Owner of a lonely heart - Yes

'Owner of a lonely heart' by Yes is one of the great classics of the eighties. The rock band teamed up with Trevor Horn for their album '90125' and created a track that is powerful and memorable. According to a 1991 interview with Yes, 'Owner of a Lonely Heart' was originally written as a ballad. Jon Anderson convinced producer Trevor Horn to speed it up and add some guitar riffs to make it stand out and be more 'upbeat'.

The 1991 re-release of this track featured a remix by Martyn Phillips on the B-side. I bought this single for that remix, curious to hear how it turned out. It is a very intriguing version of a wonderful classic.

My collection: 7" single no. 2349

Found: Record Exchange, London, June 26, 1995

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Owner of a lonely heart' / 'Owner of a lonely heart (Wonderous mix - edit)'

Download: here

The politics of dancing - Re-flex

Re-Flex was an English band formed in 1981 by John Baxter, Paul Fishman, Nigel Ross-Scott and Roland Kerridge. They released their debut single 'The politics of dancing' in 1983. It reached the American Billboard chart in 1984, peaking at number 24. They were one of the first English bands to reach number one in the US dance chart. The album 'The politics of dancing' was also released in 1983, but the band failed to make further dents in the charts. They were soon labelled one hit wonders after they didn't follow up their debut album at all. Their 1985 album 'Humanication' remains unreleased.

My collection: 7" single no. 3519

Found: La La Land, Den Haag, January 3, 2009

Cost: 1,5 euro

Tracks: 'The politics of dancing' / 'Cruel world'

Download: here

Somebody (Hey girl) - Video

'Somebody (Hey girl)' was one of those radio hits from 1984 you just couldn't get out of your head. I recorded the track from the radio, only to buy the single when everyone else had forgotten about it years later (Who says that hometaping is killing the music?). I bought the 12" single out of curiosity, just to hear whether the extended version was interesting. Well, it is longer...

The vocals in this track were performed by George Aaron, who, according to this interview, is still making music these days.

My collection: 12" single no. 480

Found: La La Land, Den Haag, January 3, 2009

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: 'Somebody (vocal version)' / 'Somebody (instrumental version)'

Download: here

God thank you woman - Culture Club

'God thank you woman' was the last single from the Culture Club before they broke up in 1986. Lacking the immediate appeal of their early singles, it has actually stood the test of time better than those big hits. At least, that's what I think now that I've heard this track for the first time in a long time. It is a positive, uplifting song with a few strange and surprising turns.

The B-side of this single is the track 'From luxury to heartache', which was the title of their 1986 album. This track, however, was only available here, on this single.

My collection: 7" single no. 3521

Found: La La Land, Den Haag, January 3, 2009

Cost: 1,5 euro

Tracks: 'God thank you woman' / 'From luxury to heartache'

Download: here

Soul kiss - Olivia Newton-John

In 1985, Olivia Newton-John released her comeback album 'Soul kiss' and the title track was also the lead single. She'd been out of the limelight since 1982 when she had a worldwide hit with 'Physical'. 'Soul kiss' was a steamy popsong performed by Olivia while pregnant. It limited her ability to do promotion for the album, which stalled at no. 66 in the UK albums chart. The single didn't even chart. In the Netherlands, it was only a small hit.

The extended remix version of 'Soul kiss' is a beautifully arranged version, which actually improves on the original shorter version. A great find.

My collection: 12" single no. 478

Found: La La Land, Den Haag, January 3, 2009

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: 'Soul kiss (extended remix version)' / 'Soul kiss (dub mix)', 'Electric'

Download: 12" single 'Soul kiss', including these tracks

Sign of the times - Belle Stars

In January 1983 the Belle Stars, an all-female group consisting of Stella Barker, Sarah-Jane Owen, Miranda Joyce, Penny Leyton, Judy Parsons, Lesley Shone and Jennie Matthias, released 'Sign of the times'. It peaked at number 3 in the UK singles chart, and would become their signature song.

I bought the 12" single today, being rather surprised because I'd never seen a 12" single of this track before. This 12" single was made in America.

My collection: 12" single no. 477

Found: La La Land, Den Haag, January 3, 2009

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: 'Sign of the times (Remixed extended 12" version)' / 'Madness'

Download: here

Eve's volcano - Julian Cope

'Eve's volcano' was taken from Julian Cope's 1987 album 'Saint Julian', which also included the hit singles 'World shut your mouth' and 'Trampolene'. After the top 40 success in the UK of these two singles, 'Eve's volcano' did less well by comparison, only reaching no. 41. Still, I loved this single, which was played a lot on Dutch radio at the time. I bought the single soon after it came out. During that year's holiday in London, this was also the first cd-single I ever bought.

