Black Betty - Ram Jam

'Black Betty' is a 20th century African-American work song often credited to Huddie 'Lead Belly' Ledbetter as the author, though the earliest recordings are not by him. Some sources claim it is one of Lead Belly's many adaptations of earlier folk material; in this case an 18th century marching cadence about a flint-lock rifle.

In 1977 the rock band Ram Jam recorded a heavy version of the song. The single reached number 18 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, despite a boycott by civil rights groups who claimed the track insulted black women. In the Netherlands, the single reached number 4 and in the UK singles chart it reached number 7.

My collection: 7" single no. 1861
Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, January 30, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Black Betty' / 'I should have known'

The dead heart - Midnight Oil

The Australian band Midnight Oil specialises in songs with lots of socially conscious and political comments. 'The dead heart' refers to early white settlement in Australia, from the perspective of the Aborigines who had laid claim to the land prior to the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788. The song also gives a mention to the industrialisation of Australia with the words 'Mining companies, pastoral companies, uranium companies, collected companies / Got more right than people / Got more say than people'.

Although originally released in 1986 in Australia, the single was only released in Europe in 1988 after the single 'Beds are burning' had become a worldwide hit. The less accessible 'The dead heart' only managed to reach number 62 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 769
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, March 16, 1989
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'The dead heart' / 'Kosciusko'

Endless road - Time Bandits

The Time Bandits scored another hit in the Netherlands with the single 'Endless road' in the summer of 1985. Having had a successful run of hits since the early Eighties, it was not much of a surprise that this one reached number 16 in the Dutch Top 40.

It was a surprise, however, that I found a UK pressing of this single nine years ago. The international career of the Time Bandits never took off, despite some interesting collaborations with American producer Dan Hartman.

My collection: 7" single no. 3195
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 16, 2000
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Endless road' / 'Fiction'

Mindworks - Sam Brown

'Mindworks' was released as the fourth single from Sam Brown's 1990 album 'April moon'. In the UK, a strictly limited edition featured a pop-up gatefold sleeve, with part of the lyric of the song and Sam Brown's head popping out.

Still, the single did not chart in any territory. Remarkably, the record company did not give up after this and released one more single from the album: 'As one'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1309
Found: HMV, London, October 15, 1990
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Mindworks' / 'No man is an island'

When doves cry - Prince

I've never actually seen a dove cry, but I guess that's a poetic license the Purple Majesty took on himself in this song. Prince wrote and composed the tracks after all the other tracks on the album 'Purple rain' (which was also the soundtrack to the movie of the same name) were complete. In addition to vocals, he also played all instruments on the track. Remarkably, there is no bass line in the track. Prince has said that there originally was a bass line, but decided that the song was too conventional with it.

The song was released as the first single from the album, peaking at number 10 in the UK singles chart and number 5 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 237
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1984
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'When doves cry' / '17 days (the rain will come down, then U will have 2 choose. If U believe, look 2 the dawn and U shall never lose)'

Walking down your street - The Bangles

Following up the massive hit 'Walk like an Egyptian' was quite a chore for the Bangles, as they didn't have a lot of these unusual tracks on their album 'Different light'. In the end, the record company opted for 'Walking down your street', in a slightly remixed version when compared to the album version. In the UK, they released the single in a limited edition double pack with 'Walk like an Egyptian' as the free second single.

Of course, this single scored less well. It peaked at number 16 in the UK singles chart and number 33 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 504
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Walking down your street' / 'Return post' // 'Walk like an Egyptian' / 'Not like you'

Just an illusion - Imagination

'Just an illusion' was written by Leee John and Ashley Ingram from the band Imagination, together with their producers Steve Jolley and Tony Swain. The smooth soul sound of the track appealed to a lot of listeners.

