Obsession - Army of lovers

The Swedish trio Army of lovers formed in 1987. The three members, Alexander Bard, Jean-Pierre Barda and Camilla Henemark (a.k.a. La Camilla) had worked together previously in the band Barbie. Bard was the 'brain' behind the band, and La Camilla was the flamboyant frontwoman.

1991 was their most succesful year, with the release of 'Crucified', which became a worldwide hit, and its follow-up 'Obsession', the only single by the band that I wanted to own. The single reached number 1 in Finland, number 9 in the Netherlands and number 67 in the UK singles chart, but was also a hit in America and several other European countries.

My collection: 7" single no. 2135
Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, August 2, 1994
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Obsession' / 'Obsession (dub mix)'

Some like it hot - The Power Station

After Duran Duran's third album 'Seven and the ragged tiger', the members of the band split into two bands. One was Arcadia, which maintained the melodic and atmospheric aspects of the Duran Duran's previous recordings. The other was the Power Station, in which John and Andy Taylor worked with Robert Palmer, Tony Thompson, and Bernrd Edwards to create a rhythmic harder rock sound. Roger Taylor was mainly the drummer for Arcadia, but also contributed percussion to the Power Station.

The Power Station's debut single was 'Some like it hot', an aggressive-sounding single with soulful vocals by Robert Palmer. The single peaked at number 6 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 13 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 14 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 290
Found: LP Top 100, 1985
Cost: 5,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Some like it hot' / 'The heat is on'

Ik wil je nooit meer zien - Polle Eduard Band

Every now and again, there's a Dutch song on this blog and it is usually met with muted silence. Still, I'm always curious what foreign readers think of these songs. I don't buy the Dutch trash, it's usually the better pop songs that end up here.

'Ik wil je nooit meer zien' ('I never want to see you again') by the Polle Eduard Band is an example of Eighties pop that can certainly compete with international bands around at that time. The lyric is full of hate for an ex-lover. The single did not chart in the Netherlands - and not outside of the country either, obviously.

My collection: 7" single no. 982
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, August 29, 1989
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Ik wil je nooit meer zien' / 'Meiden van de nacht'

I feel love - Bronski Beat and Marc Almond

Entitled 'I feel love', this is actually a medley of three songs: 'Love to love you' and 'I feel love', originally by Donna Summer and 'Johnnie remember me', originally by Johnny Leyton. Bronski Beat invited Marc Almond to sing on their track. Although the original had been one of Marc Almond's all-time favourite songs, he had never read the lyrics and thus incorrectly sang 'What'll it be, what'll it be, you and me' instead of 'Falling free, falling free, falling free'.

The single was a success, peaking at number 3 in the UK singles chart and number 17 in the Dutch Top 40. The music video was a decidedly camp affair.

My collection: 7" single no. 2245
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 23, 1995
Cost: 1 guilders
Tracks: 'I feel love' / 'Puit d'amour'

Soundtrack to a generation - Human League

With the release of 'Heart like a wheel' the Human League seemed to have gotten things back on track. The album 'Romantic?', released a month later, reached number 24 in the UK albums chart, which wasn't particularly high, but it did warrant a second single release. Perhaps 'Soundtrack to a generation' wasn't the best choice, with its generic music score and the incidental exclamations of 'Holy cow!' by Sulley and Catherall.

After losing money on the single's promotion and its music video, Virgin Records ran out of patience with the Human league. There would be no further releases from 'Romantic?' and within a year the band would be dropped by the label.

My collection: 7" single no. 2509
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 30, 1995
Cost: 10p
Tracks: 'Soundtrack to a generation' / 'Soundtrack to a generation (instrumental)'

Opportunities (let's make lots of money) - Pet Shop Boys

After the original version of 'Opportunities' did not become a hit, Pet Shop Boys changed record companies and released the song once again, in a new version. It became their third hit single, after 'West end girls' (also a re-recorded version) and 'Love comes quickly'.

Accoring to Neil Tennant, the lyric of the song is about 'two losers'. The song is written from the perspective of a man who describes himself as being intellectual and educated. The lyrics are addressed towards another character, who is invited to join the song's protagonist in a scheme to 'make lots of money'. Tennant has made it clear, however, that the schemes are doomed to failure. The band have attributed the cynicism of the song, in part, to the punk rock attitudes of the period.

