'The way old friends do' was originally a live recording by Abba, included as the last track on their 1980 album 'Super trouper'. The song was written by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Anderson.
In 1983, the Dutch singer Shirley recorded a cover version of this song, which in contrast to the original was released as a single. The single did not chart in any territory and as such is one of many obscure Abba covers out there.
My collection: 7" single no. 4597 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'The way old friends do' / 'One and only'
'The next time I fall' was written by Bobby Caldwell and Paul Gordon, recorded as a duet by Peter Cetera and Amy Grant for Cetera's 1986 album 'Solitude/Solitaire'.
When the track was released as a single, it reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in December 1986. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. In Europe, the single was released, but achieved no commercial success.
My collection: 7" single no. 4583 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'The next time I fall' / 'Holy moly'
Although Marty Wilde was very successful in the UK between 1958 and 1962, he never managed to regain that early popularity. In 1968 he had a hit in Europe with 'Abergavenny', and that allowed him to record an album 'Diversions' in 1969.
This single, 'Shelley', was also released in 1969, but the track does not appear on that album. It is a good example of the versatility of Marty Wilde, as it doesn't sound at all like the rock and roll tracks he recorded in his heydays.
My collection: 7" single no. 4607 Found: Marktplaats.nl, received February 27, 2010 Cost: 4 euro Tracks: 'Shelley' / 'Jump on the train'
Although the single 'Before' by the Pet Shop Boys was not released on 7" vinyl, the record company had not abandoned the vinyl format altogether: 12" singles by the Pet Shop Boys continued to be released all through their career. And 'Before' was released in a plethora of different 12" singles. The promotional 12" singles with penises on the front cover were perhaps the most notorious ones, but this box set was the best item overall.
Comprising nine remixes on three discs, it is an hour's worth of music. And I'm using the term 'music' loosely here: only the last remix actually features verses and chorus of the song - other remixes are just collections of sounds and beats that sometimes seem to have nothing in common with the track itself. Still, it is a great collector's item for Pet Shop Boys fans, and finding this box set for so little money was a great bargain.
My collection: 12" single no. 533 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010 Cost: 2,5 euro Tracks: 'Before (Underground mix)', 'Before (Bonus dub)' / 'Before (Underground instrumental)', 'Before (Bonus beats)' // 'Before (Classic Paradise mix)' / 'Before (Aphrodisiac mix)' // 'Before (Hed Boys mix)', 'Before (Hed Boys dub)' / 'Before (Joey Negro extended mix)'
So I have the 7" single and the 12" single of Fox the fox's 'Precious little diamond' - what else could there be? As it turns out, this 1984 single was re-released in 1986 in a remix made by Shep Pettibone.
A lot has changed in two years: the band, originally consisting of six members on the 1984 sleeve, seems to have been brought down to only two members, and the remix diminishes the beautiful song to a rather substandard collection of beats. Well, maybe I'm a bit harsh, but although I like this remix, I do prefer the original track.
My collection: 7" single no. 4574 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Precious little diamond (Shep Pettibone mix)' / 'Man on the run'
When the internet was still a new phenomenon in my life (i.e. some 14 years ago) I knew a young man in Canada, with whom I regularly swapped cassettes (yes, we still had those back then) with music. I sent him some Dutch stuff, and he came up with things like Amy Grant and E.G. Daily. These tapes really interested me, and most of the stuff he sent me ended up in my record collection.
E.G. Daily's 1989 album 'Lace around the wound' is actually a great album. Although it didn't have any commercial success in Europe, the record company still released a single from the album: 'Some people' was an unexpected find for me.
My collection: 7" single no. 4581 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Some people (remix)' / 'Are you there'
The one-off collaboration between Midge Ure and Mick Karn, 'After a fashion', was released in 1983. I had a hard time finding the 7" single, but when I did, I thought I had it all. That is, of course, until I found this 12" single today. I didn't know a 12" single existed, but I'm glad I was able to buy it right away.
This 12" single features an extended remix that is just that: an extended version of the 7" single version. It seems to be a simple cut and paste job, with longer instrumental passages, an effect that is achieved by putting them in a loop. A charming little remix.
My collection: 12" single no. 529 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010 Cost: 2,5 euro Tracks: 'After a fashion (extended version)' / 'Textures'
Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn created many albums together as Everything but the girl. Although these days, Tracey Thorn is active as a solo artist (her third solo album is due out soon), they are still together as a couple with their three children.
'Don't leave me behind' was released as a single from their 1986 album 'Baby the stars shine bright'. During a two week chart run, it stalled at number 72 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 4587 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Don't leave me behind' / 'Alfie'
Now that I'm hunting for singles again, I sometimes find 7" singles that I never thought were even released. And this one is a good example. 'The silence in my heart' was released as a 1-track cd-single in 1992. Around that time, most Dutch record shops weren't stocking 7" singles anymore, and the one address I still visited regularly never had this single.
Now, 18 years later, I found not one, but five copies of this single tucked away in a closet in a second hand shop. 'The silence in my heart' is Esther Tuely's most accomplished song, and it is still a mystery to me why this didn't turn out to be a hit.
My collection: 7" single no. 4591 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, February 26, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'The silence in my heart' / 'Eye of heaven (remix)'
Although they were not credited, 'Unconditional love' by Donna Summer also features vocals by the British reggae act Musical Youth, who had a hit a few months before the release of this single with 'Pass the Dutchie'.
