Halt mich - Herbert Grönemeyer

Back in 1988, it was a strange thing to get my head around: a German singing a lovesong. At the time, all the history lessons were telling us that Germans were cruel people who were responsible for atrocious crimes just short of a half century ago. And here came Herbert Grönemeyer with one of the most beautiful lovesongs ever written.

I was only 18 when this song was released, young enough to think in black and white, good and bad. These days we know that you can't hold everyone responsible for decades on end. Fortunately, the single was rewarded with a decent placing in the Dutch chart: it reached number 23.

My collection: 7" single no. 677
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, November 12, 1988
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Halt mich' / 'Lesmona'

Because of love - Janet Jackson

'Because of love' was released as the fourth single from Janet Jackson's 1993 album 'Janet' in January 1994. The track is a rather traditional love song and was produced, like the album, by Jackson, James Harris III and Terry lewis.

The single peaked at number 10 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 19 in the UK singles chart, but it didn't chart in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 2080
Found: March 8, 1994
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Because of love' / 'Because of love (Frankie & David 7")'

Really saying something - Bananarama

'He was really sayin' somethin'' was written by Motown songwriters Norman Whitfield, William "Mickey" Stevenson and Edward Holland, Jr. in 1964. The song was originally recorded by the Velvelettes in 1964.

Bananarama recorded their version of the song as the first single from their debut album 'Deep sea skiving'. Fun Boy Three provided backing vocals, after they had a hit with Bananarama earlier in the year with 'It ain't what you do (It's the way that you do it'. With this single they had another hit together, peaking at number 5 in the UK singles chart and number 11 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1976
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, October 17, 1993
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Really saying something' / 'Give us back our cheap fares'

Paperback writer - The Beatles

This single is part of a boxed set of all of Beatles 7" singles, reissued some time in the Seventies. I wish I could find that box set for a relatively cheap price, but so do many others. Every time it pops up on eBay, you can spend a fortune on it. So for now, I'll have to be satisfied with the three separate singles I bought in 1986. This is the first of them.

'Paperback writer' was originally released in 1966. Written in the form of a letter from an aspiring author to a publisher, 'Paperback writer' was the first Beatles single that was not a love song. The single reached number 1, well, everywhere.

My collection: 7" single no. 455
Found: Den Haag, 1986
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Paperback writer' / 'Rain'

We close our eyes - Go west

'We close our eyes' was the debut single by Go West, composed by both members Peter Cox and Richard Drummie. The accompanying music video was directed by Godley & Creme. The single spent fourteen weeks on the UK singles chart, peaking at number 5. In the Netherlands, it reached number 22.

I bought the 12" single quite quickly after the release of this single, but the 7" single followed almost a decade after its original release.

My collection: 7" single no. 2289
Found: May 6, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'We close our eyes' / 'Missing persons'

Jump in the river - Sinéad O'Connor

After three singles from her debut album 'The lion and the cobra' were released, Sinéad O'Connor released a stand-alone single in the autumn of 1988. 'Jump in the river' was only a minor success, stalling at number 81 in the UK singles chart, although it did reach number 29 in Ireland.

The B-side is a live recording of the track 'Never get old' from the aforementioned debut album. It was recorded at Dominion theatre in London on June 3, 1988.

My collection: 7" single no. 2549
Found: November 2, 1995
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Jump in the river' / 'Never get old (live)'

I've seen that face before - Grace Jones

'I've seen that face before' was the third single taken from Grace Jones' 1981 album 'Nightclubbing'. The song combines 'Libertango', an Argentine tango classic written by bandoneonist Ástor Piazzolla, with a reggae arrangement en new lyrics by Grace Joes and Barrey Reynolds.

This version of the single, which I've only seen once (when I bought it), features not only a beautiful sleeve, but also a Spanish version on the B-side. It replaces the French spoken verse 'Tu cherches quoi ? À rencontrer la mort ? Tu te prends pour qui ? Toi aussi tu détestes la vie...' with a literal translation in Spanish. The single reached number 2 in the Dutch Top 40. Bizarrely, it did not chart in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 2995
Found: London, May 27, 1998
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'I've seen that face before' / 'I've seen that face before (Spanish version)'

Waiting in vain - Bob Marley and the Wailers

Musicians always live forever. After the death of Bob Marley, there was no shortage of new albums and singles. 'Waiting in vain' was released as a single when the compilation album 'Legend' appeared in 1984. It was originally recorded in 1977 for Marley's album 'Exodus'. This single was mixed by Julian Mendelsohn.

The original release of 'Waiting in vain' reached number27 in the UK singles chart. This new release reached number 31 in the summer of 1984. In the Netherlands, the song only charted once in 1984, reaching number 32.

My collection: 7" single no. 1890
Found: Record fair, May 2, 1993
Cost: 4 guilders
Tracks: 'Waiting in vain' / 'Blackman redemption'

Half a minute - Matt Bianco

Basia was the lead singer on this single by Matt Bianco, released in the autumn of 1984. While it only reached number 23 in the UK singles chart, it spent 10 weeks in the chart, which was quite a feat.

The summery video was a regular on television, even in the Netherlands, where it did not chart. I found the single years later. I think I must have seen it many times before I bought it, but the sleeve is a bit inconspicuous.

My collection: 7" single no. 1764
Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 20, 1992
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Half a minute' / 'Matts Mood II'

The sign - Ace of base

'The sign' was the first single taken from Ace of Base's second album 'Happy nation'. The single continued the success story of the Swedish band, as it reached number 1 in America, Australia, Canada, Argentina, Spain and Austria. In the Netherlands, it reached number 3 and in the UK singles chart, it peaked at number 2.

