Human touch - Bruce Springsteen

'Human touch' was released in 1992 as the first single from Bruce Springsteen's album of the same name. The song topped the chart in Norway and was also a top ten hit in many countries, including the Netherlands, Sweden, Ireland, and Switzerland. In the U.S., the song reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, while peaking at number 11 in the UK singles chart.

At 6 minutes and 28 seconds, it is quite a lengthy single. Strangely enough, it is actually the longest track on the album that was selected as a single.

My collection: 7" single no. 1616
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, April 4, 1992
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Human touch' / 'Souls of the departed'

Valentine - Nils Lofgren

Nils Lofgren released his first album with Rykodisc in 1991. It was titled 'Silver lining' and featured the single 'Valentine'. The track featured Bruce Springsteen on backing vocals. For most artists, this is quite a feat, but Nils Lofgren had already been in Springsteen's E-Street band for almost a decade. The arrangement must have been really easy.

It meant a hit for Lofgren, at least in the Dutch Top 40 where the single reached number 16. The single did not chart in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 1645
Found: May 3, 1992
Cost: 4 guilders
Tracks: 'Valentine (edit)' / 'Valentine (album version)'

The river - Bruce Springsteen

'The river' was written by Bruce Springsteen right after he'd completed an album that was to be titled 'The ties that bind'. The imagery of the chorus and the end of the song were inspired by lines from Hank Williams' 1950 hit, 'Long gone lonesome blues'. When this song came up, Springsteen decided to write several others with a similarly darker feel, and eventually released a double album entitled 'The river' in 1980.

Released as a single, it reached number 12 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 35 in the UK singles chart. It remains one of Springsteen's signature songs.

My collection: 7" single no. 2691
Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, July 3, 1996
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'The river' / 'Independence day'

I'm on fire - Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen's 'I'm on fire' is a candidate for the title of 'shortest single of the Eighties'. With the A-side lasting for 2'36 minutes and the B-side just 1'50, both tracks of the single combined were shorter than the A-side of a lot of singles around at the time.

The single reached number 1 in the Netherlands and peaked at number 5 in the UK singles chart. I didn't like the song when it came out, but learned to appreciate it years later.

My collection: 7" single no. 1897
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, May 2, 1993
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'I'm on fire' / 'Johnny bye bye'

We are the world - USA for Africa

After Band Aid had sold millions of copies worldwide with 'Do they know it's Christmas?', it was almost inevitable that American popstars would rise to the challenge and come up with their own charity single. 'We are the world' was the result: a single of an epic 6'22 minutes length which is fine for the first three minutes but then turns into a long, protracted death rattle of a song, with far too many artists claiming a few lines of their own to sing.

The lyric 'There's a choice we're making / we're saving our own lives' was originally written as 'There's a chance we're taking / we're taking our own lives'. It was rewritten when it was feared the original phrasing's first part might look like the artists are patting themselves on the back while the last part might suggest collective suicide.

The single became a worldwide number 1 hit, raising more money for emergency needs in Africa, where several countries were suffering from an unprecedented famine. Not much has changed in over thirty years though: Africa is still in need.

My collection: 7" single no. 3541
Found: La La Land, Den Haag, January 9, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'We are the world' (USA for Africa) / 'Grace' (Quincy Jones)

Secret garden - Bruce Springsteen

In 1995, Bruce Springsteen released a 'Greatest hits' album. I was never much of a fan of Bruce Springsteen, but this album contained one new track, 'Secret garden', which was quite intriguing. So I was happy when that song was released as a single. And just like previous single 'Streets of Philadelphia' before it, I went searching for a vinyl release of this track.

I was quite stunned when I actually found one. Some time had passed and I had bought the cd-single in the mean time, but there it was: an American 7" single. I bought it, of course.

My collection: 7" single no. 2300

Found: Record fair, May 27, 1995

Cost: 8 guilders

Tracks: 'Secret garden' / 'Thunder road (live)'

Streets of Philadelphia - Bruce Springsteen

In early 1993, director of the movie 'Philadelphia', Jonathan Demme, asked Bruce Springsteen to write a song for the in-progress film. In June 1993, after the conclusion of his tour, Springsteen did so. It was recorded with Springsteen supplying almost all of the instrumentation, with bass and background vocals from his band member Tommy Simms.

The song would achieve greater popularity in Europe than it would in the United States. While it peaked at number 9 in the US Billboard Hot 100, it was a number one hit single in Germany in France. It peaked at number 2 in the UK and number 6 in the Netherlands.

I bought this vinyl single after searching for it for months - and refused to buy the cd-single. It was a hard time for vinyl single collectors: the format was becoming quite extinct during that year, numerous titles weren't even released on the format anymore. Finding this single was a sweet victory.

My collection: 7" single no. 2093

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, April 16, 1994

Cost: 8 guilders

Tracks: 'Streets of Philadelphia' / 'If I should fall behind (live)'