Popcorn - Fresh Cream

There's always a tingle of excitement when I spot a version of Gershon Kingsley's 'Popcorn' that I don't have yet. My most recent tingle came about when I saw this single by Fresh Cream. Apparently, it's a French group, which released one album of classical melodies played on the Moog synthesizer, and this single, released in various countries in 1972, when a lot of other versions of this instrumental favourite came out. The Japanese version portrays a topless woman throwing popcorn in the air. By comparison, this is a rather dull sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 3548

Found: All that music, Leiden, January 24, 2009

Cost: 1,6 euro

Tracks: 'Popcorn' / 'Cap horn'

Download: here

Love on the telephone - Foreigner

For the last few years, I have wanted to buy a complete compilation album by Foreigner. And by complete, I mean that it should contain all their hit singles. One of those hits - at least, in the Netherlands - was 'Love on the telephone'. It reached number 34 in the Dutch Top 40 in March 1980. Yet it's absent from every Foreigner compilation I have seen so far.

It came to a point where I started to doubt the existence of the single. But, lo and behold, I finally found a copy of the vinyl single this weekend. Still looking for a compilation cd though...

My collection: 7" single no. 3547

Found: All that music, Leiden, January 24, 2009

Cost: 1,6 euro

Tracks: 'Love on the telephone' / 'Women'

Download: Album 'Head games', including both tracks (password: Abe?79F+ )

Miss Otis regrets - Kirsty MacColl and the Pogues

The album 'Red hot and blue' was released in 1990 by the Red Hot Organization. Twenty artists contributed twenty songs for an album that would raise funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS. The album was named after a 1936 musical by Cole Porter, and contained versions of songs written by him.

'Miss Otis regrets/Just one of those things' was a song released from that album as a single. Kirsty MacColl and the Pogues had worked together before, and they renewed their working relationship with this dynamic version of the Cole Porter track. The B-side was Aztec Camera's beautiful cover of 'Do I love you', which at the time of buying was one of my favourite tracks from the album, which I'd bought a few weeks earlier.

My collection: 7" single no. 1375

Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, January 27, 1991

Cost: 6,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Miss Otis regrets' / 'Just one of those things'

Download: here

Tomorrow started (live) - Talk Talk

There is no way of knowing, but I always imagine that Talk Talk fans in other countries were quite envious of this single release. Dutch broadcaster Veronica organised an annual Rock Night, which in 1984 took place in Ahoy, Rotterdam on September 21. One of the acts performing was Talk Talk. Their live version of 'Tomorrow started' got so much attention that record company EMI released the track as a single in the Netherlands. Only to find that it didn't reach the Dutch Top 40 after all.

The version released on this single was an edit of the actual performance during the night. You can see the whole performance on this video.

My collection: 7" single no. 283

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Tomorrow started (live)' / 'My foolish friend (live)'

Download: here

When love breaks down - Prefab Sprout

As written earlier, 'When love breaks down' was released four times by CBS Records before it finally reached the UK Singles chart in November 1985. This is one of those attempts, with a different sleeve than the other releases. The B-side featured the track 'The yearning loins', whereas other releases feature the track 'Diana' on the B-side.

I bought this single because the sleeve reminded me of the video for this single, which I'd seen so many times back in 1984.

My collection: 7" single no. 2491

Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 30, 1995

Cost: 60p

Tracks: 'When love breaks down' / 'The yearning loins'

Download: here

Vacanze Romane - Matia Bazar

When Matia Bazar released their eighth album 'Tango' in 1983, the group consisted of Antonella Ruggiero, Aldo Stellita, Carlo Marrale and Mauro Sabbione. 'Vacanze Romane' was a very melodic song, synthbased and elegant. It barely missed the Dutch Top 40. I noticed the song immediately, but it would take me six years to finally buy the single.

My collection: 7" single no. 1133

Found: All that music, Leiden, December 28, 1989

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Vacanze Romane' / 'Palestina'

Download: Album 'Tango', including both tracks

Someday (I'm coming back) - Lisa Stansfield

Lisa Stansfield recorded 'Someday (I'm coming back)' for the soundtrack of 'The Bodyguard', the 1992 movie starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. Stansfield had just had a very successful year with her album 'Real love' reaching number 3 in the UK albums chart and top 10 in several other countries. The album spawned four hit singles, and when this one was released as a single, it went to number 10 in the UK singles chart.

The 12" single featured a remix not found on the cd-single. (Another piece of evidence that the vinyl format was still the most interesting of all.) I bought the 12" single in London, which in the Nineties was just about the only place where they were still to be found.

My collection: 12" single no. 215

Found: Record Exchange, London, 1992

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Someday (I'm coming back)', 'Live together/Young hearts run free (live)' / 'Someday (I'm coming back) (Absolute remix)', 'Tenderly (live)'

Download: here

Popcorn - Hot Butter

Hot Butter was an instrumental cover band consisting of Stan Free, Dave Mullaney, John Abbott, Bill Jerome, Steve Jerome and Danny Jordan. Their version of Gershon Kingsley's composition 'Popcorn' is one of the best known versions of the wave of versions that were released in 1972. Sales in the UK exceeded a quarter of a million, and worldwide Hot Butter sold two million copies of this single.

