Laat de zon in je hart - Aline

There is no information available about this release, so I don't know who Aline is, but I'll wager a guess that she's from Belgium. The label, Diamonds Records, is unknown, but the photograph on the sleeve was credited to one Clement in Maasmechelen and Diamonds Records could be reached via a Belgian phone number.

So what is 'Laat de zon in je hart'? It's a Flemish cover version of Wind's successful 1987 Eurovision Song Contest entry 'Lass die Sonne in dein Herz'. A collector's item of sorts.

My collection: 7" single no. 5178
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Laat de zon in je hart' / 'Memories of the wind (instrumental)'

Girls night out - Jody Watley

After the band Shalamar split up, Jody Watley moved to England, and while there she recorded a guest vocal with British Jamaican roots reggae group Musical Youth for their album 'Different Style'. She also recorded demos with Gary Langan, Anne Dudley and J.J Jeczalik (who later became Art of Noise). A brief stint with Phonogram Records yielded two demos that were released as promo records.

'Girls night out' was one of them, a single released in 1985. Billed simply as 'Jody', I only discovered this single because the shopkeeper was smart enough to put them in the 'Jody Watley' section. Otherwise, I wouldn't have found this bubbly piece of pop.

My collection: 7" single no. 5151
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Girls night out' / 'My house (4-free)'

9 fragmenten uit de nieuwe elpee Bad - Michael Jackson

When Michael Jackson released a follow-up to his hugely successful 'Thriller' album in 1987, it was nothing less than a sensation. The lead single 'I just can't stop loving you' was a big hit and the album was sure to be big as well.

This promotional single was released in Belgium, featuring nine snippets from the album. Why the track 'Just good friends', featuring Stevie Wonder, was not included on this preview I do not know, but I'm sure that 'Leave me alone' was omitted because, well, it was a bonus track on the cd only at the time. In the Netherlands, this single was released as a flexi disc as a freebie with the magazine Top 10. This Belgian single was sponsored by the newspaper Het Nieuwsblad and the bank Spaarkrediet. The title? '9 fragments from the new LP 'Bad''.

My collection: 7" single no. 5154
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: Medley of 'Bad', 'The way you make me feel', 'I just can't stop loving you', 'Liberian girl', 'Dirty Diana', 'Another part of me', 'Speed demon', 'Smooth criminal' and 'Bad' (Plays the same both sides)

Take your time (Do it right) - SOS Band

'Take your time (Do it right)' was released in 1980 as a single from the S.O.S. Band's album 'S.O.S.'. It is often regarded as one of the last big hits of the disco era.

Although a bit hit in the USA, the single only reached number 51 in the UK singles chart and didn't chart in the Netherlands. Listen to it now, and you'll find it's a very classy pop song.

My collection: 7" single no. 5148
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Take your time (Do it right) part 1' / 'Take your time (Do it right) part 2'

Anxiety - Leisure Process

Leisure Process was a British New Wave duo formed in the early 1980s. They consisted of Ross Middleton, previously of post-punk Glasgow band Positive Noise, and session sax player Gary Barnacle. Four singles were released before their split.

'Anxiety' was their last single, released in 1983. Like all previous singles, it was released by Epic Records and produced by Martin Rushent.

My collection: 7" single no. 5145
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Anxiety' / 'The company'

Words - Bee Gees

In November 1990 Universal Music released 'The very best of Bee Gees', a compilation album featuring the band's most popular tracks in chronological order from 'New York mining disaster 1941' (1967) to 'Ordinary lives' (1989).

To further promote the album, a single was released in early 1991, featuring two tracks from that album: 'Words', a hit for the Bee Gees in 1968, and 'Run to me', a hit from 1972. Dutch readers will know that 'Run to me' was also a big hit for Lee Towers & Anita Meyer in 1986.

My collection: 7" single no. 5138
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Words' / 'Run to me'

One way love - Agnetha Faltskog

Agnetha's second solo album after Abba effectively ended in 1982 was the Eric Stewart-produced 'Eyes of a woman', released in March 1985. The album sold well in parts of Europe, reaching number 2 in Sweden and the Top 20 in Norway and Belgium, but failed to match the success of the previous album, 'Wrap your arms around me'.

