Dressed for success - Roxette

When Roxette recorded 'Dressed for success', there were some problems. Marie Fredriksson later commented: 'I was so mad when I did it. Everything about that session went wrong, we argued about the arrangement, we changed the key, I was dead tired of the song when I went in to do a guide vocal. Did it in one blast and suddenly realized, "hmm... this is it".'

When the track was released as a single in October 1989, it reached number 14 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the UK, the single was re-released in November 1990 after the success of 'It must have been love'. On that occasion, it reached number 18.

My collection: 7" single no. 2618
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, February 10, 1996
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Dressed for success' / 'The voice'

Honesty - Billy Joel

'Honesty' was released in the summer of 1979 as the third single from Billy Joel's sixth studio album '52nd Street'. This album was actually the first album to be made commercially available on cd, when the new technology was released to the market in 1982.

It reached number 24 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 28 in the Dutch Top 40. In the UK, the single did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 758
Found: All that music, Leiden, February 23, 1989
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Honesty' / 'Half a mile away'

The "Sweetest Girl" - Scritti Politti

Scritti Politti originally consisted of lead vocalist Green Gartside (born Paul Julian Stromheyer), Nial Jinks as bass player, Tom Morley as drummer, and Matthew Kay as the manager who sometimes played the keyboard. Gartside and Jinks had gone to school together in South Wales, and Gartside met Morley at Leeds Polytechnic, a college they both attended. Disillusioned and bored with art school, Gartside and Morley left in June 1978 and moved into a squat in Camden Town, London. Jinks was invited to join the band.

Gartside recorded a demo of one of his new songs, 'The "Sweetest Girl"' in January 1981. The song was included on a compilation of songs given out with the March issue of NME. The song prompted many major labels to offer Gartside record contracts, but he decided to stay with Rough Trade, who released the track as a single in the autumn. It reached number 64 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2779
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 31, 1996
Cost: 30p
Tracks: 'The "Sweetest Girl"' / 'Lions after slumber'

Hide and seek - Howard Jones

The 10" single of 'Hide & seek' already featured on this blog earlier, but obviously I've got the 7" single as well. I was lucky enough to find a UK pressing of this single, as the sleeve is so much more beautiful when it's made of heavy glossy paper.

The isingle reached number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 28 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 664
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1988
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Hide & seek' / 'Tao te Ching'

Let's dance - David Bowie

I remember the media made a big thing out of the fact that chameleon David Bowie had become 'himself' for the 1983 album 'Let's dance'. The man who was behind Major Tom, Ziggy Stardust and many other characters had finally shed his stage costumes and showed his own face. The Nile Rodgers-produced album contained his most commercial tracks ever, and this showed in the sales figures for both the album and the associated singles.

The title track, 'Let's dance', was released as the first single in early 1983. The 7'38 album version was heavily edited for single release. It reached number 1 in most countries, including the UK, the Netherlands and the USA.

My collection: 7" single no. 1285
Found: All that music, Leiden, August 31, 1990
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Let's dance' / 'Cat people (putting out fire)'

High time he went - Renée

The Dutch group Renée achieved their biggest success with the single 'High time he went', taken from the album 'The future none can see'. The story of a man with a midlife crisis reached number 8 in the Dutch Top 40.

The group's biggest success was also their last: subsequent singles failed to chart, although one further album and associated singles were released.

My collection: 7" single no. 3303
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 24, 2001
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'High time he went' / 'Love's just a season'

The logical song - Supertramp

'The logical song' by Supertramp is a 'story of innocence and idealism lost' with Hodgson condemning an education system not focused on knowledge and sensitivity. It was recorded as a track on Supertramp's 1979 album 'Breakfast in America'.

When the song was released as a single it reached number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 6 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the Dutch Top 40, 'The logical song' reached number 20.

