That's what they always say - Chris Rea

'That's what they always say' was the second single taken from Chris Rea's 1989 album 'The road to hell'. The track was remixed for the single release, but it didn't help much: the single didn't chart in any territory.

I knew the album 'Road to hell' when it came out, and I didn't think this was the best track to release as a single. There are some standout tracks on the album, but this one wasn't one of them...

My collection: 7" single no. 4682
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'That's what they always say (remix)' / '1975'

Little girl - Marty Wilde

I wouldn't be surprised if people in 1960 compared Marty Wilde with Elvis Presley, as he sounds a lot like him on these recordings. 'Little girl' was Marty's eighth hit single in the UK, peaking at number 16 at the end of the year.

The B-side, 'Your seventeenth spring' sounds even more like an Elvis track. With all the imagery of proms and first boyfriends, it's a very American track. But that's what Marty Wilde was known for at the time: good covers of American rock 'n' roll tracks.

My collection: 7" single no. 4719
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Little girl' / 'Your seventeenth spring'

Rockaria! - Electric Light Orchestra

'Rockaria!' was the second single from Electric Light Orchestra's 1976 album 'A new world record'. The track features the operatic voice of Mary Thomas during the introduction. She flubbed the first take by starting the vocals too early. However, Jeff Lynne elected to use the take (complete with her interjection, 'Oops!') anyway.

The single reached number 9 in the UK singles chart and number 28 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4689
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Rockaria!' / 'Poker'

Love lies lost - Helen Terry

Helen Terry was born on May 25, 1956. She is best known for her work as a backing vocalist with Culture Club and the Pet Shop Boys, but she also had a solo single hit with 'Love lies lost' in 1984. It reached number 34 in the UK singles chart.

After this, she pursued a career in film and television production, most prominently behind the scenes as a producer and executive producer for the TV broadcast of the BRIT Awards since 2001.

My collection: 7" single no. 4704
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Love lies lost' / 'Laughter on my mind'

Zoals vrienden doen - Bonnie en José

'Zoals vrienden doen' was released as the follow up to Bonnie & José's 1984 single 'Cassandra'. It was a translation of the Abba track 'The way old friends do', featured on their 1980 album 'Super trouper'.

The Dutch duo had a minor hit with this single, peaking at number 36 in the Dutch Top 40 in the summer of 1985. The album 'Herinnering' ('Memory'), released almost at the same time, featured more Abba covers translated into Dutch.

My collection: 7" single no. 4722
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Zoals vrienden doen' / 'Vandaag of morgen'

Gotta give up your love - Hot Chocolate

After the single 'No doubt about it', the band Hot Chocolate lingered on the theme of visitors from outer space some more on their next single, 'Gotta give up your love', albeit on the B-side, 'Children of spacemen'.

'Gotta give up your love' was released in February 1981 but failed to chart in any territory. The B-side resurfaced as the B-side of the later single 'I'm losing you'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4653
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Gotta give up your love' / 'Children of spacemen'

Las palabras de amor - Queen

'Las palabras de amor' was inspired by the band's close relationship with their Latin American fans. It was released as a single from Queen's 1982 album 'Hot space' in June 1982. The single reached number 17 in the UK singles chart and number 26 in the Dutch Top 40.

The baby's face image of the single's cover would reappear on The Cross single for their song 'New dark ages'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4705
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Las palabras de amor' / 'Cool cat'

Into the blue - The Mission

'Into the blue' was released in 1990 as the third single from the Mission's fourth album 'Carved in sand'. I never bought the single because of the similarity between the sleeve of this single and the one of 'Hands across the ocean' (at least, in my mind), which made me think I already had it.

The single reached number 32 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4714
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Into the blue' / 'Bird of passage'

Sexual healing - Marvin Gaye

'Sexual healing' was composed by Marvin Gaye, Odell Brown and David Ritz. The song discusses a man's aching for finding sexual salvation with his woman - hence the title 'Sexual healing'. Some saw the song as Gaye's harmonious plea to sex in the form of him preaching the word of gospel, marrying his divided soul.

Released in 1982, it was Marvin Gaye's first single since his exit from his long-term record label Motown earlier in the year, following the release of the album 'In our lifetime' the previous year. The single reached number 1 in Canada and New Zealand, peaking at number 3 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 4 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4699
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Sexual healing' / 'Sexual healing (instrumental)'

Tonight - Tina Turner with David Bowie

While Tina Turner live sounds a lot like a cat being strangled, this single is still of interest because of the appearance of David Bowie on the title track. The song 'Tonight' was written by David Bowie and Iggy Pop for Iggy's 1977 album 'Lust for life'. It subsequently appeared as the title track of Bowie's 1984 album.

Bowie recorded the track on his own album as a duet with Tina Turner. When Turner was on tour, he performed the song together with her on March 23, 1985 at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. This version was included on the album 'Tina Live in Europe' in 1988, and released as a single. It was a number 1 hit in the Netherlands, peaking at number 53 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4693
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Tonight (live)' / 'River deep mountain high (live)'

Samba d'amour - Middle of the Road

After having had eight hit singles in several countries between 1971 and 1973, 'Samba d'amour' was the first of four singles that was only successful in Germany.

