Bliss - Tori Amos

'Bliss' was the first single from Tori Amos' 1999 double album 'To Venus and back'. One disc of that album was filled with new tracks, whereas the other disc was filled with atrocious live tracks. Atrocious, because the audiences kept screaming through the music. I'll never understand why people felt the need to do that during Tori Amos concerts.

Tori Amos commented about the song: 'I sing Father I killed my monkey to lead off the song, which explains that sometimes you even destroy your own so they can't excavate it. When I was growing up, I started becoming very secretive about my thoughts and the sensory world I would go to, because there's a lot of mind control that goes on constantly, people wanting access: 'What are you thinking?' So sometimes I'd have my own defense going, which would be to look them straight in the eye and make them think I've killed my imagination. But it's like, I'll take control.'

My collection: 7" single no. 3145
Found: Record fair, 1999
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Bliss' / 'Hey Jupiter (live)'

Jealous heart - Maire Brennan

When you listen to this single and you know Máire Brennan's sister Enya's body of work, it's hard to imagine that there was ever a rowdy party at the Brennan residence. The music of the two sisters is beautiful, but sometimes verging on boring.

This second single from Máire Brennan's debut solo album 'Máire' flopped in the UK. The B-side, sung in Gaelic, would not be out of place in a church repertoire. Sometimes you would just wish that Máire would rock out a little.

My collection: 7" single no. 1735
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1992
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Jealous heart' / 'Citi Na gCumann'

Casanova - Luv'

'Casanova' was Luv's fifth hit single, released in April 1979. First awarded the 'Alarmschijf', Radio Veronica's weekly tip for the chart, the single quickly moved up to sixth place in the Dutch Top 40. Nothing else is very spectacular about the song: it sounds a lot like the trio's earlier material.

I bought the single back when I was just an eight year old. I was a fan of Boney M, Abba and Luv', and having learned the importance of a record collection at a very early age from my older brother and sister, I bought anything they released. The least you can say about Luv' nowadays is that their records had great sleeves back then.

My collection: 7" single no. 20
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1979
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Casanova' / 'DJ'

What becomes of the broken-hearted - Jimmy Ruffin

Jimmy Ruffin was born on May 7, 1939 in Collinsville, Mississippi. Ruffin abandoned his gospel background to become a session singer in the early Sixties. He first signed with a Motown Records subsidiary, the short-lived Miracle, in 1961. He recorded a one-off single, before he was drafted for national service.

After leaving the U.S. Army, he returned to Motown. He turned down the opportunity to join the Temptations and instead recommended his brother David Ruffin for the job. In 1966 he released 'What becomes of the broken-hearted'. In the UK, the single peaked at number 8. When it was re-released in 1974, the single improved on this placing, peaking at number 4!

My collection: 7" single no. 3281
Found: February 9, 2001
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'What becomes of the broken-hearted' / 'Don't you miss me a little bit baby'

Giddyap a gogo - Ad Visser and Daniel Sahuleka

Ad Visser was born in Amsterdam on April 28, 1947. After a short spell in the avant garde trio Blurp and working for several record companies, he becomes the face of the weekly pop programme Toppop, broadcast in the Netherlands between 1970 and 1985.

In 1982 he writes the book 'Sobriëtas' with a soundtrack released on LP. The single 'Giddyap a gogo', with guest vocals from Dutch artist Daniel Sahuleka, is taken from this LP, and becomes a surprise hit. The single peaks at number 26 in the Dutch Top 40 and Ad Visser actually presents and performs his own song on Toppop.

My collection: 7" single no. 560
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Giddyap a gogo' / 'Relief of Demorzan'

Thriller - Michael Jackson

Somehow I couldn't imagine Michael Jackson playing 50 dates in London this year, but the way it doesn't come to pass is even more bizarre than I could ever have imagined. 'Where were you when you heard Michael Jackson died?'. Well, I saw the first reports coming in late last night and as the first rumour of his death appeared on the internet I went to sleep. The next morning I got up in the knowledge that he was probably dead. And the news only confirmed my expectation. It's a sad day.

