Honey - Mariah Carey

Buried under too much breathy vocals and hiphop influences, here's a nice tune. Mariah Carey's 'Honey' was released in 1997, as the first single from her album 'Butterfly', the last album before the disastrous 'Glitter' project. This single made number one in America, number 3 in the UK and number 15 in the Netherlands.

The track uses two samples: 'Hey DJ', originally performed by the World Famous Supreme Team, and 'The Body Rock' by the Treacherous Three.

My collection: 7" single no. 2933

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, January 17, 1998

Cost: 8 guilders

Tracks: 'Honey' / 'Honey (Bad Boy remix)'

The robots - Kraftwerk

Released as the first single from their 1991 remix album 'The Mix', Kraftwerk's 'The Robots' was a big success in the UK, peaking at number 20. 'The robots', remixed by the band, was originally released in 1978 as a single from their seventh album 'Man machine'.

The lyrics reference the revolutionary technique of robotics, and how humans can use them as they wish. The Russian lines "Я твой слуга" (Ya tvoi sluga, I'm your servant) and "Я твой работник" (Ya tvoi rabotnik, I'm your worker) appear repeatedly both in the original version and in this remix.

My collection: 7" single no. 2354

Found: Marlyn Music, Eastbourne, June 28, 1995

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'The robots (single edit)' / 'Robotronik (single version)'

Nightmares - Flip

After the release of 'That's what they say about love', the band Flip tried once more with the remixed single 'Nightmares'. It was even less of a success than the debut single. It must have eventually led to the end of the band in 1987.

The additional single 'Plague of hearts' does exist, but until now I haven't been able to locate a copy. I'm especially looking for the 12" single. Well, here's hoping they will turn up someday...

My collection: 7" single no. 655

Found: V&D, Leiden, September 23, 1988

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Nightmares (Big Drum 7")' / 'Dark on the water'

Cold cold heart - Midge Ure

Midge Ure released his third solo album 'Pure' in 1991. It was a collection of traditionally influenced songs. 'Cold cold heart' was the first single released from the album, which managed to get to number 17 in the UK singles chart. It was also the last single by Ure to make the top 40 in the UK.

Personally I lost track of Midge Ure after his excellent 1989 album 'Answers to nothing'. I picked up this single in 1995 on the strength of his name, but I didn't think it was one of his better songs. Hearing it again, I have to say I like it better now.

My collection: 7" single no. 2434

Found: Concerto, Amsterdam, August 19, 1995

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Cold cold heart' / 'Flowers'

Bomb out - Kojo

Timo Kojo was born in Helsinki, Finland on May 9, 1953. He started his recording career in 1977 when his band, Madame George, released their only album: 'Madame George: what's happening?'. He then proceeded to release three solo albums. The last of these three albums was not a commercial success. He then decided to represent Finland with the song 'Nuku pommiin' ('Bomb out'). The rock song was a protest against nuclear bombs and the potential danger of a nuclear war in Europe during the cold war, which was in its heyday at the time.

Despite its pacifist message the song received no points. However it revived Kojo's career in Finland. He remains not so well known in that country, but his performance in Eurovision is a landmark in Finnish Eurovision Song Contest history. I was eleven years old when Kojo performed his song, and I remembered it vividly as well. I was very glad when I finally found the single 'Bomb out' in 1998.

My collection: 7" single no. 2970

Found: Bea Records, February 21, 1998

Cost: 10 guilders

Tracks: 'Bomb out' / 'Video Venus'

Duel - Propaganda

For a little while in 1985, I thought Propaganda was the best thing since sliced bread. After the success of Dr. Mabuse, the band fell silent for a while before releasing 'Duel'. I vaguely recalled 'Dr. Mabuse', but this new single was total genius in my book. Especially the frantic piano solo was something I really marvelled at.

The single peaked at number 5 in the Dutch Top 40, while it only managed number 21 in the UK. When this single was followed up by the less remarkable 'Machinery', my interest faded pretty quickly, although I did like that song as well.

My collection: 7" single no. 294

Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, 1985

Cost: 5,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Duel' / 'Jewel'

Fly too high - Janis Ian

Janis Ian's biggest international hit must be 'Fly too high', released as a single in the autumn of 1979. Ian contributed the song to the soundtrack of the Jodie Foster movie 'Foxes', and also included it on her own album 'Night rains'. The track was produced and co-written by famous producer Giorgio Moroder and as such is a bit of a strange entity in Janis Ian's body of work.

