Toy Dolls are an English punk rock band formed in 1979. While much punk rock is political or angry, Toy Dolls expressed themselves mostly in a funny way, with songs such as 'Yul Brynner Was A Skinhead' and 'James Bond lives down our street'.
'Nellie the elephant' was originally written in 1956 by Ralph Butler and Peter Hart. It became a children's favourite thanks to the original rendition by child actress Mandy Miller, which was never a hit single but was played countless times on BBC national radio in the UK in the Fifties and Sixties. The Toy Dolls recorded their version just in time for Christmas 1984. The single peaked at number 4 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 3619
Found: eBay, received April 16, 2009
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Nellie the elephant' / 'Fisticuffs in Frederick street'
Thursday, 16 April 2009
The Lebanon - Human League
Taken from their 1984 album 'Hysteria' and released as its first single, 'The Lebanon' was a radical departure from what was accepted as the soft synthpop sound of the Human League. The lyrics were an attempt to make a political statement on the Lebanese civil war which had been exacerbated by Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon of 1982. The song tells the story of a man who joins a militia to help his community and ends up fighting in the civil war.
The single peaked at number 11 in the UK, which was considered to be a relative failure. Because the track is a very 'concert friendly' track it has been played by the band live frequently ever since its release and is nearly always on their set list to this day.
My collection: 7" single no. 3231
Found: Record Exchange, London, 2000
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'The Lebanon' / 'Thirteen'
Train - Red Box
After the success of 'The circle and the square' and its singles in 1985, things went rather quiet for some time. Due to increasingly strained working relations between the band and the record company, Julian Close left to work in A&R and Simon Toulson-Clarke took time out from writing and recording in order to travel. In the late Eighties Toulson-Clarke was persuaded to record a second album. Together with new partner Alastair Gavin and producer David Motion he made the album 'Motive'.
'Train' was released as the first (and only) single from that album. The 12" single features four versions of the track, some even more eccentric than the original track.
My collection: 12" single no. 263
Found: Record Exchange, London, 1995
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Train (Fantasy Island)', 'Train (Traveller fare)' / 'Train (Mr. Chandra is upstairs)', 'Train (7" version)'
'Train' was released as the first (and only) single from that album. The 12" single features four versions of the track, some even more eccentric than the original track.
My collection: 12" single no. 263
Found: Record Exchange, London, 1995
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Train (Fantasy Island)', 'Train (Traveller fare)' / 'Train (Mr. Chandra is upstairs)', 'Train (7" version)'
Get the message - Electronic
'Get the message' was the first single taken from Electronic's self-titled debut album, but not their debut single: that was 'Getting away with it', released a year before. Electronic consisted of Bernard Sumner from New Order and ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr. During recording, Primal Scream backing singer Denise Johnson added a vocal at the end of the song. The single featured a non-album track as its B-side: 'Free Will', a sample-heavy dance track.
'Get the message' peaked at number 8 in the UK singles chart. I didn't know the song when I bought this single, however I did know a few of Electronic's singles and hoped that this one would be equally good. And it was.
'Get the message' peaked at number 8 in the UK singles chart. I didn't know the song when I bought this single, however I did know a few of Electronic's singles and hoped that this one would be equally good. And it was.
My collection: 7" single no. 2987
Found: House of Rhythm, London, May 23, 1998
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Get the message' / 'Free will'
Golden hits volume 2 - Prefab Sprout
I bought this 'golden' single during the first record fair I ever went to. I thought it was a great find, because it featured 'Goodbye Lucille', which I thought was an earlier version of the single 'Johnny Johnny', which I'd bought a couple of years before. As it turned out, it was pretty much the same as that single, only the title was different.
Still, this is an interesting little EP, because of the colour of course, but also because of the great selection of hit singles. Although 'hit singles' might be stretching that term a bit: none of these tracks made the UK top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 1220
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, April 22, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Golden calf (edit)', 'Faron Young' / 'Goodbye Lucille no. 1', 'Hey Manhattan'
Go west - Village People
Another track I've featured on this blog before, but now in the shorter single version, as opposed to the long 12" version. 'Go west' peaked at number 31 in the Netherlands in the summer of 1979. At the same time, it made number 15 in the UK.
