Stand above me - OMD

When Paul Humphreys left Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) in 1989, Andy McCluskey retained the name of the band and continued to record and tour as OMD. The first album he recorded was 'Sugar Tax' (1991), and then he followed this up with 'Liberator' (1993). The first single taken from 'Liberator' was 'Stand above me', an upbeat song with a strong hookline.

This promotional 12" single features two ten minute remixes of 'Stand above me'. I didn't play this 12" single a lot, and the reason is those remixes: they are a bit boring, really. The 12 inch mix contains a sample from the next single 'Dream of me', strangely enough, and both remixes are just a random selection of beats and bleeps. Buying tracks you don't know: sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

My collection: 12" single no. 216

Found: Record Exchange, London, 1992

Cost: 3 pounds

Tracks: 'Stand above me (A 10 minute therapy session into hyperlife mix)' / 'Stand above me (7" mix)', 'Stand above me (12" mix)'

Download: here

Suedehead - Morrissey

Steven Patrick Morrissey, known as Morrissey, was born on May 22, 1959. After playing with the punk rock band the Nosebleeds in the late Seventies, he became singer and songwriter in the alternative rock band the Smiths. After that band broke up in 1987, Morrissey embarked on a solo career.

Only six months after the Smiths broke up, Morrissey released his debut solo album 'Viva hate'. 'Suedehead' was the first single drawn from this album, an uptempo, very Smiths-sounding single. It was played endlessly on some radio stations, which is how I eventually got into this song. And when I found it at discount price, of course I bought it.

My collection: 7" single no. 606

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, May 7, 1988

Cost: 3,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Suedehead' / 'I know very well how I got my name'

Download: cd-single 'Suedehead', including both tracks

Nur geträumt - Nena

I already wrote about 'Just a dream', but this is the original single. 'Nur geträumt' was taken from Nena's self-titled debut album, and it was originally released as their debut single in Germany. It became an instant hit there after the band appeared on the German television show 'Musikladen'. The single reportedly sold 40,000 copies the day after the song appeared on the show and reached number two in the German charts.

In the Netherlands, it was released after '99 Luftballons' had become a number one hit for them. 'Nur geträumt' did almost as well, peaking at number 9 in the Dutch Top 40.

.

My collection: 7" single no. 3383

Found: Geest, Den Haag, 2003

Cost: 1 euro

Tracks: 'Nur getraümt' / 'Ganz oben'

Download: here

Xanadu - Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra

'Xanadu' was the theme song from the movie of the same name. The movie starred Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly and was an unofficial remake of the 1947 film 'Down to earth' with Rita Hayworth.

A rare collaboration for Jeff Lynne's Electric Light Orchestra, the single was the band's only UK number 1 single when it peaked there for two weeks in July 1980. The song peaked at number 1 in the Netherlands as well, and at number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

I recently bought a UK copy of this single with a limited edition gatefold sleeve at the record fair in Utrecht (on November 22, 2008), but the original single came into my collection soon after it was released.

My collection: 7" single no. 59

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1980

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Xanadu' / 'Fool country'

Download: Album 'Xanadu', including both tracks

Legendary - Spectral Display

'Legendary' was another single from Spectral Display's second album 'Too much like me'. This single came in a special single mix. The single mix is slightly different from the album version: the beat is stronger and the track sounds a bit brighter. It didn't help the sales, because the single didn't chart in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 3307

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 24, 2001

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Legendary (Special single mix)' / 'Here with me'

Download: here

We came to dance - Ultravox

'We came to dance' was the last single taken from Ultravox's sixth album Quartet. It was produced by George Martin and released on April 18, 1983. The song reached number 18 in the UK singles chart, while it didn't chart in the Netherlands.

With its demented synthesizer melody and its emotionally charged vocals, it's a bit weird that the lyrics are slightly naff. Still, I loved the track as a child and seized the opportunity a decade later to buy this single, pressed, like many more Ultravox singles, on clear vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 2187

Found: London, September 28, 1994

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'We came to dance' / 'Overlook'
Download: Album 'Quartet', including both tracks

The Piano - Michael Nyman

The movie 'The piano' was released in 1994. I saw it in the cinema a year after it was released. One of the attractions in the movie was the beautiful soundtrack. One of my main sayings is: 'it's still a soundtrack', meaning that it doesn't really connect with me when the visual images are missing. But Michael Nyman's main theme for 'The piano' is a pleasant exception.

'The heart aske pleasure first' is a beautiful theme, even without the movie to accompany the music. It sounds like classical music, and in a way, of course, it is. Even if it was composed in the Nineties.