A notable change between the original and re-recorded versions of 'Opportunities' is the omission of the spoken outro 'All the love that we had / And the love that we hide / Who will bury us / When we die?' According to Tennant, the lyrics were removed from the second version of the song as the duo feared the passage would be construed as being 'too pretentious'.

My collection: 7" single no. 456
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, September 13, 1986
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Opportunities (Let's make lots of money)' / 'Was that what it was?'

Love like we do - Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians

Since my sister had bought the cd, I'd heard every track on the album 'Shooting rubberbands at the stars', the debut album by Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians. So when I saw this single during a holiday in London, I did not know it had been released, but I did know it was a nice track. And so I bought the single without blinking an eye.

'Love like we do' is another optimistic track from an already very optimistic album, and comes with a bonus non-album track. It was the third and last single from the album; it did not chart in the UK and Europe.

My collection: 7" single no. 1077
Found: HMV, London, October 19, 1989
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Love like we do' / 'Plain Jane'

Sold on you - IQ

After I bought 'Promises (as the years go by)' I saw this single. In the mood for an experiment, I decided to take it home. The track was pleasant enough, but I didn't play it very often. 'Sold on you' was taken from the band's 1989 album 'Are you sitting comfortably?'. Neither the single nor the album reached the charts in the UK - or outside of the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 930
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, July 6, 1989
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Sold on you' / 'Through my fingers'

Red hot! - Princess

If Princess had continued working with Stock, Aitken & Waterman, her entire body of work would have sounded like her debut single. So thankfully, with this single, she changed things around a bit. 'Red hot!' was produced by Richard James Burgess, giving the track a bit of a fuller sound.

It was the last time that Princess would grace the UK singles chart, reaching number 58 in the summer of 1987. This single was a limited edition, pressed on - how appropriate - red vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 2373
Found: House of Rhythm, London, July 1, 1995
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'Red hot!' / 'Programmed to love you'

Walking back to me - Sam Brown

Sam Brown is the daughter of Sixties rocker Joe Brown and top session singer Vicki Brown. She was born on October 7, 1964 in Stratford, London, England. She began her musical career at twelve, singing backing vocals on the Small Faces album '78 in the shade' (1978). She continued doing backing vocals with Sade, Spandau Ballet and Barclay James Harvest.

In 1986, she signed a recording contract with A&M Records. Her debut single 'Walking back to me' was released in 1988. It did not chart in England, but it did reach number 65 in Germany. Little did she know that her second single would become the biggest hit of her career...

My collection: 7" single no. 1885
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, April 24, 1993
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Walking back to me' / 'Tender hearts'

Love is all is all right - UB40

Although this track sounds slightly rudimentary, it is the seventh single by UB40, released in 1982. 'Love is all is all right' is one of the most laidback reggae songs I ever heard in my life, which was part of the appeal.

The single reached number 29 in the UK singles chart and number 22 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2405
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Love is all is all right' / 'One-a-penny'

Some finer day - All about Eve

When you compare all the sleeves of All about Eve singles through the years, this one is a pretty dismal affair. It's almost a shoddy sleeve, a piece of work that could only have resulted from disinterest from the record company.

'Some finer day' was the final single by All about Eve, the second one from their album 'Ultraviolet' (1992). It reached number 57 in the UK singles chart during its one week in the chart. Soon after this, the band was dropped from their label MCA Records and the band disbanded not long after that.

My collection: 7" single no. 1865
Found: Wreckastow, Rotterdam, January 30, 1993
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Some finer day' / 'Moodswing'

What if - Coldplay

'What if' is a track from Coldplay's third album 'X&Y'. It was released as a single to radio stations in France and the French speaking regions in Belgium and Switzerland. A cd-single was only released commercially in Belgium, whereas this 7" vinyl single is originally part of the Coldplay Singles box set. (I managed to buy a separate single from a dealer who was apparently splitting up his box set.)

This single features the Tom Lord-Alge mix of 'What if', which differs from the album version.

My collection: 7" single no. 3496
Found: eBay.com, received December 23, 2008
Cost: 4 euro
Tracks: 'What if' / 'How you see the world (live)'

Blue Monday 1988 - New Order

At 7 minutes and 30 seconds, the original version of New Order's 'Blue Monday' is one of the longest tracks ever to chart in the UK. It was released on 12" single only, which made it an even more unique charting track. The band claimed to have written the song in response to crowd disappointment at the fact that they never played encores. This song, they say, allowed them to return to the stage, press play on a synthesiser and leave the stage again.