When the track was released as a single in March 1982, it became the band's biggest hit, peaking at number 2 in the UK singles chart and number 8 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2054
Found: November 20, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Just an illusion' / 'Just an illusion (instrumental)'

Lost without your love - Bread

Bread broke up in 1974 and lead singer David Gates launched a solo career, as well as Jimmy Griffin. The band come back together in 1976 when their record label expressed interest in another album. David Gates, Jimmy Griffin, Mike Botts and Larry Knechtel returned to the studio that year and recorded the album 'Lost without your love', which was released in January 1977.

The title track, written and sung by Gates, was the band's last top 10 hit in the USA, peaking at number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the Dutch Top 40, the single reached number 14 and in the UK singles chart it got as far as number 27.

My collection: 7" single no. 1235
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, May 25, 1990
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Lost without your love' / 'Change of heart'

You treated me wrong - Maywood

The sisters Alie and Doetie de Vries, calling themselves Alice May and Caren Wood, started singing at a very early age. The joined the Karina's in 1974, moving on to the country group Colt 45 in 1976 and in 1977 forming the duo The Lady Pop's. In 1978 they decided to continue as Maywood.

'You treated me wrong' was their second single, produced by ex-Kayak drummer Pim Koopman, who had just started producing. Although the single only reached number 32, it was their first Dutch Top 40 hit and the start of a very successful career.

My collection: 7" single no. 782
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 24, 1989
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'You treated me wrong' / 'I can't let you go now'

Saltwater - Julian Lennon

Julian Lennon sounds a lot like his famous father on this 1991 single, 'Saltwater'.The song combines subtle melodies with a lyric full of environmentally conscious themes such as pollution and poverty. The many marvels and feats of human civilization are in sharp contrast with the way we handle our planet. The track features George Harrison on lead guitar.

This first single from Julian Lennon's 1991 album 'Help yourself' became his biggest hit in the UK, peaking at number 6 during a 13 week chart run. In the Netherlands, it peaked at number 15.

My collection: 7" single no. 1531
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, September 28, 1991
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Saltwater' / 'Rebel king (edit)'

What is love - Howard Jones

'What is love?' was Howard Jones' second single, released in November 1983. It reached number 2 in the UK singles chart. What's more, the single was his international breakthrough. It became a hit in various European countries and peaked at number 33 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart during the summer of 1984.

I got to know Howard Jones thanks to the single 'What is love?' and I bought it within days of hearing it - which I didn't do very often in 1983 because of lack of money. Since then, I've bought every Howard Jones single and album.

My collection: 7" single no. 220
Found: LP Top 100, 1983
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'What is love?' / 'It just doesn't matter'

Am I losing you forever - Mai Tai

Although Mai Tai made a name for themselves with dance hits like 'Body and soul' and 'History', they tried their luck in 1985 with the ballad 'Am I losing you forever'. Contrary to most Dutch productions, this track had an international sound: it might as well have been sung by an American soul trio.

International success did not follow for this particular single, but it did reach number 27 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 941
Found: All that music, Leiden, July 7, 1989
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Am I losing you forever' / 'The rhythm of the street'

Wow - Kate Bush

'Wow' was released as the second single from Kate Bush's second album 'Lionheart'. The single featured an edited version of the song, although it is not actually labelled as such: the first 12 seconds of synthesizer chords were removed from the track.

Released in March 1979, the single peaked at number 14 in the UK singles chart and number 17 in Ireland .

My collection: 7" single no. 675
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1988
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Wow' / 'Fullhouse'

One more night - Phil Collins

Phil Collins was playing around with a drum machine when he started saying the chorus of 'One more night'. He later recalled that 'the rest of the song was written very quickly'.

The track was recorded for Collins' 1985 album 'No jacket required' and released as its second single. It reached number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 15 in the Dutch Top 40. My copy was made in France and turned up in a record shop discount bin four years after its release.

My collection: 7" single no. 713
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, January 5, 1989
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'One more night' / 'I like the way'

Josephine - Chris Rea

Chris Rea wrote the song 'Josephine' for his daughter of the same name. It was included on his 1985 album 'Shamrock diaries'. (He would pay the same compliment to his youngest daughter Julia on the 1993 album 'Espresso logic'.)

