Abergavenny - Marty Wilde

On the occasion of his daughter Roxanne's wedding today, I thought it might be nice to get out a real classic today: Marty Wilde's 'Abergavenny'. While all of the UK knows him for his hits beween 1958 and 1962, the European continent was more impressed with this song from 1968. Marty performed it at the Knokke festival, and subsequently had a great European hit on his hands: in the Netherlands the song peaked at number 5. The song also became a top 50 hit in America under Marty's pseudonym Shannon. 'Abergavenny' also appears on Marty's 1969 album 'Diversions', a collection of truly great songs including 'Jesamine', the 1968 hitsong he wrote for the Casuals.

I was incredibly lucky to get this Belgian pressing from a dealer who probably wasn't aware that this single normally sells for anything above 10 euros. I should know, I've searched for this one for years...

My collection: 7" single no. 3716
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, May 23, 2009
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Abergavenny' / 'Alice in blue'

Rendez-vous - Jean Michel Jarre

Jarre recorded the album 'Rendez-vous' after being inspired by the sounds of the Elka synthesizer, which he used a lot on the record. It also features his first heavy use of the Moog synthesizer on a studio album. This single featured part 4 of the album.

In 1986 NASA and the city of Houston asked Jarre to stage a concert to celebrate NASA's 25th and the city of Houston's 150th anniversaries. During that concert, astronaut Ronald McNair was to have played the saxophone part of Jarre's piece "Rendez-vous VI" while in orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger. It was to have been the first piece of music recorded in space, for the album. After the Challenger disaster of January 28 1986 which killed McNair, the piece was recorded with a different saxophonist, retitled 'Ron's piece' and the album dedicated to the seven dead Challenger astronauts.

My collection: 7" single no. 3736

Found: Record fair, Den Haag, May 23, 2009

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'Fourth Rendez-vous' / 'First Rendez-vous'

Love and loneliness - The Motors

'Tenement steps' was taken from the Motors' third and last album of the same name. But so was this single, also released in 1980. It peaked at number 58 in the UK singles chart, making it the band's last hit before they finally disbanded in 1982.

'Love and loneliness' was covered by Chris Thompson in 1986 for the soundtrack of the movie 'American Anthem'.

My collection: 7" single no. 3720

Found: Record fair, Den Haag, May 23, 2009

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'Love and loneliness' / 'Time for make-up'

Oh Susie - Secret Service

The Swedish band Secret Service was formed in 1979 by Ola Håkansson, Tim Norell, Ulf Wahlberg, Tony Lindberg, Leif Paulsen and Leif Johansson. Their debut single 'Oh Susie' became a number one hit in Sweden, but also scored in other countries of Europe and South America. In Norway it peaked at number 6, in Germany it went to number 9. The debut album, also named 'Oh Susie', went gold in Sweden.

My collection: 7" single no. 3722
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, May 23, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Oh Susie' / 'Give me your love'

The kid's a punk - Slik

After the UK hits 'Forever and ever' and 'Requiem', Slik tried to make it a hattrick with the song 'The kid's a punk'. Unfortunately, this attempt was unsuccessful: the single flopped.

I have to say that buying this single was a gamble: I bought 'Forever and ever' not so long ago and liked that song so I hoped this would be just as nice. It isn't, but the B-side does make up for it: it's very out of style for the band, but a very infectious tune.

My collection: 7" single no. 3717

Found: Record fair, Den Haag, May 23, 2009

Cost: 2 euro

Tracks: 'The kid's a punk' / 'Slik shuffle'

Un jour, un enfant - Frida Boccara

Frida Boccara was born on October 29, 1940 in Casablanca, Marocco. She started her singing career in the Sixties. In 1969, she represented France during the Eurovision Song Contest. Her monumental ballad 'Un jour, un enfant' was one of the four songs to win the Contest that year, since no rules were in place for a tiebreak.

This single was made in Holland and contains mono versions of the two tracks. It did not reach the charts in the Netherlands, which may be caused by the country's own victory by Lenny Kuhr. Frida Boccara died on August 1, 1996.

My collection: 7" single no. 3745

Found: Record fair, Den Haag, May 23, 2009

Cost: 4 euro

Tracks: 'Un jour, un enfant' / 'Belle du Luxembourg'

I think I'll get my haircut - Jona Lewie

This is one of many singles by Jona Lewie that never made the UK singles chart. 'I think I'll get my haircut' was released in 1981, as always on the Stiff label. Lewie's music is basically always the same: a strong melody, funny lyrics and short songs. Always a safe bet when you buy a single by him.