Michael Jackson leaves behind an unequalled musical legacy. By themselves the songs aren't that extraordinary, but the whole catalogue of his hits is quite amazing. 'Thriller' is probably the song that confirmed his status as a superstar in 1984. With the guest voice of Vincent Price and the amazing music video, this is the one single that I chose to represent Jackson's amazing career.

My collection: 7" single no. 3758

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, May 27, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'Thriller (special edit)' / 'Things I do for you (live)' (The Jacksons)

Midnight man - Sandra

'Midnight man' was released as the fourth and final single from Sandra's second album 'Mirrors'. The single charted in a few European countries, but didn't make the top 10 in any of them. In Germany, the single only reached number 24, making this Sandra's lowest charting single in that county.

I had started collecting Sandra singles when I bought this one. It was really quite easy to find them all as long as I went to record fairs.

My collection: 7" single no. 1924
Found: Record fair, June 5, 1993
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Midnight man' / 'Mirror of love'

Steam - Peter Gabriel

'Steam' was released as the second single from Peter Gabriel's 1992 album 'Us'. Peter Gabriel has said that the song is about a relationship in which the woman is sophisticated, bright, cultured, and knows everything about anything and that the man knows nothing about anything, except, he does know about the woman, and she doesn't know much about herself.

In a way, 'Steam' does take the listener back to the sound of 'Sledgehammer', and the video even reminds of that video as well. It became Gabriel's last top 10 hit in the UK, peaking at number 10. In the Netherlands, the single reached number 16.

My collection: 7" single no. 2242
Found: February 18, 1995
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Steam' / 'Games without frontiers (Massive/DB mix)'

Fanfare for the common man - Emerson Lake and Palmer

'Fanfare for the common man' is a 20th-century American classical music work by American composer Aaron Copland. The piece was written in 1942 for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Copland's fanfare was reincarnated in 1977 by British rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer on their album 'Works Volume I'. Keith Emerson had long been an admirer of Copland's Americana style. The track became one of the band's biggest hits when an edited version was released as a single that year. It reached number 2 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2644
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, May 24, 1996
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Fanfare for the common man' / 'Brain salad surgery'

Catch me - Marsha Raven

Marsha Raven recorded 'Catch me' in 1983. It was originally released as a simple dance song but it didn't hit the charts. It was remixed in 1984. This version featured a recording of London's Big Ben. In this version, the track became a hit in the Netherlands, peaking at number 4. It is quite remarkable that this single did not chart in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 1286
Found: All that music, Leiden, August 31, 1990
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Catch me' / 'Catch me (instrumental)'

Touchy! - A-ha

Although I was a fan of A-ha's music ever since they hit it big with 'Take on me', I grew increasingly unimpressed by their choice of singles in 1988. The album 'Stay on these roads' was decent enough, but the record company had a knack for choosing the most bland tracks as a single. Things hit rock bottom - in my opinion, of course - when 'Touchy!' was released in the summer of 1988. It was A-ha's most 'autopilot'-inspired track. The audiences still fell for it: the single peaked at number 11 in the UK and number 14 in the Netherlands.

I only bought the single when I found this limited edition with an extra outer sleeve. It features the A-ha logo with green liquid in it. Unfortunately, time has caused a leak in this logo, so my copy does not contain much liquid anymore. I'm curious if anyone reading this still has an intact copy of this.

My collection: 7" single no. 1852
Found: Record fair, January 23, 1993
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Touchy!' / 'Hurry home'

Blinded (by the beauty of your eyes) - The Kick

Buying this single was actually a mistake. When I was only nine years old, sometimes I got confused by all these bands and their names. I was actually looking for 'My Sharona' by The Knack, but arrived home with 'Blinded (by the beauty of your eyes)' by The Kick.