The single peaked at number 44 in the UK, but was a top 5 hit in the Netherlands. At the time I felt the song was 'too dull', but a decade later I still bought it.

My collection: 7" single no. 894
Found: All that music, Leiden, June 23, 1989
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Fly too high' / 'Night rains'

Days like this - Sheena Easton

You might assume from seeing the picture of this sleeve that I bought this single for the package alone. And you would be almost right. See, the free poster was also a good incentive. But of course, Sheena Easton is an interesting artist anyway so I would be lying if I said I didn't like the song.

'Days like this' is another single from Sheena's 1988 album 'The lover in me'. The single peaked at number 43 in the UK singles chart, but failed to chart in other territories.

My collection: 7" single no. 2180

Found: House of Rhythm, London, September 27, 1994

Cost: 1,5 pounds

Tracks: 'Days like this' / 'Days like this (instrumental)'

Jack and Diane - John Cougar

Before he became John Mellencamp and, before that, John Cougar Mellencamp, he made a name for himself as John Cougar. The single 'Jack & Diane' was released in 1982 and became his first international breakthrough.

According to John, 'Jack & Diane' was written after watching 'Splendor in the Grass', a 1961 movie starring Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty. The song's tone and lyrics are evocative of a nostalgia for the novelty of youth, influenced in part by Mellencamp's own life experiences.

John also stated that the clapping wasn't supposed to be included in the finished song. It was recorded with the clapping in order to help keep tempo and then it was to be removed. However, he realized the song didn't work without it.

My collection: 7" single no. 858

Found: Den Haag, May 27, 1989

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Jack & Diane' / 'Can you take it'

It will come in time - Billy Preston

After the success of the beautiful ballad 'With you I'm born again', Billy Preston enlisted Syreeta Wright's help once again for the next single, 'It will come in time'. This time, they performed a very upbeat, up-tempo track. They had another top 10 success in the Netherlands, peaking at number 8 (where 'With you I'm born again' made it to number 4). The single didn't do as well in the UK, peaking at number 47.

My collection: 7" single no. 3282

Found: February 9, 2001

Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'It will come in time' / 'Sock-it, rocket'

Violently - Hue and Cry

Brother Pat and Greg Kane formed Hue & Cry in 1983. Their biggest hit was the 1987 single 'Labour of love', which peaked at number 6 in the UK. The single 'Violently' was released a year later and peaked at number 21.

It wasn't the title track of this EP that piqued my attention: it was their cover version of Kate Bush's 'The man with the child in his eyes' on the B-side. As an avid Kate Bush collector, I couldn't let this cover version pass me by. It is a reasonable effort, although the version by Velvet Belly, released a decade later, is much better.

My collection: 7" single no. 2527

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

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Violently' / 'The man with the child in his eyes', 'Calamity John'

Shame - Evelyn 'Champagne' King

Evelyn 'Champagne' King was born on July 1, 1960. She released 'Shame', her only top 10 hit in America, in 1978. After a long struggle in the UK singles chart, 'Shame' eventually made the top 40, peaking at number 39. In the Netherlands, it did considerably better: peaking at number 18.

The song was covered by Kim Wilde in 1996. This is how I became interested in the original version. I bought the single in 2000 after a long hunt.

My collection: 7" single no. 3212

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 30, 2000

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Shame' / 'Dancin', dancin', dancin''

Sweet love - Anita Baker

Anita Baker was born on January 26, 1958 in Toledo, Ohio (USA). She released her debut album 'The Songstress' in 1983. Three years later, the album 'Rapture' spawned her first mainstream hit, 'Sweet love'. It peaked at number 8 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 13 in the UK.

This double single edition was released in the UK, featuring two live tracks on the second disc, originally broadcast by BBC Radio 1. I bought this single because I liked the title track ánd because I'm a sucker for limited editions. But I have to admit, I don't really like the other three tracks in this package.

My collection: 7" single no. 2204

Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, October 8, 1994

Cost: 5 guilders

Tracks: 'Sweet love' / 'No one in the world' // 'Same ole love (live)' / 'You bring me joy (live)'

Blank sheets - Bel canto

Circa 2000 I had a growing interest in alternative and not-so-wellknown bands. This interest was fairly shortlived as many bands disappointed me: I bought their cd's and didn't play them as much as I would if I really would have liked them. But sometimes I bought some 'alternative' singles as well - with varying success.

