Kiss that frog - Peter Gabriel

'Kiss that frog' was the fourth single taken from Peter Gabriel's 1992 album 'Us'. Produced by Peter Gabriel and Daniel Lanois, the track was a bit of a messy affair, reminiscent of earlier singles by Gabriel, but not quite as effective.

The single only managed to reach number 46, and as a result, no further singles were taken from the album.

My collection: 7" single no. 2039
Found: HMV, London, October 22, 1993
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Kiss that frog (edit)' / 'Kiss that frog (Mindblender mix - edit)'

Ray of light - Madonna

'Ray of light' was the second single taken from Madonna's 1998 album of the same name. The track was based on Curtiss Maldoon's 'Sepheryn', although that track has a different melody and instrumentation. The track is full of weird high-pitched sounds, courtesy of producer William Orbit.

Madonna reached her creative peak with the album 'Ray of light', and the title track is an energetic, uplifting piece. The single reached number 17 in the Dutch Top 40, number 2 in the UK singles chart and number 5 in the US Billboard Hot 100.

My collection: 7" single no. 3022
Found: Record fair, September 8, 1998
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Ray of light' / 'Has to be'

Love on your side - Thompson Twins

Thompson Twins found themselves functioning as a trio as of 1982. The single 'In the name of love' had become a hit, and Tom Bailey, Alannah Currie and Joe Leeway wanted to pursue the single's different sound. They toyed with the idea of starting a new band on the side, which they planned to call 'The Bermuda Triangle'. John Hade, their manager, convinced them to downsize their original band, Thompson Twins.

Their first hit as a trio was 'Love on your side', a track that even quoted 'In the name of love' for a few seconds. The single reached number 9 in the UK singles chart (their first top 10 hit in the UK) and number 20 in the Dutch Top 40. This limited edition double single features the earlier single 'In the name of love' as disc 2.

My collection: 7" single no. 2314
Found: June 3, 1995
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Love on your side' / 'Love on your back' // 'In the name of love' / 'In the beginning'

Orangefield - Van Morrison

'Orangefield' was the second single drawn from Van Morrison's 1989 album 'Avalon Sunset'. The song is named after the school for boys which Morrison attended during his youth in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The single did not chart, despite the staggering beauty of the music in this track. Perhaps more people felt, like me, that the voice demolished the song a bit.

My collection: 7" single no. 1148
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, January 19, 1990
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Orangefield' / 'These are the days'

Angel eyes - Roxy Music

'Angel eyes' was the third single taken from Roxy Music's album 'Manifesto' (1979). It was a re-recorded version of the album track. An extended dance mix was also released on the accompanying 12" single, a relatively new format at the time. The song was in the charts at the same time as another song called 'Angeleyes', by the Swedish group Abba.

Roxy Music's 'Angel eyes' peaked at number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 10 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 515
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Angel eyes' / 'My little girl'

Baby baby - Amy Grant

Amy Grant was moving firmly into pop territory with her 1991 album 'Heart in motion'. 'Baby baby' was the first single drawn from the album and it was the biggest hit of her career. Not only did it top the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, it also reached number 2 in the UK singles chart (her first and biggest hit in the UK) and number 31 in the Dutch Top 40 (her only hit in the Netherlands).

I didn't like the track upon its release, but in 1995 I got an Amy Grant tape from a friend in America and since then I was hooked.

My collection: 7" single no. 2237
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, January 21, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Baby baby' / 'Lead me on'

Diamond smiles - Boomtown Rats

I was too young to understand the lyric of the Boomtown Rats' 'Diamond smiles' but I was fascinated by it. I was sure an interesting story was told here, but I just couldn't make out what it was. Listening to it now, I'm almost certain it's about suicide. The Boomtown Rats were never about happy lovesongs anyway.

The single reached number 13 in the UK singles chart, but failed to reached the Dutch Top 40. Lucky for me, because it meant that I could buy the single pretty quickly at discount price.