My collection: 7" single no. 521

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1987

Cost: 3,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Eve's volcano' / 'Almost beautiful child (I & II)'

Download: Album 'The followers of Saint Julian', including both tracks

Eaten alive - Diana Ross

Last week I wrote about Diana Ross's second single from her 1985 album 'Eaten alive', 'Chain reaction'. I was a bit surprised when I came across a copy of the first single and title track from that album today. I couldn't resist buying it, I hadn't heard it for more than a decade. The song was written by the Bee Gees and Michael Jackson, with the latter and Barry Gibb doing backing vocals on the track. Jackson sings the lead vocals with Diana Ross here and there.

My collection: 7" single no. 3520

Found: La La Land, Den Haag, January 3, 2009

Cost: 1,5 euro

Tracks: 'Eaten alive' / 'I'm watching you'

Download: Album 'Eaten alive', including both tracks

Barco a venus - Mecano

The Spanish group Mecano started as a synthpop outfit in 1981 in Madrid. Mecano consisted of brothers Nacho and Jose Maria Cano and singer Ana Torroja. Their debut album 'Mecano' (1982) was a hit in Spain despite criticism of their overt commercial sound. The follow-up album '¿Dónde Está El País De Las Hadas?' ('Where is fairyland?') featured this single, 'Barco a venus'. It is a slice of cheerful synthpop that attracted my attention almost a decade later.

I found this single during a daytrip in Brussels. It's always nice to stumble upon a single you've been searching for a long time, and this time was no exception.

My collection: 7" single no. 1536

Found: Brussels, October 11, 1991

Cost: 40 Belgian Francs

Tracks: 'Barco a venus' / 'Este chico es una joya'

Download: Album '¿Dónde Está El País De Las Hadas?', including both tracks

Monté la rivié - Kali

In 1992, France decided to send a reggae king to the Eurovision Song Contest. Kali's 'Monté la rivié' was a beautifully arranged reggae track, sung in French and Haitian Creole. The lyrics are full of metaphors about the river, which the listener should 'go up'. The listener is told that 'One day you'll see the source of the river'. Thus, the lyrics deal with the need to find peace and love in the modern world.

The b-side of the single contains a live cover of the Bob Marley track 'One drop'. I bought my copy of the single in Vienna during a holiday. Not the most predictable place to find a French single...

My collection: 7" single no. 1931

Found: Vienna, July 6, 1993

Cost: 55 Austrian Schilling

Tracks: 'Monté la rivié' / 'One drop (live)'

Download: here

Nearly there - One 2 Many

Well, at least they were optimistic. After the failure of previous single 'Another man', One 2 Many followed up with another single, 'Nearly there'. Like its predecessor, it didn't trouble the charts. The 12" single is an attractive proposition, nonetheless, because it features an extended version of 'Nearly there'. I didn't know about this single, so I was very surprised when I found this 12". It was 1990, a year after it was released. I was even more surprised a couple of years later when I found out that there was even a cd-single. Strangely enough, I never found a 7" single of this!

My collection: 12" single no. 101

Found: Record Exchange, London, October 1990

Cost: 50p

Tracks: 'Nearly there (extended version)' / 'In my heart'

Download: here

Message in the box - World Party

World Party is a British pop/rock band, consisting of only one member, Karl Wallinger. He started World Party after he left the Waterboys in 1985. In 1987, he released the first album titled 'Private Revolution', but it wasn't until 1990, when he released 'Goodbye Jumbo', that his music got more widespread notice. 'Message in the box' was the first single taken from the album. It reached number 39 in the UK singles chart.

I bought this single box set in 2004, when I visited London. The box included, besides the single, a button and a large poster, both promoting the album.

My collection: 7" single no. 3408

Found: Record Exchange, London, December 2004

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Message in the box' / 'Nature girl'

Download: here

Mad world - Tears for fears

These days, 'Mad world' is considered to be a ballad performed by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules, but I am old enough to remember the original version, released by Tears for fears in 1982. The single reached no. 3 in the UK singles chart, making it the band's first hit. Roland Orzabal said about the song: 'That came when I lived above a pizza restaurant in Bath and I could look out onto the centre of the city. Not that Bath is very mad - I should have called it 'Bourgeois World'!'

I bought the single of 'Mad world' in 1990. It wasn't until 1999 that I found the double single version, which included the rare 'World remix' of the track. The second single featured 'Suffer the children' and 'Ideas as opiates', both in versions that were different from the ones that would be recorded for Tears for fears's debut album 'The Hurting' (1983).

My collection: 7" single no. 1334 / 7" double single no. 3163

Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1990 / Record fair, Utrecht, 1999

Cost: 50p / 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Mad world' / 'Ideas as opiates'

Tracks (double single): 'Mad world' / 'Mad world (World remix)' // 'Suffer the children' / 'Ideas as opiates'

Download: here

I'll keep on loving you - Princess

This beautiful 12" picture disc appeared on a record fair a couple of years ago. I bought it because it was really cheap, but also because remixes of Stock/Aitken/Waterman tracks in the mid-80's were usually worth a listen. This one, fortunately, is no exception. The disc includes an extended version and a US remix by Bruce Forest - who, for a change, made a remix that was actually quite good.

