'Nasty' was released as the second single from Janet Jackson's 1986 album 'Control'. There were actually two 12" singles for that release, of which this one was the first. Featuring three remixes, it was a pretty standard package for that point in time: an extended version, an instrumental version and an a capella version made up this disc.
Only the extended version ended up on the album 'Control - the remixes', which was released in 1987.
My collection: 12" single no. 564 Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received July 9, 2011 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Nasty (extended)' / 'Nasty (instrumental)', 'Nasty (a capella)'
The beautiful folk-inspired track 'Bright new morning' was lifted from the Adventures' third album 'Trading secrets with the moon' and released as its second single. If there was any justice in the world, this single would have become a massive hit, but like the album it sunk without a trace.
Somehow the band failed to build on the success they'd had with the album 'The sea of love' two years earlier, in 1988.
My collection: 7" single no. 5190 Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received July 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Bright new morning' / 'Loves lost town'
'Diamonds', a single from Chris Rea's 1979 album 'Deltics', sounded a bit crude, not at all like the polished songs he would release during much of the Eighties. Still, it didn't totally put off the record-buying public: the single reached number 44 in the UK singles chart.
One other single was released from the album: 'Raincoat and a rose'. That single did not chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 5189 Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received July 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Diamonds' / 'Cleveland calling'
Released in February 1980, 'Kool in the kaftan' became B.A. Robertson's third chart hit in the UK. The single reached number 17 in the UK singles chart, but didn't reach the chart in other territories.
The single was released with a 'normal' sleeve and with a gatefold 'popup' sleeve. I bought the latter. The inner sleeve shows a hand with the 'V' sign.
My collection: 7" single no. 5088 Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received July 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Kool in the kaftan' / 'Baby I'm a bat'
The uplifting dance music from The Beloved went mainstream when they had a hit with 'Sweet harmony'. Shortly thereafter, they went back underground, as the follow-up singles 'You got me thinking' and 'Outer space girl' didn't get the same kind of treatment from the fickle audience.
Still, 'Outer space girl' in particular is a beautiful piece of electronic dance music that still sounds about as fresh as it did when it was first released. This double 12" single package is a varied ensemble of mixes: some are faithful to the original tracks, and some are not. It never bores, which is quite rare for dance mixes.
My collection: 12" single no. Found: Fun Records, Berlin, July 9, 2011 Cost: 3,8 euro Tracks: 'Outerspace girl (Space cadet mix)', 'Outerspace girl' / 'Outerspace girl (Organism mix)', 'Outerspace girl (Space hopper mix)' // 'Outerspace girl (Destination moon mix)', 'Outerspace girl (Instrumental mix)' / 'Outerspace girl (Lost in bass mix)', 'Outerspace girl (Space dust mix)'
Janet Jackson shot to fame when she released 'What have you done for me lately', the first single from her third album 'Control', in 1986. Although I liked the song, it took some time for me to buy the 7" single because by the time it finished its chart run, I was pretty sick of it.
The 12" single took me even longer: a quarter of a century. Now that I bought it, I had the bad luck of getting a copy with a slight damage on the disc. The perils of mail order...
My collection: 12" single no. 563 Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received July 9, 2011 Cost: 1,95 euro Tracks: 'What have you done for me lately (extended)' / 'What have you done for me lately (dub)', 'What have you done for me lately (acapella)'
Next week my friend Puck is celebrating his birthday. On his wish list was a cd by Five Star, so I thought that would be a good occasion to dig out this 12" single with versions of one of their lesser known hits, 'R.S.V.P.'
Released in 1985 as a single from their album 'Luxury of life', the track was written by Paul Gurvitz and remixed by John Morales. This 12" single features three remixes of 'R.S.V.P. plus two B-side tracks.'
'Let it loose' was recorded by Chris Rea for the soundtrack of the movie 'Cross country'. The track also appeared on his 1983 album 'Water sign'.
Released as a single in February 1983, it only reached number 85 in the UK singles chart. At the time, the record company was barely interested in working with Rea, to a point that his album 'Water sign' was basically a collection of demos.
My collection: 7" single no. 5172 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Let it loose' / 'Urban samurai'
'Tokyo nights' was released as the third single from the Bee Gees 1989 album 'One', but in Europe only. In America, the track 'Bodyguard' was released as a single instead.
The single was not a commercial success; as far as I know it didn't chart in any territory.
