Hungry eyes - Sheena Easton

Seven years ago I bought the Japanese single 'Hungry eyes' by Sheena Easton and when I wrote about it on this blog I already mentioned the original release of that single. Well, here it is, and indeed, this sleeve is slightly less pretty than the re-released version. But still, I am always impressed by the quality of those Japanese pressings.

'Hungry eyes' and the B-side 'Strut' appeared on Sheena's fifth studio album Private Heaven, released in September 1984. The album was certified platinum in Canada and the USA, but didn't chart in Europe. Mission accomplished, I guess: a few years later she was working with Prince.

My collection: 7" single no. 8431
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2026
Tracks: 'Hungry eyes' / 'Strut' 

We kill the world - Boney M

Long before America put an aging psychopath in the White House, Russia started killing as many innocent humans as they could and billionaires developed robots and 'artificial intelligence', Boney M warned us that we were busy killing the world. Naively they thought that environmental issues would do the trick, but I think humans are more efficient at the moment. The message, anyway, is still relevant today. 

The song starts strong but changes halfway and turns into the saccharine 'Don't kill the world', sung by  Brian Paul. He was a young boy who together with his friend Brian Sletten eventually sang all of the children's vocals themselves. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8434
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2026
Tracks: 'We kill the world (Don't kill the world)' / 'Boonoonoonoos' 

 

Gadda-da-vida - Boney M

When the Seventies turned into the Eighties, Boney M started releasing a bit more serious material. 'Children of paradise' was a bible story compressed in a few melodic minutes. I remember the song made a big impression on me, because the music sounded a bit threatening. I was only nine years old after all.

The Japanese preferred the other side, 'Gadda-da-vida', which was a cover of the 1968 psychedelic track 'In a gadda-da-vida' by Iron Butterfly. Buyers were encouraged to buy this single. After all, it was a "Pops & Disco Hit No. 1!!".

My collection: 7" single no. 8432
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2026
Tracks: 'Gadda-da-vida' / 'Children of paradise'

Hooray! Hooray! It's a holi-holiday - Boney M

We're currently enjoying a bit of an indian summer, which is a good time to break out that summerhit from 1979: 'Hooray! Hooray! It's a holi-holiday'. The Japanese sleeve is similar to the European one, but with added Japanese translation and the exclamation that it's a "Pop & Disco Big Hit!!". I wonder how many people needed that prompt to buy this single.

The single was a top 5 hit all over Europe and topped the chart in the Netherlands. I have no info on the Japanese charts, so any help with that will be highly appreciated.

My collection: 7" single no. 8420
Found: Discogs.com, received 8 September 2026
Tracks: 'Hooray! Hooray! It's a holi-holiday' / 'Ribbons of blue'

Belfast - Boney M

My friend Puck asked me recently why I started buying so many Boney M singles. The answer is simple: because I enjoy their music and because the Japanese sleeves of those singles are often very different from the European ones.

This one is a good example of that. 'Belfast' was released in 1977 with a dynamic, if slightly chaotic sleeve design. The Japanese version is a lot more balanced. The music, of course, remains the same, but sometimes I just enjoy buying variants - especially when they're not unreasonably expensive.

My collection: 7" single no. 8421
Found: Discogs.com, received 8 September 2026
Tracks: 'Belfast' / 'Plantation boy' 

Don't talk to me about love - Altered Images

'Don't talk to me about love' was released as the first single from Altered Images's third album Bite in 1983. The single reached the top 10 in three countries; number 7 in the UK, and number 6 in both Ireland and New Zealand. The song was their last major hit, as the next three singles only had moderate to minor chart placings.

The UK sleeve of the single is supposed to be some kind of art piece, but personally I like this Japanese sleeve a lot better: it's a photograph of the band's singer Clare Grogan in a pose similar to that on the album sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 8435
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2026
Tracks: 'Don't talk to me about love' / 'Last goodbye' 

Sunglasses at night - Corey Hart

Corey Hart was born on 31 May 1962 in Montreal, Canada. Hart's debut album, First Offense, was recorded at Revolution Recording Studios in Manchester, England, in the spring of 1982. It was produced by Jon Astley, then best known for his work with The Who, and Phil Chapman. Released in 1983, First Offense featured the single 'Sunglasses at night'. 

The song features one of the most beautiful synth intros of the Eighties, but then flies off the rails a little when the screeching guitars come in. It's typical of the Eighties rock style, but this song has its own particular charm. It reached number 7 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and was a minor hit in Europe. I do remember the music video: it was on high rotation on those European satellite channels in 1984. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8430
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2026
Tracks: 'Sunglasses at night' / 'At the dance' 

My friend Jack - Boney M

The Japanese branch of record company Atlantic decided to release 'My friend Jack' as the A-side of this single, whereas 'I see a boat on the river' was the A-side in Europe. The sleeve of this single remained largely the same, with a photograph of the group performing a song. 