The Kick was a short-lived Dutch band. In fact, they were so short-lived that no information about the band has survived today. All I can gather from the single itself is that their song was written by W.S. van Vugt and that they were produced by famous Dutch producer/songwriter/DJ Will Luikinga. This single did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 74
Found: Rapsody, Den Haag, 1980
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Blinded (by the beauty of your eyes)' / 'Like a puppet'

Living in a box - Living in a box

Richard Darbyshire, Marcus Vere and Anthony Critchlow formed Living in a box in Sheffield in 1985. Their most commercially successful single, 'Living in a box', peaked at number 5 on the UK singles chart and was the band's only single to chart in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, peaking at number 17. In the Netherlands, the single peaked at number 10.

The Penthouse mix, which appears on the B-side of this single, was mixed by Arthur Baker.

My collection: 7" single no. 525
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Living in a box' / 'Living in a box (The Penthouse mix)'

Free fallin' - Tom Petty

'Free Fallin'' is the opening track from Tom Petty's 1989 solo album, 'Full moon fever'. The song was written by Petty and his writing partner for the album, Jeff Lynne. The duo wrote and recorded the single in two days, making it the first song completed for the album.

The single peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1990. In the UK it stalled at number 64.

My collection: 7" single no. 1143
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, January 13, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Free fallin'' / 'Love is a long road'

Peace - Depeche Mode

'Peace' is the second single from Depeche Mode's current album 'Sounds of the Universal'. It was released two weeks ago on two different cd-singles and this numbered limited edition 7" pressed white marbled vinyl. This is number 10891. Martin Gore told The Sun newspaper that 'Peace' is one of his favourite songs of the ones that he has ever written.

The single peaked at number 57 in the UK singles chart, just like their debut single 'Dreaming of me' in 1981. In Germany, 'Peace' reached number 25.

My collection: 7" single no. 3800
Found: eBay.co.uk, received June 25, 2009
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Peace (single version)' / 'Come back (Jonsi remix)'

La dolce vita - Anneli Saaristo

When you listen to 'La dolce vita' by Anneli Saaristo and you know it is a Eurovision song, the assumption is quickly made that it is a Spanish song. But nothing could be further from the truth: this 1989 entry was actually sent in by Finland!

The result was not bad: the song finished seventh in the Contest in a field of 22 participants.

My collection: 7" single no. 3799
Found: eBay.co.uk, received June 25, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'La dolce vita [Finnish]' / 'La dolce vita [English]'

We are the champions - Queen

When the band Queen was good, they were good. And when they were awful, they were truly awful. But I could never quite make up my mind with this single: which was it?

'We are the champions' and 'We will rock you' can be considered a double A-side single, since both tracks have gained a prominence in pop culture that is quite unrivalled. 'We are the champions' is (mis)used for sports events, while 'We will rock you' is no stranger to pop concerts. The single reached number 2 in the UK and the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 379
Found: Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'We are the champions' / 'We will rock you'

Is this love - Alison Moyet

Alison Moyet celebrated a lot of success with her debut solo album 'Alf' (1984), but it also presented an interesting task to come up with a successful follow-up album. 1987's 'Raindancing' could not compare to the success of its predecessor but still came up with a few reasonably successful singles.

The first one was 'Is this love', co-written by the Eurythmics' David A. Stewart, who used the pseudonym Jean Guiot. The single peaked at number 3 in the UK singles chart and number 11 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 3191
Found: September 16, 2000
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Is this love' / 'Blow wind blow'

Imagination - Belouis Some

Belouis Some was born as Neville Keighley on December 12, 1959. He released his debut album 'Some people' in 1985. The single 'Imagination' was taken from this album. On its first release in April 1985, it only reached number 50 in the UK singles chart. When it was re-released in January 1986, the single reached number 17.

The provocative music video was a regular on television for a year. No wonder then, that I remember this song well even now.

