Only you - Flying Pickets

The Flying Pickets came up with the then novel concept of transferring the art of a cappella to the pop music scene. The members of the group were internationally renowned for their flamboyant appearance: Hibbard's huge sideburns, Stripe's thick eye-liner, and four others showing off gaudy suits and large hats.

'Only you', their debut single, was a cover of the track by Yazoo and became the UK Christmas number one in 1983, spending a total of five weeks at the top, and also doing well around Europe and in Canada.

My collection: 7" single no. 5062
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Only you' / 'Disco down'

Malaika (Lambada remix) - Boney M

Collecting Boney M singles has become a very amusing pastime for me. The original singles from the Seventies are all in my collection, but in the second half of the Eighties an endless stream of remixes was apparently released on single. I have already found a couple of these (and you can see them on this blog here), but yet another one turned up.

This one is the 'Lambada remix' of 'Malaika'. It was not a very commercial song to begin with, and this remix doesn't help matters much. There isn't a lot of Lambada in this remix and the added beats don't get one on their dancing feet. Well, at least the B-side is more interesting: a Nineties remix of that song that started it all, 'Baby do you wanna bump'.

My collection: 7" single no. 5061
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Malaika (Lambada remix)' / 'Baby do you wanna bump (Remix for the 90's)'

It's nature's way (No problem) - Dollar

The duo David van Day and Thereza Bazar had a rather stormy career in the first half of the Eighties, then broke up after relations between the two became increasingly strained. In 1986 they reformed and had a big hit with a cover of the Erasure track 'Oh l'amour'.

The group then hit a stumbling block in deciding on a follow-up and past ill-feeling between the pair was rising again. Six months later they finally released another single, 'It's nature's way', but it was to be their last release as the single flopped and work on a possible album had been long delayed. In late 1988, Dollar disbanded again.

My collection: 7" single no. 5060
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'It's nature's way (No problem)' / 'Dia y noche'

World without you - Belinda Carlisle

I'm not ashamed to admit that photography is one of the reasons I like Belinda Carlisle's singles so much. She's always managed to find the right photographer to put her on the cover of her singles - and this one is a good example of that.

That's not to say that 'World without you' is a bad song: it's very pleasant pop, written by one of America's most famous writers, Diane Warren. Okay, it's a bit formulaic, but most of Carlisle's songs have that quality to them: formulaic pop, delivered with that strange voice that is a mix between a sheep and a nasal whistle-tone. The single reached number 34 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 5059
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'World without you' / 'Nobody owns me'

Inside to outside - Limahl

Limahl is forever associated to his band Kajagoogoo and his dodgy haircut. But people tend to forget that he's also had a solo career with considerable success, mostly in central Europe. And he's made some very nice pop tunes too.

'Inside to outside' was released in 1986 as the follow-up to 'Love in your eyes', a track from his second solo album 'Colour all my days'. The single reached number 57 in the German singles chart - and actually his last chart hit in that country until now.

My collection: 7" single no. 5058
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Inside to outside' / 'Shock'

Suspicious minds - Fine Young Cannibals

Every now and then I play an old cd that's been orphaned in my collection. A few weeks ago I took out the greatest hits collection of the Fine Young Cannibals, and the standout track on that, I felt, was their version of 'Suspicious minds'. I never liked this track much in the past, but things change. The hysterical backing vocals by Jimmy Somerville add a certain something to this track. I decided I had to buy the single after all these years.

'Suspicious minds' was a hit in the UK, peaking at number 8. The track was also used in the cult films 'Dangerously close' and 'Down twisted'.

My collection: 7" single no. 5057
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Suspicious minds' / 'Prick up your ears'

Heavenly action - Erasure

'Heavenly Action' was released in November 1985 as Erasure's second single. Released after 'Who needs love like that', it was another commercial failure for the duo. In the UK it is still their lowest charting single, peaking as it did at number 100.

The song was later included on the duo's debut album Wonderland, released in June 1986. This German pressing is a limited edition on red vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 5056
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Heavenly action' / 'Don't say no'