It's OK, it's alright - Fine Young Cannibals

After a very successful run of singles taken from their 1989 album 'The raw and the cooked', Fine Young Cannibals released a remix album entitled 'The raw and the remix' in 1990. From that album, the single 'It's OK, it's alright' was drawn. The A-side featured the original version of the song, recorded in 1988, the B-side contained a remix of 'Johnny come home' which was on the remix album.

The single didn't reach the chart anywhere and as such has become some kind of rarity. I know I was very surprised when I saw this single when I bought it, because I'd never seen it before - or since.

My collection: 7" single no. 2782

Found: Record Exchange, London, November 1, 1996

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'It's OK, it's alright' / 'Johnny come home (Johnny takes a trip mix)'

Show me heaven - Maria McKee

Maria Louise McKee was born on August 17, 1964 in Los Angeles, California. She was a founding member of the band Lone Justice in 1982. When she was 19, she wrote 'A good heart', which became a hit for Feargal Sharkey in 1985. Her debut solo album appeared in 1989. A year later, she recorded 'Show me heaven' for the soundtrack of the movie 'Days of Thunder'.

Originally written by Joshua Rifkin and Eric Rankin, when McKee was first offered the song, she refused to record it unless she was allowed to change the lyrics. The single turned out to be a massive success for her, peaking at number 1 in the UK and the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 1310

Found: HMV, London, October 15, 1990

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Show me heaven' (Maria McKee) / 'Car building' (Hans Zimmer)

No self control - Peter Gabriel

If you think Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush worked together for the first time in 1986 when they recorded 'Don't give up', you wouldn't be alone in thinking that. But in reality, they got together as early as 1979, when Kate Bush recorded a television special for UK television. They sang 'Another day' together, and Gabriel performed 'Here comes the flood' solo in this special.

In 1980, Peter Gabriel recorded his third solo album. Kate Bush provided backing vocals on the tracks 'Games without frontiers' and 'No self control'. It might be a coincidence, but both tracks were released as a single in 1980. Being a Kate Bush fan, I had to have these singles, so I was very glad when I found a reasonably good copy of 'No self control' in 1995.

My collection: 7" single no. 2341
Found: Record Exchange, London, June 26, 1995
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'No self control' / 'Lead a normal life'
Download: Album 'Peter Gabriel [3]', including both tracks

Mother mother - Tracy Bonham

Tracy Bonham was born on March 16, 1969 in Eugene, Oregon. She is a classically trained violinist and pianist. In 1997 she received two Grammy nominations for her 'best alternative album' 'The burdens of being upright' and best female rock vocal performance for 'Mother mother'.

'Mother mother' is an aggressive-sounding song. In America, it was number one in the rock chart for a month. In the Netherlands it peaked at number 32 in the Dutch Top 40, whereas it was a top 10 hit in Norway and Australia.

My collection: 7" single no. 2772
Found: HMV, London, October 30, 1996
Cost: 2,5 pounds
Tracks: 'Mother mother' / '50 ft. Queenie (live)'

Sausolito summernight - Diesel

The Dutch rock band Diesel was formed in 1979 by producer Pim Koopman and Rob Vunderink. They recruited Mark Boon and Frank Papendrecht and started playing together, at first just for other acts which were produced by Koopman at the time. They had some hits in the Netherlands, but the single 'Sausolito summernight' brought them international success: it reached number 35 in the Dutch Top 40, but ironically did much better abroad, peaking at number 25 in the USA and at number 1 in Canada.

The song actually refers to Sausalito instead of Sausolito, but only few releases state the right spelling.

My collection: 7" single no. 1383

Found: All that music, Leiden, February 22, 1991

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Sausolito summernight' / 'Bite back'

So cold the night - Communards

The Communards had their biggest hit in 1986 with a cover version of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' 1975 soul classic 'Don't leave me this way' - although the Communards' version was inspired by the dance version recorded in 1976 by Thelma Houston. A year later they reached number 8 in the UK singles chart with 'So cold the night', which peaked at number 11 in the Netherlands.