My collection: 7" single no. 383
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Imagination' / 'Have you ever been in love'

Dancing queen - Abba

Originally titled 'Boogaloo', 'Dancing Queen' was recorded in August 1975. During the sessions, Benny Andersson brought a tape home with the backing track on it and played it to his fiance, singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad, who apparently started crying when listening. She commented later: 'I thought the song was so beautiful'.

'Dancing Queen' became Abba's only American number one hit in April 1977. Before that, the single had already been a number one hit in Sweden (where it spent 14 weeks at the top), Norway, Ireland, West Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand.

In 1993, on the occasion of Queen Silvia's 50th birthday, Abba's Frida performed an accapella version of the song together with The Real Group. A video recording of this performance exists on 'Frida - The DVD', a documentary DVD released in 2005.

My collection: 7" single no. 2256
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, March 22, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Dancing Queen' / 'That's me'

Say hello wave goodbye - Soft Cell

Not only do I have the 12" single of 'Say hello wave goodbye', I've also got the 7" single. The single basically cuts the extended version of the 12" single into two parts, in which the first part becomes the instrumental version on the B-side, the second part is the single version on the A-side.

Soft Cell reached third place in the UK singles chart with this, one of their most acclaimed tracks in their career. It was covered by English singer David Gray in 1999.

My collection: 7" single no. 1929
Found: June 27, 1993
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Say hello wave goodbye' / 'Say hello wave goodbye (instrumental)'

Evening falls - Enya

'Evening falls' was the second single taken from Enya's breakthrough second album 'Watermark'. It was a typically silent song like she would record many times after this album and single. While her previous single 'Orinoco flow' was a number one hit in the UK, this one was less successful, peaking at number 20 only.

The B-side was a Gaelic version of the Christmas traditional 'Silent night' entitled 'Oiche Chiún', an apparent misspelling of 'Oiche Chiúin'.

My collection: 7" single no. 751
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, February 17, 1989
Cost: 4 guilders
Tracks: 'Evening falls' / 'Oiche Chiún'

Maman a tort - Mylene Farmer

Mylene Farmer was born on September 12, 1961 in Pierrefonds, Quebec, Canada, a suburb of Montreal. Her parents moved from France in the late Fifties as Farmer's father pursued an engineering contract on a dam. Her family returned to France when she was eight, settling in the Parisian suburb of Ville d'Avray. In 1984, Farmer met Laurent Boutonnat, a young film student, when she replied to a newspaper ad for an actress for a small film he was working on. Farmer and Boutonnat became friends and forged a creative partnership, writing and producing the music.

Boutonnat and a young songwriter named Jérôme Dahan wrote Farmer's first hit, 'Maman a tort', which was released to much success in March 1984. The video cost the modest sum of 5000 Francs but caused a stir in the music world. Boutonnat cast Farmer as a provocative Lolita figure, an image cultivated in her early days, especially on her debut album 'Cendres de lune', which was released in April 1986.

When I collected Mylene Farmer, starting in the early Nineties, these early singles already cost a fortune. I was quite happy to shell out a much larger sum for this single, bought from a dealer who apparently did not know he could easily fetch four times as much for it.

My collection: 7" single no. 2873
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, 1997
Cost: 20 guilders
Tracks: 'Maman a tort' / 'Maman a tort (instrumental)'

One thing leads to another - The Fixx

The Fixx were formed in 1980 in London by college friends Cy Curnin and Adam Woods, originally under the name The Portraits. The pair placed an ad for additional members. As a result, Jamie West-Oram, Rupert Greenall and Charlie Barret joined, and the band changed their name to The Fixx.

Their most successful release was the 1983 single 'One thing leads to another', which reached number 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100. In Europe, the single did not cause such a stir. It was released as a limited edition double single in the UK. The second disc included two earlier singles, which were minor successes in the UK in 1982.

