Mama - Kim Appleby

Basically I was looking for a UK copy of Kim Appleby's 'Mama' because recently I have acquired UK versions of her other singles as well. When I found this copy I was surprised to find a review stuck to the front cover and a sticker correcting the track listing on the back cover. Turns out this is a promotional copy of this single - and quite an interesting one, too.

While the commercial version of 'Mama' contains the earlier single 'Don't worry' on the B-side, this single contains the acoustic version of 'Mama' on the B-side. It was no problem to part with one euro to get this disc into my collection.

My collection: 7" single no. 6044
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 20, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Mama' / 'Mama (acoustic version)'

Showing out (Get fresh at the weekend) - Mel & Kim

If you've seen this previous post, you'll think I've written about this 12" single before. While the sleeve is similar, the track listing is different. Also, the country of origin is different: this version was made in Germany, while the previous one was issued in the UK.

The track listing adds one track, i.e. the 'Mortgage mix' of 'Showing out'. Most remixes of 'Showing out' are pretty similar, and this one is just one of them. 'Showing out' was one of the top dance tracks of 1986 and the first of two number one hits in the Netherlands.

My collection: 12" single no. 625
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received February 1, 2012
Cost: 2,1 euro
Tracks: 'Showing out [extended]' / 'Showing out (The Mortgage mix)', 'System (House mix)'

Free spirit - Kim Appleby

The 12" single I bought back in 1994 features four remixes of Kim Appleby's 'Free spirit', but this promotional double 12" set, which I found last month on a website, features five. Indeed, that's one extra and so I guess you could say I bought this set for one track only.

Now if 'Free spirit' was recorded by Madonna or Britney Spears these days it would probably be a hit, because it's a piece of inspired high energy pop, but Kim Appleby's star had faded in 1994, when this disc came out, and so it disappeared quietly. What a shame.

My collection: 12" single no. 624
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received February 1, 2012
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Free spirit (Mixed by Mobius Loop)' / 'Free spirit (Club mix - remix by Tony King' // 'Free spirit (Sound of Stockwell dub)' / 'Free spirit (Spiritual mix)', 'Free spirit (Diesel & Ether Defacto mix)'

Breakaway - Kim Appleby

One half of the popular duo Mel & Kim continued solo after the other half sadly passed away. Kim Appleby initially forged a successful career with hit singles like 'Don't worry' and 'G.L.A.D.', but her second solo album wasn't as popular and she soon ended up out of the music business.

This is the title track of that second album, remixed by La Camorra, Clive Farrington, "Mr. L", Harding & Curnow and Biffco for a promotional double 12" release. Most of these remixes were never released commercially, and only two of them appeared on cd as far as I know.

My collection: 12" single no. 619
Found: Discogs.com, received January 24, 2012
Cost: 3 pounds
Tracks: 'Breakaway (Headless Pigeon mix 2)', 'Breakaway (Headless Pigeon dub 2)' / 'Breakaway (The survivor mix)', 'Breakaway (Mr. L.'s Midnight mix)' // 'Breakaway (extended mix)' / 'Breakaway (Break dub - Diss Gust It mix)', 'Breakaway (Headless Pigeon mix 1)'

Light of the world - Kim Appleby

This 12" single is a good example of how a 12" single should be. Kim Appleby released 'Light of the world' as the first single from her second album 'Breakaway' and had several remixers do their job on this track. The result is three different remixes of 'Light of the world'.

The first remix is made by Phil Kelsey, who would also remix Kim Wilde's 'If I can't have you' that same year. The second remix is an extended version of the single version, while the third remix is made by Phil Harding and Ian Curnow, long standing Stock Aitken & Waterman collaborators. At over 20 minutes, this is a good package for your money.

My collection: 12" single no. 527
Found: London, 1994
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Light of the world (Phil Kelsey remix)' / 'Light of the world (extended mix)', 'Light of the world (Harding & Curnow remix)'

If you cared - Kim Appleby

The fourth single from Kim Appleby's self-titled debut album was also released on 12" single. This 12" single contains three remixes of the track. The remix on the A-side was made by Pete Schwier and George DeAngelis, while the two on the B-side were made by Ben Chapman.

I bought the disc in London, after I saw that one of these tracks (the 12" swing mix) does not appear on the cd-single of 'If you cared'. One has to be complete, of course.

