The entertainer - Belle Stars

I have a few singles by the Belle Stars, but it turns out that there were more than just their wellknown hits. 'The entertainer' was released in 1983 and only reached number 95 in the UK singles chart. Their next single, '80's romance', would improve on that slightly, but it proved to be the end of their success. Despite this, the band continued to tour throughout Europe. 

Such was the quality of Eighties music that a great, jolly song like this didn't get higher up the charts. Now that I listen to it, I think it should have done better. All in all, a nice unexpected find for my collection.

My collection: 7" single no. 8466
Found: 33 1/3 Schallplatten, Duisburg, 22 October 2026
Tracks: 'The entertainer' / 'Sun sun sun'

Summer nights - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John

The movie Grease was all the rage in 1978 and in schools there were basically two camps: the John Travolta fans and the Olivia Newton-John fans. People like me, who were indifferent to both (although honestly, if I had to choose I would always go for Olivia, obviously) were pretty rare.

I didn't really get into Grease at all, although I have to concede that most of the singles released from its soundtrack are pretty nice. 'Summer nights' was another big hit and this German sleeve was really well designed. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8465
Found: 33 1/3 Schallplatten, Duisburg, 22 October 2026
Tracks: 'Summer nights' (John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John) / 'Rock 'n' Roll party queen' (Louis St. Louis)

One of the living - Tina Turner

After 'We don't need another hero', Tina Turner released one more single off the soundtrack of the movie Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. It was the less memorable 'One of the living', written by Holly Knight. She also performed keyboards and backing vocals on the track. The saxophone solo was performed by Tim Cappello, who is also known for his work with Peter Gabriel and the soundtrack of The Lost Boys.

The single was reasonably successful, peaking at number 15 in the US Billboard Hot 100, number 55 in the UK singles chart and number 10 in the Dutch Top 40. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8464
Found: 33 1/3 Schallplatten, Duisburg, 22 October 2026
Tracks: 'One of the living' / 'One of the living (dub version)' 

Love sensation - Madonna & Kylie

There's something incongruous about 'Love sensation', the duet between the two pop giants Madonna and Kylie Minogue. The song is poppy enough, but it's not spectacular. It lacks a certain je ne sais quoi. I wasn't particularly impressed with Madonna's Confessions on a dancefloor, so many years ago, and I'm not sure that a sequel had to be made. But here we are, and here is that duet. 

'Love sensation' is nice enough, that's not a problem. It's just not, er, sensational. The fact that this single was released is interesting enough, especially since it was pressed on clear vinyl. A nice souvenir, then, of a collaboration no-one really saw coming.

My collection: 7" single no. 8463
Found: Madonna's Official Store, received 20 October 2026
Tracks: 'Love sensation (Afterhours 7" mix)' / 'Love sensation (Afterhours radio edit)' 

Bahama mama - Boney M

'Bahama Mama' was the second single from Boney M's fourth album Oceans of Fantasy (1979). In Europe it was released as a double A-side with 'I'm born again', but in Japan the record company released 'Bahama mama' as the sole A-side and gave the single a different sleeve, based on the photograph from the album sleeve. 

Perhaps they were especially enamoured with this photograph because it alluded to the woodblock print 'The Great Wave off Kanagawa', created by the Japanese artist Hokusai (1760–1849). The print depicts three boats moving through a storm-tossed sea, with a large, cresting wave forming a spiral in the centre over the boats and Mount Fuji in the background.

My collection: 7" single no. 8462
Found: Discogs.com, received 16 October 2026
Tracks: 'Bahama mama' / 'I'm born again' 

The sounds of silence - Simon & Garfunkel

'Hello darkness my old friend' may be one of the most recognized first lines of a pop song. It was recorded by Paul Simon & Art Garfunkel in March 1964 for their debut album Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. An overdubbed electric remix was released the following year and went to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. 

It led the duo to quickly record their second album, which was called Sounds of Silence to profit from the song's popularity. In 1967, 'The sounds of silence' was featured under both the opening and closing credits of the film The Graduate. This Japanese single shows part of the movie poster, making it perfectly clear that this was the song from that movie. It reached number 1 in Japan.

My collection: 7" single no. 8461
Found: Discogs.com, received 16 October 2026
Tracks: 'The sounds of silence' / 'The big bright green pleasure machine' 

Yesterday when I was young / Goldfinger (live in Japan) - Shirley Bassey

Two songs from Shirley Bassey's live performance at the Kosei-Nenkin Hall in Tokyo in 1974 were released on this single. She sings 'Yesterday when I was young' and the James Bond theme 'Goldfinger' before an enthusiastic audience in Japan.

The single was taken from the double album Live in Japan, released exclusively in Japan in the autumn of 1974. A cd version of that album was finally released worldwide in 2008. It reproduces the text from a booklet that came with the LP, which included the lyrics in English and Japanese.

My collection: 7" single no. 8460
Found: Discogs.com, received 16 October 2026
Tracks: 'Yesterday when I was young (live)' / 'Goldfinger (live)'