My collection: 7" single no. 5139 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Tokyo nights' / 'Will you ever let me'
'One' is the second international single (and lead single in the U.S.) from the Bee Gees' 1989 album of the same name. This was the song that returned the Bee Gees back to American radio and would turn out to be their biggest US hit in the 1980s. It peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1989, and it stayed in the Top 40 for ten weeks.
Over in Europe, the single didn't do as well: it only reached number 37 in Germany, number 26 in Belgium and number 71 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 5135 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'One' / 'Flesh and blood'
Some single releases are just ill-advised. Take for instance this single by the Belgian Bunker Boys. Released in 1979 on the unknown (and probably self-financed) Velpia Records label, it was a cover of that year's Eurovision winner 'Halleluja'. It's a beautiful song with a beautiful melody, but this instrumental version does not do any justice to it.
The Bunker Boys sound like a bunch of amateurs who by some freak of circumstances managed to get their rehearsals recorded and splurged out on vinyl. Well, it's a novelty record and a Eurovision cover - amusing enough to want to hear once.
My collection: 7" single no. 5186 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'Hallelujah' / 'Espagnola'
In 1979, Andy Gibb performed along with the Bee Gees, ABBA, and Olivia Newton-John at the Music for UNICEF Concert at the United Nations General Assembly, which was broadcast worldwide. After this, he returned to the studio to begin recording sessions for his final full studio album, 'After Dark'.
In March 1980, the last of Gibb's top 10 singles charted just ahead of the album's release: 'Desire'. A second single, 'I can't help it', a duet with family friend Olivia Newton-John, reached the top 20.
My collection: 7" single no. 5144 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'I can't help it' / 'Someone I ain't'
Besides the Dutch version 'Ik zie een ster', Mouth & MacNeal also released the English version of their 1974 Eurovision Song Contest entry as a single in Europe. In the case of the Belgian pressing, the sleeve was a variation on the Dutch one, making it quite a beautiful set.
'I see a star' actually became a hit in the UK, peaking at number 8 in the singles chart during the summer of 1974. They remained one hit wonders in that country though: follow-up singles never charted.
My collection: 7" single no. 5183 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'I see a star' / 'My friend'
'Ik zie een ster' is the original Dutch version of the 1974 Eurovision entry by Mouth and MacNeal, 'I see a star'. Although they performed the song in English during the Contest - as a result of relaxed language rules - this single contains a version entirely in Dutch.
The song was released as a single in the Netherlands in March 1974 and reached number 3 in the Dutch Top 40. That's quite remarkable, as 'I see a star' finished third during the Contest as well. This Belgian pressing features a much more beautiful sleeve than the Dutch pressing.
My collection: 7" single no. 5184 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'Ik zie een ster' / 'Liefste'
'Sussudio' was released as a single from Phil Collins' 1985 album 'No jacket required'. The main lyric came about as Collins was improvising lyrics to a drum machine track he had programmed: 'Suss-sussudio' was a wording that scanned improperly. After trying to find an alternative word to fit the rhythm, the singer decided to keep 'Sussudio' as the song title and lyric. The song is about a normal crush that a schoolboy may have on a girl and that by saying 'suss-sussudio' may raise speculations about the boy having a stutter.
The single reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 17 in Germany and number 12 both in the UK and the Netherlands.
My collection: 7" single no. 5159 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Sussudio' / 'The man with the horn'
'Massachusetts' is a song written, recorded, and released by the Bee Gees in 1967 and later appearing on their 1968 album, 'Horizontal'. It was their first Number 1 hit in the UK and eventually became one of the best selling singles of all times.
At the time of release, the Bee Gees consisted of Robin, Barry & Maurice Gibb plus Vince Melouney (lead guitar) and Colin Petersen (drums). Shortly after 'Massachusetts' was recorded, Beatles manager Brian Epstein told him that it was beautiful and would be the hit of the summer. These proved to be Epstein's last words to Maurice; Epstein died a few days later.
My collection: 7" single no. 5140 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'Massachusetts' / 'Barker of the U.F.O.'
'Une petite française' was the Monegasque entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1977, performed in French by French singer Michèle Torr. The song was composed by Olivier Toussaint and Paul de Senneville, a very successful team whose compositions were recorded by major French singers such as Michel Polnareff, Christophe, Dalida, Petula Clark, Claude François and Mireille Mathieu all through the 60s and 70s.