My collection: 12" single no. 140
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 1992
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'If you cared (12" remix)' / 'If you cared (12" Ben Chapman mix)', 'If you cared (12" swing mix)'

Breakaway - Kim Appleby

'Breakaway' was the second and last single from Kim Appleby's second album of the same name, both released in 1993. The single reached number 56 in the UK singles chart, the lowest charting single of her entire career.

This single was the last 7" release by Appleby. The 1994 single 'Free spirit' was only released on cd-single and 12" single.

My collection: 7" single no. 2681
Found: Record fair, July 3, 1996
Cost: ?
Tracks: 'Breakaway' / 'Mama (acoustic)'

Light of the world - Kim Appleby

In 1993, Kim Appleby released her second solo album 'Breakaway'. The album was preceded by this single, 'Light of the world'. With the material co-written with her sister Mel Appleby all used up, she turned to new co-writers Davidge and Slateford to make this track. You would think that such an uplifting song housed in a sexy sleeve like this one would have been a big hit.

But these were strange times; people were still listening to tuneless, depressing 'grunge rock' and dance was not as en vogue as it was before. Hence, 'Light of the world' stalled at number 41 in the UK singles chart and did not chart in other territories.

My collection: 7" single no. 2001
Found: London, October 18, 1993
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Light of the world' / 'Don't worry'

If you cared - Kim Appleby

I didn't know 'If you cared' had been released as a single until I found it a year after its release. The upside was: I found it during a record fair and the single included a German bio. Another item from DJ-land, then!

'If you cared' was remixed for the single release, making it sound a little more powerful than the album version. The single reached number 44 in the UK singles chart. This was the fourth and last single drawn from Kim Appleby's debut album and another track co-written by her by then deceased sister Mel.

My collection: 7" single no. 1598
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, March 28, 1992
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'If you cared (7" remix)' / 'If you cared (Ben Chapman mix)

Mama - Kim Appleby

Mel & Kim Appleby wrote 'Mama' as a tribute to their mother. It's always a tricky subject, because the danger of writing a sappy lyric is always there. I'm still undecided on this one: the combination of melancholy for the past and the outright sentimentality in this song leaves me, well, cold.

The single was not a success in the Netherlands, as it didn't even chart. In the UK singles chart, 'Mama' reached number 19.

My collection: 7" single no. 1489
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, July 4, 1991
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Mama' / 'Don't worry'

G.L.A.D. - Kim Appleby

Quite frankly, I still think that this song is a bit naff. The title 'G.L.A.D.' is an abbreviation for 'Good lovin' and devotion', as is explained in the song lyric, but why would anyone come up with such an abbreviation? It seems to me that Craig Logan and Mel and Kim Appleby were a bit short on inspiration when they came up with this song.

Still, since I'd bought every Mel & Kim single and the one Kim Appleby single that came before this one, I felt an obligation to own this one as well. I bought it after it left the Dutch Top 40, where it reached number 13 during a six week chart run. The UK audience was even less critical: they made it go to number 10.

My collection: 7" single no. 1435
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, April 26, 1991
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'G.L.A.D. (7" remix)' / 'G.L.A.D. (instrumental)'

Don't worry - Kim Appleby

After her sister Melanie died in January 1990, the duo Mel & Kim was no more. With the aid of her boyfriend Craig Logan, Kim Appleby pressed on and launched a solo career before the year was over. 'Don't worry' was released in November 1990 and reached number 3 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the Dutch Top 40.

In December 1990, Kim Appleby released her self-titled debut album, which contained a few songs that were intended for use by Mel & Kim and also co-written with Mel Appleby.

My collection: 7" single no. 1355
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, November 10, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Don't worry' / 'Don't worry (instrumental)'

Free spirit - Kim Appleby

Kim Appleby released her last solo single 'Free spirit' in 1994. It was after she'd released two solo albums. The song was energetic enough, but didn't achieve the commercial success she must have anticipated.

Despite having followed her career ever since she rose to fame with her sister Mel as the dancepop duo Mel & Kim, I didn't know about this release when I found it in the shops in London that year. At first I bought the cd-single, but then discovered that the 12" single contained two remixes not included on the cd-single. Listening to it now, it still sounds fresh.

My collection: 12" single no. 240

Found: London, 1994

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Free spirit [12" mix]', 'Free spirit (Tony King club remix)' / 'Free spirit (Sound of Stockwell dub)', 'Free spirit (Spiritual mix)'

Download: here