A limited edition two record set of 'So cold the night' included the single 'Don't leave me this way' as the second disc. On all four tracks, Jimmy Somerville screams like a demented choirboy - but always with great effect.

My collection: 7" single no. 2755

Found: House of rhythm, London, October 29, 1996

Cost: 80p

Tracks: 'So cold the night' / 'When the walls come tumbling down' // 'Don't leave me this way' / 'Sanctified'

Road to nowhere - Talking Heads

Talking Heads had a worldwide hit with 'Road to nowhere' in 1985, at a time where music videos became increasingly important for chart success. The video to promote this single was a clever piece of work, with lots of shots in different environments. The video was shown on TV so often and the song played on the radio even more, that I got totally bored with the song.

Still, ten years later, it was a pleasant surprise when my friend Puck showed up with a copy of this single and gave it to me. It was a nice present, filling a gap in my collection of Talking Heads singles.

My collection: 7" single no. 2159

Found: Den Haag (present)

Cost: nothing

Tracks: 'Road to nowhere' / 'Television man'

Download: Album 'Little creatures', including both tracks

Heaven - Psychedelic Furs

The Psychedelic Furs formed in England in 1977. The band initially consisted of Richard Butler, Tim Butler, Duncan Kilburn, Paul Wilson and Roger Morris. Morris and Kilburn left the band five years later, when the other members went to live in New York City. The album 'Forever now' (1984) spawned the UK hit single 'Heaven', which peaked at number 29 in the UK singles chart.

The song 'Heaven' didn't appeal much to me at all when I got to know it via this video in 1984. I thought the singer was behaving bizarrely by circling round in the rain like that. The fact that I finally bought the single was a strange case of belated insight: I got a bit melancholic about the past and suddenly realised that this song was worth owning after all. As it turned out, I got hold of a Portuguese pressing.

My collection: 7" single no. 1811

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, January 9, 1993

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Heaven' / 'Heartbeat (remix)'

Straight lines - New Musik

'Straight lines' was actually New Musik's debut single, released in October 1979. It led to their first TV performance on the BBC's programme 'Top of the pops' (see it here), despite the fact that the single only made number 53 in the UK Singles chart. The song appeared on New Musik's debut album 'From A to B', released in 1980.

I bought the single in 1995, when I'd come to the point that I wanted to have all of the band's singles. It took me years to find them all.

My collection: 7" single no. 2531

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

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Straight lines' / 'On islands'

Download: Album 'From A to B', including both tracks (part 1, part 2)

I've got news for you - Feargal Sharkey

Feargal Sharkey was born on August 13, 1958 in Derry, Northern Ireland. In 1976 he was co-founder of the pop group the Undertones. Then in 1983 he went solo. Sharkey's debut single was a collaboration with Madness member Cathal Smyth titled 'Listen to your father', which reached number 23 in the UK in late 1984.

'I've got news for you' was taken from Sharkey's last solo album 'Songs from the Mardi Gras' (1991). I bought the cd-single in the early Nineties in a shop in the centre of Den Haag, which was selling discs for 1 guilder a piece. The cd-single contained an older single by Sharkey, 'Loving you', which I wanted to have on cd. So by chance I heard this song, which subsequently I bought on 7" vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 2252
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, March 4, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'I've got news for you' / 'I can't begin to stop'

Feel so high - Des'ree

Long before Des'ree started releasing songs with choruses like 'Life / oh life / oh life / oh life', she actually started out her music career with beautiful soul tunes like this one. 'Feel so high' was her debut single in 1991.

Born as Desiree Weeks in London on November 30, 1968, her interest in pursuing a musical career came after travelling to Barbados with her family for three years at the age of fourteen. 'Feel so high' was released twice in the UK, and eventually reached number 13 there. In the Netherlands, the single peaked at number 23.

