One of us - Abba

After the recent influx of Abba picture discs in my collection, I suddenly realized that the band also released a few picture discs back in the day. I knew of at least one: 'One of us', a picture disc released in the UK which I spotted at record fairs quite a few times. Buying them seemed like a bridge too far, but now that I'm the owner of the majority of their picture disc releases, it didn't seem so weird anymore.

And so I went online and found a seller who had this, and another picture disc on offer - and for a reasonable price, too. This disc shows the men on the A-side and the women on the B-side. Seems like a bit of sexual discrimination was going on there...

My collection: 7" single no. 7340
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2024
Tracks: 'One of us' / 'Should I laugh or cry'

Hot in the city - Billy Idol

I bought Billy Idol's 'Hot in the city' a long time ago. I didn't know back then that there's also a promotional version of that single, featuring a remix of the track. The 'Exterminator fix' is a shorter version of the 'Exterminator mix' that appears on the album Vital Idol, that was released in 1985. 

This single was released in 1987, making it obvious that Billy actually had success with some of his songs for several years.

My collection: 7" single no. 7337
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2024
Tracks: 'Hot in the city (Exterminator fix)' / 'Catch my fall (Remix fix)'

Tomorrow's just another day - Madness

Madness released 'Tomorrow's just another day' as the follow-up to 'Our house', one of the band's most recognized hits. It was the second single taken from their album The rise & fall, but the chart placing wasn't quite as impressive: it only made number 8 in the UK singles chart and number 2 in Ireland, but failed to chart in other countries, like Canada, where 'Our house' had topped the chart!

This picture disc replicates the picture sleeve of the regular single, but in a different colour. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7338
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2024
Tracks: 'Tomorrow's just another day' / 'Madness is all in the mind'

Signal fire - Snow Patrol

Snow Patrol recorded 'Signal fire' for the soundtrack of the film Spider-Man 3, not long after their successful album Eyes Open. A demo of the song was initially offered by the band for Shrek the Third, but was rejected. Gary Lightbody revealed the band's involvement with Spider-Man 3. Drummer Jonny Quinn later said: "Shrek didn't like it, but Spider-Man did."

The vinyl release was on a specially created web-shaped vinyl housed in a PVC sleeve - it was the only 7" single of the song - but as it was a shaped picture disc, it is actually larger than 7 inches. The single reached number 4 in the UK singles chart. 

My collection: Shaped picture disc [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2024
Tracks: 'Signal fire' / 'Wow (Eddy TM Loser remix)'

Ik sta te blozen - Annie

'Ik sta te blozen' ('I'm blushing') is one of the least gloomy songs recorded by Annie, perhaps this is why the record company went for this song. It's the story of a woman who is blushing when she receives a bunch of red roses, which is quite innocent when you compare it to the ominous songs Annie sings on other single releases.

Both songs on this single were taken from Annie's album Liedjes van liefde en leven (Songs of love and life), an undisputed cult classic. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7334
Found: Discogs.com, received 18 September 2024
Tracks: 'Ik sta te blozen' / 'De strandjutter'

Volare - Alan Dale

Alan Dale was born in Brooklyn, New York on 9 July 1925. He began his career at age 9 when his comedian father was running short on his program and called on Aldo to sing. Though Aldo fainted immediately upon completing his song, he was good enough that he became a regular on his father's program. 

Considered to have one of the top pop voices, Alan Dale had a career that spanned three decades and 16 record labels. He was a crooner who later flirted with rock 'n' roll. His version of 'Volare' was released in 1958, almost immediately after Domenico Modugno sang it at the Eurovision Song Contest.

My collection: 7" single no. 7336
Found: Discogs.com, received 18 September 2024
Tracks: 'Volare' / 'Weeping willow in the wind'

Merci Cherie - Johnny White

Sometimes record company strategies can be mystifying. Why would 'Merci Cherie', a song from 1966, become a hit in 1992? Still, they gave Johnny Winter the chance to record this old song in two languages (Dutch and French) and went with it. 

Johnny White was Johnny Wittevrouw, the Belgian singer (born 13 June 1946) who had a career  in the Seventies, until success eluded him and he went AWOL for most of the Eighties. He came back in 1989 and released singles until 2006. After White suffered a heart attack he was admitted to the hospital for laparoscopy, but this proved fatal as he would never wake up after his anesthesia. He passed away on 13 January 2014.

My collection:  7" single no. 7335
Found: Discogs.com, received 18 September 2024
Tracks: 'Merci Cherie (Dutch)' / 'Merci Cherie (French)'