Billy Joel wrote 'My life', released as a single in 1978, in reference to comedian Richard Lewis. He 'closed the shop, sold the house, bought a ticket to the west coast, now he gives them a stand up routine in LA'.
The Dutch band Pussycat had four top 10 hits in the Netherlands in 1976 and 1977 with a few country-tinged songs. The country-influence was still evident in their fifth hit single, 'I'll be your woman', but this time, the single peaked at number 11 in the Dutch Top 40.
Although the 7" single of Lys Assia's winning Eurovision number 'Refrain' still eludes me, I did find another treasure today: her German version of the 1963 winning song 'Dansevise'. Entitled 'Der Sommer ging vorüber', the song lyric was translated into German by Ralph Siegel, another Eurovision legend.
One of the standout tracks on Athlete's most recent album 'Black swan', 'The getaway' was released as an EP in the UK a few months ago. It was only released on the elusive 10" vinyl format, and as I never heard about its release I nearly didn't get it at all. A shame, because the bonus tracks on this EP are quite magnificent.
'Better than today' was released on December 5, 2010 as the third single from Kylie's latest album 'Aphrodite'. Written by Nerina Pallot and Andy Chatterley, an earlier, acoustic version of the track was included on Pallot's EP 'Buckminster Fuller'.
Although this single was released in late 1983 and the title actually mentions Christmas, this song is not a very Christmassy affair.
Daryl Hall and John Oates usually recorded their songs together, but on this single, there is a separate side for each of them. 'Jingle bell rock' was recorded by Daryl Hall on one side, and John Oates on the other.
It's impossible to find information about the Dutch duo Nova, that recorded the single 'Christmas forever' in 1981. It was released but never charted, and the song is credited to E.O. MacDonald and H. Promes and recorded and mixed at 'Rena Sound' in Rotterdam. The single was released on the unknown MacProPoc label.
Most people know Wham's 'Last Christmas' - and about half of them love the song, the other half loathes it. It's a holiday staple every year, and more than a hundred covers of it exist.
Contrary to what people from abroad may think, Doe Maar's song 'Doris Day' was not a tribute to the American actress, but rather a complaint about the fact that there was never anything good on TV, just a film with Doris Day or a boring opera. The song suggests that it's better to turn off the one eyed monster and go out and have fun.
The writing team of Holland-Dozier-Holland had several hits in the Sixties, as writers of songs by the Supremes, the Four Tops and the Isley Brothers. This single, 'Going back to my roots' by Odyssey was released in 1981 - the song was written by Lamont Dozier alone.
It's strange how a run of the mill disco track can sound quite good thirty years on. Freddie James recorded the track in 1979 and managed to get a worldwide hit with it, despite his age (he was just a young kid).
Double singles have always been irresistible to me, so when I spotted this one I bought it despite the fact that I didn't know the A-side track. Elton John is a classic singer/songwriter anyway, so most of his stuff is worth listening to. With the exception, perhaps, of 'Heartache all over the world', which is a piece of music that doesn't really go anywhere.
Aled Jones was born on December 29, 1970. He was raised in the small Welsh-speaking community of Llandegfan, in Anglesey and attended Ysgol David Hughes. Jones joined the choir of Bangor Cathedral at age nine and was lead soloist within two years. The remarkable clarity of his treble voice was appreciated by a member of the congregation, Hefina Orwig Evans, who wrote a letter to local record company Sain, and he was duly signed. In 1982 he won the Cerdd Dant solo competitions for competitors under 12 at the Urdd Eisteddfod.
Donna Summer's collaboration with Stock, Aitken & Waterman was short-lived, i.e. it only lasted for one album (1989's 'Another place and time'), but there were three singles taken from the album.
'When Smokey sings' was a comeback single of sorts for the band ABC. It was released as the first single from their fourth album 'Alphabet city' and their first big hit since 'All of my heart' almost five years previous.
Pat Boone was born on June 1, 1934 and was a successful pop singer in the Fifties and early Sixties. As a devout Christian, Boone refused songs and movie roles that he felt might compromise his standards—including a role with sex symbol Marilyn Monroe. In his first film, 'April love', he refused to give co-star and love interest Shirley Jones an onscreen kiss, because the actress was married in real life.