My collection: 7" single no. 1588

Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, February 22, 1992

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Feel so high' / 'Save this promised land'

Für alle - Wind

The German band Wind represented Germany during the 1985 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Für alle' ('For everyone'). They did so with good success: they finished second behind that year's winners: Bobbysocks for Norway.

The group was started briefly before the Eurovision Song Contest in 1985 by the composer Hanne Haller. The other members of the band at that time were Alexander "Ala" Heiler, Christine von Kutschenbach, Rainer Höglmeier, Willie Jakob, Sami Kalifa and Petra Scheeser. The band would return to the Contest twice: in 1987 and in 1992.

My collection: 7" single no. 3221
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, October 12, 2000
Cost: 4 guilders
Tracks: 'Für alle' / 'Feuer und Eis'

Saved by love - Amy Grant

Amy Grant's 1988 album 'Lead Me On' contained many songs that were about Christianity and love relationships, but some interpreted it as not being an obviously 'Christian' record. The single 'Saved by love', taken from the album, was a minor hit, receiving airplay on American radio stations featuring the newly emerging Adult Contemporary format.

This is one of the few singles, if not the only single I own that is obviously Christian. The lyric of this song mentions the name Jesus in a non-derogatory context, which is usually something that makes me physically sick. But I have to admit that the melody of this song is simply beautiful, the music brilliantly arranged. And Amy Grant has got a beautiful voice. It's a shame that she is so damn religious.

My collection: 7" single no. 2395
Found: Berwick Street, London, July 6, 1995
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Saved by love' / 'Shadows'
Download: Album 'Lead on me', including both tracks

Aguaplano - Paolo Conte

I feel a bit like an Alzheimer patient in reverse: I remember things I wrote but Blogger keeps taking them away. Like the entry about Paolo Conte's 'Max': I'm sure it was on this site, but it's gone and I don't even have a notification from Blogger that they stole my entry. For some reason they don't like me to write about the records I bought. Copyright gone mad, eh?

Paolo Conte was born on January 6, 1937. His performing career began as a vibraphone player in local and touring bands. In 1974 he started a solo career, which was very successful in Italy and later in Europe as well. 'Max' was a big European hit, and the record company tried to cash in on that success by releasing a compilation album and another single: 'Aguaplano'. Predictably, the single didn't become a hit. But it is a nice song - so I bought it.

My collection: 7" single no. 615

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1988

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Aguaplano' / 'Come di'

Since I don't have you - Guns n' Roses

In November 1993, Guns n' Roses released a collection of punk and glam rock covers entitled 'The Spaghetti Incident?'. The album did not match the success of previous albums, which increased tensions within the band.

The first single from the album was 'Since I don't have you', a cover of a song by the doo-wop group the Skyliners, released in 1958. It peaked at number 10 in the UK singles chart. The 7" single was released as a strictly limited edition on orange vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 2112

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, June 4, 1994

Cost: 8 guilders

Tracks: 'Since I don't have you' / 'You can't put your arms around a memory'

How can I believe? - Betsy Cook

Betsy Cook released 'How can I believe?' as the second single off her album 'The girl who ate herself'. (The first single was 'Love is the groove' but that entry in this blog has been deleted by The Powers That Be for some strange reason.) It is a beautiful ballad, and one of the best tracks on the album full stop.

Other artists have benefited from Betsy's craftmanship: Paul Young recorded 'Wonderland' a few years prior to the release of her own album, Cher recorded 'Love is the groove' and Stevie Nicks recorded 'Docklands'. All tracks were on Betsy's album too. There is not much information on what Betsy did next, but I guess she's still out there somewhere, songwriting.

My collection: 7" single no. 1621

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, April 18, 1992

Cost: 3,5 guilders

Tracks: 'How can I believe?' / 'Look to yourself'

The model - Kraftwerk

If you should define the German group Kraftwerk with one song, this would be the one. They are known for their electronic, mechanical-sounding, almost inhuman music, but this track is proof that they were definitely capable of writing a melodic popsong.