Princess was one of many faces who were a success in the heydays of Stock/Aitken/Waterman. This single, released in April 1986, was her biggest hit since her debut 'Say I'm your number one', reaching no. 16 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 12" single

Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 2002

Cost: 1 euro

Tracks: 'I'll keep on loving you [extended]' / 'I'll keep on loving you (US Remix by Bruce Forest)'

Download: here

Can't stand losing you - The Police

The Police's 1978 single 'Can't stand losing you' was banned by the BBC in the UK because of the sleeve pictured here. According to Sting, in an interview in the magazine Revolver: 'The reason they had a problem with 'Can't Stand Losing You' was because the photo on the cover of the single had Stewart standing on a block of ice with a noose around his neck, waiting for the ice to melt'. The single was released on blue vinyl. I thought it was more attractive to own this single than the later version with an alternate cover, and so I bought it.

My collection: 7" single no. 3019

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 5, 1998

Cost: 15 guilders

Tracks: 'Can't stand losing you' / 'Dead end job'

Download: Album 'Message in a box, disc 1', including both tracks

Kiss you all over - Exile

Most people, including me, got to know the group Exile because of this single. 'Kiss you all over' went to number 4 in the Dutch Top 40, and peaked at number 6 in the UK. It would prove to be their biggest hit, with further single reaching only the lower regions of the charts.

I liked the song a lot in 1978, when it was in the charts, but at the time I didn't have the budget to buy all the singles I liked. A decade later, it still became part of my collection.

My collection: 7" single no. 1099

Found: All that music, Leiden, November 11, 1989

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Kiss you all over' / 'There's been a change'

Download: Album 'Mixed emotions', including both tracks

Dance emotions - Peter Godwin

I don't often write about albums on this blog because mostly the lp's I own have been neatly re-released on cd at some point. But I'll gladly make an exception for Peter Godwin's 1982 mini-lp 'Dance emotions'. Basically a collection of alternative versions of his single releases, this album comprises six tracks, including two versions of his most wellknown track 'Emotional disguise', a dance mix of 'Images of heaven', and extended versions of 'Torch songs' and 'Luxury'.

I bought this mini-lp during a record fair. Having never seen a 12" single by Peter Godwin I was very pleased to see all these extended versions collected on one disc.

My collection: LP no. 87

Found: Record fair, Den Haag, April 7, 1991

Cost: 7,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Emotional disguise (extended version)', 'Torch songs (extended version)', 'French emotions' / 'Images of heaven (dance mix)', 'Cruel heart', 'Luxury (extended version)

Download: here

Funkin' for Jamaica - Tom Browne

Tom Browne was introduced in the Netherlands by the influential TV chart programme Toppop. They recorded a clip of him and his band performing 'Funkin' for Jamaica', which subsequently became a number 3 hit for him in the Netherlands. Originally, Tom Browne is a jazz trumpeter, who worked with Sonny Fortune. His debut album 'Browne Sugar' did not trouble the charts, but the second album, 'Love approach', was more successful. 'Funkin' for Jamaica' features lead vocals by Tonni Smith.

I bought this single during a record fair. My copy of the single was pressed on blue vinyl, a great collector's item.

My collection: 7" single no. 1424

Found: Record fair, Den Haag, April 7, 1991

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Funkin' for Jamaica' / 'Her silent smile'

Download: Album 'Love approach', including both tracks

Gotta have more love - Climax Blues Band

The Climax Blues Band formed in 1968. They released their twelfth album 'Flying the flag' in 1980. From this album, the single 'Gotta have more love' was drawn. It was a minor hit in the Netherland, reaching no. 38 in the Dutch Top 40 in February 1981.

I bought this single at first while I was ill. My mother went to a record store to buy me this single because I really wanted to have it. Unfortunately, the single wasn't in the best state, so a few years later I bought a new copy. Contrary to the original one, this one came in a picture sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 78

Found: Rapsody, Den Haag, 1981 / Parkpop, Den Haag, 1987

Cost: 3 guilders / 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Gotta have more love' / 'One for me and you'

Download: Album 'Flying the flag', including both tracks (password: awangarda)

Ain't nobody - Rufus and Chaka Khan

'Ain't nobody' was recorded as a bonus studio track on Rufus & Chaka Khan's live album 'Stompin' at the Savoy'. It was released as a single and reached no. 8 in the UK singles chart and no. 29 in the Dutch top 40. It has become one of Khan's best-known and most-played songs. In 1989, she released a remix of this track as a single, but that version was a lot weaker than the original, which has become an R&B/Soul standard.

I went looking for this single in the late nineties, suddenly remembering how I liked it a decade earlier. I still remember asking for it at Beanos in 1997, but it was sold out. I went back there a year later - while still searching for it in the mean time - and... there it was.

My collection: 7" single no. 2988

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, May 27, 1998

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Ain't nobody'

Download: here