'Une petite française' is a mid-tempo ballad, with Torr describing herself as an average Frenchwoman, rather than the cosmopolitan types more commonly associated with that country. She confides that she is no Marilyn, she never reads about her own life in the magazines, she doesn't own a Rolls, she doesn't consider herself an idol, she hasn't read Pascal, she rarely visits Paris, she hasn't changed her name, she leads a quiet provincial life with her children - she just happens to be country girl from Provence who likes to sing. She asks her audience to be the judge of whether she should have left her home for a career in music. Despite her peculiar voice, the jury apparently thought so, because she ended up in 4th place in a field of 18 contestants.
My collection: 7" single no. 5185 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Une petite Française' / 'Le mal de Mai'
'Eyes' is the third and final single from the album 'Cats without claws' by Donna Summer. Edited in length from the original version on the album, the single did not achieve chart success.
The song was mixed by the then very popular John ´Jellybean´ Benitez.
My collection: 7" single no. 5167 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Eyes' / 'It's not the way'
'I've gotta get a message to you' is a song recorded by the Bee Gees in 1968, which became their second number 1 single in the UK singles chart. The song is about a man who, awaiting his execution in the electric chair, begs the prison chaplain to pass a final message on to his wife.
Robin Gibb, who wrote the lyrics, said that the man's crime was the murder of his wife's lover. He came up with the idea following a quarrel with his wife and originally conceived the song with Percy Sledge in mind to record it. In fact, Sledge did record it in February 1970.
My collection: 7" single no. 5137 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'I've gotta get a message to you' / 'Kitty can'
'Let your love flow' was written by Larry E. Williams, a former roadie for Neil Diamond, and made popular by the American country music duo The Bellamy Brothers. It was offered to Neil Diamond first, but he turned it down.
The single reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 6 in the Dutch Top 40. In 2008 the song was used in an advert in the United Kingdom for Barclaycard (right - 'Let your money flow'...). Subsequently, the song re-entered the UK Singles Chart and peaked at number 21.
My collection: 7" single no. 5134 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Let your love flow' / 'Inside my guitar'
'I won't let the sun go down' was Nik Kershaw's debut single, released in 1983. The song was written during the latter part of the Cold War period when nuclear war between the two superpowers of the USSR and USA was still a very real concern, and the lyrics reflect a satirical view of politics and the threat of war with lines such as: 'old men in stripey trousers, rule the world with plastic smiles', and: 'forefinger on the button, is he blue or is he red?'
Originally the single only reached number 47 in the UK charts. However, the follow up single from the same album, 'Wouldn't it be good', reached the top five and on the back of that success 'I won't let the sun go down' was re-released and soared to number 2. It was also subsequently a major hit in several other countries and was responsible for bringing Nik Kershaw to greater public attention.
My collection: 7" single no. 5147 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'I won't let the sun go down' / 'Dark glasses'
'Something got me started' was the first single released from what would become Simply Red's biggest selling album, 'Stars'. The single eventually made number 11 in the UK and German charts, number 23 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In 2005, 'Something got me started' was one of the eight previously released Simply Red songs re-recorded for the album 'Simplified'. It also became the second single release from the album, as a double A-side with a new cover of the Leon Russell song 'A song for you'. This made it the only Simply Red song to date to be released as a single twice.
My collection: 7" single no. 5150 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Something got me started' / 'A new flame'
'Get it' is one of Michael Jackson's lesser known duets. The track was taken from Stevie Wonder's album 'Characters' and released as its second single. Jackson worked with Wonder eight years earlier for the song 'I can't help it' for his album 'Off the wall', which was written by Wonder and former Supremes member Susaye Greene, while Wonder worked with Jackson on his top-selling 'Bad' album for the song 'Just good friends'.
The song features Wonder and Jackson talking about how to treat a lady, alongside what does a woman wants, needs, and respect from her lover. The single reached number 80 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 5161 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Get it' / 'Get it (instrumental)'
'The Dollar Album' was Dollar's third album and the duo's most successful one. No less than five singles were drawn from the album, of which 'Gimme some kinda magic' was the last one.
It was the least successful of the five in the UK, peaking at number 34. It did better in Ireland, where the single reached number 12, overtaking both 'Hand held in black and white' and 'Videotheque', the first and fourth single from the album.
My collection: 7" single no. 5163 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Gimme some kinda magic' / 'You made me love you'
'Desire' was released as the first single from Andy Gibb's 1980 album 'After dark'. The song was originally recorded in 1978 by the Bee Gees during sessions for their album Spirits Having Flown, and intended for release on that album. When it was rejected by the band, it was instead released expressly as an Andy Gibb song, having Andy recording a new lead vocal in 1979 replacing his brother Barry's.
