mixed at 'Rena Sound' in Rotterdam. The single was released on the unknown MacProPoc label.

Of course, there was also 3a synthesizer duo called Nova around at the time, but this duo remains unlisted on any of the websites around today. Still, it's a Christmas song with religious overtones and a nifty melody line.

My collection: 7" single no. 4643
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Christmas forever' / 'My dream'

Last Christmas - Wham!

Most people know Wham's 'Last Christmas' - and about half of them love the song, the other half loathes it. It's a holiday staple every year, and more than a hundred covers of it exist.

It's less wellknown that the first release of this single appeared in a limited edition gatefold sleeve. I certainly didn't know this until January this year, when I bought this single in Amsterdam. The inside of the gatefold features the lyric of the song and an extra photograph of the popular duo.

My collection: 7" single no. 4488
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, January 30, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Last Christmas' / 'Everything she wants'

Doris Day - Doe Maar

Contrary to what people from abroad may think, Doe Maar's song 'Doris Day' was not a tribute to the American actress, but rather a complaint about the fact that there was never anything good on TV, just a film with Doris Day or a boring opera. The song suggests that it's better to turn off the one eyed monster and go out and have fun.

The single was released in the first half of 1982 and was the first big hit for the band, who would subsequently become 'as big as the Beatles' in the Netherlands for two consecutive years. 'Doris Day' reached number 9 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4980
Found: Kringloop, Lisse, December 18, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Doris Day' / 'Winnetoe'