Lead single 'I won't let you go' enjoyed considerable chart success in both Continental Europe and Scandinavia, but its follow-up 'One way love' was less of a success: it only reached number 12 in Sweden and number 37 in Germany.

My collection: 7" single no. 5133
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'One way love' / 'Turn the world around'

Ship of fools - Erasure

'Ship of fools' was released in February 1988 as Erasure's first single from their third album 'The innocents' and their eighth single overall.

'Ship of fools' marked Erasure's first release without record producer Flood. Known for creating slick, pop-oriented production style, Stephen Hague took over producing duties for The Innocents album. 'Ship of fools' also marks Erasure's first ballad single-release. Its B-side, 'When I needed you', is also a ballad. Both tracks were written by Vince Clarke and Andy Bell. The single reached number 6 in the UK Singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 5131
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Ship of fools' / 'When I needed you'

Oh mama - Lili and Sussie

The Swedish duo Lili and Sussie released several singles, but none of them were more bubbly and danceable than their biggest hit, 'Candy love'. This single, released in 1987, was another attempt at having a hit.

Produced by Tim Norell, Ola Hakansson and Anders Hansson, the single wasn't a hit outside Sweden - but I don't know if it was a hit in Sweden.

My collection: 7" single no. 5146
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Oh mama' / 'One more night'

Lyrics - Kayak

The Dutch rock band Kayak started in 1972, consisting of Ton Scherpenzeel, Pim Koopman, Max Werner, Jean Michel Marion and Johan Slager.

A year later they had their first chart hit: the single 'Lyrics', taken from their debut album 'See see the sun'. It reached number 20 in the Dutch Top 40. Kayak singles are pretty much impossible to find these days, so this one was a real catch.

My collection: 7" single no. 5129
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Lyrics' / 'Try to write a book'

Hang on in there baby - Curiosity

After the lacklustre performance of Curiosity killed the cat's second album 'Getahead', the band was dropped from Mercury Records. However, three years after the release of that single they returned to the UK singles chart as a three piece band on RCA Records, with a cover of Johnny Bristol's 'Hang On In There Baby'.

This single peaked at number 3 in the UK singles chart, and it seemed like they were back for good. Unfortunately, subsequent singles, covers of 'I Need Your Lovin'' and 'Gimme the Sunshine', flopped, which resulted in the album Back to Front only being released in Japan and selected overseas markets.

My collection: 7" single no. 5125
Found: Backtrack, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Hang on in there baby' / 'Meaning of dreaming'

Angel of the morning - Guys 'n' Dolls

Back in 1979, I got a double LP of the biggest hits of 1978. I was only eight years old and this was a huge addition to my collection of records. I played the album a lot and those tracks of 1978 have all become engrained in my memory. In recent years I have become less interested in LP's and more interested in singles, so it's only logical that I should buy the singles from that LP.

'Angel of the morning' was originally a hit in 1968 for Merrilee Rush. Later versions were recorded by Nina Simone, Juice Newton, P.P. Arnold, Olivia Newton-John, The Pretenders/Chrissie Hynde, Dusty Springfield, Mary Mason, Melba Montgomery, and Billie Davis. Guys 'n' Dolls released their version in November 1977, and had a hit with it at the turn of the year.

My collection: 7" single no. 5124
Found: Backtrack, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Angel of the morning' / 'I must go home alone'

Thrill me - Simply Red

Simply Red were at the peak of their career in 1991/1992, after the release of 'Stars', their fourth album. No less than five singles were taken from the album, of which 'Thrill me' was the fourth. The single was less successful than the previous three, but still managed to get to number 33 in the UK singles chart, number 30 in the Irish singles chart and number 59 in Germany.

The B-side featured a remix of 'Thrill me' by Nellee Hooper, wellknown for his remixes of Massive Attack, Seal and Madonna.

My collection: 7" single no. 5123
Found: Backtrack, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Thrill me' / 'Thrill me (Nellee Hooper mix)'

Truly - Lionel Richie

'Truly' is the title of the debut solo single by Lionel Richie, released in 1982. Richie wrote the song and co-produced it with James Anthony Carmichael.