My collection: 7" single no. 401
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1986
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'The logical song' / 'Just another nervous wreck'

D'you know what I mean? - Oasis

Noel Gallagher commented about 'D'you know what I mean?': 'I was going to make up some profound statement in the chorus but I couldn't come up with anything that fitted. Then I just thought "All my people right here, right now. D'You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah" Very vague, very ambiguous, that'll do. Look in the mirror and wink while you're singing it and it's quite saucy. And I fucking love that line, "Coming in a mess, going out in style". We were a bunch of scruffs from Manchester and we're going out in a Rolls Royce'.

The song was released as the first single from Oasis' third album 'Be here now'. Although the track clocks in at a lengthy six minutes, it was never edited for radio. The single reached number 1 in the UK singles chart - as had become tradition with Oasis singles - but also topped the charts in Finland, Ireland and Spain. In the Dutch Top 40, 'D'you know what I mean?' reached number 25. The 7" single was released in a gatefold sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 2861
Found: Record fair, 1997
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'D'you know what I mean?' / 'Stay young'

History - Mai Tai

'History' was the fourth hit single for Mai Tai in the Netherlands, peaking at number 22 in the Dutch Top 40 in May 1985. The single was released in the UK at the same time and became their first international hit. It peaked at number 8 in the UK singles chart.

The trio became a regular guest at the satellite music tv stations at the time, such as Sky Channel and Music Box. In a way, this UK pressing of Mai Tai's 'History' was the beginning of a success story that would last for three hit singles in the UK...

My collection: 7" single no. 3059
Found: Record Exchange, London, May 9, 1999
Cost: 10p
Tracks: 'History' / 'History (instrumental)'

Victor should have been a jazz musician - Grace Jones

After all the sonic mayhem of the Trevor Horn-produced album 'Slave to the rhythm' (1985), Grace Jones returned in 1986 with the album 'Inside story', produced by Nile Rodgers and Grace Jones herself.

The single 'Victor should have been a jazz musician' is a far cry from 'Slave to the rhythm', as it's a slow jazz track. The single was successful in the Netherlands, where it reached number 26 in the Dutch Top 40, but it failed to chart in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 2625
Found: March 2, 1996
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Victor should have been a jazz musician' / 'Crush'

De Nederlandse sterre die strale overal! - Rubberen Robbie

When Dutch producer Jaap Eggermont achieved international success with his series of 'Stars on 45' singles, the group Rubberen Robbie - also Dutch - was inspired to create a parody. They glued together bits and pieces of famous Dutch songs and wrote their own funny lyrics for these songs. It gave them their first chart hit, and quite a big one: 'De Nederlandse sterre die strale overal!' ('The Dutch stars shine everywhere!') reached number 1 in the Dutch Top 40 in the summer of 1981.

The B-side was the bluesy 'In de goot' ('In the gutter'), a story of a jobless lazy bum, who spends his days drinking and spending what little money he has on useless objects. It was a pretty accurate description of the 'no future' generation of that time.

My collection: 7" single no. 506
Found: Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'De Nederlandse sterre die strale overal!' / 'In de goot'

It's only love - Simply Red

'It's only love' was written by Jimmy and Vela Cameron and recorded by Barry White on his album 'The man' (1978).

In 1988, Simply Red recorded a cover version of the song for their third studio album 'A new flame'. It was released as the album's first single. It reached number 1 in Italy, number 7 in Ireland and number 13 in the UK. In the Dutch Top 40, 'It's only love' reached number 9.

My collection: 7" single no. 732
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, February 4, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'It's only love' / 'Turn it up'

Shoobedoo da dabba doobee - Imagination

Imagination's 'Shoobedoo da dabba doobee', released in the USA with the considerably duller title 'This means war', was released in 1984, ending a very successful run of chart hits for the band in the UK. This single failed to reach the UK singles chart and was also unsuccessful elsewhere in Europe.

Personally, I have always been fond of this track and especially its title. And it's one of those singles I've been searching for years, until I finally found it almost a decade after its release.

My collection: 7" single no. 1823
Found: Record Palace, Amsterdam, January 13, 1993
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Shoobedoo da dabba doobee' / 'Shoobedoo da dabba doobee (dub version)'

I'm gonna love you too - Blondie

Joe Mauldin, Niki Sullivan and Norman Petty wrote 'I'm gonna love you too', originally recorded by Buddy Holly in 1958. Mauldin and Sullivan were members of Holly's band The Crickets; Petty was Holly's first manager and also his recording engineer.

