Dancing in the dark - Kim WIlde

The second single taken from Kim Wilde's third album Catch as Catch Can was apparently the first and only single for her in Japan. 'Dancing in the dark' was the first single not to be written by her dad Marty and her brother Ricky, but by Nicky Chinn and Paul Gurvitz instead.

The single was unsuccessful in the UK and Europe, and one can only assume that it wasn't exactly a big hit in Japan either. Not that it's a bad song, it's just a bit unexciting compared to Kim's earlier singles. Fortunately this wasn't the end of her career; she would be back with a bang a year later.

My collection: 7" single no. 3029
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 23 September 1998
Tracks: 'Dancing in the dark' / 'Back street driver' 

Katson sineen taivaan - Katri Helena

This is a single which has been on my wantlist for a few years. I bought the English version of this song, 'I will follow starlight', five years ago, and that was when I was already searching for this original Finnish version.

Katri Helena represented Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1979 with 'Katson sineen taivaan', and listening to this song will immediately put you in a good mood. It does me, anyway. There's something about this song. Katri Helena is saying her professional goodbyes this year in Finland, and so I find it rather appropriate that I finally managed to buy a copy of this great single.

My collection: 7" single no. 7744
Found: Discogs.com, received 26 August 2025
Tracks: 'Katson sineen taivaan' / 'Kevät' 

What kind of fool - All About Eve

Last year I caught up with my collection of All About Eve 12" singles on this blog, but it seems I forgot one of them. This limited edition box features a big poster based on the artwork of the 7" single, plus a three track disc featuring the 'Autumn Rhapsody' version of the title track. Together with the two B-side tracks, this was an attractive package for the fans.

Funnily enough I never bought the 'regular' 12" single, featuring the same three tracks. A 10" single is also in my possession, but more about that later. Watch this space!

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Record fair, 199X
Tracks: 'What kind of fool (Autumn Rhapsody)' / 'Gold and silver', 'The garden of Jane Delawney'

S.O.S. - Abba

Early on in their career, Abba realized one of the greatest songs of their impressive catalogue: it was S.O.S., a song that is still an emotional highlight of the current Voyage live experience in London. Although I already owned the French, Dutch and Japanese pressings from 1975 and the recent picture disc release, I also had to have the original German pressing. 

The good thing about all these releases is that they all came with different sleeves, and in the case of Abba it's really interesting to compare all those different variations. The photograph on this one features Agnetha and Frida's iconic 'cat' costumes. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7103
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, March 2024
Tracks: 'S.O.S.' / 'Man in the middle' 

View from a bridge - Kim Wilde

Although the Japanese record company decided to release 'Take me tonight', flipping the A-side 'View from a bridge' with the B-side, they also released 'View from a bridge' in Japan. The sequence has been lost in the haze of time, so I have no way of knowing which version came first. 

I do know that the sleeve of this release was outstanding. Using a photograph like that on the sleeve was brilliant, and certainly more colourful than the black and white sleeve that was used in Europe. The song remains a bona fide Eighties classic.

My collection: 7" single no. 1969
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 25 September 1993
Tracks: 'View from a bridge' / 'Take me tonight' 

Underwater - Harry Thumann

Harry Thumann was a German electronic music composer and sound engineer. He was quick to adapt to new technologies and started working with synthesizers early on in the Seventies. His single 'Underwater', released originally in 1979, was embraced in several European countries. Released in the Netherlands in the summer of 1980, it shot to number 12 in the Dutch Top 40.

I bought the single without a picture sleeve back in 1993, but during my recent shopping spree in a record shop in Darmstadt (Germany) I found a very decent copy with a picture sleeve. Of course I needed to upgrade. 

Harry Thumann died in 2001.

My collection: 7" single no. 1946

Originally found: Leiden, 20 August 1993
Picture sleeve version found: Come Back, Darmstadt (Germany), 4 August 2025

Tracks: 'Underwater part I' / 'Underwater part II'

Pour qui, pourquoi - Maribelle

Although I would certainly understand it if people called 'Ik hou van jou' a bit of a twee song, the melody of it is undeniably beautiful - especially when it's played by a full orchestra. After I disliked the song for a few years, I ended up buying the single in 1993 and the English version ('In love with you') five years after that. 

Obviously I was aware of the French version of the song pretty soon after that, but finding the single was hard - especially in the days before lively trade on the internet. Just a few months ago I was offered this single for 100 euros on a record fair. I finally found a decent copy on Discogs from a Czech seller - and for a decent price too. This copy has one playable side only - which is enough in this case.

My collection: 7" single no. 7743
Found: Discogs.com, received 22 August 2025
Tracks: 'Pour qui, pourquoi'