At the time, I was spending my weekly allowance of 3 guilders in the local record shop. While chart singles cost 6 guilders, the shop discounted them once they left the Top 40. I went round that shop almost every week, hoping for something good to be available. I seem to recall that this catch was a relative disappointment, since more singles had left the chart, but they were already sold out. So I made do with this one. I'm glad I have it now, because of course it is the original version of the Pet Shop Boys' 1992 cover version. But how was I to know?
My collection: 7" single no. 23
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1979
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Go west' / 'I wanna shake your hand'
Doot doot - Freur
As written before, 'Doot doot' was Freur's debut single and only hit. The 7" single was a revelation for me, I bought almost as soon as it hit the Dutch 'bubbling under' chart. The single didn't make the Dutch Top 40, which at the time I saw as a big injustice.
Earlier editions of the single didn't have the explanatory '(Freur)' in the upper left corner. I've always searched for a copy of that, but so far, without luck.
My collection: 7" single no. 196
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1983
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Doot doot' / 'Hold me mother'
Honey - Mariah Carey
Buried under too much breathy vocals and hiphop influences, here's a nice tune. Mariah Carey's 'Honey' was released in 1997, as the first single from her album 'Butterfly', the last album before the disastrous 'Glitter' project. This single made number one in America, number 3 in the UK and number 15 in the Netherlands.
The track uses two samples: 'Hey DJ', originally performed by the World Famous Supreme Team, and 'The Body Rock' by the Treacherous Three.
My collection: 7" single no. 2933
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, January 17, 1998
Cost: 8 guilders
Tracks: 'Honey' / 'Honey (Bad Boy remix)'
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
The robots - Kraftwerk
Released as the first single from their 1991 remix album 'The Mix', Kraftwerk's 'The Robots' was a big success in the UK, peaking at number 20. 'The robots', remixed by the band, was originally released in 1978 as a single from their seventh album 'Man machine'.
The lyrics reference the revolutionary technique of robotics, and how humans can use them as they wish. The Russian lines "Я твой слуга" (Ya tvoi sluga, I'm your servant) and "Я твой работник" (Ya tvoi rabotnik, I'm your worker) appear repeatedly both in the original version and in this remix.
My collection: 7" single no. 2354
Found: Marlyn Music, Eastbourne, June 28, 1995
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'The robots (single edit)' / 'Robotronik (single version)'
Nightmares - Flip
After the release of 'That's what they say about love', the band Flip tried once more with the remixed single 'Nightmares'. It was even less of a success than the debut single. It must have eventually led to the end of the band in 1987.
The additional single 'Plague of hearts' does exist, but until now I haven't been able to locate a copy. I'm especially looking for the 12" single. Well, here's hoping they will turn up someday...
My collection: 7" single no. 655
Found: V&D, Leiden, September 23, 1988
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Nightmares (Big Drum 7")' / 'Dark on the water'
Cold cold heart - Midge Ure
Midge Ure released his third solo album 'Pure' in 1991. It was a collection of traditionally influenced songs. 'Cold cold heart' was the first single released from the album, which managed to get to number 17 in the UK singles chart. It was also the last single by Ure to make the top 40 in the UK.
Personally I lost track of Midge Ure after his excellent 1989 album 'Answers to nothing'. I picked up this single in 1995 on the strength of his name, but I didn't think it was one of his better songs. Hearing it again, I have to say I like it better now.
Personally I lost track of Midge Ure after his excellent 1989 album 'Answers to nothing'. I picked up this single in 1995 on the strength of his name, but I didn't think it was one of his better songs. Hearing it again, I have to say I like it better now.
My collection: 7" single no. 2434
Found: Concerto, Amsterdam, August 19, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Cold cold heart' / 'Flowers'
Bomb out - Kojo
Timo Kojo was born in Helsinki, Finland on May 9, 1953. He started his recording career in 1977 when his band, Madame George, released their only album: 'Madame George: what's happening?'. He then proceeded to release three solo albums. The last of these three albums was not a commercial success. He then decided to represent Finland with the song 'Nuku pommiin' ('Bomb out'). The rock song was a protest against nuclear bombs and the potential danger of a nuclear war in Europe during the cold war, which was in its heyday at the time.
Despite its pacifist message the song received no points. However it revived Kojo's career in Finland. He remains not so well known in that country, but his performance in Eurovision is a landmark in Finnish Eurovision Song Contest history. I was eleven years old when Kojo performed his song, and I remembered it vividly as well. I was very glad when I finally found the single 'Bomb out' in 1998.