'Unconditional love' was released as the second single from the Donna Summer album 'She works hard for the money'. It reached number 43 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 14 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 4571 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Unconditional love' / 'Woman'
I wonder how many viewers of the American series 'Dallas' knew that Larry Hagman, who played J.R. in it, actually recorded a single. 'My favourite sins' stays true to the evil character he plays, while not taking it all too seriously. The result is a rather strange recording that is still a footnote in Hagman's career.
Released in 1980, at the height of the 'Dallas' hype, I don't know whether Hagman had serious singing aspirations or if he was pushed by the merciless need for merchandise. I'm hoping it was the latter...
My collection: 7" single no. 4595 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'My favourite sins' / 'Ballad of the good luck charm'
Released as the follow-up to their debut single 'Break it up', 'One night stand' was Lois Lane's second single, and the second and last one of their five singles released by WEA records to not reach the Dutch Top 40.
This particular copy appears to be a mispressing: although the B-side is announced as 'Goodbye girl' on the label, it simply plays 'One night stand' once again.
My collection: 7" single no. 4576 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks (label): 'One night stand' / 'Goodbye girl' Tracks (disc): 'One night stand' / 'One night stand'
Chris Rea's 'The road to hell' was written about the frustrations of driving on the M25 during rush hour. It's strange how such a boring subject can lead to such a great song. It was the title track of his 1989 album, which featured two parts of the track.
Part 2 was released as a single. The single reached number 10 in the UK singles chart. In 2009, the song inspired the title of a crime novel by northeast author Sheila Quigley, 'The road to hell', the fifth book in the Seahills series of novels.
My collection: 7" single no. 4580 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'The road to hell (part 2)' / 'He should know better'
At his best, Dingetje can be called the Weird Al Yankovic of the Netherlands. And this single represents one of his best parodies, which I have to admit didn't know existed. 'Een nacht in Mokum' translates as 'One night in Amsterdam', and is a parody of the Murray Head single 'One night in Bangkok', written by Tim Rice with Benny and Bjorn of Abba.
Dingetje describes a night out in the capital of the Netherlands in his version, using some elements from the original lyric, such as 'the massage parlours'. The single did not chart - and I have to say I've never seen it before.
My collection: 7" single no. 4585 Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Een nacht in Mokum' / 'Sukke heb ze'
Fra Lippo Lippi released three singles from their 1985 album 'Songs', of which 'Every time I see you' was the last. The track was remixed before it was released as a single, but the single version and the version on this 12" single are the same.
The bonus is included on the B-side. Besides the single B-side 'The heather on the hills', it adds another beautiful instrumental track, 'The true story'. This track was definitely worth the money for buying this disc.
My collection: 12" single no. 142 Found: Record Exchange, London, 1992 Cost: 1 pound Tracks: 'Every time I see you' / 'The true story', 'The heather on the hills'
'Looking for the summer' was a track on Chris Rea's 1990 album 'Auberge'. The album reached number 1 in the UK albums chart, however the three singles taken from the album wouldn't meet a similar fate in the singles chart.
The single version of 'Looking for the summer' was a remix, shorter and faster than the album version. It reached number 49 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 1511 Found: August 17, 1991 Cost: 2 guilders Tracks: 'Looking for the summer' / 'Six up'
'Sex & drugs & rock & roll' was written by Ian Dury and Chas Jankel in Dury's flat in Oval Mansions, London. According to Chas, he would be repeatedly given the lyric for the song by Dury but Jankel kept rejecting the song only for it to be at the top of the pile again the next time - only to be rejected again. This went on until Dury sung the song's guitar riff to Chas and sang the song's title in time with it.
Released as it was at the height of the popularity of punk rock, the song was misinterpreted as a song about excess as its title would suggest. Dury himself maintained that the song was not a punk anthem and said he was trying to suggest that there was more to life than a 9-to-5 existence.
My collection: 7" single no. 1738 Found: Out on the floor, London, October 18, 1992 Cost: 2 pounds Tracks: 'Sex & drugs & rock & roll' / 'Razzle in my pocket'
The nicest feature of this single is the sleeve: the label which carries a photograph of flowers is visible through a larger hole at the front, whereas the back cover is entirely brown and doesn't have a hole in it.
'That's all' is a group composition by Genesis with lyrics written by Phil Collins. Released as the second single from their self-titled 1983 album, it reached number 16 in the UK singles chart and number 6 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 1101 Found: All that music, Leiden, November 11, 1989 Cost: 4 guilders Tracks: 'That's all' / 'Taking it all too hard'
Released as the first single from the Jacksons' album 'Triumph', 'Lovely one' was the followup to their 1979 hit, 'Shak your body (down to the ground)'. Lead vocals in this song were performed by Michael Jackson, while his brothers Jackie, Tito, Randy and Marlon performed backing vocals.
The single reached number 12 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 29 in the UK singles chart and number 13 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 102 Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1980 Cost: 3 guilders Tracks: 'Lovely one' / 'Bless his soul'
'Say it isn't so' was released as one of two new tracks on their greatest hits album 'Rock 'n' Soul part 1'. The song is about a love gone wrong and a fellow who asks his girl to "Say it isn't so".
When it was released as a single, it reached number 2 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart at the turn of the year 1983/1984. In the UK, it did considerably less well, peaking at number 69. In the Netherlands, where the single was played on the radio regularly, it didn't chart at all.
My collection: 7" single no. 2498 Found: London, October 30, 1995 Cost: 1 pound Tracks: 'Say it isn't so' / 'Did it in a minute'
'The way old friends do' was originally a live recording by Abba, included as the last track on their 1980 album 'Super trouper'. The song was written by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Anderson.