In his book 'I was a robot', about his time in the group Kraftwerk, Wolfgang Flür wrote that his former bandmates Emil Schult and Ralf Hütter had been obsessed with the model Christa Becker and that she had been the inspiration for the song 'The model'. Apparently they weren't amused with this becoming public knowledge, so they tried to sue him. It didn't work: the secret got out.

My collection: 7" single no. 1221
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, April 22, 1990
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'The model' / 'Computer love'

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)'

Cardiac arrest - Madness

'Cardiac arrest' was taken from Madness's third album '7' (1981). It spent 10 weeks in UK Singles chart, peaking at number 14. In the Netherlands the single was officially released as a double A-side with 'In the city', although my (Dutch) copy still says 'Side 2' for 'In the city'. It peaked at number 15 in the Dutch Top 40.

The lyric of 'Cardiac arrest' tells a story of a workaholic who suffers a fatal heart attack on his way to work. The song was banned on BBC Radio 1 due to deaths in the families of two DJs. It had an effect on the record's chart position, which was lower than usual for Madness. The album version of the song ends after the second chorus with a dramatic cut to a coda representing the man's heart thudding and then stopping, however the single version replaces this with a repeat of the more optimistic first chorus, which fades out.

My collection: 7" single no. 122

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1982

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Cardiac arrest' / 'In the city'

Download: here

Love is everywhere - Cicero

My friend Puck said that I should include more good songs. 'Define good songs', I said. He replied: 'songs that I know'. Well, I'm always eager to please. Hope you like it, Puck.

David John Cicero was born May 29, 1970 in Greenport, Long Island, USA. When his parents divorced, he moved to Livingston, Scotland. He attended a Pet Shop Boys concert in Glasgow in 1989 and gave a demo tape to Peter Andreas, the Pet Shop Boys' personal assistant. Peter Andreas contacted Cicero with an offer of artist management and later when Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe heard Cicero's material, they signed him up to their recently formed Spaghetti label. His debut single 'Heaven must have sent you back to me' on August 12, 1991. This single failed to chart. The follow-up, 'Love is everywhere', produced by the Pet Shop Boys, reached number 19 in the UK Singles Chart in January 1992.

My collection: 7" single no. 2881

Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 28, 1997

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Love is everywhere' / 'Mind gap'

Der Kommissar - Falco

In a previous entry, I already wrote about 'Der Kommissar' by After the fire, but this is the original version - and it can't be beat. Johann (Hans) Hölzel was born in Vienna, Austria on February 19, 1957 and took on the stage name Falco in the late Seventies, reportedly as a tribute to the East German skier Falko Weißpflog. His first hit was 'Der Kommissar', taken from his debut album 'Einzelhaft' (1982). Besides being a hit in his native Austria and neighbour countries Germany and Switzerland, it also reached number 18 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1678

Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 28, 1992

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Der Kommissar' / 'Helden von heute'

Download: here

Lost in music - Sister Sledge

Kim, Debbie, Joni and Kathy Sledge formed Sister Sledge in 1972 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The four sisters (sister number five, Carol, preferred to stay outside of the music business) had a reasonably successful start of their career, but by the end of the Seventies, their career went into decline. It was then that they met Bernard Edwards from Chic. The disco anthems 'He's the greatest dancer', 'We are family' and 'Lost in music', all produced by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, became the biggest hits of their career.

Their biggest hits have been re-released several times in the UK, often in newly-remixed versions. 'Lost in Music' was one of them: it reached number 17 in 1979, number 4 in 1984 and number 14 in 1993. This single is the 1984 version, which I bought in 2000.

My collection: 7" single no. 3232

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, October 18, 2000

Cost: 2,5 pounds

Tracks: 'Lost in music' / 'Smile'

Download: here

Face to face - Siouxie and the Banshees

Siouxie and the Banshees recorded 'Face to face' for the soundtrack of the movie 'Batman Returns'. Thanks to Danny Elfman's involvement in the writing of the song (which was co-written with the band), it features elements from his score to the film. 'Face to face' peaked at number 21 in the UK singles chart.