My collection: 7" single no. 2970
Found: Bea Records, February 21, 1998
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Bomb out' / 'Video Venus'
Duel - Propaganda
For a little while in 1985, I thought Propaganda was the best thing since sliced bread. After the success of Dr. Mabuse, the band fell silent for a while before releasing 'Duel'. I vaguely recalled 'Dr. Mabuse', but this new single was total genius in my book. Especially the frantic piano solo was something I really marvelled at.
The single peaked at number 5 in the Dutch Top 40, while it only managed number 21 in the UK. When this single was followed up by the less remarkable 'Machinery', my interest faded pretty quickly, although I did like that song as well.
My collection: 7" single no. 294
Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 5,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Duel' / 'Jewel'
Fly too high - Janis Ian
Janis Ian's biggest international hit must be 'Fly too high', released as a single in the autumn of 1979. Ian contributed the song to the soundtrack of the Jodie Foster movie 'Foxes', and also included it on her own album 'Night rains'. The track was produced and co-written by famous producer Giorgio Moroder and as such is a bit of a strange entity in Janis Ian's body of work.
The single peaked at number 44 in the UK, but was a top 5 hit in the Netherlands. At the time I felt the song was 'too dull', but a decade later I still bought it.
My collection: 7" single no. 894
Found: All that music, Leiden, June 23, 1989
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Fly too high' / 'Night rains'
The single peaked at number 44 in the UK, but was a top 5 hit in the Netherlands. At the time I felt the song was 'too dull', but a decade later I still bought it.
My collection: 7" single no. 894
Found: All that music, Leiden, June 23, 1989
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Fly too high' / 'Night rains'
Days like this - Sheena Easton
You might assume from seeing the picture of this sleeve that I bought this single for the package alone. And you would be almost right. See, the free poster was also a good incentive. But of course, Sheena Easton is an interesting artist anyway so I would be lying if I said I didn't like the song.
'Days like this' is another single from Sheena's 1988 album 'The lover in me'. The single peaked at number 43 in the UK singles chart, but failed to chart in other territories.
My collection: 7" single no. 2180
Found: House of Rhythm, London, September 27, 1994
Cost: 1,5 pounds
Tracks: 'Days like this' / 'Days like this (instrumental)'
Jack and Diane - John Cougar
Before he became John Mellencamp and, before that, John Cougar Mellencamp, he made a name for himself as John Cougar. The single 'Jack & Diane' was released in 1982 and became his first international breakthrough.
According to John, 'Jack & Diane' was written after watching 'Splendor in the Grass', a 1961 movie starring Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty. The song's tone and lyrics are evocative of a nostalgia for the novelty of youth, influenced in part by Mellencamp's own life experiences.
According to John, 'Jack & Diane' was written after watching 'Splendor in the Grass', a 1961 movie starring Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty. The song's tone and lyrics are evocative of a nostalgia for the novelty of youth, influenced in part by Mellencamp's own life experiences.
John also stated that the clapping wasn't supposed to be included in the finished song. It was recorded with the clapping in order to help keep tempo and then it was to be removed. However, he realized the song didn't work without it.
My collection: 7" single no. 858
Found: Den Haag, May 27, 1989
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Jack & Diane' / 'Can you take it'
It will come in time - Billy Preston
After the success of the beautiful ballad 'With you I'm born again', Billy Preston enlisted Syreeta Wright's help once again for the next single, 'It will come in time'. This time, they performed a very upbeat, up-tempo track. They had another top 10 success in the Netherlands, peaking at number 8 (where 'With you I'm born again' made it to number 4). The single didn't do as well in the UK, peaking at number 47.
My collection: 7" single no. 3282
Found: February 9, 2001
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'It will come in time' / 'Sock-it, rocket'
Tracks: 'It will come in time' / 'Sock-it, rocket'
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
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'
Shame - Evelyn 'Champagne' King
Evelyn 'Champagne' King was born on July 1, 1960. She released 'Shame', her only top 10 hit in America, in 1978. After a long struggle in the UK singles chart, 'Shame' eventually made the top 40, peaking at number 39. In the Netherlands, it did considerably better: peaking at number 18.
The song was covered by Kim Wilde in 1996. This is how I became interested in the original version. I bought the single in 2000 after a long hunt.