My collection: 7" single no. 2329

Found: Concerto, Amsterdam, June 3, 1995

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'The heart asks pleasure first / The promise (edit)' / 'Big my secret', 'All imperfect things'

Download: Album 'The Piano: Original Soundtrack', including these tracks

Hard to say I'm sorry - Chicago

'Hard to Say I'm Sorry', a hit for Chicago in 1982, was written by band member Peter Cetera and producer David Foster. The song hit Number 1 for two weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. 'Hard to Say I'm Sorry' segued into a second song titled 'Get Away', which was closer to the older horn-driven Chicago sound of the Seventies.

Deviating from Chicago's practice of having mostly band members playing on their albums, 'Hard to say I'm sorry' featured several session musicians. The song featured three members of the American rock band Toto: Steve Lukather on guitar, David Paich and Steve Porcaro on synthesizers. The song's vocals were performed by Cetera and new member Bill Champlin.

My collection: 7" single no. 156

Found: Studio Echo, Den Haag, 1982

Cost: 5,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Hard to say I'm sorry/Get away' / 'Sonny

Download: Album 'Chicago 16', including both tracks

Intimate strangers - T'pau

T'pau debuted in 1987 with their single 'Heart and soul'. Originally, it didn't sell much in the UK, so the second single was soon released: 'Intimate strangers'. This second single also failed to reach the UK singles chart. 'Intimate strangers' is the same track that would appear on T'pau's debut album 'Bridge of spies' (1987) as 'Sex talk'.

Meanwhile, 'Heart and soul' became a number 4 hit in the USA, so it was re-released in the UK and T'pau finally made the singles chart then. 'Intimate strangers' sunk without a trace, it's one of the rarest singles in T'pau's catalogue.

My collection: 7" single no. 3155

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 27, 1999

Cost: 10 guilders

Tracks: 'Intimate strangers' / 'No sense of pride'

Download: here

Jolene - Strawberry Switchblade

'Jolene' tells the tale of a housewife confronting a beautiful seductress who she believes is trying to steal away her husband. Originally performed by Dolly Parton, the song became her second solo number one single on the country charts after being released as a single in late 1973. It was released as a single in the UK the following year, where it reached number seven in the UK singles chart.

Strawberry Switchblade covered this song and released it as their fourth single. It reached number 53 in the UK singles chart in the autumn of 1985.

My collection: 7" single no. 2773

Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, October 31, 1996

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Jolene' / 'Being cold'
Download: here

Living next door to Alice - Smokie

'Living next door to Alice' was released as a single by Smokie in 1976. It gave them a number one hit in the Netherlands in early 1977, and it reached number 5 in the UK singles chart. The song is about a young man's long-standing crush on Alice, the girl next door and neighbour of 24 years, which is left unrequited after she moves away. The protagonist had seen a limousine parked at Alice's home and begins to reflect on childhood memories and his friendship with Alice, and becomes heartbroken as he sees Alice get inside the limousine. As he watches the car drive out of sight, the protagonist is sad about Alice leaving without explanation and that he did not use any opportunity to express his feelings for her.

In 1995, the song famously spawned a parody version by the Dutch band Gompie, in which some bystanders scream 'Alice, who the fuck is Alice' during the chorus. Thereby crushing any depth of feeling in the original song.

My collection: 7" single no. 15

Found: London, 1979

Cost: 10p

Tracks: 'Living next door to Alice' / 'Run to you'

Download: Album 'The best of Smokie', including both tracks (part 1 / part 2)

Hounds of love - Futureheads

'Hounds of love' was originally released by Kate Bush in 1985. The song is about being afraid to fall in love (in the song this feeling is compared to being chased by a pack of hounds).

The Futureheads made a cover version of this song and released it in February 2005. It became their biggest hit to date, reaching number 8 in the UK singles chart. Besides two different cd-singles, the track was also released on 7" vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 3409
Found: HMV, London, 2005
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Hounds of love' / 'Man made (A mistake)'
Download: here

Don't look back - Fine Young Cannibals

'Don't look back' was the third single taken from Fine Young Cannibals' second album 'The raw & the cooked'. It sold less well than 'Good thing', peaking at number 34 in the UK singles chart. It fared even worse in the Netherlands, because it didn't chart at all.

Like 'Good thing' and 'She drives me crazy', a limited edition of the single was released housed in a tin can. This time, the single was pressed on yellow vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 985

Found: Ter Meulen, Rotterdam, 1987

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Don't look back' / 'You never know'

Download: cd-single ''Don't look back', including both tracks

The lady don't mind - Talking heads

'The lady don't mind' was the last single released by the Talking Heads before their hugely successful 'Road to nowhere'. In the summer of 1985, this single reached number 13 in the Dutch Top 40, whereas it didn't chart in the UK.