The track was remixed in 1988 and released as a single. This remixed version was considerably shorter and peaked at number 3 in the UK singles chart (whereas the original reached number 9).

My collection: 7" single no. 2450
Found: Record fair, Leiden, September 2, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Blue Monday 1988' / 'Beach buggy'

Had a dream - Roger Hodgson

Roger Hodgson was born on March 21, 1950 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. Between 1969 and 1983 he was a member of the legendary pop group Supertramp, lending the band his distinctive vocals and also writing some of their best known songs.

After he left Supertramp, Hodgson launched into a solo career, starting off with 1984's 'In the eye of the storm'. He was credited with playing nearly all the instruments as well as writing and producing the album. The single 'Had a dream' was released in October 1984 and reached number 39 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2417
Found: All that music, Leiden, July 22, 1995
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Had a dream' / 'Only because of you'

Tandem - Vanessa Paradis

Young Vanessa Paradis followed up her debut album 'M&J' (1987) with a second album, 'Variations sur le même t'aime' in 1990. On this album, she had French music legend Serge Gainsbourg compose songs for her. The track 'Tandem' was released as one of the singles from the album.

I bought the single without having heard it, because sometimes I like to experiment a little. Even though the song did not touch me back in 1995, I have to say I quite like it now that I've heard it again. At only 18 years old, Paradis was making some very mature music.

My collection: 7" single no. 2275
Found: Record fair, April 23, 1995
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Tandem' / 'Ophelie'

Careless memories - Duran Duran

'Careless memories' was the second single by Duran Duran, released in April 1981. The choice to release this song as a single was made by the record company. They must have been unpleasantly surprised when it stalled at number 37 in the UK singles chart, after the debut single 'Planet earth' had been a top 20 hit. Subsequent singles were chosen by the band - and became big hits.

This perhaps one of the least recognised Duran Duran tracks, and I admit I didn't know the track when I bought the single. Still, as I was collecting Duran Duran, I had to have this one as well.

My collection: 7" single no. 2639
Found: April 13, 1996
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Careless memories' / 'Khanada'

The second time - Kim Wilde

Kim Wilde left RAK Records in 1984 and signed a new recording contract with MCA Records. They launched Kim Wilde with a new image, courtesy of XL Design, who were also responsible for the images of Wham! and Frankie goes to Hollywood back then. Kim's new single 'The second time' sounded fresh and exciting, the video was vibrant and full of energy and the lyric of 'The second time' was quite daring.

Still, the audiences did not fall for it immediately. The single reached number 24 in the Dutch Top 40 and at number 29 in the UK singles chart. It was quite hard for Kim to come back with a bang. I for one still think this is one of the best singles of her career.

My collection: 7" single no. 244
Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, 1984
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'The second time' / 'Lovers on a beach'

Headlights on the parade - The Blue Nile

The second single from the Blue Nile's second album 'Hats' was a remixed version of 'Headlights on the parade'. The remix was made by Bob Clearmountain, who previously mixed tracks by artists like Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones and Bryan Adams. Not the most obvious person to handle a Blue Nile track, but the remix turned out quite reasonable.

It didn't help the success of the single much: it spent one week in the UK singles chart at number 72. But the Blue Nile was always an 'albums act' anyway.

My collection: 7" single no. 1295
Found: HMV, London, October 15, 1990
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Headlights on the parade (Bob Clearmountain remix)' / 'Headlights on the parade (album version)'

Straight up - Paula Abdul

'Straight up' was the third single from Paula Abdul's debut album 'Forever your girl', but the first one to be a worldwide success. The single spent three weeks at number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaked at number 2 in Australia and number 3 in the Netherlands, Germany and the UK.

I bought the single within months of its release, since I liked this song as it played on the radio. In later years, I learned to appreciate it less for its synthetic sounds and the thin voice of Abdul. But now I have to say my judgement lies somewhere in the middle: despite its flaws it's still a nice song. I bought a poster edition of the single in the UK, but only just realised that the B-side of the poster edition is different. Hence, here's the last addition from my London shopping spree.

My collection: 7" single no. 871 / no. 3999
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, June 2, 1989 / Record Exchange, London, August 5, 2009
Cost: 6 guilders / 50p
Tracks (1): 'Straight up' / 'Cold hearted'
Tracks (2): 'Straight up' / 'Straight up (Power mix)'

Secret land - Sandra

When I was introduced by a friend to the music of Sandra (he kept nagging me to listen to it until I finally gave in), he gave me the cd of 'Into a secret land'. It was the title track that grabbed my attention, and it is probably the track you can single out as the creative peak of Sandra and Michael Cretu. A great synth hook, an interesting lyric and a nice, glossy Eighties production.