My collection: 7" single no. 3212
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 30, 2000
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Shame' / 'Dancin', dancin', dancin''
Sweet love - Anita Baker
Anita Baker was born on January 26, 1958 in Toledo, Ohio (USA). She released her debut album 'The Songstress' in 1983. Three years later, the album 'Rapture' spawned her first mainstream hit, 'Sweet love'. It peaked at number 8 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 13 in the UK.
This double single edition was released in the UK, featuring two live tracks on the second disc, originally broadcast by BBC Radio 1. I bought this single because I liked the title track ánd because I'm a sucker for limited editions. But I have to admit, I don't really like the other three tracks in this package.
My collection: 7" single no. 2204
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, October 8, 1994
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Sweet love' / 'No one in the world' // 'Same ole love (live)' / 'You bring me joy (live)'
Blank sheets - Bel canto
Circa 2000 I had a growing interest in alternative and not-so-wellknown bands. This interest was fairly shortlived as many bands disappointed me: I bought their cd's and didn't play them as much as I would if I really would have liked them. But sometimes I bought some 'alternative' singles as well - with varying success.
This single by Bel Canto, for instance, is a good one, but I still didn't play it much. And I really should: the instrumental B-side is fascinating, whereas the A-side is an interesting song. The Norwegian synthpop band, consisting of Anneli Drecker and Nils Johansen, has been going strong since 1985. This single was tken from their 1988 album 'White-out conditions'.
My collection: 7" single no. 3271
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, November 10, 2000
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Blank sheets' / 'Chaideinoi'
Gotta go home / El Lute - Boney M
In 1979 Boney M released their fourth album 'Oceans of fantasy'. The album contained two hit singles, of which 'Gotta go home / El Lute' (a double A-side single) was the first. 'Gotta go home' is an upbeat summer track, released just in time for the season. The track 'El Lute' was based on the life of Spanish outlaw and writer Eleuterio Sánchez.
The single was another hit for the German band, reaching number 12 in the UK and number 2 in the Netherlands. I bought the single while it was still in the charts. As young as I was, Boney M had an irresistible appeal to me.
My collection: 7" single no. 58
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1979
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Gotta go home' / 'El Lute'
King in a catholic style - China Crisis
Compared to their previous single 'Black man Ray', 'King in a catholic style' was, to me, a relative disappointment. It was much more a straightforward pop song than the shimmering beauty of the ballad that went before. Some people agreed with me, because the single peaked at number 19 in the UK, five places lower than 'Black man Ray'.
I was in a record shop last Friday and saw this 12" single. I started doubting whether or not I had it. In the end, I didn't buy it, and I was right: the disc was sitting here on the shelf all along. Sometimes a big collection takes up too much memory space in your head.
My collection: 12" single no. 460
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 22, 2008
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'King in a catholic style (extended version)' / 'Blue sea', 'King in a catholic style'
Every time I see you - Fra Lippo Lippi
I bought the Fra Lippo Lippi LP 'Songs' some time after it was released at discount price. I discovered that not only their most famous single 'Shouldn't have to be like that' and its B-side were very good, but also the eight other tracks on the album. And so I spent years trying to find the other singles released from this album.
'Every time I see you' is probably the most interesting of them all, with a re-recorded version on the A-side and the instrumental track 'The heather on the hills' on the B-side. Norwegian pop at its very best.
My collection: 7" single no. 2020
Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 19, 1993
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'Every time I see you' / 'The heather on the hills'
Love like blood - Killing Joke
Having been at it for seven years, the English post-punk rock band Killing Joke achieved mainstream success with their 1985 single 'Love like blood'. It peaked at number 18 in the UK and number 6 in the Netherlands.
Killing Joke consisted of Paul Ferguson, Jeremy Coleman, Kevin Walker and Paul Raven at the time. Two years prior to that, Martin Glover, a.k.a. 'Youth' had left the band. He went on, of course, to become a famous producer.
My collection: 7" single no. 762
Found: March 6, 1989
Cost: unknown
Tracks: 'Love like blood' / 'Blue feather (version)'
Killing Joke consisted of Paul Ferguson, Jeremy Coleman, Kevin Walker and Paul Raven at the time. Two years prior to that, Martin Glover, a.k.a. 'Youth' had left the band. He went on, of course, to become a famous producer.