The single reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 5143 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Desire' / 'Waiting for you'
You don't hear the word 'boogie' anymore. Back in the Seventies, is was the buzzword for having a good time, dancing around and generally going out of your mind. And the Jacksons, Michael included, had one of their biggest hits with 'Blame it on the boogie' in 1978.
The first promotional music video by the Jacksons was created for 'Blame it on the boogie', thus marking Michael Jackson's video debut. The video, featuring the group's members dancing on a black background, relied heavily on vintage electronic trail effects, created at Image West, Ltd. using then-cutting edge equipment: the Scanimate analog computer system and a Quantel DFS 3000 digital framestore.
My collection: 7" single no. 5156 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Blame it on the boogie' / 'Do what you wanna'
Ann Christy's 1975 entry for the Eurovision Song Contest, 'Gelukkig zijn', was released in two versions: the original Dutch (Flemish) version, and this English translation. Both singles are considered a rarity, extremely hard to find, and so I was lucky to find both on one day.
Although the original title means 'Being happy', the title 'Could it be happiness' was chosen for this English version.
My collection: 7" single no. 5182 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Could it be happiness' / 'This world is full of pain'
Chris Rea released his sixth album 'Wired to the moon' in 1984, keeping up his 'one album per year' tempo without any problem, it seemed. A whopping five singles were drawn from the album, although only the first one, 'I don't know what it is but I love it', reached the UK singles chart.
The title track was the fifth single, and like the previous three, it didn't chart. All this despite the fact that it's actually a lovely sort of lullaby.
My collection: 7" single no. 5171 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Wired to the moon' / 'True love'
Ann Christy was born as Christianne Leenaerts on 22 September 1945 in Antwerp, Belgium. She began a singing career with The Adams Orchestra. She later married the drummer, Marc Hoyois. Her first solo recordings met with little success. In 1968 she won the Knokke Cup singing contest.
Her first attempt to represent Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest came in 1970 with the song 'Le temps, le vent'. She also tried the next year with 'Dag vreemde man', which finished second in the national final. A third attempt in 1973, when each of five chosen acts performed two songs, ended in third place for 'Bye Bye'. She finally had success in 1975 when 'Gelukkig zijn' ('Being happy') was chosen to represent Belgium in Stockholm. Christy sung the first half of the song in Dutch and the second half in English, and although the song had been tipped to do well, it ended the evening in a very disappointing 15th place out of 19 entries.
Christy was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1982, and died on 7 August 1984, aged 38.
My collection: 7" single no. 5181 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Gelukkig zijn' / 'Er is zoveel verdriet in de wereld'
'Sad song' was released as the third single from Ellen Foley's debut album 'Night out'. It featured Ellen's trademark voice, which was used to so much effect on Meat Loaf's 'Paradise by the dashboard light'.
Contrary to the previous two singles 'We belong to the night' and 'What's a matter baby', the single was not a commercial success.
My collection: 7" single no. 5173 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Sad song' / 'Stupid girl'
'You surround me' was released as the second single from Erasure's fourth studio album 'Wild!'. Upon release, it became Erasure's tenth consecutive Top 20 hit on the UK singles chart, peaking at number 15. It reached number 10 on the Irish singles chart, and number 38 in Germany.
The track, a love song, was written by Erasure members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell and is a heavily-synthesized ballad with a dramatic chorus featuring Bell's falsetto. Clarke has stated that this song was his attempt at writing a James Bond film theme. Also included on the single as a B-side is '91 Steps', an instrumental with complex synthesizer programming and unusual time signature. The track utilizes repeating cycles in which the first seven bars use a 7/4 time signature, followed by one bar in 3/4 time.
My collection: 7" single no. 5132 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'You surround me' / '91 Steps'
'Nights on Broadway' is a track from the Bee Gees' 1975 album 'Main course'. The second single release from the album, it immediately followed their number one hit "Jive Talkin'". The song introduced Barry Gibb's falsetto voice in the chorus. It was a turning point in Bee Gees style, as they progressed through their disco era writing songs mostly sung in falsetto by Barry. He did not know of his special "talent" until producer Arif Mardin asked someone within the group to try to do some kind of screaming during the main chorus.
'Nights on Broadway' reached number 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number 8 in the Dutch Top 40.