The song is an adaptation of a Hubert Kemmler-produced song called 'Trenchcoat man', released as a single by an unknown German band named Fabrique in 1987. 'Secret land' reached number 1 in Israel, peaking at number 7 in Germany and number 9 in Switzerland.

My collection: 7" single no. 2094
Found: Record fair, April 16, 1994
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Secret land' / 'Into nobody's land'

You keep me hanging on - Vanilla Fudge

Oh dear. Whenever the song 'You keep me hangin' on' is mentioned, the cover version by the Sixties band Vanilla Fudge comes up. I guess at the time it was quite an innovation to record a song in a different style than the original (in this case, slower and in a rock fashion), but when you listen to it now, you can't help but noticed the dated sound of it all and the terrible lead vocals by Mark Stein. This is even more obvious in the B-side, which sounds like an amateur band at best.

Still, the band managed to reach number 18 in the UK singles chart and number 13 in the Dutch Top 40. After this one hit, they disappeared from the charts until their breakup in 1970. But like in bad horror movies, the band keeps being reanimated - they have reformed in various lineups three times already.

My collection: 7" single no. 2980
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, April 16, 1998
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'You keep me hanging on' / 'Take me for a little while'

Living in another world - Talk Talk

After 'It's my life' and 'Such a shame', here's the third and - as far as I know - last of three singles taken from the compilation album 'Natural history'. As far as re-releases go, this single is probably the most interesting of the three. Not only does it feature a live recording of the track on the B-side, the A-side features a new edit of 'Living in another world'. Although I'm not a fan of edits per se, it is always interesting to hear a new version of a track.

It was an unsuccessful release: the single did not chart, and the record company EMI turned their attention towards the following step in their 'milking the Talk Talk catalogue' operation. More about that later.

My collection: 7" single no. 2725
Found: September 7, 1996
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Living in another world (edit)' / 'Living in another world (live)'

Don't you want me - Jody Watley

Jody Watley's debut album 'Looking for a new love' yielded five hits, of which 'Don't you want me' was the second. It reached number 6 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 55 in the UK singles chart.

Even though I am really impressed with the album as a whole and all the hit singles as well, I do wonder why Jody Watley posed on the sleeve of this single in such a lack of clothes. It doesn't look particularly classy...

My collection: 7" single no. 1749
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 19, 1992
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'Don't you want me' / 'Don't you want me (radio remix)'

I don't like Mondays - The Boomtown Rats

'I don't like Mondays' was written by the lead singer of the Boomtown Rats, Bob Geldof after he read a telex report at Georgia State University's campus radio station, WRAS, where he was giving an interview. The report was about Brenda Ann Spencer, aged 16 at the time, firing at children playing in a school playground across the street from her home in San Diego, California. She killed two adults and injured eight children and one police officer. Spencer showed no remorse for her crime, and her full explanation for her actions was 'I don't like Mondays, this livens up the day'.

Geldof had originally intended the song as a B-side, but changed his mind after the song went down well with audiences on the Boomtown Rats' US tour. Spencer's family tried unsuccessfully to prevent the single from being released in the United States. It reached number 73 in the US Billboard Hot 100. In the UK, it was a number 1 hit, and in the Netherlands the single reached number 2. The single was one of two singles I got from my parents as a birthday present.

My colection: 7" single no. 27
Found: present, August 31, 1979
Cost: nothing
Tracks: 'I don't like Mondays' / 'It's all the rage'

Irresistible - Stephanie

When an artist records two versions of a song, one in French and one in English, it's quite easy to make an extended remix: you just use the verses of both versions and before you know it the song is about seven minutes long.

That's what happened with Stephanie's 'Irresistible', which she also recorded in French as 'Ouragan', on this 12" single. Fortunately, there are also a few interesting instrumental passages, but the whole thing is not very imaginative. Still, like all the material from Stephanie's debut album, it's pleasant enough to listen to.

My collection: 12" single no. 511
Found: ?
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Irresistible (extended)' / 'Irresistible', 'Ouragan'

The way it is - Bruce Hornsby and the Range

Such is the nature of beautiful music, that these days even people with not an inch of artisticity in their body recycle it to make their own filth. Bruce Hornsby's 'The way it is' fell victim to Tupac Shakur when he made the track 'Changes', which for reasons that are still a mystery to me became a worldwide hit.

