My life - Billy Joel

Billy Joel wrote 'My life', released as a single in 1978, in reference to comedian Richard Lewis. He 'closed the shop, sold the house, bought a ticket to the west coast, now he gives them a stand up routine in LA'.

The single reached number 22 in the Dutch Top 40, number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100.

My collection: 7" single no. 4984
Found: Flea market, Leidschendam, January 2, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'My life', '52nd street'

I'll be your woman - Pussycat

The Dutch band Pussycat had four top 10 hits in the Netherlands in 1976 and 1977 with a few country-tinged songs. The country-influence was still evident in their fifth hit single, 'I'll be your woman', but this time, the single peaked at number 11 in the Dutch Top 40.

'I'll be your woman' was the third single taken from Pussycat's 1977 album 'Souvenirs' and the song was written by band member Werner Theunissen.

My collection: 7" single no. 4983
Found: Flea market, Leidschendam, January 2, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'I'll be your woman' / 'Just a woman'

Der Sommer ging vorüber - Lys Assia

Although the 7" single of Lys Assia's winning Eurovision number 'Refrain' still eludes me, I did find another treasure today: her German version of the 1963 winning song 'Dansevise'. Entitled 'Der Sommer ging vorüber', the song lyric was translated into German by Ralph Siegel, another Eurovision legend.

The B-side is another cover: it's a German translation of the 1963 English contestant 'Say wonderful things to me'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4982
Found: Flea market, Leidschendam, January 2, 2011
Cost: 2,5 euro
Tracks: 'Der Sommer ging vorüber' / 'Zwei blaue Vergissmeinnicht'

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)