Originally 'My friend Jack' was a song released by the English freakbeat group The Smoke in 1967. The song was written by all four members of the group: Geoff Gill, Mal Luker, Zeke Lund and Mick Rowley. The song seems to suggest the use of psychedelic drugs (specifically LSD) in lines such as 'My Friend Jack eats sugar lumps' and suggests traversing the world inside his mind (such as 'Been on a voyage, across an ocean').

When Boney M recorded the song, Zeke Lund was working as a sound engineer for their producer Frank Farian. Presumably he suggested the song for the group. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8433
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2026
Tracks: 'My friend Jack' / 'I see a boat on the river' 

The wild life - Bananarama

Bananarama's 1984 single 'The wild life' was composed for and included in the 1984 American film of the same name. The song was released as a single in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Japan only. The single actually peaked at number 70 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, thus becoming their second-biggest hit single up to that point, behind 'Cruel summer' (which reached number 9 in 1983). 

The trio was to become even more popular worldwide with their version of 'Venus', taken from their next album True confessions, which recently got the deluxe treatment and landed them back in the UK albums chart - in the top 10! 

My collection: 7" single no. 8441
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2026
Tracks: 'The wild life' / 'State I'm in' 

 

Turn your back on me - Kajagoogoo

After Kajagoogoo lost their lead singer Limahl, they actually went from strength to strength. 'Turn your back on me' is one of the strongest songs in their catalogue, released as the third single from their second album - the first one without Limahl. The single only reached number 47 in the UK singles chart, but went to number 13 in the Dutch Top 40: their second-biggest hit after 'Too shy'. 

Nick Beggs, the bassplayer of the band who took over the lead vocal duties, went on to have success with various bands like Trifecta and the Mute Gods. He also played bass for Steve Hackett, Kim Wilde and Howard Jones among others. Kajagoogoo weren't taken very seriously in the Eighties, but he proved that he was one of the world's most gifted musicians anyway!

My collection: 7" single no. 8440
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2026
Tracks: 'Turn your back on me' / 'The pump rooms of Bath' 

Tingalingaling - Luv

Maybe it's embarrassing, but I don't care: Luv was a nice girl trio at the end of the Seventies and under the production of Hans van Hemert they managed to release a handful of albums and singles that were poppy as hell. In my opinion they were a lot better than the Dolly Dots (twice the amount of girls, half the amount of appeal). 

This Japanese edition comes in a completely different sleeve when compared to the European one, and has a different B-side as well. It was actually their last single before they broke up and went their separate ways - before several reunions happened years later.

My collection: 7" single no. 8439
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2026
Tracks: 'Tingalingaling' / 'Be my lover tonight'

Time after time - Cyndi Lauper

As long as I was ordering some singles from Japan, I thought I might as well pick up a few cheap ones in beautiful sleeves. Cyndi Lauper's ' Time after time'  was one of them. This sleeve was exclusive to Japan and shows the American singer in a dramatic pose.

'Time after time' was one of her biggest hits, peaking at number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, while the single peaked at number 3 in the UK singles chart and number 5 in the Dutch Top 40. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8438
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2026
Tracks: 'Time after time' / 'I'll kiss you' 

Don't go down that street - Culture Club

Culture Club's 'Don't go down that street' appears on the B-side of 'Love is love' and 'The medal song', but in Japan it was released as an A-side. And that's not surprising, given that there is some actual Japanese in the lyrics of this song!

The Japanese chatting was recorded by Miko, Boy George's friend at the time. The song was recorded especially to be a B-Side, after the other songs were recorded for the Waking up with the house on fire album. The B-side version clocks in on around six minutes, whereas the edited single version, found on this single, was released in Japan only.  

My collection: 7" single no. 8437
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2026
Tracks: 'Don't go down that street' / 'Mistake no. 3' 

6 years of Boney M hits - Boney M

I bought '6 años de exitos de Boney M' in 2017 without realising that this single was actually released elsewhere as well. You can see it here: it's the Japanese single '6 years of Boney M hits'. It's still the same medley, but with a different B-side this time.

The sleeve of this single is interesting as well: it's a photograph of various Japanese sleeves from all the hits included in this medley. And with a picture like this, it becomes clear that I really have to have all these singles myself, obviously.

My collection: 7" single no. 8436
Found: Discogs.com, received 24 September 2026
Tracks: '6 years of Boney M hits' / 'Sad movies' 

 

Dancing queen - Abba

Any new releases by Abba will make use of their back catalogue, since the members of the group have said that Voyage from a few years ago would definitely be their last studio recording. It's a shame, but I guess the Swedish superstars have given us enough to live with anyway. 

