'Woman in love' may be one of Barbra Streisand's most famous songs. It was released as a single from her 1980 album 'Guilty'. Like the entire album, the song was written by Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees.
The sentence 'Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose' was written by Gertrude Stein as part of the 1913 poem 'Sacred Emily', which appeared in the 1922 book 'Geography and Plays'. In that poem, the first 'Rose' is the name of a person. The quote is often interpreted as meaning 'things are what they are'. In Stein's view, the sentence expresses the fact that simply using the name of a thing already invokes the imagery and emotions associated with it.
Stephen Bishop wrote 'Separate lives'. He reportedly recorded the song himself as a duet with Kim Wilde, but in the end, it appeared as a duet between Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin. They recorded the track for the soundtrack of the movie 'White nights'.
'Devil woman' was written by Terry Britten and Christine Holmes. It was first recorded by Holmes under the name Kristine. The song is told from the point of a view of a man jinxed from an encounter with a stray cat with evil eyes, and his discovery that the psychic medium, a Gypsy woman, whose help he sought to break the curse was the one responsible for the curse in the first place.
The sixth studio album by Status Quo was 'Hello!', released in 1973. 'Roll over lay down' was the first track on that album, but the only single released from 'Hello!' was 'Caroline'.
If it wasn't for my sister, I might never have bought 'Machinery' by Sheena Easton when I did. She played this single over and over when it was released, and not long after that I bought myself a copy.
'No one can' was released as the second single from Marillion's 1991 album 'Holidays in Eden'. In the UK, the single was released in a limited edition box set, including a badge and four art prints.
The song 'True' was a definite change of style for the band Spandau Ballet. It was a slow pop-ballad, paying tribute to Marvin Gaye and the sound he helped to establish. It was released a year before Gaye was murdered in 1984.
After the phenomenal success of the charity single 'Do they know it's Christmas?' by Band Aid in December 1984, a lot happened. Millions were raised by spinoff projects, the Live Aid concert took place, and this in turn led to several live concerts all over the world for this or other charities. And so, in December 1985, 'Do they know it's Christmas?' was re-released, to commemorate a quite extraordinary year.
The Dutch girl Suzanne Krijnen, who was 15 years old in 1979, had sent in a demo to a record company. Within a few months, she had a record deal and released 'It should be Christmas everyday', taking on the stage name Suzanne Michaels. Although the single did not chart, it has become a seasonal favourite.
In December 1985, Jon Anderson released 'Three ships', an album featuring versions of old Christmas carols and some original material. The single 'Easier said than done', composed by Vangelis, was released as a single almost at the same time.
Whenever it's Christmas, you will hear Wham!'s hit 'Last Christmas'. It may be one of the most popular Christmas anthems ever. On its first release in 1984, it sold well over a million copies, reaching number 2 in the UK singles chart. (It was held off the top spot by Band Aid's 'Do they know it's Christmas'.)
'The land of make believe' was released in November 1981 as the fourth single by Bucks Fizz, who started their career in March that year, when they won the Eurovision Song Contest. It was released in time for Christmas and a limited edition featured an extra outer sleeve (pictured above) with a Christmas wish from the band.
The close of the song features a nursery rhyme narrated by Abby Kimber, who was the 11-year old daughter of an executive of RCA Records. This was an original piece, penned by Sinfield, and read: 'I've got a friend who came to tea / And no-one seems to know but me / He came today, but had to go / To visit you? You never know!'. The track is not a Christmas song, but the B-side 'Now you're gone' actually does contain a reference to Christmas.
Earlier this year, Sting released 'If on a winter's night', a collection of not necessarily Christmas songs, but Winter songs. But as on many more winter albums, a vague Christmas theme is always there. The first track on the album is 'Gabriel's message', an earlier version of which appeared as early as 1985 as a B-side of Sting's hit single 'Russians'.
'Wish you a merry Christmas' is a non-album track by the Korgis. In the UK, it appeared as the B-side to 'Rovers return' in 1980. In France, the track was released as the A-side of the single, with 'Rovers return' on the flipside.
'Please come home for Christmas' was originally written and recorded in 1960 by the American blues singer and pianist Charles Brown. When it was released in December 1961, it reached number 76 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The Pretenders released '2000 miles' in November 1983. The single preceded the album 'Learning to crawl', which was released in early 1984. The song is considered a Christmas song for its music and the lyric 'It must be Christmas time' in the chorus.
Frankie goes to Hollywood built the beginning of their career and their first three single releases on the three pillars of controversy: sex ('Relax'), war ('Two tribes') and religion ('The power of love'). This third single was a stark contrast to the busy, almost aggressive songs that went before: it was the epitome of tranquility.
The music video accompanying the single was directed by Godley & Creme and told the nativity story. The sleeve of the single featured the Assunta by Titian, a XVI century painting in the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari of Venice. In the UK an extra outer sleeve (pictured above) was added, wrapping up the single like a Christmas present. The single became the UK's Christmas number 1 in 1984 and reached number 9 in the Dutch Top 40.
Henk Temming was a former member of the Dutch group Het Goede Doel when he released this 1991 seasonal solo single. 'Ik vraag aan Sinterklaas een heel gelukkig kerstfeest' ('I ask St. Nicholas for a very happy Christmas') refers to the Dutch holiday on December 5, when the anniversary of St. Nicholas is celebrated with presents. In this case, Temming has described his wish for a merry Christmas by asking for it on December 5.
'Thank God it's Christmas' was written by Brian May and Roger Taylor and released as a single in November 1984. The track does not appear on any Queen studio album, but was included in their 'Greatest Hits III' compilation, released in 1999.