My collection: 7" single no. 55
Found: Rapsody, Den Haag, 1979
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Diamond smiles' / 'Late last night'

Another brick in the wall (live) - Roger Waters featuring Cyndi Lauper

Soon after the wall in Berlin came down, Roger Waters staged a live concert together with a lot of other pop stars, playing the entire Pink Floyd double album 'The Wall'. It was one of the largest concerts ever, with 350,000 people in the audience and 52 countries broadcasting the event live. While earning back the money invested from the sale of the cd and video releases of the concert, the original plan was to donate all profits past his initial investment to the Memorial Fund for Disaster Relief. This fund incurred heavy losses, and when the charity was wound up, the audio and video sales rights returned to Roger Waters himself.

'Another brick in the wall' was the only single release from the concert. It featured Cyndi Lauper on vocals, giving it a somewhat quirky feel. The single did not become a hit.

My collection: 7" single no. 1357
Found: Free Record Shop, December 1, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Another brick in the wall (live)' / 'Run like hell (live)'

Bitch - Meredith Brooks

Meredith Brooks was born on June 12, 1958 in Oregon City, USA. In 1995 she signed a recording contract with Capitol Records and recorded her debut album, 1997's 'Blurring the edges'. Her debut single 'Bitch' became the biggest hit of her career, reaching number 2 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 6 in the UK singles chart and number 12 in the Dutch Top 40.

Brooks has stated in interviews that 'Bitch' was almost omitted from the album, reportedly because of its title, which could have prevented it from becoming a radio hit. Only in America....!

My collection: 7" single no. 2922
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 9, 1997
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Bitch' / 'Bitch (Madgroove mix)'

Even the nights are better - Air Supply

'Even the nights are better' was taken from Air Supply's 1982 album 'Now and forever'. Itw as released as a single in the summer of 1982 and reached number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 44 in the UK singles chart.

Even though Air Supply would continue to record and perform concerts, but 'Even the nights are better' would prove to be their last significant hit.

My collection: 7" single no. 2517
Found: House of Rhythm, London, November 1, 1995
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Even the nights are better' / 'Lost in love', 'All out of love'

I treni di Tozeur - Alice e Battiato

Italian singers Alice Visconti and Franco Battiato represented Italy during the 1984 Eurovision song Contest with 'I treni di Tozeur'. It earned them a fifth place in the Contest and one of the biggest hits of a non-winning Eurovision entry - at least in the Netherlands, peaking at number 17 in the Dutch Top 40.

I don't usually do this, but the Wikipedia entry on this song is so extensive, that you really should read it. It gives more information about the lyric and the composition than this short description here could ever give you. What remains here, is the song - and it really is a beauty.

My collection: 7" single no. 1709
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, September 19, 1992
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'I treni di Tozeur' / 'Le bicicletti di Forli'

Your love takes me higher - Beloved

The Beloved found success in 1990, with the single 'Hello' reaching number 19 in the UK singles chart. A follow-up single was chosen, and it was a new recording of 'Your love takes me higher', originally released in 1989. This new single featured a different sleeve and a different B-side.

Unlike the original release, this one reached the UK singles chart and peaked at number 39. One further single from the Beloved's debut album 'Happiness' was released, the beautiful 'Time after time'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1299
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 15, 1990
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'Your love takes me higher' / 'Pablo'

She wants to dance with me - Rick Astley

Although Rick Astley's debut album already contained a few tracks written by Astley himself, it wasn't until the release of 'She wants to dance with me', the first single from his second album, that a single was actually written by himself. His album was still produced wholly by Stock, Aitken & Waterman, but that would be over on his third album too. Astley was slowly taking artistic control over his career.

'She wants to dance with me' remained faithful to the SAW sound, which may be why it did so wel, peaking at number 6 in the UK singles chart and the US Billboard Hot 100, and number 12 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1335
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1990
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'She wants to dance with me' / 'She wants to dance with me (instrumental)'

Does your mother know - Abba

Abba's 'Does your mother know' was recorded in February 1979 and released as a single in April of that year. Written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, the song is something of a pastiche to 1950s/early 1960s-style rock & roll, incorporating some modern disco rhythms as well. The lyric of the song touches on the subject of a man responding to the flirting of a much younger girl. For the first time in a long time, the song's lead vocals were not performed by female vocalists Agnetha and/or Frida, but by Björn Ulvaeus.