Blondie's version of the song was chosen as the first single from their album 'Parallel lines'. Although the band was very successful with their cover of 'Denis', which was featured on their previous albums, this single failed to chart in most territories, although it did reach number 7 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 121
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1982
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'I'm gonna love you too' / 'Fanmail'

Worlds apart - Cock Robin

Cock Robin released their third album 'First love last rites' in 1989. The music on the album was a bit darker than on previous efforts, and a little less poppy and accessible as well. Produced by Rhett Davies, the album featured some hispanic influences.

Some of these influences could be heard on the first single from the album, 'Worlds apart', released in December 1989. The single did not chart in most territories, with the exception of France, where it peaked at number 22.

My collection: 7" single no. 1116
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, November 24, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Worlds apart' / 'Don't think twice (live)'

Eyes without a face - Billy Idol

Coincidence or not? In 1960, a French horror movie called 'Les yeux sans visage' was released. Billy Idol came up with the song 'Eyes without a face' in 1984, in which Perri Lister sings exactly those French words in the background.

Although Billy Idol usually recorded more rock-oriented tracks, it was this midtempo ballad that gave him a worldwide hit. The single reached number 24 in the Dutch Top 40, number 18 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2673
Found: Record Exchange, London, June 30, 1996
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Eyes without a face' / 'The dead next door'

Hotel California / Desperado - The Eagles

Not one, but two classic songs feature on this 'Old Gold' single from 1985. I bought this single for the A-side track, 'Hotel California', a 1977 hit for the Eagles from their album of the same name. On the surface, the song tells the tale of a weary traveler who becomes trapped in a nightmarish luxury hotel that at first appeared inviting and tempting. The song is an allegory about hedonism and self-destruction in the Southern California music industry of the late Seventies; Don Henley commented: 'It's basically a song about the dark underbelly of the American dream and about excess in America, which is something we knew a lot about.'

The single reached number 8 in the UK singles chart and the Dutch Top 40 when it was released in April 1977.

My collection: 7" single no. 552
Found: WH Smith, London, October 1987
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Hotel California' / 'Desperado'

Hey mister heartache - Kim Wilde

Kim Wilde made her return to the limelight with this 1988 single, 'Hey mister heartache', the first single from her sixth album 'Close'. The track was written by Kim with her guitarist Steve Byrd and featured Junior Giscombe on backing vocals.

The single was only a minor hit, reaching number 37 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 31 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" singel no. 605
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, April 23, 1988
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Hey mister heartache' / 'Tell me where you are'

Someday (I'm coming back) - Lisa Stansfield

Lisa Stansfield recorded 'Someday (I'm coming back)' for the soundtrack of the very successful movie 'The Bodyguard' starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. The track was released as a single in December 1992, one month after the release of Houston's dreadful theme song 'I will always love you'.

By comparison, Lisa Stansfield's single garnered much less attention from the media and record-buying public. The single reached number 10 in the UK singles chart and number 30 in the Dutch Top 40 - a stark contrast to Houston's undeserved number 1 hit.

My collection: 7" single no. 1801
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, December 11, 1992
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Someday (I'm coming back)' / 'Tenderly (live)'

Stay (Faraway, so close!) - U2

Bono and The Edge worked for a long time on 'Stay (Faraway, so close!)', a track that was inspired by the music of Frank Sinatra. They actually made the melody during sessions for U2's album 'Achtung baby', but only completed the song when they heard that Wim Wenders was looking for a song for his new movie 'Faraway, so close!'.

he single's B-side featured the song 'I've got you under my skin', as a duet between Bono and Sinatra, which was originally released on Sinatra's album 'Duets'. (I wonder how many U2 fans were excited about this track...) Released in November 1993, the single reached number number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 10 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2062
Found: Wreckastow, Rotterdam, December 24, 1993
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Stay (Faraway, so close!)' / 'I've got you under my skin'