This recent 10" single release celebrates the 50th anniversary (can you believe it?) of 'Dancing queen'. It combines the original song with a Spanish version that was recorded a few years later. The disc was pressed on black vinyl 'with sparkles'. Unfortunately those sparkles are a bit disappointing: they almost look like big dust particles. 

My collection: 10" single [unnumbered]
Found: Platenzaak.nl, received 15 August 2026
Tracks: 'Dancing queen' / 'La reina del baile'

 

Heaven knows - Jaki Graham

Jaki Graham's 'Heaven knows', the title track of her debut album, was originally released in 1984 as 'Heaven knows (feels so good)' with a different sleeve and a different B-side. This single, simply titled 'Heaven knows', is a re-release from 1985. 

The re-release was prompted by the success of her duet with David Grant, 'Could it be I'm falling in love', which reached number 5 in the UK singles chart. By comparison, 'Heaven knows' didn't do that well: it only reached number 59 in September 1985. Still, it was an improvement on the number 80 a year earlier!

My collection: 7" single no. 8429
Found: De Waterput, Bergen op Zoom, 17 September 2026
Tracks: 'Heaven knows' / 'Who's making up your mind' 

Fool if you think it's over - Elkie Brooks

A mere three years after Chris Rea recorded his unforgettable hit 'Fool (if you think it's over)' in 1978, Elkie Brooks decided to record a cover version for her album Pearls, which included eight new recordings plus four of her previous hit singles. Elkie said: 'Most of [Pearl's new] material had been chosen by [A&M exec] Derek Green or Gus Dudgeon. I had insisted that we did 'Fool'. Chris Rea has always been one of my favourite musicians and writers and I thought the song was pure class.' 

Her version reached number 17 in the UK singles chart. It was the first track played on Radio Caroline when the station resumed broadcasting at 10 a.m. on 20 August 1983, after a down period of 41 months. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8428
Found: De Waterput, Bergen op Zoom, 17 September 2026
Tracks: 'Fool if you think it's over' / 'Givin' it up for your love'

 

Staying with it - Vulcano

Before Vulcano started participating in national finals for the Eurovision Song Contest with songs in Dutch they recorded a total of five singles in English. 'Shut up and boogie' in 1981 was their first, 'Staying with it' would be their penultimate single in English a year later.

'Staying with it' is a cover version of the song by American folk singer Michael Johnson. His original version can be found on his 1980 album You can call me blue.

My collection: 7" single no. 8427
Found: De Waterput, Bergen op Zoom, 17 September 2026
Tracks: 'Staying with it' / 'Heaven so blue' 

Jennifer Juniper - Donovan

Donovan Leitch wrote 'Jennifer Juniper' about Jenny Boyd, shortly before she went with The Beatles and Donovan to Rishikesh. She married Mick Fleetwood and was, at one time, the sister-in-law of George Harrison and, later, Eric Clapton. The song was arranged by John Cameron and features a wind section with Cor anglais, flute, French horn and bassoon, plus shaker and harp. The last stanza of the song is sung in French. 

Oddly enough, the sleeve of the single puts the B-side in the spotlight. 'Poor cow' was written and recorded for the Ken Loach movie of the same name. The original title of the song was "Poor Love". The title was changed when the song appeared in the film. 

The single peaked at number 5 in the UK singles chart and at number 26 in the US Billboard Hot 100. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8426
Found: De Waterput, Bergen op Zoom, 17 September 2026
Tracks: 'Jennifer Juniper' / 'Poor cow' 

Call me - Blondie

Although I bought Blondie's 'Call me' 16 years ago, it was a UK version. On the sleeve of that version any reference to the movie American Gigolo, which the song was recorded for, was absent. And so I ended up buying the song again when I spotted this near mint copy of the Dutch version of the single.

In 2014, keyboardist-composer Harold Faltermeyer remembered the recording process as having three main sections: first Giorgio Moroder and his music crew recorded an instrumental version of the song at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles, with the tape locked to SMPTE timecode so that it would synchronize with the film. Then the project moved to New York for the Blondie recording session, at which the band surprised Moroder by insisting they would play their own parts. Faltermeyer was engineering when Debbie Harry sang and Chris Stein played electric guitar. Stein's guitar and amplifier were buzzing and noisy, so his setup was repaired to get a clean recording. The band had difficulty locking to sync, so Moroder stopped the unfinished sessions to save time and took the project back to Los Angeles to more quickly add the final parts with his own picked musicians, including a keyboard solo by Faltermeyer. Blondie keyboard player Jimmy Destri did not like Faltermeyer's solo and would have preferred his own version. Faltermeyer said the band was angry about being replaced by session players but the song turned out to be very successful, so they took it in stride. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8425
Found: De Waterput, Bergen op Zoom, 17 September 2026
Tracks: 'Call me' / 'Call me (instrumental)'