I didn't actually remember the song when I bought this single, but playing it made me realise I have heard it before.... Although it may be a quarter of a century ago now.

My collection: 7" single no. 3727

Found: Record fair, Den Haag, May 23, 2009

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'I think I'll get my haircut' / 'What have I done'

Got to let you know - Belle and the Devotions

Although Belle and the Devotions were a threesome when they represented the United Kingdom in the 1984 Eurovision Song Contest, the band started out as a name for British singer Kit Rolfe. Under this name she released the singles 'Where did love go wrong?' and 'Got to let you know' in 1983.

Both singles failed to chart, but the tide turned - albeit briefly - with 'Love games'. It would be their only hit single in a short career.

My collection: 7" single no. 3742

Found: Record fair, Den Haag, May 23, 2009

Cost: 0,5 euro

Tracks: 'Got to let you know' / 'Reach out for love'

What do I do - Sandra and Andres

Sandra and Andres represented the Netherlands in the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Als het om de liefde gaat'. They also recorded two versions in other languages: the song was titled 'Was soll ich tun' in German and 'What do I do' in English.

It's a miracle that my friend Puck and I didn't buy the same singles on May 5. While he bought 'Als het om de liefde gaat' and this English single somewhere else in the country, I was back in my hometown buying the single 'Was soll ich tun'.

My collection: 7" single no. 3705
Found: May 5, 2009
Cost: -
Tracks: 'What do I do' / 'Gypsy man'

Sad songs - Alessi

The twin brothers Billy and Bobby Alessi were born on July 12, 1954 on Long Island, New York. In 1977 they hit it big with the single 'Oh Lori'. 'Sad songs' was released that same year, but that single did not chart.

I'd completely missed out on the Alessi brothers and only found out about them at the end of the Eighties, when my sister bought a compilation cd of their music. Some of their songs really impressed me, so I bought the singles. I never had a craving for an entire cd of their music, though.

My collection: 7" single no. 2563

Found: November 19, 1995

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Sad songs' / 'Don't hold back'

Respect yourself - The Kane Gang

Martin Brammer, Paul Woods and Dave Brewis met in 1982 and formed the trio The Kane Gang, naming themselves after the movie 'Citizen Kane'. They signed a record deal in 1983 and released their debut album 'Bad and lowdown world of the Kane Gang' in 1984.

The single 'Respect yourself', taken from that album, is a cover of The Staples Singers song. The song was written in 1970 by Luther Ingram, a Stax Records singer, and Mack Rice, a Stax house songwriter. Ingram, who was frustrated with the state of the world at the time, told Rice 'black folk need to learn to respect themselves.'

My collection: 7" single no. 2137
Found: Grammofoonwinkel, Utrecht, August 2, 1994
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Respect yourself' / 'Amusement park'

Flowers in our hair - All about Eve

Owning the promotional version of 'Flowers in our hair' is one thing, but of course I needed to own the commercial version of that single as well. If only for the exclusive B-side, 'Paradise', that didn't appear anywhere else for a long time. I found the 12" single a long time before I found this 7" single.

My collection: 7" single no. 2651
Found: London, June 29, 1996
Cost: 2,5 pounds
Tracks: 'Flowers in our hair' / 'Paradise'

Trouble - Lindsey Buckingham

Lindsey Buckingham was born on October 3, 1949. He joined Fleetwood Mac in 1972 and would be a prominent member of the band (on and off) between then and now. During the recording sessions of the Fleetwood Mac album 'Tusk' (1979) Lindsey started working on his first solo album, 'Law and order', released in 1982.

'Trouble' was the first single from that album, released in December 1981. The single went number 1 in Australia, peaked at number 9 in the USA and number 31 in the UK. In the Netherlands, it did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 684

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1988

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Trouble' / 'I'll tell you now'

Walk on air - T'pau

By the time 'Walk on air' was released as a single, my faith in T'pau had been restored. After the disastrous second album 'Rage', the third one, 'The promise' was a lot better and I would buy all the singles without hesitation. The only problem was, that after 'Whenever you need me' no further singles seemed to appear. Until I finally spotted 'Walk on air' during a record fair in early 1992, I wasn't aware that a second single had come out.