My collection: 7" single no. 2614
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, February 10, 1996
Cost: 4 guilders
Tracks: 'One thing leads to another' / 'Inspiration' // 'Red skies' / 'Stand or fall'

Vriendschap - Het Goede Doel

The central theme of the song 'Vriendschap' ('Friendship') is made clear by the first sentence of the refrain: 'Eenmaal trek je de conclusie / Vriendschap is een illusie' ('Once you'll draw the conclusion / Friendship is an illusion'). This single by the Dutch band Het Goede Doel was one I played a lot after I was unsuccessful in conquering the heart of a female friend I had in highschool. She not only told me she wasn't interested in any romantic relationship, she also kept her distance for months. What a great friend she was.

The single was released in January 1983 and reached the number 4 position in the Dutch Top 40, just like their previous release, 'België'.

My collection: 7" single no. 3764
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received June 3, 2009

Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Vriendschap' / 'Anders dan iedereen'

Bruttosozialprodukt - Geier Sturzflug

Geier Sturzflug was formed by Friedel Geratsch, Werner Borowski, Uwe Kellerhoff, Michael Volkmann and Klaus Fiehe in 1979. They were one of the bands from the German New Wave genre, which took Germany by storm in the early Eighties.

Their single 'Bruttosozialprodukt' was the only one to find success in other non-German-speaking countries. It reached number 22 in the Dutch Top 40 in the summer of 1983.

My collection: 7" single no. 3308
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 24, 2001
Cost: 1 guilders
Tracks: 'Bruttosozialprodukt' / 'Früher oder später'

Somewhere only we know - Keane

'Somewhere only we know' was the first single from Keane's debut album 'Hopes and fears'. The first demo was composed by Tim Rice-Oxley circa 2001. Rice-Oxley composed this song out of hammering with the piano and based on David Bowie's song 'Heroes'. It was first played on the guitar, just before Dominic Scott left the band, and recorded as a demo the same year with a Yamaha CP70 instead of the guitar.

Keane recorded the final version in 2003 at the Helioscentric Studios, Rye, East Sussex for the album. This song was the first Keane item released on vinyl format. The records were numbered and limited to 5000 copies, only sold in the UK. My copy is number 2135. The single peaked at number 3 in the UK and number 15 in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 3798
Found: eBay.co.uk, received June 24, 2009
Cost: 5 pounds
Tracks: 'Somewhere only we know' / 'Snowed under'

It's my life - Talk Talk

During the making of 'Spirit of Eden', Talk Talk manager Keith Aspden had attempted to free the band from their recording contract with EMI. EMI, however, wished to keep the band on their roster. After many months of litigation, the band ultimately succeeded in extracting themselves from the contract. EMI then sued the band, claiming that Spirit of Eden was not "commercially satisfactory", but that case was thrown out of court.

With the band now released from EMI, the label released the retrospective compilation 'Natural history' in 1990. It went on to sell over one million copies in Britain alone and rose to number 3 in the UK album chart. The 1984 single 'It's my life' was also re-released, and this time became the band's biggest success in the UK, making number 13 in the singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2494
Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 30, 1995
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'It's my life' / 'Renée (Live from Hammersmith Odeon)'

Airport - Motors

The song 'Airport' by the Motors used to freak me out, because in the last minute you can hear a high-pitched voice screaming 'Airport!' in the same way my mother used to call me out for dinner. Many times I thought I was actually called by my mother while I was listening to this song.

'Airport' would prove to be the Motors' biggest hit, peaking at number 4 in the UK and number 28 in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 621
Found: Parkpop, June 1988
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Airport' / 'Cold love'

Valentine - T'pau

Siren Records re-released 'Valentine' in 1993 to promote 'Heart and soul: the very best of T'pau', a compilation album including all of T'pau's hits and then some. I was really surprised when I found this single, because when I bought it I didn't know that compilation had even been released.