I got to know this song because a friend of mine was (and still is) addicted to Batman movies. Lord knows why - I always had a prejudice against them because superhero movies are usually mindblowingly boring. So I didn't see the movie, and only got to hear this song some time after its release. But when I did, I wanted to have it.

My collection: 7" single no. 2393
Found: Marlyn Music, Eastbourne, July 5, 1995
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Face to face' / 'I could be again'

Is this love - Whitesnake

Rock ballads are quite an interesting phenomenon. What drives these tough looking men, who usually shake their heads to screaming guitar solos and thundering drums to suddenly start making softhearted ballads? Who knows... Anyway, the result is usually interesting.

'Is this love' is a power ballad like only Eighties rock bands could bring forth. A number 2 hit in America and peaking at number 23 in the Netherlands, the single was promoted with a video containing all the Eighties rock cliches: men with big hair, sexy women on cars and of course... the smoke machine.

My collection: 7"single no. 597

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, February 25, 1988

Cost: 6,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Is this love' / 'Standing in the shadows'

Download: Album 'Greatest hits', including both tracks

Wet day in September - Pussycat

Pussycat was a Dutch band formed in the Seventies by the sisters Toni, Marianne and Betty Kowalczyk. With muicians Lou Wille (Toni's husband), Theo Wetzels, Theo Coumans and John Theunissen they recorded several albums and singles. Their biggest success was 'Mississippi' (1975), which reached number 1 in the UK singles chart.

'Wet day in September' was released in 1978 and peaked at number 7 in the Dutch Top 40. It's one of the first singles I ever bought - although unfortunately it came in a standard 'EMI-Bovema Holland' record company sleeve instead of the picture sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 7

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1978

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Wet day in September' / 'I remember springtime'

Can't stop running - Space Monkey

Space Monkey was a British pop group from the mid-1980s led by singer, songwriter and guitarist Paul Goodchild. They released 'Can't stop running' in the autumn of 1983. While it only reached number 53 in the UK, the single peaked at number 12 in the Dutch Top 40. I was listening to the top 40 every week during that time, so that is how I got to know the track.

According to Wikipedia, the group also released an album in 1985, called 'On the Beam'. Space Monkey was not a 'group' per se; Goodchild was in fact the only person to appear on every one of the tracks on 'On the Beam'. Various session musicians were utilized. The album failed to make any chart impact, and Space Monkey ceased to exist soon after that.

My collection: 7" single no. 1940

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, August 11, 1993

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Can't stop running' / 'Can't stop running (Impact Instrumental)'

Better the devil you know - Sonia

Not to be confused with one of Kylie Minogue's best songs of her career, this is the song with which Sonia represented the UK in the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest. She sang eight different songs on the national final, but this track, written by Brian Teasdale and Dean Collinson. On the night of the Eurovision Song Contest, she received the maximum 12 points from Belgium, Iceland, Austria and Israel. Amazingly, she made 2nd place in the competition.

It may be obvious from my tone of writing: I wasn't impressed with this voice. It was just as uninspiring as that year's winner, Niamh Kavanagh's 'In your eyes' (Ireland). My favourite track, 'Alle mine tankar' by Silje Vige (Norway), ended up in fifth place.

My collection: 7" single no. 3273

Found: Record fair, November 11, 2000

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Better the devil you know' / 'Not what I call love'

Axel F - Harold Faltermeyer

In the mid-Eighties, synthesizers were getting increasingly popular as a means to make movie soundtracks. Jan Hammer made a living making soundtracks for 'Miami Vice', and Harold Faltermeyer scored the 'Beverley Hills Cop' movies. His biggest success was the track 'Axel F', which reached number 2 in the UK and number 1 in the Netherlands.

When you listen to it now, it sound a bit dated but it is still a catchy tune. It's hard to believe, though, that movie producers didn't prefer large orchestras instead. It always sounds more impressive, I think.