My collection: 7" single no. 5136 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'Nights on Broadway' / 'Edge of the universe'
'Cold love' is the second single from the Donna Summer album The Wanderer. Although the song did not gain as much success as its predecessor, it did receive a Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.
Vocally, this song contrasts with the just previous 'The Wanderer' single release - it is very reminiscent of her 1979 'Hot Stuff' - power belt and hard rock approach. Personally, I prefer the B-side, the very intriguing 'Grand illusion'.
My collection: 7" single no. 5166 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Cold love' / 'Grand illusion'
Nile Rodgers and Grace Jones produced 'Victor should have been a jazz musician', a track taken from her 1986 album 'Inside story'. As the song title suggests, it saw Jones exploring new musical territories and the spoken opening line even refers to one of the late and greats of jazz: "I went to a Nina Simone concert...". The horns on the track were played by Lenny Pickett, Stan Harrison, Steve Elson, and Mac Gollehon under the collective name The Borneo Horns.
The single reached number 35 in the Dutch Top 40, but failed to chart in other territories.
My collection: 7" single no. 5176 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Victor should have been a jazz musician' / 'Crush'
In the autumn of 1989, 'You've got it' was released as the fourth and final single from Simply Red's third album 'A new flame'. The previous three singles had been top 20 hits in the UK, but this single wasn't as successful, peaking at number 46 only.
The B-side of this single features a live acoustic version of their biggest hit, 'Holding back the years', recorded in Australia in August 1989.
My collection: 7" single no. 5174 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'You've got it' / 'Holding back the years (live acoustic version)'
Pas de Deux (Walter Verdin, Dett Peyskens and Hilde van Roy) were a Belgian band, best known for their participation in the 1983 Eurovision Song Contest, and the controversy surrounding their selection as that year's Belgian representatives. 'Rendez-vous' consisted of just one line of quasi-nonsensical lyric ('Rendez-vous, maar de maat is vol en m'n kop is toe') repeated over a quirky, rhythmic instrumental track while Peyskens and van Roy danced barefoot, and seemed to baffle the conservative audience.
'Rendez-vous' proved unsuccessful, finishing in 18th place of the 20 entries, having received points from only the UK, Spain and Portugal. The single reached the Belgian top 30, but a follow up single, 'Manimeme', went unnoticed and the group soon disbanded. When I bought this single, a search of almost 28 years came to an end. In the shop they told me second hand copies of this single came in every so often, and it was never there for long. It's still very much sought after, apparently.
My collection: 7" single no. 5187 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 5 euro Tracks: 'Rendez-vous' / 'Rendez-vous (mix)'
'What kind of fool (Heard all that before)' was written by Kylie Minogue, Mike Stock and Pete Waterman for Minogue's first compilation album 'Greatest Hits' (1992). The song was produced by Stock and Waterman and received a generally positive reception from critics. Released as the first single in the summer of 1992, it became Minogue's 19th top 20 hit in the UK and 15th in Australia.
Kylie admitted in an interview with the Australian Sunday Telegraph in October 2008, that she is no longer fond of the song: 'There's plenty I've cringed about', she says. 'There's one track I really didn't like called 'What Kind of Fool'. But I realised you can run, but you can't hide, so I embraced 'I Should Be So Lucky' and the rest of them.'
My collection: 7" single no. 5153 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'What kind of fool' / 'Things can only get better'
'Still my heart cries for you' was Kayak's seventh single, a track taken from their 1976 album 'The last encore'.
The love song written by band member Pim Koopman was an atypical single. It has changes in tempo and atmosphere, making it quite inaccessible. As a result, the single failed to chart. Releasing any track from the album as a single seemed to be a desperate move from the record company since the album didn't contain any potential hit, since the band were into making quite intricate arrangements at that point.
My collection: 7" single no. 5130 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Still my heart cries for you' / 'Raid your own house'
Hot Chocolate had a string of hits during the Seventies. Of course, not all of their singles made it into the top 10, there were some smaller hits inbetween the big ones. Most of their songs were produced by legendary hitmaker Mickie Most and written by band members Brown and Wilson.
'Cheri babe' was one such smaller hits. Released in November 1974, the single reached number 31 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 5164 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Cheri babe' / 'Sexy lady'
Released in 1968, shortly after Spain's historic Eurovision Song Contest win, Merino Costa released this cover version of Massiel's song 'La la la'. Essentially, it's a cash-in on her success, as this version is not too far removed from the original.
