Heaven can wait - Sandra

Sandra released 'Heaven can wait' as the first single from her third studio album 'Into a secret land'. Sandra had just gotten married to her producer Michael Cretu and they had moved to Ibiza. The album would showcase a more open sound, and stronger melodies than in the two previous albums.

The 12" single contained three versions of the song, all of them quite similar to the album version that appeared shortly afterwards.

My collection: 12" single no. 203
Found: Marik, Vienna, July 1993
Cost: 99 Schilling
Tracks: 'Heaven can wait (extended version)' / 'Heaven can wait (dub mix)', 'Heaven can wait (single version)'

Bon Anniversaire - Guesch Patti & Encore

'Bon anniversaire' was released as the fourth and final single from Guesch Patti's 1988 album 'Labyrinthe'. The single failed to chart, although the song was a good single choice in my humble opinion.

This 12" single features a remix version of the track, which is 90 seconds longer than the original version.

My collection: 12" single no. 458
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 22, 2008
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Bon anniversaire (version remix)' / 'Bon anniversaire', 'Backstage d'une star'

Here it comes again - Black

'Here it comes again' was the second single from Black's third album, released in 1991. I never bought the 12" single because at the time the cd-single was becoming the dominating format and I didn't particularly want to spend money buying the same music twice. Of course, recently I realised that it's silly to have a complete Black collection bar a handful of 12" singles.

This disc features an alternative version of Black's biggest hit 'Wonderful life' plus two B-side tracks: a new song called 'Every waking hour' plus 'Shades', a cover of the Iggy Pop track, written by Iggy Pop and David Bowie. With Black's beautiful voice, I reckon it's better than the original...

My collection: 12" single no. 590
Found: Discogs.com, received October 8, 2011
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Here it comes again', 'Every waking hour' / 'Shades', 'Wonderful life (Chritsmas '88 recording)'

Ghost of love - Fiction Factory

Readers of this blog have been able to follow the course of my Fiction Factory collection over the years. I had the 12" single of '(Feels like) heaven' for a long time, then I bought the 7" single of 'Ghost of love' in April 2009, a year later I found the 7" single of '(Feels like) heaven' and now I finally have the 12" single of 'Ghost of love' as well.

This disc features a nice extended version of the title track as well as two B-sides. It's made in the best Eighties traditions: big drums, clear melodies and a remarkable vocal. The band released four more singles plus two albums, so it looks like there's some more collecting to do in future years. At this rate, it should take me about two decades.

My collection: 12" single no. 610
Found: Plaatboef, Den Haag, December 5, 2011
Cost: 2,5 euro
Tracks: 'Ghost of love (extended)' / 'The other side of grey', 'Old game blue flame'

Only happy when it rains - Garbage

'Only happy when it rains' was written, recorded and produced by Garbage at their own recording studio in Madison, Wisconsin. The song was released as the third single from the band's debut album 'Garbage'. Shirley Manson explained that the song was 'a dig at ourselves because we like records that don't make us feel very happy, and at this so-called 'alternative' scene of 'we're so weird and more wonderful than everybody else'.'

Continuing their theme of collectible 7" vinyl releases, which had seen 'Vow' packaged in an aluminium sleeve and 'Subhuman' in black rubber, Mushroom packaged the 7" format for "Only Happy When It Rains" in a "Prismaboard" (rain-effect) die-cut card sleeve, with a hologram logo sticker on the inner jacket. The B-side was pressed with a double groove, so that either 'Girl don't come' or 'Sleep' played, depending on where the stylus landed; the songs were shorter on the vinyl than they were on the CD or cassette formats to accommodate both on one side of the disc. This pressing was limited to 5,000 copies.

My collection: 7" single no. 5268
Found: Discogs.com, received December 6, 2011
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Only happy when it rains' / 'Girl don't come', 'Sleep'

Walking wounded - Everything but the girl

'Walking wounded' was released as the first single from Everything but the Girl's ninth studio album of the same name, their first album to showcase a more electronic and dance style, after the success of the remixed version of their song 'Missing' from the previous album 'Amplified heart'. The single reached number 6 in the UK singles chart and number 29 in the Irish chart.

I didn't know this song was released as a 7" single until I did a little research on EBTG 7" releases recently. Fortunately, a copy was available online so I ordered it right away.

My collection: 7" single no. 5267
Found: Discogs.com, received December 6, 2011
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Walking wounded (Main vocal mix edit)' / 'Walking wounded (Hard vocal mix)'

Heart of glass - Blondie

Blondie's 'Heart of glass' was released in January 1979. Almost immediately after its release, it became the subject of controversy because of its disco sound. At the time, Blondie was one of the bands at the forefront of New York's growing New Wave music scene and were accused of "selling out" for releasing a disco song. The band itself has jokingly taken to referring to the song as "The Disco Song" in interviews.

This 12" single features an instrumental version of the song as well as an extended remix. The song 'Rifle range' was originally released in 1976 on Blondie's debut album.

My collection: 12" single no. 182
Found: Record exchange, London, October 1993
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Heart of glass (extended)' / 'Heart of glass (instrumental)', 'Rifle range'