Released as the first single from his self-titled debut album in 1982, 'Truly' went to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks near the end of 1982. In the UK singles chart the single peaked at number 6, while it didn't chart in the Netherlands. The song won a Grammy Award for Richie in the category Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

My collection: 7" single no. 5122
Found: Backtrack, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Truly' / 'Just put some love in your heart'

Blue night - Hot Chocolate

Many people, including myself, are unaware that one of Hot Chocolate's biggest hits, 'You sexy thing', started life as the B-side of another single. And this is it: 'Blue night', released in 1975.

Producer Mickie Most put 'You sexy thing' on the flip-side of this single as he was not convinced that it could be a hit. The song was remixed at a later date by Most, who re-released it as an A-side some months later on his RAK label. The song was a hit and ultimately became the group's most well-known song. Oh, and by the way: 'Blue night' never charted...

My collection: 7" single no. 5127
Found: Backtrack, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Blue night' / 'You sexy thing'

Your greatest shade of blue - The Adventures

The Adventures combined pop/rock with a folk music sound for their third album, 'Trading secrets with the moon'. Released in early 1990, the album failed to capitalise on their earlier success and only appeared briefly on the UK albums chart, stalling at number 64.

The first single from the album was 'Washington Deceased', which failed to chart. This second single, 'Your greatest shade of blue', met the same fate. Strange, because it's quite a beautiful pop song.

My collection: 7" single no. 5126
Found: Backtrack, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Your greatest shade of blue' / 'Put me together again'

All I have to do is dream - Andy Gibb and Victoria Principal

The Gibb family had their share of misery, but the tale of Andy Gibb is perhaps the most miserable of all. Throughout the Eighties he was battling an addiction to cocaine, and it ended up destroying everything he had achieved. According to a co-star in the musical 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' (in which Andy starred in 1981): 'I hear he spent most of his time in his hotel room in front of the TV. I guess he was frightened and insecure. That's what happens when you're the baby brother of the Bee Gees.'

His romance with Principal ended shortly after an ultimatum from her to decide between her or the drugs; but not before they recorded and released a duet of the Everly Brothers' 'All I have to do is dream', in the summer of 1981. This would be Gibb's last official single, and his last US chart entry, peaking at number 51.

My collection: 7" single no. 5142
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'All I have to do is dream' / 'Good feeling'

Amsterdam - Maggie MacNeal

I already own two copies of Maggie MacNeal's 'Amsterdam': the German version and the Dutch version. So I was pleasantly surprised to find yet another version: this time, the French version. Like the other two singles, this one has the English version on the B-side.

It looks like this one completes the set, as no other language versions of this song are known. At least, I don't see them listed on authorative websites. But who knows... a Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Icelandic or Arabian version might be lurking somewhere!

My collection: 7" single no. 5168
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Amsterdam (French version)' / 'Amsterdam (English version)'

My world - Bee Gees

'My world' was recorded and released while the Bee Gees were recording their new album 'To whom it may concern' during the winter of 1972. The single reached number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number 16 and number 41 in the UK and Germany charts, respectively.

As Robin Gibb states in the liner notes of Tales from the Brothers Gibb, 'One rollicking little jaunt that me and the lads came up with in downtown Birmingham, England, whilst doing a television show called Golden Shot, the ensuing results being that it went on to be a huge top 20 hit in the UK and the US that left the three of us 'drooling' with pleasure.'

My collection: 7" single no. 5128
Found: Backtrack, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'My world' / 'On time'

Can't get enough of your love - Taylor Dayne

With a big voice and big hair, Taylor Dayne managed to stay on the good side of grating, but only just. The first single from her third album was a cover of an old Barry White classic, 'Can't get enough of your love' and ever since its release I have been iffy about this track. Still, I had the cd-single, I had the album so the 7" single was missing from my collection.

I was never sure that a 7" single actually existed so it was a good surprise to find one. And in such good condition too! If nothing else, the sleeve is a thing of beauty.

My collection: 7" single no. 5121
Found: Backtrack, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Can't get enough of your love' / 'Let's spend the night together'