'The way it is' itself is a thing of rare beauty. I've always been attracted to keyboard-based songs and the way the piano is used in this track is truly phenomenal. The lyric tends a bit towards the preachy side, but with a Christian Scientist upbringing, Hornsby probably couldn't help himself. The single was a number 1 hit the Netherlands and the USA. And in this case, that's not a mystery to me.

My collection: 7" single no. 915
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 25, 1989
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'The way it is' / 'The red plains'

Killer - Adamski

Adamski was born as Adam Tinley on December 4, 1967 in the New Forest, England. In the late Eighties, at the time of acid house, Adamski made a name for himself in the club circuit, touring with Daddy Chester and later with Seal. With the latter, he wrote 'Killer', which would become Adamski's breakthrough single, but is better known as the track that launched Seal's career.

The single reached number 1 in the UK singles charts and peaked at number 2 in the Netherlands and Germany. While Adamski had no more notable hit singles, Seal started a solo career that would see him reach the charts around the world with hits like 'Crazy', 'Kiss from a rose' and many others.

My collection: 7" single no. 1405
Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, April 3, 1991
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Killer' / 'Bassline changed my life'

It would take a strong strong man - Rick Astley

I bought this single of 'It would take a strong strong man' in 1995. I didn't know it had been released as a single, but since this was an American pressing I assumed it was only released over there. I was right, to a degree: this single reached number 10 in the US Billboard Hot 100, but it also reached number 2 in Canada and number 4 in Ireland.

The real treat here is the B-side: just like 'It would take a strong strong man', 'You move me' was taken from Astley's debut album 'Whenever you need somebody'. But 'You move me' is the best track on the album, a bouncy, soulful track that is still fresh two decades later. And the lyric is very appropriate for these times of crisis and people losing their jobs.

My collection: 7" single no. 2317
Found: Record fair, June 3, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'It would take a strong strong man' / 'You move me'

Advice for the young at heart - Tears for Fears

'Advice for the young at heart' was the third single taken from the 1989 Tears for Fears album 'The seeds of love'. The song was written by Roland Orzabal and keyboardist/singer Nicky Holland. The lyric 'Love is a promise, love is a souvenir once given, never forgotten, never let it disappear' is a quote from John Lennon. The lead vocal on the song was sung by Curt Smith; the only track he sang on the whole album. The single peaked at number 36 in the UK singles chart and number 22 in the Dutch Top 40.

In the UK, this single was released in a limited edition box set (pictured below) including four postcards. The front of the box set states that it's 'part one', but I've never seen 'part two'.

The music video for this single was the last Tears for Fears video to feature both Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith before their acrimonious split in the early Nineties. It would be 15 years before they made a video together again ('Closest thing to heaven' in 2005).

My collection: 7" single no. 1230
Found: Esprit Mail Order, received July 1990
Cost: 5 pounds
Tracks: 'Advice for the young at heart' / 'Johnny Panic and the bible of dreams'

Faith - George Michael

You don't hear it much on the radio nowadays, but George Michael's 'Faith' actually starts out with an organ intro, playing the Wham! song 'Freedom'. There were high expectations preceding the release of this solo single, since all of Michael's previous solo singles resulted in top three hits in the UK. This was the last single release before his debut album, also called 'Faith' saw the light of day one month later.

The single 'Faith' did not disappoint: it reached number 2 in the UK singles and topped the charts in Australia, Italy, New Zealand, the Netherlands and the USA.

My collection: 7" single no. 2452
Found: Record fair, September 2, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Faith' / 'Hand to mouth'

Hurts to be in love - Gino Vanelli

Gino Vanelli was born on June 16, 1952 in Montreal, Quebec. His career took off in the Seventies, when he signed to A&M Records, releasing his debut album in 1973. Although successful in Europe and America, Vanelli never had a hit in the UK.

He continued to be successful in the Eighties, with this ballad as a good example. 'Hurts to be in love' was released in December 1985 and reached number 6 in the Dutch Top 40. The single also reached number 57 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1410
Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, April 3, 1991
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Hurts to be in love' / 'Here she comes'

Last words - Ten Sharp

Ten Sharp were unable to release an album between 1985 and 1987, but they did release four singles on the CBS label. This one was the third and probably the best of them. 'Last words' was not a hit for the band, causing them to rethink their sound and come back in 1987 with a hardrock-esque track, 'Way of the west'.