My collection: 7" single no. 762
Found: March 6, 1989
Cost: unknown
Tracks: 'Love like blood' / 'Blue feather (version)'
Too many walls - Cathy Dennis
When I heard this song and saw Cathy Dennis for the first time, I thought she was just another bimbo with a nice popsong. Almost two decades later I have to admit she's more than just a pretty face: she co-wrote Kylie's 'Can't get you out of my head', one of this decade's most wellknown popsongs.
Anyway, 'Too many walls' was not Cathy Dennis's debut single either. It was released as the fourth single from her debut album 'Move to this', reaching number 17 in the UK and number 8 in the US Billboard Hot 100. Cathy Dennis has stated that she thinks the ballad is 'the best song on the album, especially in terms of lyrics. The other songs are fun, but they can be quite vacant.' The song is apparently 'about when you want to be together with someone, but other people's opinions and prejudices get in the way.'
My collection: 7" single no. 1570
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, January 11, 1992
Cost: 3,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Too many walls' / 'Too many walls (acapella)'
Monday, 13 April 2009
Love is all - Roger Glover
I have vague memories of being absolutely hooked on this video. I was four years old when this song hit number one in the Netherlands, but my older brother and sister were watching Toppop every week - and I saw it with them.
Roger Glover was bassist and songwriter with the rock band Deep Purple. After spending four years with Deep Purple, Glover was dismissed by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and became a record producer for bands like Judas Priest, Nazareth and Elf. His first solo album 'Butterfly ball' was released in 1974, spawning 'Love is all', a number one hit in the Netherlands - but not in other countries.
My collection: 7" single no. 2943
Found: Record fair, Leiden, January 31, 1998
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Love is all' / 'Old blind mole/Magician Moth'
He's a liar - Bee Gees
Just to show that I read the comments on this blog occasionally, here's a disc with an instrumental version on the B-side. I think this is actually a rare 12" single, since it features a slightly extended version of the 1981 Bee Gees track 'He's a liar'. I always think that 12" singles from the late Seventies and early Eighties are rare, since the format hadn't become mainstream yet. (I could be wrong of course...)
'He's A Liar' was the first single from The Bee Gees album 'Living Eyes' (1981). Even though the single sounded very different from their late Eighties disco tracks, the interest from the media for new Bee Gees work was minimal. Even though the single made number 12 in the Netherlands, it didn't do as well in other territories.
'He's A Liar' was the first single from The Bee Gees album 'Living Eyes' (1981). Even though the single sounded very different from their late Eighties disco tracks, the interest from the media for new Bee Gees work was minimal. Even though the single made number 12 in the Netherlands, it didn't do as well in other territories.
My collection: 12" single no. 299
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, 1998
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'He's a liar' / 'He's a liar (instrumental)'
Hangin' on a string (Frankie Knuckles remix) - Loose Ends
Within a couple of weeks, I spotted this remix version of 'Hangin' on a string' on television, and then bought the single during a holiday in London. The remix by Frankie Knuckles was released in 1992, seven years after the original version made its mark in the singles charts in the UK and the Netherlands.
This remix version didn't trouble the charts in the Netherlands, but still made a very respectable no. 25 in the UK.
My collection: 7" single no. 2688
Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, July 3, 1996
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Hangin' on a string (Frankie Knuckles remix)' / 'Hangin' on a string (Original 7" mix)'
Cathedral song - Tanita Tikaram
I already owned the regular single of 'Cathedral song' when I found this boxset. I am a sucker for limited editions and boxsets, and so I didn't leave this one on the shelf. This limited edition boxset contains an EP instead of the regular single, meaning that it contains not two, but four tracks. The two extra tracks are live versions of songs that weren't on Tanita Tikaram's debut album 'Ancient heart' at all. The three art prints were the icing on the cake.
My collection: 7" single no. 2157
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 3, 1994
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Cathedral song', 'Sighing innocents' / 'Let's make everybody smile today (live)', 'Over you all (live)'
Loud music in cars - Billy Bremner
William "Billy" Bremner (born in 1947 in Scotland) is best known for his work as guitar player in the band Rockpile. Rockpile played on the bulk of Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds' albums throughout the late Seventies, but only released one album under their own name. After Rockpile split in 1981, Billy released two solo singles on Stiff Records: 'Loud music in cars' and 'Laughter turns to tears'. Neither charted.
