Labour of love - Hue and Cry

Hue and Cry are a pop duo formed in 1983 in Coatbridge, Scotland by the brothers Pat and Greg Kane. Their biggest hit was the 1987 single 'Labour of love', which peaked at number 6 in the UK singles chart. It was released as their second single after their first single 'I refuse' had failed to make the UK top 75.

The song is written from the perspective of a disillusioned working-class Conservative voter of the mid-Eighties who has worked hard to believe in Margaret Thatcher's story of a new proud, individualist Britain and who is now realising that there is less "gain" than "pain" in doing so.

My collection: 7" single no. 3888
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, July 20, 2009
Cost: 0,25 euro
Tracks: 'Labour of love' / 'Wide screen'

Violently - Hue and Cry

Brother Pat and Greg Kane formed Hue & Cry in 1983. Their biggest hit was the 1987 single 'Labour of love', which peaked at number 6 in the UK. The single 'Violently' was released a year later and peaked at number 21.

It wasn't the title track of this EP that piqued my attention: it was their cover version of Kate Bush's 'The man with the child in his eyes' on the B-side. As an avid Kate Bush collector, I couldn't let this cover version pass me by. It is a reasonable effort, although the version by Velvet Belly, released a decade later, is much better.

My collection: 7" single no. 2527

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, November 1, 1995

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Violently' / 'The man with the child in his eyes', 'Calamity John'