The 12" single contains a good extended remix of 'Last words'.

My collection: 7" single no. 419
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, June 28, 1986
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Last words' / 'White gold'

Pump up the jam - Technotronic

I've always been a fan of songs with a beautiful melody and deep, meaningful lyrics. I like to be touched by music, feel the passion and the warmth of the artist in it, that's also why I have a lot of singer/songwriters in my record collection. But every now and again, I have to buy a record because it does not fit the profile.

In the autumn of 1989, I was suddenly grabbed by the nonsensical track 'Pump up the jam' by Belgian producers act Technotronic. I suddenly felt the desire to write down the lyrics and take it all in. Until you do that, there's no way to pin down the utter vacuousness of it all. In the end, I bought the single because I laughed so hard at the track. It has been a top 10 hit around the world. Used to be a time when one had to actually be able to compose to achieve that. But in 1989, all you had to do was say 'Pump up the jam / Pump it pump it pump it pump it'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1178
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, February 17, 1990
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Pump up the jam' / 'Pump up the jam (original mix)'

Sleeping satellite - Tasmin Archer

Although first released in 1992, Archer and her co-writers wrote 'Sleeping satellite' in the late Eighties, but it was only when Archer got a record deal that the song saw the light of day. Archer sings backing vocals on the track along with Tessa Niles and Carol Kenyon. Released on August 31, 1992, the single rose to the top of the chart in the UK, creating an instant media hype at the time.

The single was also a success in other countries. In the Netherlands, 'Sleeping satellite' became Archer's only chart hit, peaking at number 9 in November 1992.

My collection: 7" single no. 2482
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 29, 1995
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Sleeping satellite' / 'Sleeping satellite (acoustic version)'

Shadow on the wall - Mike Oldfield

'Shadow in the wall' by Mike Oldfield was taken from his 1983 album 'Crises'. Vocals on this track were performed by Roger Chapman, formerly from the band Streetwalkers. The single had an aggressive sound, very different from the biggest hit from the same album, 'Moonlight shadow'.

The single was a number 1 hit in Austria, reached number 10 in the Netherlands and stalled at number 95 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 218
Found: Studio Echo, Den Haag, 1983
Cost: 5,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Shadow on the wall' / 'Taurus 3'

What's in a kiss - Gilbert O'Sullivan

Gilbert O'Sullivan was born on December 1, 1946 in Waterford, Ireland. After scoring worldwide successes with songs like 'Alone again (naturally)' and 'Get down', he released the 1980 album 'Off centre', with 'What's in a kiss' as the first single from that album.

The single reached number 19 in the UK singles chart and number 21 in Japan. I got to know the song thanks to a compilation album released in the second half of the Eighties, and bought the single not long after that.

My collection: 7" single no. 846
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, May 27, 1989
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'What's in a kiss' / 'Down, down, down'

Ooh to be ah - Kajagoogoo

After the success of their debut single 'Too shy', Kajagoogoo's follow-up single 'Ooh to be ah' was released quickly. Although not topping the chart like its predecessor, the single still reached a respectable seventh place in the UK singles chart.

The nonsensical title hides a lyric about the showbiz and glamour world in which appearance is all-important. It is still a very topical song, then.

My collection: 7" single no. 1307
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 15, 1990
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Ooh to be ah' / 'Animal instincts'

Smooth operator - Sade

'Smooth operator' was released as the third single from Sade's debut album 'Diamond life'. Ray St. John, who co-wrote the song with Sade Adu, was a member of Adu's former band Pride, although he was not a member of the band Sade. The pair had co-written the song in 1982 while still members of Pride, but they did not get around to recording it because St. John left Pride shortly after Sade joined.

The B-side of the single contained a non-album track, 'Spirit', whereas the A-side was an edited version of the album track. It reached number 5 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 19 in both the UK singles chart and the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1417
Found: April 7, 1991
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Smooth operator' / 'Spirit'

Phased EP - All about Eve

In 1992, All about Eve left their record company Phonogram and signed to MCA Records. They recorded a new album 'Ultraviolet', which was released in the autumn, with this EP preceding it. Well, it was... different. Gone was the romantic, goth-like All about Eve of the past: here was a modern, cold-sounding band, with Julianne Regan's vocals buried deep in the mix.

