To France - Mike Oldfield

Mike Oldfield enjoyed a commercial peak with his singles in the first half of the Eighties. He employed different singles to add vocals to his tracks, one of the most successful being 'Moonlight shadow' in 1983 with Maggie Reilly. He did a kind of reprise in 1984 with the single 'To France', also sung by Reilly.

The single was less successful in the UK, but in the Netherlands it peaked at number 3. Maggie Reilly reinterpreted the song in 1996 on her solo album 'Elena'.

My collection: 7" single no. 3783

Found: Record fair, Den Haag, June 20, 2009

Cost: 1 euro

Tracks: 'To France' / 'In the pool (instrumental)'

Arrival - Mike Oldfield

'Arrival' was composed by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus from Abba, and recorded on their album of the same name. Mike Oldfield covered the track for his 1980 album 'QE2'. When 'Arrival' was released as a single, Oldfield created a parody of the Abba album sleeve, posing in his own Agusta Bell 47G helicopter.

Oldfield is good at making music, but unfortunately his opinions are less gifted. In 2007 he criticized Britain for being too controlling and overprotective, specifically concentrating on the smoking ban which England and Wales introduced that year. As if the world should make way for an addiction.

My collection: 7" single no. 3203

Found: Record fair, September 30, 2000

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Arrival' / 'Polka (live)'

Download: here

Guilty - Mike Oldfield

Mike Oldfield will be remembered forever as the man who created 'Tubular bells', the epic instrumental piece that was bought by millions. But since that debut album, he's released dozens of albums and a large quantity of singles. Most of his tracks are instrumental, although sometimes vocalists are hired in to sing along. On 'Guilty' the lyric is limited to the words: 'I'm guilty'.

I found this 12" single in a shop in Kensington, London, and was pleasantly surprised when I saw it was pressed on lightblue vinyl. It made the record extra attractive. Come to think of it, I might never have bought it if it were a regular black record... Mind you, the long version of 'Guilty' was worth it though.

My collection: 12" single no. 432

Found: Big Company Records, London, 2004

Cost: 2,5 pounds

Tracks: 'Guilty' / 'Guilty (long version)'

Download: here