The success of both the single and the album was shortlived: 'Valentine' reached number 53 in the UK singles chart in February 1993 during its one week chart run, while the album held on for two weeks in March, peaking at number 35.

My collection: 7" single no. 2357
Found: June 28, 1995
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Valentine' / 'China in your hand (live atHammersmith, March 88)'

Perfect day - Various artists

'Perfect day' was written by Lou Reed in 1972. The song was originally featured on his 1972 album 'Transformer'. The song's lyrics are often considered to suggest simple, conventional romantic devotion, possibly alluding to Reed’s relationship with Bettye Kronstadt (soon to become his first wife) and Reed’s own conflicts with his sexuality, drug use and ego.

In 1997 the track was used by the BBC in a lengthy promotion clip of its diverse music coverage which was broadcast on BBC channels and in cinemas. In reference to the license fee, the film ended with the message 'Whatever your musical taste, it is catered for by BBC Radio and Television. This is only possible thanks to the unique way the BBC is paid for by you. BBC. You make it what it is.' Prompted by a huge public demand the track was released in November as a charity single for Children in Need. It went number one in the UK, selling over a million copies in 1997.

The track was performed by an impressive array of performers, including (but not limited to) Lou Reed, Bono, David Bowie, Elton John, Emmylou Harris, Tom Jones and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

My collection: 7" single no. 2927
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, December 13, 1997
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Perfect day' / 'Perfect day (Female version)', 'Perfect day (Male version)'

A slow song - Joe Jackson

After his marriage ended, Joe Jackson moved toNew York. His 1982 album 'Night and day' was a partial tribute to the city. Songs like 'Real men' and 'A slow song' referenced New York indirectly. I don't know why 'Real men' ended up on the B-side of the single in the UK, but perhaps it was because of its anti-war sentiments under Thatcher's reign and the Falklands war that was taking place that year.

'A slow song' was put on the A-side instead, a seven minute epic, on the face of it complaining about the loudness of music and DJ's that keep playing uptempo tracks. But as always with Joe Jackson, there's bound to be a message beneath... You tell me!

My collection: 7" single no. 2994
Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, May 27, 1998
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'A slow song' / 'Real men'

The mosquito - The Doors

When Jim Morrison died in 1971 at just 27 years, he'd created a legacy together with his band mates John Densmore, Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger. You'd think that the surviving members were careful not to ruin the memory, but they have been doing several ill-advised things in the 38 years since, the most regrettable being recent tours with Ian Astbury or Brett Scallions trying to replace Morrison.

But in 1971, they also decided to go on as a threesome. They released two more albums before disbanding. Their last album in this form was 'Full circle', released in August 1972. The album was an eclectic mix of styles, as this single, taken from the album, vividly illustrates. 'The mosquito' reached number 18 in the Netherlands, but the question remains: what would Jim Morrison have thought of this?

My collection: 7" single no. 3796
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received June 23, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'The mosquito' / 'It slipped my mind'

Rechtop in de wind - Marcha

Marga Bult was born as Marga Groeneveld on July 2, 1956 in Lattrop, the Netherlands. In 1981, producer Peter Koelewijn selected her out of 250 singers to replace Gemma van Eck, who had left the popular Dutch girl group Babe. They worked together for five years until Babe fell apart.

In 1987, Marga was selected to represent the Netherlands with the song 'Rechtop in de wind' (literal translation: 'Upright in the wind'), a song - not coincidentally - written by Peter Koelewijn. She changed her name to Marcha for this occasion, making it easier for international juries to pronounce her name. She ended at fifth place during the Contest, a surprisingly good result. Even more surprising: it wasn't a hit in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 3795
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received June 23, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Rechtop in de wind' / 'Lost in gale force 10'

You better you bet - The Who

In 1981, the Who released their album 'Face dances'. It was their first album since the death of drummer Keith Moon, who was replaced on this album by Kenney Jones. The song 'You better you bet', written by Pete Townshend, was taken from the album as the first single.

