Pale shelter - Tears for fears

You may have read the description of this 12" single of 'Pale shelter'. If you did, you already know part of the story. Here´s the second part of the story. This 12" single was released in 1983, an features a remix of 'Pale shelter'. This remix is actually the version that ended up on Tears for Fears' debut album 'The hurting'. The extended version is very beautiful, with an introverted piano intro.

'Pale shelter' has always been my favourite Tears for Fears song. I remember watching television (Music Box and Sky Channel) for hours just to see this music video. I always assumed the single was a flop because it didn't chart in the Netherlands, but later found out that upon this re-release, the single actually peaked at number 5 in the UK singles chart!

My collection: 12" single no. 290
Found: Record fair, 1996
Cost: unknown
Tracks: 'Pale shelter (extended version)' / 'Pale shelter', 'We are broken'

Every teardrop is a waterfall - Coldplay

When 'Every teardrop is a waterfall' was first released on YouTube, it sparked many negative comments, saying the song was plagiarised from 'Ritmo de la Noche' by The Sacados or from Peter Allen's 'I Go to Rio'. The band eventually credited Peter Allen and Adrienne Anderson's composition upon its official release.

It's not the first time that Coldplay have used samples to write a new song, having used a Kraftwerk motif for their X&Y single 'Talk'. When you play the B-side 'Major minus', you will notice the very U2 sound of that track. No surprise when you know that the band collaborated with producer Brian Eno.

This 7" single comes in a coloured inner sleeve with a white outer sleeve where the name of the band and the title of the song are cut out. The disc itself is pressed on blue vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 5294
Found: CDon.com, Sweden, received February 4, 2012
Cost: 7 euro
Tracks: 'Every teardrop is a waterfall' / 'Major minus'

Sunshine after the rain - Elkie Brooks

Elkie Brooks' breakthrough second album, released in 1977, propelled her into solo stardom in the UK and Europe. Featuring the top ten hits 'Pearl's a singer' and 'Sunshine after the rain', it had a distinct American sound largely due to the work of legendary writers and producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.

'Sunshine after the rain' was released as the third single from the album and reached number 10 in the UK singles chart in August 1977.

My collection: 7" single no. 5293
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received February 1, 2012
Cost: 2,7 euro
Tracks: 'Sunshine after the rain' / 'You did something for me'

Philadelphia freedom - Elton John

Elton John released 'Philadelphia freedom' as a single in 1975. Elton, looking to honour his friend, tennis professional Billie Jean King, asked Taupin to write a song called 'Philadelphia Freedom', an homage to her tennis team. Taupin said, 'I can't write a song about tennis', and did not. Taupin maintains that the lyrics bear no relation to tennis, Philly Soul or even flag-waving patriotism. In the U.S. it was a charttopper in April 1975.

The B-side features a live performance of 'I saw her standing there' by Elton John and John Lennon at Madison Square Gardens on November 26, 1974.

My collection: 7" single no. 5292
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received February 1, 2012
Cost: 2,8 euro
Tracks: 'Philadelphia freedom' / 'I saw her standing there (live)'

Ace of hearts - Chris Rea

'Ace of hearts' was the fourth single taken from Chris Rea's 1984 album 'Wired to the moon'. In the UK, it was the title track of a mini album featuring five tracks. This German single features just two of them: 'Ace of hearts' and 'True love'.

The single did not become a hit in Germany. In the UK, it reached number 79 in 1984, and a reissue reached number 78 a year later.

My collection: 7" single no. 5291
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received February 1, 2012
Cost: 1,5 euro
Tracks: 'Ace of hearts (special remix)' / 'True love'

Boogie Wonderland - Earth Wind & Fire

I posted my 12" single of Earth Wind & Fire's 'Boogie Wonderland' just two weeks ago, a few days before I ordered this 7" single. I didn't know I didn't have the 7" single, but as I was writing that piece, I found out. It was a pleasure to correct this small omission.

The 7" single is, obviously, shorter than the 12" single. The full length version is 8'30 minutes, whereas the single edit is just 5 minutes. The instrumental version on the B-side is just 50 seconds shorter than its 12" counterpart.

My collection: 7" single no. 5290
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received February 1, 2012
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Boogie wonderland' / 'Boogie wonderland (instrumental)'

Beach baby - First class

Record producer John Carter was the veteran of the early Sixties beat music, most notably Carter-Lewis and the Southerners, a band Carter formed with fellow producer Ken Lewis. Lewis and Carter formed a vocal harmony band, The Ivy League, that enjoyed three top twenty hits in Britain in 1965. Carter and Gill Shakespeare wrote the song 'Beach Baby' in the summer of 1974 in their home in East Sheen, South West London, far from any beach. Carter immediately enlisted the help of lead singer Tony Burrows and another session singer, Chas Mills, to record the song for Jonathan King's UK Records record label under the name The First Class.

The dense, complex production, layered vocals evoked the Sixties west-coast production style of lead Beach Boy Brian Wilson. At one point the arrangement utilises the horn theme from the last movement of Sibelius' Fifth Symphony. In 1974, at a moment when nostalgia for the Sixties was fashionable (and The Beach Boys sat atop the Billboard Hot 200 album chart with Endless Summer on 5 October 1974), the song became a hit in the UK (where it peaked at number 13), and in the USA, where it peaked at number 4.

My collection: 7" single no. 5289
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received February 1, 2012
Cost: 1,6 euro
Tracks: 'Beach baby' / 'Surfer queen'