My collection: 7" single no. 2421

Found: All that music, Leiden, 1994

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Axel F' / 'Shoot out'

Unconditional love - Susanna Hoffs

Susanna Hoffs followed up her debut solo single 'My side of the bed' with another track from her album 'When you're a boy': 'Unconditional love'. The song was written by Kelly, Steinberg and Cyndi Lauper. The single did not chart in America and the Netherlands, and in the UK it peaked at number 65. I guess that means it wasn't a hit anywhere then.

In the UK the single was also released as a picture disc, just like its predecessor. I found it in 1996 together with the other one, so buying the two of them was a logical decision. The B-side of the regular single and the picture disc single is the non-album track 'Circus girl'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1446 / 7" single no. 2669

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, June 15, 1991 / Record fair, Leeds, June 30, 1996

Cost: 3,5 guilders / 1 pound

Tracks: 'Unconditional love' / 'Circus girl'

Download: here

Knock on wood - Amii Stewart

Disco queen Amii Stewart tried her hand at two cover versions in 1979 and it did her career some good. 'Knock on wood' was originally performed by Eddie Floyd in 1966. It was covered by many artists, but Amii's version reached number 1 in the American chart, making it the most well-known version of that song.

The same cannot be said for 'Light my fire', originally performed by the Doors. The original will always be the most fondly remembered, but Amii did a good danceable version of it in 1979. It reached number 5 in the UK singles chart and number 7 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1662

Found: Record fair, June 13, 1992

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Knock on wood' / 'Light my fire'

Smooth operator - Sade

Attentive readers of this blog will have noticed that Sade's first 12" single 'Your love is king' already contained an extended version of 'Smooth operator'. Still, 'Smooth operator' was released as her third single in 1984, and it contained another version of the track. This time it was extended with another instrumental track, 'Red eye'. This 12" version was also the music for an extended music video, which was played on television every now and again.

The B-side of this 12" single is the song 'Spirit', which again was never released on cd. There is a rumour going round that Sade will release a new cd this year. Well, here's hoping...

My collection: 12" single no. 25

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 10 guilders

Tracks: 'Smooth operator', 'Red Eye' / 'Spirit'

Shattered dreams - Johnny hates Jazz

After signing to Virgin records, 'Shattered dreams' was the first single from Johnny hates Jazz for their new record company. Released in April 1987 it was their first and biggest hit, reaching number 5 in the UK. In the Netherlands, it peaked at number 30 in the Dutch Top 40. The single preceded their debut album, which hit number 1 in the UK albums chart.

Things had taken off for Johnny hates Jazz in a big way, but there was more to come. I would buy all their singles - but only years afterwards. Just like this one.

My collection: 7" single no. 1577

Found: All that music, Leiden, January 25, 1992

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Shattered dreams' / 'My secret garden'

Download: here

Nothing to fear - Chris Rea

I don't know for sure, but this might well be the longest single ever released. Chris Rea's 'Nothing to fear' clocks in at 9 minutes and 10 seconds: truly an epic song. It's this length that piqued my interest when I came across this single during a week in London in 1992. I listened to it on a listening post, and decided I liked it enough to buy it.

I'm glad I did: it's probably the best song of Chris Rea's career. Taken from his 1992 album 'God's great banana skin', it reached number 16 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1737

Found: Virgin Megastore, October 17, 1992

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Nothing to fear' / 'Nothing to fear (edit)', 'Strange dance'

The edge of heaven - Wham

'The edge of heaven' was Wham's last single. It was released in the spring of 1986, after George Michael and Andrew Ridgely announced their breakup. The single preceded a historic farewell concert at Wembley Stadium in London on June 28, 1986.

The single reached number 1 in the UK and the Netherlands that summer. It was sold as a double single including four tracks. One of them was 'Where did your heart go', which was also released separately as a single in some territories. The song, originally recorded by art-rock ensemble Was (Not Was), was a downbeat and sombre affair that would fit seamlessly onto George Michael's later solo albums.