The Phased EP was a collection of two album tracks, one instrumental version of an album track and one non-album track ('Ascent/descent'). It barely caught on, but still managed to reach number 38 in the UK singles chart during its two week chart run.

My collection: 7" single no. 1726
Found: Tower Records, London, October 17, 1992
Cost: 2,3 pounds
Tracks: 'Phased', 'Mine' / 'Infrared (instrumental version)', 'Ascent/descent'

Set the fire to the third bar - Snow Patrol

'Set the fire to the third bar' was the third single taken from Snow Patrol's fourth album 'Eyes open'. It features guest vocals from Martha Wainwright, a Canadian-American folk-rock singer/songwriter. The lyric of the song is about a couple separated by a great distance and their longing to be together again. After their long journey to meet each they would settle down in front of an electric bar fire, hence the title, 'Set the fire to the third bar'.

The single reached number 18 in the UK singles chart and number 22 in the Irish chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 3580
Found: eBay, received February 2009
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Set the fire to the third bar' / 'Chasing cars (live)'

Fat - Weird Al Yankovic

Released in 1988, 'Fat' by Weird Al Yankovic is a parody of Michael Jackson's 1987 single 'Bad'. In a way, Yankovic continued the theme set out by his parody of 'Beat it', entitled 'Eat it'. The music video for 'Fat' was shot in the same subway set as the music video for 'Bad' and parodies a host of elements from that video.

Although the music video was shown numerous times on Dutch television, it did not chart. In the UK singles chart, 'Fat' reached number 80, whereas in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart it peaked at number 99.

My collection: 7" single no. 3998
Found: Marktplaats.nl, received August 12, 2009
Cost: 3 euro
Tracks: 'Fat' / 'You make me'

I've been in love before - Cutting Crew

Vocalist Nick Van Eede founded Cutting Crew along with Canadian guitarist Kevin Scott MacMichael in 1985, and the two made demos that led to a recording contract, before bassist Colin Farley and drummer Martin Beadle joined in 1986. They recorded the debut album 'Broadcast', which was released that same year. Their debut single '(I just) Died in your arms' was a worldwide hit, but after that they had some trouble coming up with a satisfactory successor.

'I've been in love before' was released two times: the original single appeared in later 1986. A different version of the single appeared a year later, featuring a shorter and slightly remixed version of the A-side. I bought the 1987 version (pictured below) in 1995, but depending on my photographic memory once again, I bought the 1986 version (pictured above) last week. At first, I thought I'd struck out, but listening more closely to the tracks made me realise these are actually two different singles.

Both singles actually made the UK singles chart: the 1986 version reached number 31, whereas the 1987 version reached number 24.

My collection: 7" single no. 2519 (1987 version) / no. 3997 (1986 version)
Found: Record Exchange, London, November 1, 1995 / August 5, 2009
Cost: 60p / 1 pound
Tracks: 'I've been in love before' / 'Life in a dangerous time'

Human racing - Nik Kershaw

'Human racing' was the fifth and final single from Nik Kershaw's debut album of the same name. Kershaw suddenly showcased a certain Stevie Wonderesque quality in his voice while singing this song. While initially this song bored me - probably because of the music video accompanying it - it has grown into my alltime favourite Nik Kershaw tracks.

The single became a hit in the UK only, peaking at number 19 in the UK singles chart. To this day I don't know why this didn't appeal to international audiences.

I bought a double single edition of this a decade ago, featuring a second single with two live tracks. The gatefold sleeve showed a rather funny playing board based on Kershaw's songs. On August 5, I found a picture disc of this single (pictured below) for 50p at Revival Records.

My collection: 7" single no. 3056
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, May 8, 1999
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Human racing' / 'Faces (remix)' // 'Cloak and dagger (live)' / 'Drum talk (live)'

Real life - Simple Minds

'Real life' was released as the fourth single from the Simple Minds' 1991 album 'Real life'. Released in October 1991, it was the first time since 1984's 'Up on the catwalk' that a single by the band stalled outside the top 20 of the UK singles chart, reaching number 34 only.

That's not to say that this is a bad track, because it contains all the hallmarks of a good Simple Minds track. But perhaps it wasn't memorable enough. I mean, even I didn't know I already had the single and bought another copy last week in London. It cost me 10p, so I'm not complaining - but I already had it.

My collection: 7" single no. 3054
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, May 8, 1999
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Real life' / 'See the lights (live)'