Upside down - Diana Ross

'Upside down' was written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers (of the band Chic) with Aretha Franklin in mind to record. When Franklin turned down the offer to record the album Motown passed the material and project to Ross. In a 2011 interview, Nile Rodgers said 'Diana Ross was the first big star we ever worked with and we took it very seriously.'

The single was her first release in the Eighties and also her biggest solo hit of the decade, reaching number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 2 in the UK singles chart and number 2 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 5229
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 19, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Upside down' / 'Friend to friend'

Doot doot - Freur

I bought the single 'Doot doot' by Freur back in 1983 when it came out, but I was unaware that there was a clear vinyl/picture disc edition of this single until last April, when I spotted it at the record fair in Utrecht. However beautiful, I didn't buy it because the price was too high: 3 euros.

That same dealer was here again yesterday, but this time all the singles were priced down to 50 eurocents. It's the old Puck-trick all over again: wait until the price drops, and then get it.

My collection: 7" single no. 5228
Found: Record fair, Utrecht
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Doot doot' / 'Hold me mother'

Coupe coupe - Vanessa Paradis

Six singles were taken from Vanessa Paradis' debut album 'M&J', and 'Coupe coupe', released in December 1988, was the fifth one. It was the last one to reach the French singles chart, peaking at no. 22. All previous singles did better, but the single from her second album would all do worse. It would take her until 1992 to return to the French top 10 with the Lenny Kravitz-produced 'Be my baby'.

The nice thing about this single is that both tracks were taken from the album, but appear here in a remixed version. True value for money for the fans.

My collection: 7" single no. 5226
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 19, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Coupe coupe (remix)' / 'Scarabee (remix)'

19 (Dix neuf) - Paul Hardcastle

On May 21, 2010 I bought a copy of this single in the shop Da Capo in Utrecht. The sleeve mentioned Yves Mourousi, causing me to think the French version of '19' was included on the disc. I tried to listen to the disc (which didn't have the same information) but someone in the shop was keeping the turntable to himself. And so I had to go home and find out that the 'normal' version of '19' was on the disc.

Almost exactly 18 months later, I finally found this single again, and this time with the correct disc inserted. Very nice to finally hear this French version of '19'.

My collection: 7" single no. 5225
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 19, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: '19 (Dix neuf)' / 'Fly by night'

La source - Isabelle Aubret

'La source' was the French entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1968, performed in French by Isabelle Aubret. This was Aubret's second appearance on the Eurovision stage, in 1960 she had won the Contest with 'Un premier amour'. At the close of voting, 'La source' had received 20 points, placing 3rd in a field of 17 competitors.

The song deals - unusually for songs at the time, especially in the Contest - with the topic of rape, with Aubret describing such an event in some detail. Aubret also recorded the song in German, then under the title 'Such' mich dort, wo die Sonne scheint'.

My collection: 7" single no. 5224
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 19, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'La source', 'La rose fanée' / 'Pleur' pas Stephanie', 'Le malheur d'aimer'

Blue eyes - Elton John

'Blue eyes' was written by Elton John and Gary Osborne and released by Elton John in 1982 as the first single from the album 'Jump up!'. The single reached number 8 in the UK singles chart and number 10 in the Dutch Top 40.

At the time of its release, I wasn't particularly impressed with this song, but I've grown to like it almost three decades later. Perhaps I'm getting less critical of Eighties music than I was then.

My collection: 7" single no. 5223
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 19, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Blue eyes' / 'Hey papa Legba'

Never give up - Frizzle Sizzle

My first find at today's record fair in Utrecht was this single from the Dutch girl group Frizzle Sizzle. I thought I had them all, but obviously more singles were released than I was aware of - although this should really be the last one if various website sources are to be trusted.

'Never give up' was released in June 1986 as the follow-up to their Eurovision hit 'Alles heeft ritme' / 'Everything has rhythm' and would become one of the tracks on the girls' debut album 'First date' in 1987. This single did not become a hit.

My collection: 7" single no. 5222
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 19, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Never give up' / 'Never give up (extended instrumental version)'