I've known the English band Fiat Lux since 1984 when their single 'Secret' made quite an impression on me. For a long time I thought it was their debut single, but I was wrong: they actually started two years previous with the independently released single 'Feels like winter again'.
'John, I’m only dancing (again)' was released in 1979 as a reworking of David Bowie's 1972 track 'John, I'm only dancing', made during the sessions for the album Young Americans. The re-recording featured a much more funk-influenced take on the track. Originally running at 6:57, the track was cut for a 7" single release, but the full version was issued on 12" vinyl – the first Bowie single to have a regular 12" release in the UK. For the B-side, the original version of 'John, I'm only dancing' was remixed.
'Need you tonight' is one of those singles I never bought because by the time it was into the charts I was already sick of it. It must have been one of the most played tracks of 1987 and even now when INXS is remembered, it's usually for this song - although they have recorded much more interesting tracks before and after this.
The single 'Smalltown boy' was an instant hit upon its release in 1984. Part of this was due to the track, with a driving beat and haunting vocals, but the music video had a lot to do with it as well. It told the story of a boy moving to the big city after having issues with his parents - his father especially. It wouldn't be all too obvious if it weren't for the fact that the lead singer Jimmy Somerville was very vocal in gay rights groups.
The S.O.S Band first found fame in 1980 when they released 'Take your time (Do it right)'. Three years later they joined forces with the new production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who went on to have lots of success with Janet Jackson in the second half of the Eighties.
Kim Wilde has been presenting her radio show 'Secret songs' for two years now, and being a regular listener, this is one of the songs I picked up on recently. It was apparently a number 1 hit in the UK, when it was released as a single from their 1990 album 'Choke'.
'Mathema solfege' was only the third contribution of Greece to the Eurovision Song Contest, back in 1977. They started participating in 1974, two decades after the contest started. This song landed the country in the top 10, as the quartet consisting of Pascalis Arvanitidis, Marianna Toli, Robert Williams and Bessy Argyraki managed to get to fifth place.
I wasn't the first to discover the band Hurts this year, but when I did, I was glad. They have been described as a modern version of Black and the Blue Nile, and in a way there are - although the most obvious links would have to be the song titles ('Wonderful life' and 'Stay' respectively).
Dusty Springfield's collaboration with Richard Carpenter must have seemed a strange move after she gained street credibility with the Pet Shop Boys. The single, taken from Carpenter's album 'Time', his first project since the death of his sister Karen, didn't repeat the success of 'What have I done to deserve this?' when it was released in October 1987. It only managed one week in the UK singles chart, at number 89.
I was not impressed when 'Are you gonna go my way' was released in 1993. It was a reasonable chart hit at the time, but the rocky sound of the track put me off. It was at a time when most chart music was putting me off - I'd already moved into more obscure territory.
If nothing else, the songs by Lady Gaga are infectuous. I don't think they will really stand the test of time, as this kind of overproduced pop rarely sounds fresh a decade later. In the case of 'Alejandro', it sounds a bit like a rejected Ace of Base track from circa 1990, which is quite remarkable in itself.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor is best known for her 2001 hit 'Murder on the dancefloor'. But she's still going strong, as is evidenced by this picture disc 7", released earlier this year. Produced by the Freemasons, this track sounds a lot like the Eighties classic 'Blue Monday' by New Order, yet sounds very contemporary.
'When 'Oxygene IV' was first released in 1977, it was an instant chart success around the world. Such much, created entirely on synthesizers, had never been heard before and Jean-Michel Jarre acquired a reputation as being a master of technology.' The press info sheet included with this single stretches historical facts a bit: long before 'Oxygene' was released, the German masters of technology Kraftwerk were already at it. But we go on...
'Me myself I' was a single taken from Joan Armatrading's 1980 album of the same name. She had made a name for herself with the hit single 'Rosie', but subsequent singles weren't as successful as that one. It's undeniable, however, that the lady packed a lot of power in this song.
This 12" single was released as a numbered limited edition, this being number 3608. The edition must have been 5000 or 10,000 copies. Besides the free colour poster included in the package, this 12" was notable for its cover version of 'Silver song', a track originally recorded by the folk group Mellow Candle. As you can hear in the video below, the original is also a beautiful recording, but it can't hold a candle (sorry for that pun) to All about Eve's beautiful cover.