It became the last single by the Who that reached the top 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 18, and the last top 10 hit the UK, where it peaked at number 9. In the Netherlands, it was the band's last hit, also peaking at number 9. I hated the song 28 years ago, but now I really like it! Times have changed.

My collection: 7" single no. 3794
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received June 23, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'You better you bet' / 'The quiet one'

Du bist da - Anne Marie David

Anne Marie David won the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Tu te reconnaitras'. I didn't know at first that she'd released different versions of the song. 'Du bist da' was recorded for German-speaking countries. Even the B-side 'Au bout du monde' was translated into German for this single.

After the Contest, Anne Marie David started touring the world. She lived in Turkey for a while and recorded two singles and one album in Turkey and got several awards there.

My collection: 7" single no. 3973
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received June 23, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Du bist da' / 'Komm' mit mir ins Land der Träume'

Fight for ourselves - Spandau Ballet

In 1986, Spandau Ballet signed to CBS Records and released their fifth studio album 'Through the Barricades'. On the album, the band tried to move away from the pop and soul influences of their two previous albums 'True' and 'Parade' and moved towards rock.

The lead single 'Fight for ourselves', was released in July 1986 in a limited edition including a posterbag. The single reached number 15 in the UK singles chart and number 16 in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 3792
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received June 23, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Fight for ourselves' / 'Fight... the heartache'

Wires - Athlete

When I heard 'Wires', I thought it was the debut single of the band Athlete. But I was wrong: the band was formed in 1999 by Joel Pott, Carey Willets, Steve Roberts and Tim Wanstall and they had already released several singles and one album, 'Vehicles and animals' (2003).

However, their second album 'Tourist' was their definite breakthrough album, reaching number 1 in the UK albums chart. The single 'Wires' was released in January 2005 and reached number 4 in the UK singles chart. The impressive song was written by band leader Joel Pott about his daughter, who was born prematurely. The single was released as a limited edition, including a poster of the strange cover image.

My collection: 7" single no. 3791
Found: eBay.co.uk, received June 23, 2009
Cost: 5 pounds
Tracks: 'Wires (radio edit)' / 'Transformer man'

Nearly there - One 2 Many

It's interesting how maintaining this blog has influenced me to buy more singles lately. The 7" single format has always had a special attraction to me, but I thought I'd reached the point where I have everything I wanted to have. But there are some strange omissions in my collection, and this particular one came to my attention recently just by working on this blog!

'Nearly there' was the third single from One 2 Many's only album 'Mirror'. I described the 12" single a few months ago, and that's when I found out that I don't have the single. Well, that error has been corrected now: a friendly dealer on eBay sold me the record and I received it today. I think I have all the One 2 Many singles now!

My collection: 7" single no. 3790
Found: eBay.co.uk, received June 23, 2009
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Nearly there' / 'In my heart'

How to be dead - Snow Patrol

Snow Patrol gained mainstream success with their song 'Run' in 2003. The album 'Final straw' was equally successful. It peaked at number 3 in the UK albums chart. The band followed up the success of 'Run' with three more singles from the album, with 'How to be dead' being the last one. That single reached number 39 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 3494
Found: eBay.co.uk, received December 23, 2008
Cost: 3 pounds
Tracks: 'How to be dead (CLA mix)' / 'You are my joy (Live at Somerset house)'

I believe (A soulful re-recording) - Tears for Fears

'I believe (A soulful re-recording)' was the fifth single taken from Tears for Fears' 1984 album 'Songs from the big chair'. It became their ninth UK Top 40 hit, peaking at number 23. The song also reached the Top 10 in Ireland. The song was written by Roland Orzabal who had originally planned to offer it to British musician Robert Wyatt to record, though it was later decided that Tears for Fears would record the song themselves. A cover of Robert Wyatt's 'Sea song' served as the single's B-side. Although the single was not released in America, this re-recording of the song was done in the midst of the band's 1985 American tour.