I bought my copy in London, after having searched for this version for years. Unfortunately it didn't have a picture sleeve. But sometimes you just take what you can get.

My collection: 7" single no. 2526

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, November 1, 1995

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Popcorn' / 'At the movies'
Download: here

To the unknown man - Vangelis

Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou was born near Volos, Greece on March 29, 1943. He became a composer of electronic music under the artist name Vangelis in the Sixties. In 1968, he founded Aphrodite's Child with that other famous Greek, Demis Roussos. Their first single became their biggest hit: 'Rain and tears'.

In the Seventies Vangelis moved to London, set up his own studio and signed with RCA Records. Between 1975 and 1980 he released five albums with electronic music. One of them was 'Spiral' (1977), from which this single, 'To the unknown man' was drawn. It gave him a minor hit in the Netherlands, reaching number 32 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2940

Found: Record fair, January 31, 1998

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'To the unknown man' / 'To the unknown man (part 2)'

Download: here

Dream kitchen - Frazier Chorus

Frazier Chorus were an unconventional band, as they didn't have a drummer, guitarist and bassist. Tim Freeman, who wrote most of the songs, semi-whispered the vocals, Kate Holmes played the flute, Chris Taplin played clarinet and keyboards and Michele Allardyce played the bongos. Still, they made very danceable music, as evidenced in this single, 'Dream kitchen', released in the first week of 1989.

I don't remember it, but I must have seen the video of this song. I wouldn't know why I bought this single in October of 1989. It's a purchase I never regretted, because I bought lots of Frazier Chorus records since then.

My collection: 7" single no. 1081

Found: Record Exchange, London, October 19, 1989

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Dream kitchen' / 'Down'

Download: here

I wanna rock - Twisted Sister

'Hello students'... So begins one of the most hilarious videos of 1984 (see it here). Actor Mark Metcalf, best known as the sadistic Neidermeyer from the movie 'Animal house', portrays a teacher who attacks a student for drawing the Twisted Sister logo on his textbook. A version of this song appeared in the Spongebob Squarepants Movie in 2006. It was actually one of the less amusing part of that movie, but it was nice to recognise a familiar song nonetheless.

My collection: 7" single no. 3422

Found: Esbjerg, Denmark, June 17, 2006

Cost: 10 Danish crowns

Tracks: 'I wanna rock' / 'Burn in hell (live at Hammersmith Odeon)'

Download: here

I can't stand the rain - Eruption

Silent Eruption was formed in 1974 in Britain. The members were lead singer Leslie Johnson, Greg Perrineau, Morgan Perrineau, Gerry Williams and Eric Kingsley. In 1975 they won the RCA Soul Search contest. A year later, their debut single 'Let me take you back in time' was released. The lack of success disappointed Johnson, so she left the band and backing singer Precious Wilson stepped in to replace her. During a tour in Germany they got noticed by producer Frank Farian, who signed them to Hansa Records, and gave them a support slot during Boney M's tour. After a minor hit single with 'Party party', they released 'I can't stand the rain' in December 1977. It became a big hit, reaching number 5 in the UK and the Netherlands and even making number 18 in the US Billboard Hot 100.

My collection: 7" single no. 3470

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, December 11, 2008

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'I can't stand the rain' / 'Be yourself'

Download: Album 'Eruption', including both tracks

Amsterdamned - Lois Lane

'Amsterdamned' is the name of a thriller movie produced in the Netherlands in 1988. Two bands were asked to deliver a song for the soundtrack of the movie: the famous rock group Golden Earring and the relatively unknown group Lois Lane. Surprisingly, the latter were asked to sing the title song. 'Amsterdamned' was released in April 1988 and peaked at number 33 in the Dutch Top 40. It was the first success for Lois Lane. From then on, they would have more hit singles.

My collection: 7" single no. 3468

Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, December 11, 2008

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'Amsterdamned' / 'Amsterdamned (B-side mix)'

Download: here

Tenement steps - The Motors

The Motors were formed in London in 1977 by Nick Garvey, Andy McMaster, Rob Hendry (quickly replaced by Bram Tchaikovsky) and Ricky Slaughter. Their third album, 'Tenement steps' was released in 1980. The title track was released as a single, and was often played on Dutch radio at the time. It didn't become a hit.

It stuck in my mind, nevertheless, and so when the opportunity came up to buy this single cheaply, I grabbed it.