The single was still a big hit for the Swedish superstars, peaking at number 4 in the Netherlands and the UK, also reaching number 19 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2044
Found: Plaatboef, Rotterdam, October 30, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Does your mother know' / 'Kisses of fire'

I'm on fire - Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen's 'I'm on fire' is a candidate for the title of 'shortest single of the Eighties'. With the A-side lasting for 2'36 minutes and the B-side just 1'50, both tracks of the single combined were shorter than the A-side of a lot of singles around at the time.

The single reached number 1 in the Netherlands and peaked at number 5 in the UK singles chart. I didn't like the song when it came out, but learned to appreciate it years later.

My collection: 7" single no. 1897
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, May 2, 1993
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'I'm on fire' / 'Johnny bye bye'

7 8th Avenue - Earth and Fire

I have no idea what a 'Gate to infinity' is, but it is the title of Earth & Fire's 1977 album. Filled as usual with symphonic rock tracks and some more commercial-sounding hits, it was a reasonable success in the Netherlands.

The single '7 8th Avenue' was drawn from the album and reached number 18 in the Dutch Top 40. I can remember this song from my childhood and never understood the title until I heard about streets in America being actually named after numbers.

My collection: 7" single no. 559
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1986
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: '7 8th Avenue' / 'Dizzy raptures'

Life's what you make it (remix '91) - Talk Talk

EMI Records were so happy with the success of the compilation 'Natural history', featuring all the singles by Talk Talk, that they released a remix album, 'History revisited' in 1991. It featured the hits of Talk Talk in all new remixes by various DJ's. Bad move: the band, who had just switched record companies, sued EMI for remixing their material without permission.

I've been looking for the outcome of this lawsuit on the web, but I couldn't find it. As far as I can recall, EMI were ordered to take 'Natural history' out of the shops, making it an instant collectors item. There was, however, one single drawn from the album: a remix of 'Life's what you make it' by BBG. It was not a hit, by the way.

My collection: 7" single no. 2789
Found: Record fair, November 9, 1996
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Life's what you make it (remixed by BBG)' / 'Today (remixed by Gary Miller)'

You make me feel brand new - The Stylistics

'You make me feel brand new' was written by Thom Bell and Linda Creed. It became a hit for the Philadelphia soul groep The Stylistics in 1974. It reached number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and the UK singles chart. In the Netherlands, it reached number 12.

The track appeared on the Stylistics' 1973 album, 'Rockin' roll baby', as well as their 1974 album, 'Let's put it all together'. It has been covered in jazz and pop circles, including a soulful version by Simply Red in 2003.

My collection: 7" single no. 2895
Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, October 29, 1997
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'You make me feel brand new' / 'Only for the children'

Chorus - Erasure

'Chorus' was the first single from Erasure's 1991 album of the same name. A track with an environmental theme, it was produced by Martyn Phillips and written by Vince Clarke and Andy Bell. The single reached number 3 in the UK singles chart and became a top 10 hit in Denmark and Ireland.

The B-side track 'Over the rainbow' is notable for its lyric namechecking the members of the Swedish group Abba. Erasure would record a tribute to that group the next year, in the form of the 'Abba-esque' EP.

My collection: 7" single no. 1501
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, August 6, 1991
Cost: 3,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Chorus' / 'Over the rainbow'

I'm not scared - Eighth Wonder

Patsy Kensit joined the band of her brother Jamie in 1983, aged 14. Together with Geoff Beauchamp, Lawrence Lewis and Jake Walters they started performing live, trying to get the attention of record labels. In 1985 they were signed to CBS Records and began recording in London, while Patsy Kensit also managed to land a role in the movie 'Absolute beginners'.

During the recording of their second album 'Fearless' in 1987, they came in contact with the Pet Shop Boys, who co-produced and wrote 'I'm not scared'. This was released as the first single from the album. It was a number 1 hit in Italy, reaching number 7 in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 997
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 16, 1989
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'I'm not scared' / 'J'ai pas peur'