This limited edition double single also featured the album version of 'I believe' along with a rather rare remix of 'Shout'.

My collection: 7" single no. 375
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 12 guilders
Tracks: 'I believe (A soulful re-recording)' / 'Sea song' // 'I believe (album version)' / 'Shout (dub mix)'

Can't give you anything (but my love) - The Stylistics

'Can't give you anything (but my love)' was a UK number 1 hit in August 1975 for three weeks by The Stylistics. After splitting from record producer Thom Bell in 1974, songwriters/producers Hugo & Luigi and George David Weiss took over, with arrangements by Van McCoy. Although the split with Bell proved disastrous in the US, The Stylistics continued to be popular in the UK and this was their first and only UK number 1 single.

In 2006, it was used as the base for a Japanese advertisement campaign by Gatsby, to launch their new male hair styling product, 'Moving Rubber'. The campaign was successful due to the tune and that the commercial featured one of Japan's most popular celebrities, Takuya Kimura, of the pop group, SMAP.

My collection: 7" single no. 2806
Found: Record fair, January 25, 1997
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Can't give you anything (but my love)' / 'I'd rather be hurt by you (than be loved by somebody else)'

Road to your soul - All about Eve

All about Eve had a troubled time while recording their second album. Having just found success with 'Martha's harbour', they were suffering from internal conflicts and uncertainty about their new direction. 'Scarlet and other stories' became a flawed masterpiece as a result.

Not that I knew anything about this: I picked up the brand new single by All about Eve while on holiday in London in October 1989. 'Road to your soul' was the single that turned me into an All about Eve fan almost overnight. I heard it upon return home and was immediately hooked. The UK audience had more trouble with it, apparently: the single peaked at number 37 and did not become the number one hit it should have been.

My collection: 7" single no. 994
Found: HMV, London, October 16, 1989
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Road to your soul' / 'Pieces of our heart'

In my house - Mary Jane Girls

After seeing Prince become successful with proteges like Vanity 6, Rick James decided to start a similar project. He brought together Joanne McDuffie, Kimberly Wuletich, Ann Bailey and Candice Ghant and named them Mary Jane Girls, commonly believed to be named after the drug Marijuana. Soon after the release of their debut album Bailey left the group, to be replaced by Yvette Marine.

When the first single from their second album 'Only four you' (1985), 'Break it up' was not a big success, 'In my house' was chosen as the second single. It gave them their only hit in the Netherlands, peaking at number 6 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1984
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, October 17, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'In my house' / 'In my house (instrumental)'

In the evening - Sheryl Lee Ralph

Sheryl Lee Ralph was born in Waterbury, Connecticut on December 30, 1956. Ralph began her career on the stage and was nominated in 1982 for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Deena Jones in 'Dreamgirls'.

In 1984, she debuted as a singer with the album 'In the evening'. The title track was released as a single and became her only international hit. It reached number 64 in the UK and number 16 in the Netherlands. The B-side is incorrectly labeled as the instrumental version of 'In the evening'. But I don't know which song this is really.

My collection: 7" single no. 1825
Found: Record palace, Amsterdam, January 13, 1993
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'In the evening' / 'In the evening (instrumental)'

Cruel - Tori Amos

Tori Amos recorded her 1998 album 'From the choirgirl hotel' after she suffered a miscarriage. The sense of loss and blame were obvious in a lot of the tracks. 'Each song would show me a certain side of herself because of what I was going through. So a song like 'Cruel' came to me out of my anger. 'She's Your Cocaine' and 'iieee' came out of a sense of loss and sacrifice. And other songs celebrated the fact that I found a new appreciation for life through this loss.'

'Cruel' was released as the album's third single in the USA. It did not chart, and no further singles were released from the album after this.

My collection: 7" single no. 3050
Found: Record fair, February 20, 1999
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Cruel (Shady feline mix)' / 'Raspberry swirl (Lip gloss version)'