The band had been together five years, selling close to 20 million albums and 10 to 15 million singles.

My collection: 7" single no. 483

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1986

Cost: 6,5 guilders

Tracks: 'The edge of heaven' / 'Battlestations' // 'Wham Rap '86' / 'Where did your heart go?'

If you don't love me - Prefab Sprout

In 1992, Prefab Sprout released their greatest hits album 'A life of surprises'. The album reached number 3 on the UK albums chart. It was a chance for me to get my favourite tracks 'When love breaks down', 'Appetite' and 'Johnny Johnny' on cd. And as has happened to me before: once I started playing the cd a lot, I started looking for more singles.

During a visit to London, I came across this single, 'If you don't love me', one of the nicest tracks from the compilatoin cd. I was very happy to see that a remixed version appeared on the B-side. It didn't take me long to make the decision to buy this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 1756

Found: Tower Records, London, October 19, 1992

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'If you don't love me' / 'If you don't love me (String driven thing)'

Becoming more like Alfie - The Divine Comedy

After the chart success of 'Something for the weekend', the Divine Comedy released the second single from their album 'Casanova', 'Becoming more like Alfie'. It peaked at number 27 in the UK singles chart, which meant that it did slightly worse than its predecessor.

The B-side, 'Your daddy's car' is another album track, but performed live on BBC Radio 1's Mark Radcliffe Show on April 29, 1996.

My collection: 7" single no. 3140
Found: Setanta mailorder, 1999
Cost: 4 pounds
Tracks: 'Becoming more like Alfie' / 'Your daddy's car'

Real men - Joe Jackson

Joe Jackson was born as David Ian Jackson on August 11, 1954 in Burton upon Trent, England. He started off learning to play the violin but soon switched to piano. When he was sixteen he started playing in bars, and eventually won a scholarship to study musical composition at London's Royal Academy of Music. Jackson did not like the prospect of being a classical composer, and moved towards pop and rock instead.

Starting his career in the late Seventies, he had some early hits in the UK with 'It's different for girls' and 'Is she really going out with him?'. His first big hit in the Netherlands was 'Real men', taken from the 1982 album 'Night and day'. The album paid tribute to the wit and style of Cole Porter (and indirectly to New York City). 'Real men' pointed obliquely to the city's early Eighties gay culture.

My collection: 7" single no. 142

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1982

Cost: 3,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Real men' / 'Chinatown'

Download: Album 'Night and day', including both tracks

Spacer - Sheila B. Devotion

Sheila was born as Annie Chancel on August 16, 1945 in Créteil, France. She started her musical career in 1962. She had numerous hits in France during the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties. One of her biggest hits was 'Spacer' (1979). The song was taken from her album 'King of the world', which was produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic fame.

The song was sampled by the Swedish pop group Alcazar for their track 'Crying at the discotheque' in 2000. Of course I prefer the original.

My collection: 7" single no. 3298

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 24, 2001

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Spacer' / 'Don't go'

I believe in you - Talk Talk

Out of all the Talk Talk 7" singles I have, this is probably the rarest one. It showed up in my record shop and I bought without hesitation. 'I believe in you' was already out for a few weeks, and spotting this promotional single with twice the edit of the song on it, I had to have it. This edit wasn't released on cd at the time, so I even wrote down which side of the disc I played, so I could preserve the other side for later. Fortunately, the edit was released on cd in 1997.

Taken from the excellent album 'Spirit of Eden', 'I believe in you' is apparently an 'anti-heroin song'. When asked whether the lyrics are based on personal experience, Mark Hollis replied, 'No, not at all. But, you know, I met people who got totally fucked up on it. Within rock music there's so much fucking glorification of it, and it is a wicked, horrible thing.'

My collection: 7" single no. 659
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, October 1, 1988
Cost: 3,5 guilders
Tracks: 'I believe in you (edit)' / 'I believe in you (edit)'