Everything I own - Boy George

In 2013 Virgin Records celebrated its 40th anniversary. On that occasion they released a series of picture disc 7" singles of some interesting titles, and this single by Boy George was one of them. I didn't actually know this when I found this single last week; this knowledge comes from the Discogs website. There are more picture discs, but they have become quite expensive!

By contrast, this picture disc was definitely on the cheap side, cheap enough for me to want to take it with me on a day of shopping. I already owned the regular single, of course, but who could resist a picture disc? I certainly can't. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7742
Found: Velvet, Leiden, 19 August 2025
Tracks: 'Everything I own' / 'Use me' 

Sweet sixteen - Billy Idol

This limited edition package comes all the way from Australia, where this one was released back in 1986. And an attractive package it is too: not only does it come with a poster sleeve, it also contains two 7" singles pressed on purple vinyl.

The second disc, which is a free extra, claims to contain extended versions of 'Mony Mony' and 'White Wedding'. Claims, because while 'White Wedding' is indeed the so-called 'Shotgun mix' of 8 minuted and 20 seconds, the version of 'Mony Mony' is just the regular short version, and not the five minute extended version. Funny enough, no-one on Discogs has found this out yet. Despite this flaw, I still love this little limited edition from Australia; it's a keeper.

My collection: 7" single no. 7740
Found: Discogs.com, 16 August 2025
Tracks: 'Sweet sixteen' / 'Beyond belief' // 'Mony Mony' / 'White Wedding (extended version)' 

Alla andra får varann - Inger Berggren

Although Siw Malmkvist performed 'Alla andra får varann' for Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1960, she never recorded it in the studio. And so, no single of this song by her exists. Fortunately the song was recorded by two other artists. I bought the version by Östen Warnerbring last year, and this year it's Inger Berggren's version that ended up in my collection.

Inger is no stranger to the Eurovision Song Contest, of course: in 1962 she would go on the represent Sweden herself with 'Sol och vår', which I bought twice.

My collection: 7" single no. 7739
Found: Discogs.com, received 13 August 2025
Tracks: 'Alla andra får varann', 'Underbar så underbar' / 'Concert d'amour', 'Zigenare' 

When a heart beats - Nik Kershaw

The recent release of a box set of Nik Kershaw's MCA years includes, I think, all of the material he recorded and released during the Eighties, including this 12" single. 

'When a heart beats' was released in 1984 as the third single from his album The Riddle, and the 12" single presents extended versions of both the A-side and the B-side. The single was not a hit in the Netherlands, which doesn't really surprise me: it isn't as catchy as his earlier releases were. Thankfully, Nik is still making music and his recent albums have been really quite good!

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Music & Video Exchange, London (UK)
Tracks: 'When a heart beats (extended mix)' / 'Wild horses (extended mix)'

Alphabet St. - Prince

Although some of his releases were a bit weird, Prince was at the height of his success during the Eighties. The albums kept coming and they all ended up being awarded gold and platinum. 

'Alphabet St.' was the lead single from his 1988 album Lovesexy. The album came out just after Prince had withdrawn his 'diabolical' 'Black album'. Lovesexy was more upbeat, and 'Alphabet St.' was an example of that. This 12" single featured the album version of the track, as well as an extended version with the warning on the label: 'This is not music, this is a trip'. And indeed it is.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: 'Alphabet St. (album version)' / 'Alphabet St.' 

(Sexual) healing - Marvin Gaye

To be honest, I wasn't a fan when '(Sexual) Healing' first came out. I thought the song was a little boring. I grew to like it after a decade or two, and finally bought the single in 2010.

Buying this 12" single came out of curiosity. The song is advertised as a 'club mix', but it is actually just a longer version of the song. I had to clean up the record because it was a bit dirty, but I think it turned out okay.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 9 November 2024
Tracks: '(Sexual) Healing (club mix)' / '(Sexual) Healing (instrumental)' 

Love is blue - Marcello Minerbi & his orchestra

There are many versions of 'L'amour est bleu', the song with which Vicky Leandros appeared at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1967. And a sizeable portion of those cover versions is instrumental-only. The Sixties were a great time for orchestras. Famously, Paul Mauriat made it to number 1 the US Billboard Hot 100 with his instrumental cover, and many other orchestras followed, hoping to have similar success.

Marcello Minerbi was born on 7 August 1928 in Genoa (Italy) and became the leader of the vocal trio Marcello's Ferial, which formed in 1962. They were very popular in Italy until they broke up in 1968. Meanwhile, Minerbi formed his orchestra, recording theme songs and hits of the day in his style. His version of 'Love is blue' was a nice find during my singles hunt in Darmstadt - and also the last one.

My collection: 7" single no. 7738
Found: Come Back, Darmstadt (Germany), 4 August 2025 
Tracks: 'Love is blue' / 'From your side'