This single by Bel Canto, for instance, is a good one, but I still didn't play it much. And I really should: the instrumental B-side is fascinating, whereas the A-side is an interesting song. The Norwegian synthpop band, consisting of Anneli Drecker and Nils Johansen, has been going strong since 1985. This single was tken from their 1988 album 'White-out conditions'.

My collection: 7" single no. 3271

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, November 10, 2000

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Blank sheets' / 'Chaideinoi'

Gotta go home / El Lute - Boney M

In 1979 Boney M released their fourth album 'Oceans of fantasy'. The album contained two hit singles, of which 'Gotta go home / El Lute' (a double A-side single) was the first. 'Gotta go home' is an upbeat summer track, released just in time for the season. The track 'El Lute' was based on the life of Spanish outlaw and writer Eleuterio Sánchez.

The single was another hit for the German band, reaching number 12 in the UK and number 2 in the Netherlands. I bought the single while it was still in the charts. As young as I was, Boney M had an irresistible appeal to me.

My collection: 7" single no. 58

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1979

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Gotta go home' / 'El Lute'

King in a catholic style - China Crisis

Compared to their previous single 'Black man Ray', 'King in a catholic style' was, to me, a relative disappointment. It was much more a straightforward pop song than the shimmering beauty of the ballad that went before. Some people agreed with me, because the single peaked at number 19 in the UK, five places lower than 'Black man Ray'.

I was in a record shop last Friday and saw this 12" single. I started doubting whether or not I had it. In the end, I didn't buy it, and I was right: the disc was sitting here on the shelf all along. Sometimes a big collection takes up too much memory space in your head.

My collection: 12" single no. 460

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 22, 2008

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: 'King in a catholic style (extended version)' / 'Blue sea', 'King in a catholic style'

Every time I see you - Fra Lippo Lippi

I bought the Fra Lippo Lippi LP 'Songs' some time after it was released at discount price. I discovered that not only their most famous single 'Shouldn't have to be like that' and its B-side were very good, but also the eight other tracks on the album. And so I spent years trying to find the other singles released from this album.

'Every time I see you' is probably the most interesting of them all, with a re-recorded version on the A-side and the instrumental track 'The heather on the hills' on the B-side. Norwegian pop at its very best.

My collection: 7" single no. 2020

Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 19, 1993

Cost: 60p

Tracks: 'Every time I see you' / 'The heather on the hills'

Love like blood - Killing Joke

Having been at it for seven years, the English post-punk rock band Killing Joke achieved mainstream success with their 1985 single 'Love like blood'. It peaked at number 18 in the UK and number 6 in the Netherlands.

Killing Joke consisted of Paul Ferguson, Jeremy Coleman, Kevin Walker and Paul Raven at the time. Two years prior to that, Martin Glover, a.k.a. 'Youth' had left the band. He went on, of course, to become a famous producer.

My collection: 7" single no. 762
Found: March 6, 1989
Cost: unknown
Tracks: 'Love like blood' / 'Blue feather (version)'

Too many walls - Cathy Dennis

When I heard this song and saw Cathy Dennis for the first time, I thought she was just another bimbo with a nice popsong. Almost two decades later I have to admit she's more than just a pretty face: she co-wrote Kylie's 'Can't get you out of my head', one of this decade's most wellknown popsongs.

Anyway, 'Too many walls' was not Cathy Dennis's debut single either. It was released as the fourth single from her debut album 'Move to this', reaching number 17 in the UK and number 8 in the US Billboard Hot 100. Cathy Dennis has stated that she thinks the ballad is 'the best song on the album, especially in terms of lyrics. The other songs are fun, but they can be quite vacant.' The song is apparently 'about when you want to be together with someone, but other people's opinions and prejudices get in the way.'

My collection: 7" single no. 1570

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, January 11, 1992

Cost: 3,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Too many walls' / 'Too many walls (acapella)'

Love is all - Roger Glover

I have vague memories of being absolutely hooked on this video. I was four years old when this song hit number one in the Netherlands, but my older brother and sister were watching Toppop every week - and I saw it with them.

Roger Glover was bassist and songwriter with the rock band Deep Purple. After spending four years with Deep Purple, Glover was dismissed by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and became a record producer for bands like Judas Priest, Nazareth and Elf. His first solo album 'Butterfly ball' was released in 1974, spawning 'Love is all', a number one hit in the Netherlands - but not in other countries.

My collection: 7" single no. 2943

Found: Record fair, Leiden, January 31, 1998

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Love is all' / 'Old blind mole/Magician Moth'