Dance with me - Orleans

Orleans was formed in Woodstock, New York in February 1972, by John Hall, Larry Hoppen and Wells Kelly. In November of that year, the group also added Larry's younger brother Lance to the line-up. Jerry Marotta joined the next year, completing the quintet.

'Dance with me' was taken from the band's third album 'Let there be music'. The single was a big hit in the USA, but failed to chart in Europe.

My collection: 7" single no. 4905
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received May 28, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Dance with me' / 'Ending of a song'

Time - Frida and B.A. Robertson

Released in 1984, the track 'Time' was recorded by Frida (formerly from Abba) and B.A. Robertson for the soundtrack of 'Abbacadabra', a musical based on music by Abba. In fact, 'Time' was based on the instrumental track 'Arrival', from Abba's 1976 album of the same name, with added lyrics.

Frida recorded a French version of this track together with Daniel Balavoine as 'Belle'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4904
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, May 28, 2010
Cost: 1,75 euro
Tracks: 'Time' / 'I am the seeker'

I love Saturday - Erasure

Erasure released their album 'I say I say I say' in 1994, at a time when the 7" single was fast becoming harder to find. Only the first two singles, 'Always' and 'Run to the sun' were released on 7" vinyl in the UK - and for more than a decade, their remaining singles were released as cd-singles only.

But much to my surprise, I found a 7" vinyl copy of the third (and last) single from the album 'I say I say I say' recently: 'I love Saturday'. It was made in Germany, where Erasure have always been popular. However, the single reached number 69, their lowest-charting single in Germany up to that point. In the UK, meanwhile, the single reached number 20.

My collection: 7" single no. 4901
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received May 28, 2010
Cost: 2,5 euro
Tracks: 'I love Saturday' / 'Dodo'

Megamix:Ninety! - Mel and Kim

The 1990 megamix of Mel & Kim tracks, created by Alan Coulthard, was released as a 12" single and a 7" single. I was lucky enough to find the 12" single a long time ago, but the 7" single has eluded me for a long time. Until recently, when it suddenly popped up on a mailorder website. What's interesting about this single is that both the A-side and the B-side are shorter than its 12" single counterparts.

There is also a cd-single, but that one is even harder to find. I wonder if I'll ever get my hands on that one.

My collection: 7" single no. 4900
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received May 28, 2010
Cost: 1,75 euro
Tracks: 'Megamix:Ninety!' / 'Showing out (Italo House mix)'

Johnny Rocco - Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin

'Johnny Rocco' was written by Les Vandyke in the late Fifties and recorded by several rock and roll acts, including Marty Wilde.

Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin recorded their version in 1982 as a track on their album 'Disappear'. When released as a single, it didn't manage a chart placing.

My collection: 7" single no. 4899
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received May 28, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Johnny Rocco' / 'The Hamburger song (We've survived this before)'

Hurricane - Westend

Westend was an Austrian band, consisting of Gary Lux, Hans Christian Wagner, Bernhard Rabitsch, Peter Vieweger and Patricia Tandien. They represented their country during the 1983 Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Hurricane'.

The song is an up-tempo track, in which the band sings about being without the object of their affections and likens this condition to being in a hurricane. The song finished ninth in a field of 20 participants.

My collection: 7" single no. 4897
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received May 28, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Hurricane' / 'Hurricane (instrumental)'

Tall story teller - Arabesque

Most of the songs by the German disco trio Arabesque follow a certain formula, which is defined by unified vocals and a firm disco beat. And 'Tall story teller' is no exception.

Released in the autumn of 1982, the single featured the track 'Caballero' on the B-side, which was released as a single in Japan only. In Japan, Arabesque were quite famous; even in the late Nineties their whole repertoire was released on cd in that country.

My collection: 7" single no. 4896
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received May 28, 2010
Cost: 1,4 euro
Tracks: 'Tall story teller' / 'Caballero'

Looker - Sue Saad

The band Sue Saad and the Next never made it big, but existed from 1979 to 1986. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1980, but only managed a lowly placing in the US album chart at number 131.

After the album, only one single was released, 'Looker' credited to Sue Saad. It did not chart, but the band still played live concerts until 1986, while also contributing tracks to movie soundtracks from time to time.

My collection: 7" single no. 4895
Found: Da Capo, Utrecht, May 28, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Looker' / 'Highwire'

Gimme love/gimme pain - Sue Saad and the Next

The only claim to fame Sue Saad and the Next ever made was a hit in the Netherlands with the dramatic rock song 'Young girl'. I bought the single at the time and for years it was one of my favourite songs of all times.

I never bought any of their next singles, until I found 'Prisoner' six months ago. 'Gimme love/gimme pain', which I found just the other day, is another example of their brand of new wave rock. It was not a hit, but sometimes the best singles are those that are ignored by the general public...

My collection: 7" single no. 4894
Found: Da Capo, Utrecht, May 28, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Gimme love/gimme pain' / 'Kamonbaybeh'

Drama! - Erasure

Last week when we were in Utrecht, Puck showed me this single by Erasure. I couldn't for the life of me figure out whether I already had it or not. I've seen the sleeve numerous times through the years, of course, which causes confusion in my photographic memory.

