Spitting games - Snow Patrol

'Spitting games' was released as the lead single from Snow Patrol's third album, Final Straw (2003).The album became a big success for the band, especially because of their next single 'Run', which is when I discovered the band. No wonder, then, that I missed out on this single. 

Better late than never, of course. After I played the album recently I started looking at my singles and discovered this omission. There's a few more omissions, so if I find more singles from this era at a reasonable price, they will certainly appear here.

My collection: 7" single no. 7339
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2024
Tracks: 'Spitting games' / 'Steal'

Everything must change - Paul Young

A double single was not enough to promote Paul Young's 'Everything must change' into the charts, there was also a limited edition with a poster sleeve. The record company did their best, and it paid off: the single peaked at number 9 in the UK singles chart at the end of 1984. 

The content of the single was no different from disc one of the double single, with the title track and 'Give me my freedom' on the B-side. The poster included a calendar for 1985. It probably adorned the wall of many a teenage girl back then.

My collection: 7" single no. 7342
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2024
Tracks: 'Everything must change' / 'Give me my freedom'

Under attack - Abba

In 1982 Abba released their 'last' single, 'Under attack'. In the UK the single was also released as a picture disc - and a very pretty one, I have to add. The photograph was also used on the compilation The Singles - The First Ten Years, on which this song was presented for the very first time.

Flash forward 42 years and the band is about the release The Singles - The First Fifty Years. You would almost expect them to deliver more material during the next fifty years, but that seems highly unlikely. Meanwhile, it's items like this that will keep fans happy for a long time.

My collection: 7" single no. 7341
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2024
Tracks: 'Under attack' / 'You owe me one'

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)'