My collection: 7" single no. 267

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1984

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Tenement steps' / 'Here comes the hustler'

Download: Album 'Airport (Greatest Hits)', including both tracks (part 1 / part 2)

Troy - Sinéad O'Connor

Sinéad O'Connor's debut single 'Troy' was an intense affair. It was an unusual choice, but a successful one, in the Netherlands at least: it reached number 5 in the Dutch Top 40. The song was written by Sinéad as a deeply angry message towards her mother, whom she accused of abuse. The song uses the story of the ancient city of Troy as a metaphor. O'Connor has only sung 'Troy' live shortly after it was released. It was only performed live again in 2008 during the Night of the Proms concerts in Belgium and the Netherlands, where she was one of the starring performers.

The B-side 'Still listening' is an equally beautiful track, released only as the B-side of this single. It later appeared on the cd-single of Sinéad's next single, 'Mandinka'.

My collection: 7" single no. 576

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1987

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Troy' / 'Still listening'

Download: here

Fernando en Filippo - Milly Scott

Representing the Netherlands in 1966, Milly Scott was the first black singer to ever enter the Eurovision Song Contest. By today's standards that is remarkable, since the contest was already experiencing its eleventh edition.

'Fernando en Filippo' was composed by Kees de Bruyn and Gerrit den Braber. The lyric tells the strange tale of Fernando, a guitarist from Santiago, who is in love with a girl in San Antonio. He drives down there to see her every evening. Filippo's occupation is never made clear, however he also makes a similar trip despite the handicap of apparently not having a car. Eventually, Fernando's lover leaves him for Filippo.

Milly Scott finished 15th out of 18 contestants, receiving only one point each from Ireland and the UK. There is a suspicion that Milly's skin colour did have something to do with this, although that will never be confirmed of course.

My collection: 7" single no. 3546

Found: Private seller, January 22, 2009

Cost: 3 euro

Tracks: 'Fernando en Filippo' / 'Graag of niet'

Download: here

Just when I needed you most - Randy Vanwarmer

'You left me just when I needed you most'. It's one of those songs you need to play when you already feel a bit down. It will send you right to the brink. This song brought Randy Vanwarmer international fame at the end of the Seventies. Randy Vanwarmer was born on March 30, 1955. He grew up in Colorado in the USA. After his father died in a car accident, he moved to Cornwall, England in 1970. Randy remembered it as a depressing place, economically downtrodden, with long, dark and rainy winters. When he was still a teenager, a girlfriend from the USA came to England, spent several months with him, then returned home. Vanwarmer had been writing songs and playing in South England clubs for a while, and the experience with the American girl ultimately became 'Just when I needed you most'. In Vanwarmer's mind the song is really about the weather: 'It's not hard to write a really sad song in the winter in Cornwall'. The single became his one and only big hit: it reached number 4 in the USA, number 8 in the UK and number 6 in the Netherlands.

Vanwarmer continued to write music for others and for his own recordings, but further commercial success eluded him. On January 14, 2004 he died of leukemia.

My collection: 7" single no. 2831

Found: February 1, 1997

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Just when I needed you most' / 'Your light'

Download: Album 'Warmer', including both tracks (password: 88R+?)Lx )

Don't want to wait anymore - The Tubes

In 1989, I bought a compilation cd of rock-oriented tracks called 'Empty Rooms'. It was full of tracks I knew well and wanted to have on cd. One of these tracks was the lesser known 'Don't want to wait anymore' by the Tubes. I think I loved the track straight away.

The Tubes were based in San Francisco and primarily made rock music. In the UK, it reached the lower regions of the single schart in 1981. It was their third and final chart single in that country.

My collection: 7" single no. 2537

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, November 1, 1995

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Don't want to wait anymore' / 'Think about me'

Download: here

Day in day out - David Bowie

'Day in day out' was the first single taken from David Bowie's 1987 album 'Never let me down'. The song lyic dealt with urban decay and deprivation in American cities at the time, concerned largely with the depths a young mother has to sink to in order to feed her child, including attempting to shoplift and become a prostitute. Many critics have accused the song of burying its message in over-produced, glossy surroundings. Others claim that this doesn't overpower the message.

The single was released in special limited edition box set, which included the single pressed on red vinyl, a 'David Bowie' logo sticker sheet and a foldout booklet with new photographs and David's biography.

My collection: 7" single no. 1345

Found: Sister Ray, London, October 18, 1990

Cost: 4 pounds

Tracks: 'Day in day out' / 'Julie'

Download: Album 'Never let me down', including both tracks

'n Beetje - Teddy Scholten

Teddy Scholten represented the Netherlands in the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest with this song, ''n Beetje' ('A little bit'). The song won the contest, and the Netherlands became the first country to win the contest, which had started in 1956, twice. The song was written by Willy van Hemert, just like 'Net als toen', the song performed by Corry Brokken, who won the 1957 contest.

''n Beetje' is sung from the perspective of a young woman being asked by her lover if she is 'true' and 'faithful', to which she answers 'A little bit'. This unusual admission is then justified by the comment that 'everyone is in love at least once', hence nobody can be said to be entirely faithful to anyone.

My collection: 7" single no. 3545

Found: Private seller, January 22, 2009

Cost: 3 euro

Tracks: ''n Beetje' / 'Li per li'

Download: here