'Samba d'amour' was released in the summer of 1973 as the only single from Middle of the Road's 1973 album 'Music music'. It was the group's first album on the Ariola label. Ariola did not have the rights to release material in the UK and so an arrangement was made with a local Scottish record company to distribute 'Music music'. It failed to attract national attention in the UK and was relegated to obscurity there.

My collection: 7" single no. 4691
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Samba d'amour' / 'Winter's sun'

Have you ever had it blue - The Style Council

The Style Council recorded 'Have you ever had it blue' for the soundtrack of the movie 'Absolute beginners'. After David Bowie's song of the same name was released as a single, the Style Council's track was the next single to be taken from the soundtrack album.

Although this single couldn't match the success of Bowie's track, it still managed to climb to number 14 in the UK singles chart and number 20 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4713
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Have you ever had it blue' / 'Mr. Cool's dream'

Surrender - Swing out sister

'Surrender' is a 1987 single released by British pop act Swing Out Sister from their debut album, 'It's better to travel'. The song features a trumpet solo performed by John Thirkell. It was released as the follow-up to the successful single, 'Breakout'.

The song peaked at number 7 in the UK Singles Chart in January 1987 and reached the same position in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4717
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Surrender' / 'Who's to blame?'

Stray cat strut - Stray Cats

'Stray cat strut' is a track on the Stray Cats' debut album, released in 1981 in the UK. Released as the third single from that album, it reached number 13 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 11 in the UK singles chart.

In 1982, the song became a hit in the US, peaking at number 3 in the Billboard Hot 100. Brian Setzer later played this song with his new band, The Brian Setzer Orchestra.

My collection: 7" single no. 4696
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Stray cat strut' / 'Drink that bottle down'

My broken souvenirs - Pussycat

'My broken souvenirs' was released in March 1977 as the fourth single from Pussycat's debut album 'First of all'. Like their debut single and number 1 hit 'Mississippi', the song was written by Werner Theunissen.

The single becomes the second (and last) number 1 hit in the Netherlands for the group - it also reaches number 1 in New Zealand, by the way.

My collection: 7" single no. 4679
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'My broken souvenirs' / 'Nothing to hide'

I don't wanna get hurt - Donna Summer

The album 'Another place and time' by Donna Summer, released in 1987, was entirely written and produced by Stock Aitken & Waterman. As a result, the songs sounded a lot like many other hits at the time.

'I don't wanna get hurt' especially sounded like a Kylie Minogue or Mel & Kim track. I wonder if many Donna Summer fans were thrilled with this. The song was remixed for its release as a single. It reached number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 30 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4668
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'I don't wanna get hurt' / 'I don't wanna get hurt (instrumental)'

Victim of love - Erasure

'Victim of love' was written by Erasure band members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell and incorporates the signature Erasure sound of uptempo rhythm, analog synthesizer and a prominent acoustic guitar. Bell's lyrics pertain to one's apprehension when entering into a new love relationship. The song's protagonist doesn't 'want to look like some kind of fool' or become a 'victim of love'.

The song was released as the third single from their second album 'The circus' and remixed for single release. The single peaked at number 7 in the UK singles chart in June 1987.

My collection: 7" single no. 4690
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Victim of love' / 'The soldier's return'

Flashback - Imagination

'Flashback' was released in 1981 as a single by Imagination. It was their third single overall, but also the third single taken from their debut album 'Body talk', named after their debut single which peaked at number 4 in the UK single. Like the second single 'In and out of love', this single peaked at number 16 in the UK singles chart.

Although I spotted two versions of this single when I bought it, the other one had a photograph on the sleeve, but the B-side was 'In and out of love', which I already owned as a single in its own right. The B-side of this Belgian pressing is 'Burnin' up', which could be considered an early house track for its repetitiveness.

My collection: 7" single no. 4657
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Flashback' / 'Burnin' up'

Tired of getting pushed around - 2 men, a drum machine and a trumpet

During a time out from the Fine Young Cannibals between their debut album and its follow-up, David Steele and Andy Cox recorded - without frontman Roland Gift - an instrumental house single as 2 men, a drum machine & a trumpet.

Entitled 'Tired of getting pushed around', the single reached number 18 in the UK singles chart and number 29 in the Dutch Top 40. Meanwhile, Roland Gift took up acting, appearing in the movie 'Sammy and Rosie get laid'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4727
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Tired of getting pushed around' / 'Make it funky'

Dreamer - Supertramp

'Dreamer' was originally recorded in 1974 by Supertramp on their album 'Crime of the century'. Released as a single, it peaked at number 13 in the UK singles chart.

A live version, taken from the album 'Paris', was released in 1980. That live version reached number 15 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart ad number 36 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4694
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Dreamer' / 'Bloody well right'