'Little creatures', the album where this single was drawn from, was released in 1985 as well. It was Talking Heads' sixth album. 'The lady don't mind' was the only track on the album written and composed by the entire band.

My collection: 7" single no. 313
Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 5,5 guilders
Tracks: 'The lady don't mind' / 'Give me back my name'
Download: Album 'Little creatures', including both tracks

En dag - Tommy Nilsson

Tommy Nilsson was born on March 11, 1960. He became lead singer of the Swedish heavy metal band Horizont in the late Seventies. He started a solo career in 1981, when he was signed to a French record company by producer Yves Accary. His single 'No way no how' sold one million copies, his debut album over 200,000 copies. After his debut album contained disco tracks and ballads, the next album was full of rock songs, composed by Nilsson and Alex Contanstinos. After two years of travelling between France and the United States, Nilsson decided to go back to Sweden. He first joined another metal band, Easy Action, who released two albums. The group eventually split up and Nilsson went solo again.

He represented Sweden in the 1989 Eurovision Song Contest, the one that was won by Yugoslavia with one of the worst winning songs ever: 'Rock me' by Riva. Nilsson was placed fourth.

My collection: 7" single no. 2967

Found: Bea Records, February 21, 1998

Cost: 10 guilders

Tracks: 'En dag' / 'Someday'

Download: here

Baby I don't care - Transvision Vamp

'Baby I don't care' was taken from Transvision Vamp's second album 'Velveteen' and was released in 1989. The song is their most well-known song, peaking at number 3 in both the UK and Australia. The guitar riff in this song is based on The Sonics' version of 'Louie Louie', with Wendy James's scream modelled on their lead singer Gerry Roslie's.

My collection: 7" single no. 965

Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, August 12, 1989

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Baby I don't care' / 'Time for change', 'Strings of my heart'

Download: here

Riptide - Robert Palmer

'Riptide' was a single taken from Robert Palmer's 1986 album of the same name. The single just missed the Dutch Top 40, and didn't chart in the UK. It was only months before Palmer had a big hit with his next single, 'Addicted to love'.

This double single actually contained the previous hit single 'Johnny and Mary' as the second disc, which was another reason for me to buy this item. That single reached number 21 in the Dutch Top 40 in 1980, whereas it peaked at number 44 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 3159

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, 2002

Cost: 1 euro

Tracks: 'Riptide' / 'Back in my arms' // 'Johnny and Mary' / 'No, not much' (live on 'The Tube'), 'Trick bag (live on 'The Tube')'

Download: here

It's hard to be tender - Carly Simon

In the Eighties, Carly Simon contributed songs to many film and television scores. 'It's hard to be tender' was contributed to the soundtrack of the 1986 TV miniseries 'Sins', starring Joan Collins. She played a woman who survived the Nazi horror in France, then became a French model/fashion designer who goes through all sorts of soapish trials and tribulations. The series was based on Judith Gould's novel of the same name.

The B-side features an instrumental track which includes some vague melodic references to the A-side track.

My collection: 7" single no. 1090

Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, November 4, 1989

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'It's hard to be tender' (Carly Simon) / 'Face to face with the mirror' (Francis Lai)

Download: here

Uncertain smile - The The

The album version of 'Uncertain smile', which appeared on The The's first album for CBS Records, 'Soul mining' (1983), was released two years after the original single 'Uncertain smile'. The album version featured a lengthy piano solo, whereas the single version from 1982 featured saxophone and flute solos. The piano solo was played by Jools Holland, who revealed in his 2007 biography that they were in fact two separate solos joined together.

This version even made the Dutch Top 40, peaking at no. 31. Interestingly enough, this release didn't chart in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 346

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Uncertain smile' / 'Three orange kisses from Kazan'

Download: here

Katoozazaï - Nadieh

Nadieh was born on September 7, 1958 as Karin Meis. In September 1979 she married Iranian science and Bahai teacher Zia Reyhani. She started her music career as Karin Reyhani singing in the BB Band and De Dupe. In 1986 she records the solo single 'Windforce 11', which will be her only chart success, reaching number 23 in the Dutch Top 40. 'Katoozazaï' is the first single from her 1988 album 'Company of fools'. It is a melodic piece of work, which earns her a CD Award. Nadieh passed away on April 5, 1996 as a result of cancer.

My collection: 7" single no. 2598

Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, December 30, 1995

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Katoozazaï' / 'The sound of melting ice'

Download: here