I couldn't have known. The single only managed a number 62 placing in the UK singles chart and I think it wasn't even released in the Netherlands. I do have a German pressing, with a press info sheet in German.

My collection: 7" single no. 1606

Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, March 28, 1992

Cost: 2 guilders

Tracks: 'Walk on air' / 'Hold on to love'

Don't shed a tear - Paul Carrack

Paul Carrack was born on April 22, 1951 in Sheffield, England. He's been a member of Squeeze, Mike & the Mechanics and Roxy Music, but he's also had a successful solo career. 'Don't shed a tear' was one of them. It could be described, if nothing else, as a radio hit. It was played almost continually in 1987.

Despite this, it didn't become his biggest hit: it stalled at number 60 in the UK, whereas in the Netherlands it only made number 21.

My collection: 7" single no. 815

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, May 13, 1989

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Don't shed a tear' / 'Merilee'

Rock And Roll Star - Champagne

The members of the band Champagne were brought together by producer Martin Duiser in October 1976. Trudy Schell, Bert van der Wiel, Jan Vredenburg and Paulette Bronkhorst recorded their debut single 'Rock and Roll Star' that month, written by Duiser with ex-Outsiders singer Wally Tax. The single reached the Dutch Top 40 in December 1976 and reached number 2 the following year. Subsequent singles all failed to match this level of success.

The band stayed together for five years before disbanding in 1981. Bronkhorst released 2 singles with another female singer as the duo Chica and Vredenburg made a single in 1981 with the group Shampoo.

My collection: 7" single no. 3117

Found: June 6, 1999

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Rock and roll star' / 'Kiss you baby'

Hunting high and low - A-ha

Released as the fourth and final single from their album of the same name, 'Hunting high and low' became an unexpected hit for A-ha. While 'Train of thought' didn't make the charts in a lot of countries, no-one really thought this song would do better. But the tide turned. The single peaked at number 5 in the UK and number 15 in the Netherlands.

Of course, 'Hunting high and low' had been remixed. The album version was produced by Tony Mansfield and was performed with synthesizers, while the single remix produced by Alan Tarney features an orchestra.

My collection: 7" single no. 435

Found: Paris, July 12, 1986

Cost: nothing (present)

Tracks: 'Hunting high and low (remix)' / 'The blue sky (demo)'

Dead from the waist down - Catatonia

'Dead from the waist down' was released as the first single from Catatonia's fourth album 'Equally cursed and blessed'. The decision had been taken by the band quite early on that 'Dead From The Waist Down' would feature a string arrangement. Paul Jones and Owen Powell of the band previously decried the gratuitous use of strings to make a track sound 'posher' by simply plastering them over a perfectly good arrangement, and so the band were keen to find something which truly complemented what they had already recorded.

It was a good choice: the single peaked at number 7 in the UK singles chart, making it the last of their three UK top 10 hits. The single was pressed on yellow vinyl and also included a large poster featuring the cover artwork.

My collection: 7" single no. 3113

Found: HMV, London, May 14, 1999

Cost: 2,5 pounds

Tracks: 'Dead from the waist down' / 'Branding a mountain'

Fantasy dream - Ami Aspelund

Ami Aspelund was born on September 7, 1953 in Vaasa, Finland. While her sister Monica represented Finland during the 1977 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Lapponia', Ami followed in her footsteps in 1983 with the song 'Fantasiaa'. Monica finished on 10th place, Ami did only slightly worse, finishing on 11th place.

The single 'Fantasy dream', released in Germany, features both the English and Finnish versions of the song. It's a great upbeat track, and one of the better Finnish contributions to the Contest during the Eighties.

My collection: 7" single no. 3714

Found: Marktplaats.nl, received May 22, 2009

Cost: 2,5 euro

Tracks: 'Fantasy dream' / 'Fantasiaa'

Tears are not enough - ABC

Hard to imagine now, but there was a time when no-one knew the band ABC. They even had to release their debut single 'Tears are not enough' in 1981 to try and catch the public eye. The single version of 'Tears are not enough' was different from the album version. While the album version was produced by Trevor Horn, the single version was produced by one Steve Brown.

As far as debuts go, the band did well. The single peaked at number 19 at the end of 1981. The next year the debut album 'Lexicon of love' would be released - it would become a classic album of the Eighties.

My collection: 7" single no. 2015

Found: Record Exchange, London, October 19, 1993

Cost: 1 pound

Tracks: 'Tears are not enough' / 'Alphabet soup'