Five Star were an essential pop group in the middle of the Eighties. The Pearson siblings were able to score hit after hit under the guidance of their father Buster, and their newfound fame came with loads of money, which was invested in a mansion somewhere in England.
The 80th birthday of harmonica player Larry Adler was celebrated with an album called 'The glory of Gershwin'. It was released in 1994 and produced by George Martin. Several guest musicians made an appearance on the album, including Kate Bush, who sang the Gershwin song 'The man I love'. Released as a single on July 18, 1994 it climbed to number 22 in the UK Singles Chart.
I was very disappointed when Yazoo broke up, and I had a hard time forgiving Alison Moyet for starting up a solo career and recording songs that were so different from the synth-driven pop tracks composed by her and Vince Clarke. But in time I had to concede that Moyet was a pretty damn good singer in her own right and her voice fits pretty much with every style of music.
This picture disc version of the 12" single of 'Heart of the sun' by Red Box must have been confusing at the time for fans: the A-side of the disc (shown here) carried a picture that was also used on the sleeve of the album 'The circle & the square'.
'Get outta my way' was released last week as the second single from Kylie's current album 'Aphrodite'. Like the previous single 'All the lovers', it was released on two cd-singles and a 7" picture disc. It has already peaked at the number 12 spot in the UK singles chart - and is unlikely to get any higher than that.
There was a time when I thought 'Star' by the Time Bandits was one of the greatest tracks of all time. That feeling has subsided, but it is a pretty nifty pop song nonetheless. It wasn't a hit, which was kindof a shame, but I never actually knew there was a 12" single of this. And that the special remix on it was mixed by Ben Liebrand is a real treat too.
I hope Jos is still reading this blog, because I know he will be very excited by this record. It's the 12" single of Risqué's 'Starlight', a disc so rare that it isn't even listed in many discographies on the web. Released in 1982, it's from a time when 12" singles weren't a standard yet, and certainly not for Dutch groups.
'Get out of your lazy bed' was the debut single from UK band Matt Bianco, released in 1984. The song became the band's first Top 20 hit, peaking at number 15 in the UK singles chart. In the Netherlands, the single reached number 28 in the Dutch Top 40.
I didn't know this single when I bought it. I almost didn't buy it, because of the fact it didn't have a picture sleeve - and I always prefer to have those. But then I figured this might never have been released with a picture sleeve and I was curious enough to hear this song upon the strength of David Gates' name alone. The former Bread frontman has been responsible for several great songs.
Although it lacks the innovation and intricacy of 'Bohemian rhapsody', I've always loved 'Somebody to love' more. It's a beautiful melody and the lyric is very simple: the search for someone to love can be quite desperate.
'Discipline of love' was released as the first single from Robert Palmer's 1985 album 'Riptide'. It was Palmer's first solo single after the Power Station project which he'd done with members of Duran Duran. This version of the single comes in a gatefold sleeve with lots of pictures of Robert Palmer, it's quite an interesting sleeve design!
Sometimes I buy a single because the sleeve is different. It's always interesting to compare. In the case of Arabesque's 'Tall story teller', I already had the German version, but this here is the Dutch version. The record company took a chance, because Arabesque never had a hit in the Netherlands, and this single didn't change much of that.
In 1988, the double album 'Live 1980-1986' by Joe Jackson was released. It was an impressive compilation of live performances by the man who gave us so many great pop songs during the Eighties.
The Dutch band Doe Maar had their first top 10 hit 'Doris Day' in early 1982. The follow-up was the laid back 'Is dit alles' ('Is this all'), released in June 1982. It shot to number 9 in the Dutch Top 40, just months before the band would have their first number 1 hit, cementing their position as the country's favourite pop act.
One of my favourite games when I am reflecting on my record collection, is finding out which artist has the lowest and highest registration number, i.e. which is the furthest apart. Van Halen is the winner at this point: I only have two singles by the band, 'Running with the devil' being number 51 and 'Jump' has just become number 4943. Breaking this record is quite hard, unless I am ever going to buy another single by Oliver, Patrick Hernandez or Peaches & Herb (which seems unlikely) or the Jam (which is very likely).
Those of you who have followed this blog since the beginning will remember that I already own a copy of King's 'Love and pride'. It was a limited edition version featuring a different sleeve and a poster. This is the original release from 1984 with a beautiful sleeve. I had to have this beautiful version as well, featuring a totally undamaged UK sleeve.
