Ordinary girl - Alison Moyet

Alison Moyet enjoyed a great deal of success with her debut solo album Alf in 1984. She followed it up with Raindancing over a year later. The first two singles, 'Is this love?' and 'Weak in the presence of beauty' both reached the UK top 10, but the third single, 'Ordinary girl', wasn't that lucky. It only reached number 43, while also missing out on any chart placement all over Europe.

That's not to say this is a bad song: it's absolutely catchy, but I have to admit that I didn't know the song at all when I bought this single. But you can never go wrong with Alison Moyet, I have found. Maybe the record company should have done a bit more of a marketing push back in 1987.

My collection: 7" single no. 7199
Found: Discogs.com, received 14 May 2024
Tracks: 'Ordinary girl' / 'Palm of your hand (Cloak and dagger)'

Take a look - Level 42

Level 42 enjoyed a great deal of success in the mid-Eighties, but after the huge success of their album Running in the family, the original line-up split up, leaving Mark King and Mike Lindup having to find replacements for Boon and Phil Gould. They recorded the next album Staring at the sun with Gary Husband on drums and Dominic Miller, who towards the end of the sessions was replaced by Alan Murphy.

'Take a look' was a single taken from the album. Like the previous single 'Heaven in my hands' it peaked outside of the UK singles chart's top 10, at number 32. All this despite the 'limited edition envelope pack' which included four postcards of the band members. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7197
Found: Discogs.com, received 14 May 2024
Tracks: 'Take a look' / 'Man'

Tonight - David Bowie

David Bowie is often praised for his pre-Eighties work, but during the Eighties I discovered the man, and personally I feel his best work was released during the Nineties. But from all I've read, most people think his Ziggy Stardust era was the best thing since sliced bread. Obviously I disagree.

As for comments that his Eighties work is sub-par, I disagree for the most part as well. Perhaps the album Tonight, released in 1984, is an exception. It wasn't a particularly inspired piece of work, with the title track made a little less enjoyable for the guest appearance by Tina Turner. I can't really stand her voice, but again, most people seem to be particularly fond of her cat wailing. So why buy this single, 'Tonight'? Well, it was missing from my collection, and it seems odd that I would miss just one of Bowie's Eighties singles.

My collection: 7" single no. 7204
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 May 2024
Tracks: 'Tonight' / 'Tumble and twirl'

Heartache No. 9 - Hot Chocolate

This Hot Chocolate single is a bit of a landmark, because not only does it feature Errol Brown prominently on the sleeve, it is also his last single with the band. The song was released on The very best of Hot Chocolate in 1986, an album that also featured a Ben Liebrand remix of 'You sexy thing'. The single only reached number 76 in the UK and number 52 in Germany.

After 'Heartache No. 9', Errol Brown went solo and a few more remix singles were released. Hot Chocolate continued without Errol Brown for a while, releasing the songs 'Never pretend', 'What about you', 'Get it right', 'Kiss to mean goodbye' and 'Cry little girl' between 1988 and 1993, none of which managed to chart. Hot Chocolate continued to make live appearances in the UK and Europe.

My collection: 7" single no. 7195
Found: Discogs.com, received 10 May 2024
Tracks: 'Heartache No. 9' / 'One life'

I'm no one - Ilanit

I've been rather successful in collecting Ilanit's Eurovision songs recently. Having bought 'Ahava hi shir lishnayim' last month, I am also the proud owner of the French and German versions of that song - and now I have also added the English version.

Entitled 'I'm no one' on the cover and 'I'm no one if you leave me' on the label, this should be my penultimate Ilanit single, as I'm still after the Italian version of that other Eurovision song, 'Ey sham'. It's fun to collect all these versions, to be honest.

My collection: 7" single no. 7192
Found: Discogs.com, received 10 May 2024
Tracks: 'I'm no one if you leave me' / 'I can't say I love you'

You are young / Sea fog - Keane

The album Strangeland is not Keane's best known album - that honour would go to Hopes & fears, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year - but back in 2022, a special 10" single, released on Record Store Day, commemorated the 10th anniversary of that album. Like all Record Store Day releases, the disc was overly expensive.

Fast forward two years and it is available for half price in some stores (but not all, I noticed recently). Pressed on clear vinyl, this 10" single presents alternative versions of the album tracks 'You are young' and 'Sea fog'. Only the biggest Keane fans still remember those tracks, but it's a nice little item - especially for half price.

My collection: 10" single [unnumbered]
Found: Paagman, Leidschendam, 12 May 2024
Tracks: 'You are young (alternative structure - work in progress)' / 'Sea fog (full band version - work in progress)'

Eat the music - Kate Bush

Kate Bush seems to be in full Kraftwerk mode recently, re-releasing her music as if she isn't creating any new music anymore. (Well, who knows.) We've had the CD and vinyl box sets, then the coloured vinyl LP's and, a few months ago, overly expensive repackagings of the albums Hounds of Love and The Dreaming. And now this.

Record Store Day is always an opportunity to repackage music and sell it for steep prices. Last month Kate Bush released this beautiful product: a white vinyl 10" disc with three tracks on one side and the cover image printed on the other side. It has to be emphasized that the image is actually printed on the disc, and not, as usually with picture discs, pressed inside the disc. The effect is absolutely beautiful.
Unfortunately the disc features the 'remastered' versions of the tracks, which especially in the case of 'Big stripey lie' is an act of vandalism, because the track fades out instead of its original beautiful ending. I have to say that I'm slightly disappointed with Kate these recent years. But still, this EP is a 'nice to have'.

My collection: 10" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 26 April 2024
Tracks: 'Eat the music', 'Lily', 'Big stripey lie'