When I came home, it turned out I didn't have this single, and so, since I knew I would be back at the store this week, I had a new opportunity to buy it. 'Drama' was the first single from Erasure's 1989 album 'Wild!' and was a number 4 hit in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4893
Found: Da Capo, Utrecht, May 28, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Drama!' / 'Sweet sweet baby'

Hold on - Bolland en Bolland

The Dutch brothers Bolland recorded a very American-sounding single in 1978, entitled 'Hold on'. I got to know the song because of a compilation album of 1978 hits which I got as a present in 1979, but the strange thing is: 'Hold on'was never a hit.

That's not to say it's a bad song: it could easily compete in the international charts at the time - but I think the record company never even tried this.

My collection: 7" single no. 4892
Found: Da Capo, Utrecht, May 28, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Hold on' / 'Outlaws paradise'

London - Alessi

The Alessi Brothers made some great jazzy stuff in the late Seventies,with one of their best known tracks being 'Oh Lori'.

This single was taken from the same album as 'All for a reason', a year after 'Oh Lori'. It's an ode to one of the world's most exciting cities, 'London'. And it's got that same jazzy feel.

My collection: 7" single no. 4891
Found: Da Capo, Utrecht, May 28, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'London' / 'Farewell'

The one that you love - Air Supply

'The one that you love' is a classic love song, written by Graham Russell and recorded by the Australian band Air Supply. The single reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in July 1981. Although it is a wellknown song, the single did not chart in most of Europe.

This copy of the single was pressed on green vinyl, which I suppose is part of a limited edition run. Quite a beautiful collector's item!

My collection: 7" single no. 4890
Found: Da Capo, Utrecht, May 28, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'The one that you love' / 'I want to give it all'

Am I normal? - Eye to eye

After the duo Marshall Hain split up, Kit Hain went on a solo career and Julian Marshall seemingly disappeared from the pop scene. Seemingly, because in 1980 he was part of the group Eye to eye.

Most people don't know this, as the single 'Am I normal?' did not become a hit. The beautiful sleeve featured a painting called 'Hand Maid', created by Philip Castle.

My collection: 7" single no. 4889
Found: Da Capo, Utrecht, May 28, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Am I normal?' / 'Tonight insomnia'

Early morning wake up call - Flash and the Pan

The title track of Flash and the Pan's 1985 album 'Early morning wake up call' was released as a single. It wasn't a commercial success, but it is quite a catchy track in the style of this Australian band.

My collection: 7" single no. 4888
Found: Da Capo, Utrecht, May 28, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Early morning wake up call' / 'Look at that woman go'

In the clouds - All about Eve

When I started collecting All about Eve records in the late Eighties, I quickly became aware that they'd released some independent 12" singles at the beginning of their career. The 12" of 'D for desire' never came within my grasp for a reasonable price, and neither did 'In the clouds', their second release from 1985.

While I was never prepared to shell out 50 pounds or more for 'D for desire' ever since I got a bootleg 7" single, I did buy this 12" single for 20 pounds. That's still a lot of money, but it was lot cheaper than they were going for at the time - plus it was in pristine condition. Sometimes you have to live a little.

My collection: 12" single no. 270
Found: Record fair, London
Cost: 20 pounds
Tracks: 'In the clouds' / 'End of the day', 'Love leads nowhere'

Hot water - Level 42

There are no credits for the 'Mastermix' of Level 42's 'Hot water', but it is an impressive mix, clocking in at 10 minutes, no less. This 12" snigle also contains an extended version of the B-side, 'Standing in the light'.

At the time of its release, Level 42 were at the verge of becoming a supergroup, a status they achieve a year later when they released their album 'Running in the family'. 'Hot water' was taken from its predecessor, 'True colours'.

My collection: 12" single no. 418
Found: Record Exchange, London,
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Hot water (Mastermix)' / 'Standing in the light (extended version)'

The slightest touch - Five Star

Five Star took no less than six hit singles from their album 'Silk and steel', but one had to admit that they weren't exactly lazy about it. 'The slightest touch', the last single to be taken from the album, was remixed by Shep Pettibone and the 12" single contained three remixes of the track made by him.

'The slightest touch' is one of the few Five Star songs to have been covered by another artist; Louise recorded the track for her 'Changing Faces: The Best of Louise' greatest hits album in 2001. This version of the song was based on the album mix and was not released as a single.

My collection: 12" single no. 343
Found: unknown
Cost: unknown
Tracks: 'The slightest touch (The Pettibone Touch remix)', 'The slightest touch (House touch)' / 'Stone court', 'The slightest touch (Slightest dub)'

Lean on me - Red Box

Red Box had their first hit single in 1985 with 'Lean on me'. It took me some time to realise that this was actually a good song, but when I did, I decided I wanted to have the 12" single as well. By that time, it was pretty hard to get, and so I had to resort to mail order in order to get it.

This 12" single actually contains two different versions of 'Lean on me' plus a remix of the B-side track 'Stinging bee'. Packages like this are always value for money.

My collection: 12" single no. 548
Found: Fun records, received 2002
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Lean on me (Dogmatix)' / 'Stinging bee (Catmatix)', 'Lean on me'

Love letters - Alison Moyet

I bought the 7" single of Alison Moyet's 'Love letters' in 1989 because I liked the song. Then I discovered the B-side 'This house', which made me buy the cd-single as I had to have it in pristine quality. And then I discovered that the 12" single actually had an extended version of 'Love letters' which didn't appear on the cd-single...

I was quite happy to buy this 12" single as it was very cheap. And fortunately, the extended version of 'Love letters' was worth every penny.

My collection: 12" single no. 379
Found: unknown
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Love letters (extended version)' / 'This house', 'Ne me quitte pas (live)'