I don't like cars and I don't like loud music, still I bought 'Loud music in cars' as I remembered it from when it came out. My sister bought it already in 1982, I did 16 years later.
My collection: 7" single no. 2944
Found: Record fair, Leiden, January 31, 1998
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Loud music in cars' / 'The price is right'
I am an astronaut - Ricky Wilde
Before Kim Wilde hit it big in 1981 with 'Kids in America', starting a very successful career that still goes on to this day, father Marty Wilde tried to launch his son Ricky in the early Seventies as a child-star. The first single - as far as I know - was 1972's 'I am an astronaut', recorded when Ricky was just eleven years old. It is an extraordinary piece of work, because for all the childhood innocence in the vocals, the musical backing is quite impressive, almost psychedelic. Rumour has it that 12-year-old Kim is performing backing vocals on this track.
The single was not a big hit, although I understand Ricky had some hits in Scandinavia with this and/or other singles. This song was covered recently by Snow Patrol for a charity compilation album - and several Scandinavian covers by equally young singers do exist!
My collection: 7" single no. 3222
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, October 12, 2000
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'I am an astronaut' / 'The Hertfordshire rock'
The single was not a big hit, although I understand Ricky had some hits in Scandinavia with this and/or other singles. This song was covered recently by Snow Patrol for a charity compilation album - and several Scandinavian covers by equally young singers do exist!
My collection: 7" single no. 3222
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, October 12, 2000
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'I am an astronaut' / 'The Hertfordshire rock'
One step further - Bardo
Bardo represented the United Kingdom during the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest. The duo consisted of Children's TV presenter Sally Ann Triplett and singer/actor Stephen Fischer. Their song 'One step further' finished seventh in the Contest, which was below the expectations. Two subsequent singles, 'Talking out of line' and 'Hang on to your heart' failed to chart, which led to album plans being shelved and Bardo finally dissolving in 1983.
Triplett and Fischer had by this time become romantically linked and continued to stay together. In 1990, Triplett gave birth to their son. Some years after this, the two split.
My collection: 7" single no. 3157
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 27, 1999
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'One step further' / 'Lady of the night'
Don't stand so close to me '86 - The Police
When the Police released the compilation 'Every breath you take' in 1986, I got the cassette and played it a lot. I liked the '86 version of 'Don't stand so close to me' and even preferred it to the less polished original, but didn't buy the single until I found it as a bargain in 1990. In the mean time, the cassette was enough for me.
The Police recorded 'Don't stand so close to me '86' during a rather tense session in the studio. Because drummer Stewart Copeland broke his collarbone, he was unable to play the drums. He used his Fairlight CMI to program the drum track for this track, while lead singer Sting pushed to utilize the drums on his Synclavier instead. Copeland was later quoted as saying that the argument over Synclavier versus Fairlight drums was 'the straw that broke the camel's back', and led to the group's unraveling.
My collection: 7" single no. 1245
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, June 14, 1990
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Don't stand so close to me '86' / 'Don't stand so close to me (live)'
The Police recorded 'Don't stand so close to me '86' during a rather tense session in the studio. Because drummer Stewart Copeland broke his collarbone, he was unable to play the drums. He used his Fairlight CMI to program the drum track for this track, while lead singer Sting pushed to utilize the drums on his Synclavier instead. Copeland was later quoted as saying that the argument over Synclavier versus Fairlight drums was 'the straw that broke the camel's back', and led to the group's unraveling.
My collection: 7" single no. 1245
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, June 14, 1990
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Don't stand so close to me '86' / 'Don't stand so close to me (live)'
Seven wonders - Fleetwood Mac
I know that Fleetwood Mac is famous especially for their albums 'Rumours' and 'Tusk', but my personal favourite remains the 'comeback album' 'Tango in the night', released in 1987. It has been slammed for being 'too commercial sounding', but I wonder what could be wrong with that. The compositions have stood the test of time, and best of all: most of the singles have been released on 12" single with an extended remix. Now this is a part of my collection that I'm still working on...
I recently found the 12" single of 'Seven wonders', and quite cheaply too. Released as the second single from the million-selling album, it couldn't match the success of previous single 'Big love'. It was a top 20 hit in America and South-Africa only.
My collection: 12" single no. 495
Found: Record fair, Rijswijk, March 14, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Seven wonders (extended remix)' / 'Book of miracles (instrumental)', 'Seven wonders (dub)'
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