In the UK, the single reached number 67, but in the Dutch Top 40 it peaked at number 3. Part of this popularity was caused by an appearance of Chris Rea in the Dutch weekly chart show 'Toppop'. It was the last edition presented by longtime presenter Ad Visser. While Rea was playing this rather serious song, confetti and balloons were flying through the studio. The artist was visibly surprised and bewildered.

My collection: 7" single no. 311
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Josephine' / 'Josephine (edit remix version)'

Cover my eyes (Pain and heaven) - Marillion

Fish left Marillion in 1988, leaving the band with a big hole in their line-up. This hole was filled when they recruited Steve Hogarth, former keyboardist and sometime vocalist of The Europeans. The band had already recorded some demos for what was to become 'Seasons end', Marillion's fifth album. With Fish - who had written most of the lyrics for the four previous albums - gone, Hogarth set about writing new lyrics for the songs that had been demoed. The album was eventually released in 1989.

'Holidays in Eden', their next album, was the first the new line-up of the band actually created together. 'Cover my eyes (Pain and heaven)' was the first single from the album. It was a good success for them, reaching number 14 in the Dutch Top 40 (their biggest hit since 1985's 'Kayleigh') and number 34 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1507
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, August 10, 1991
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Cover my eyes (Pain and heaven)' / 'How can it hurt'

Ongelofelijk - Mam

Even for foreigners the Dutch single 'Ongelofelijk' ('Unbelievable') is easy to follow: the only lyric in the song is the title plus the phrase 'Het gaat maar door' ('It just goes on'). Makes no sense to you? Well, most Dutch people didn't understand this either, which is why it didn't reach the chart. Personally, I am rather fond of such nonsensical tracks.

The B-side, which is a lot more wordy, is equally nonsensical: it's about a man who wonders about his own sentimentality when he thinks back with shame about the time he met a man on the market who was offering him the fish he had been eating, as he didn't want the rest of it: he turned him down.

My collection: 7" single no. 872
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, June 2, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Ongelofelijk' / 'Lekkerbekje: het gesprek'

Message of love - The Pretenders

The second single from the Pretenders' second album 'Pretenders II' was the dynamic 'Message of love'. It was another UK success for the band, as it peaked at number 11 in the UK singles chart. They also managed to reach number 16 in the Australian singles chart.

This is one of those songs that I've always liked but I never could remember to buy it. It's only more recently that I've come to discover that I actually like quite a lot of Pretenders tracks.

My collection: 7" single no. 857
Found: May 27, 1989
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Message of love' / 'Porcelain'

Amsterdam - Maggie MacNeal

The Netherlands organised the 1980 Eurovision Song Contest, stepping in for Israel, which had won the Contest twice in a row but were unable to do this in 1980 because of the fact that it was held at a national holiday. The Dutch used the same setup they had used in 1976, after Teach-In had won the 1975 Eurovision Song Contest.

Because of all of this, the Netherlands didn't hold a national final, but instead they elected Maggie MacNeal internally to sing the Dutch entry. During the voting, 'Amsterdam' was in first place for some time, but in the end ranked fifth in a field of 19 participants. The single reached number 33 in the Dutch Top 40, MacNeal's last hit single in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 3136
Found: July 24, 1999
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Amsterdam' / 'Amsterdam (English version)'

Chain reaction - Diana Ross

It was Puck who introduced me to the 12" single of 'Chain reaction' by Diana Ross. I wasn't particularly fond of the track, despite the involvement of the Bee Gees in the writing of the track and the backing vocals. When I heard the special dance mix of 'Chain reaction', however, I had to admit this was a pretty good remix.

The confusing thing is that remixes of 'Chain reaction' were also released later on, when the track was re-released as a single. These remixes are available on several cd's. But this original dance remix is quite rare. Finding the 12" single for myself was therefore a relief.

My collection: 12" single no. 312
Found: Record fair, 1994
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Chain reaction (special dance remix)' / 'More and more', 'Chain reaction'