There are various cover versions of 'La la la' around, actually. Which is quite strange since the song was put down by critics and the viewing audiences after it won. Apparently it was still worth cashing in on the song's success...
My collection: 7" single no. 5180 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'La la la' / 'Teresa mia'
Paul Young made a name for himself crooning old soul hits like 'Wherever I lay my hat' and 'Love of the common people' during the Eighties. When he took on Crowded House's 'Don't dream it's over' on the occasion of the release of his greatest hits album 'From time to time' in 1991 the audience had a much harder time to swallow it.
Still, it was a hit in various territories, albeit just not such a big one. It reached number 20 in the UK singles chart and reached anywhere between number 13 and 71 in European charts. It was a big hit in Norway, where the single reached number 6. Backing vocals on the track were performed by Paul Carrack.
My collection: 7" single no. 5160 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Don't dream it's over' / 'I need somebody'
The Bee Gees released 'How can you mend a broken heart' in 1971. Barry and Robin Gibb wrote the song in August 1970, when the Gibb brothers had reconvened following a period of break-up and alienation. They said that they originally offered it to Andy Williams, but ultimately the Bee Gees recorded it themselves and included it on their 1971 album, 'Trafalgar'.
The song was recorded on 28 January 1971 in London. It was released as a single in May 1971 ahead of the album. Although failing to chart in the UK singles chart, the song became the Bee Gees' first number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 5141 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'How can you mend a broken heart' / 'Country woman'
Peter Gabriel released 'Peter Gabriel plays live' as his fifth album in 1983. The album was originally released as a double album and longplay cassette, with sixteen songs and a running time of over 80 minutes. It was eventually issued as a double CD set, and, in 1985, as a single CD version 'Plays Live – Highlights' with only twelve songs and some significant track time alterations.
This live version of 'Solsbury hill' was lifted from the album for a single release. It was not a hit, but apparently it inspired Sarah McLachlan to record a cover of this song a decade later.
My collection: 7" single no. 5157 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'Solsbury hill (live)' / 'Kiss of life (live)'
'Do you remember?' was originally a track on Phil Collins's 1990 album 'But Seriously'. Shortly after the release of that album, Collins released 'Serious hits... live!', an album with live versions of his best songs. A live version of 'Do you remember?' was released as a single in the UK and Europe and managed to reach number 57 in the UK singles chart.
The song was written by Collins and produced by Collins and Hugh Padgham. Singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop is a backing vocalist on the track. The B-side features a live version of one of the Eighties' most accomplished love songs, 'Against all odds'.
My collection: 7" single no. 5158 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Do you remember (live)' / 'Against all odds (live)'
'One of these nights' is a song written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey and recorded by the Eagles. The title track from their 1975 album, the song became their second single to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart after 'The best of my love'. The single version was shortened from the album version of the song, removing most of the song's intro and most of its fade-out.
According to songwriter Glenn Frey, the song is about putting things off. 'We've all said, 'one of these nights I'm gonna do something - get that girl, make that money, find that house'. We all have our dreams - a vision we hope will come true someday. When that 'someday' will come is up to each of us.'
My collection: 7" single no. 5175 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'One of these nights' / 'Visions'
'Let the music play' was released by Shannon in 1983. The original version of the record was produced by Mark Liggett and Chris Barbosa. The rhythmic ingenuity of the track included a drum-machine pattern produced by a filtered Roland TR-808.
The single reached number 8 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached number 14 in the UK singles chart. Although Shannon never reached the US top 40 again, she had five more hits in the UK. Despite this, she is still regarded as a one hit wonder.
My collection: 7" single no. 5162 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Let the music play' / 'Let the music play (dub version)'
Yesterday I presented Aline's attempt at covering Wind's 'Lass die Sonne in dein Herz', today I give you Lou Prince's version. It's another unknown singer, this time from the Netherlands, who has also recorded a Dutch version of the song - though with different lyrics than Aline.
Like Aline, this version never troubled the charts. Although the sleeve actually mentions a Lou Prince fanclub, I doubt it was ever reached the three digit mark.
My collection: 7" single no. 5179 Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011 Cost: 2 euro Tracks: 'Als de zon schijnt in je hart' / 'Zonder jou'
'Nasty' was released as the second single from Janet Jackson's 1986 album 'Control'. There were actually two 12" singles for that release, of which this one was the first. Featuring three remixes, it was a pretty standard package for that point in time: an extended version, an instrumental version and an a capella version made up this disc.