After this single, Ace of base continued to release albums and singles, but this was their last big hit worldwide.

My collection: 7" single no. 2490
Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 30, 1995
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'The sign' / 'The sign (long version)'

You'll never be so wrong - Hot Chocolate

'You'll never be so wrong' was written by Ricky and Marty Wilde, who had just been successful launching Kim Wilde, their sister and daughter respectively, as an artist with the singles 'Kids in America'. Producer Mickie Most had just accepted 'Chequered love' as her second single, but they still needed a B-side. They recorded 'You'll never be so wrong', but Most responded that the track was too good to be a B-side. He wanted to give Hot Chocolate a shot with the track.

And so Hot Chocolate released this single in May 1981. It reached number 51 in the UK singles chart, but did considerably better in Europe. In the Netherlands, for instance, it reached number 23. Kim Wilde's version of the track subsequently appeared as a track on her debut album.

My collection: 7" single no. 581
Found: 1987
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'You'll never be so wrong' / 'Robot love'

Till you come back to me - Leo Sayer

'Till you come back to me' is a cover of a song originally performed by Stevie Wonder. Leo Sayer recorded it on his tenth album, 'Have you ever been in love', which was released in 1983. When it was released as a single, it effectively ended a run of chart hits Sayer had since the early Seventies. The single reached number 51 in the UK singles chart.

I heard the track on the radio very frequently back in 1983 and 1984. When I found this single a decade later, I was pretty happy as I'd never seen a copy!

My collection: 7" single no. 1943
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, August 11, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Till you come back to me' / 'Train'

You keep me hangin' on - The Supremes

'You keep me hangin' on' was written by the famous Holland-Dozier-Holland writing team. It was recorded by The Supremes in 1966. Many elements of the recording, including the guitars, the drums, and Diana Ross's lead vocal, were multitracked (the parts were recorded multiple times and the takes layered over one another). This was done to create a fuller sound than the previous Supremes records. The song was recorded nine different times with the Supremes and session band The Funk Brothers before the producers got the version they were finally satisfied with.

'You keep me hangin' on' was the first single from the Supremes' 1967 album 'The Supremes sing Holland-Dozier-Holland'. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for two weeks in November 1966. In the Netherlands, it reached number 26.

My collection: 7" single no. 2979
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, April 4, 1998
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'You keep me hangin' on' / 'Hang on Sloopy'

Waltz darling - Malcolm McLaren

In 1989, Malcolm McLaren released the album 'Waltz darling', with tracks inspired by funk, disco and the new dance craze 'vogueing'. While for once McLaren's instincts failed him (there was no sudden interest in waltz music) it still helped to spread the news about the previously underground practice of vogueing. The most famous track coming forth from this craze is of course Madonna's 'Vogue', but Malcolm McLaren's track is more interesting than that one.

The single reached number 19 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 31 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1040
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1989
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Waltz darling' / 'Deep in vogue'

Wisdom chain - Jon and Vangelis

Most people know the songs 'I'll find my way home' and 'I hear you now', recorded by Jon and Vangelis in the Eighties. The fact that they released another album together in 1991 is less wellknown. The album was called 'Page of life' and 'Wisdom chain' was the first single released from that album. The single flopped, and there were no further albums by the duo.

The album 'Page of life' was re-released in 1998, but it included different tracks of which Vangelis did not approve.

My collection: 7" single no. 1605
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, March 28, 1992
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Wisdom chain' / 'Page of life'

Refuse/Resist - Sepultura

The music of Sepultura is loud, very loud. And for a while in the early Nineties, I was into loud sounds. The albums 'Blessed are the sick' by Morbid Angel and 'Arise' by Sepultura were on my favourites list and it was logical for me to start searching for singles by these bands. As far as I know, no 7" singles were released from these albums.

In 1994, Sepultura released the album 'Chaos A.D.' and the EP 'Refuse/Resist'. The intro to the song is the heartbeat of Max Cavalera's then-unborn first son Zyon. Needless to say, this music never became mainstream, but it did reach number 51 in the UK singles chart. Perhaps the poster sleeve of this release was an explanation?

My collection: 7" single no. 2079
Found: Amsterdam, March 8, 1994
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Refuse/Resist' / 'Inhuman nature', 'Propaganda'

One of us - Abba

'One of us' was one of the last songs Abba recorded for their final album 'The visitors'. Like more songs around that time, Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson were writing about their personal lives, which involved the divorce of their female band members, Agnetha and Frida respecrtively. Despite the somewhat depressing context and reservations by manager Stig Anderson, 'One of us' was released as the first single from 'The Visitors'. It reached number 1 in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Ireland. In the UK, it peaked at number 3.

The song was parodied in the UK television programme 'Not the nine o'clock news', in which the chorus was sung as 'One of us is ugly, 1 of us is cute / One of us you'd like to see in her birthday suit / Two of us write music, two have way a song /Sorry, in translation, that line come out wrong'.

My collection: 7" single no. 109
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1981
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'One of us' / 'Should I laugh or cry'

Freedom - George Michael

A long time before I bought the UK edition of the single 'Freedom' by George Michael, I bought the European one. It had a different B-side, the one that was used as the B-side of 'Waiting for that day' in the UK. The front sleeve was the same, however, which may have been confusing to some.

This single reached number 8 in the Dutch Top 40, which was 20 places higher than the UK. I wonder if the B-side helped it do so well?

My collection: 7" single no. 1347
Found: Melody Maker, October 27, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Freedom' / 'Fantasy'

Paradise - Sade

'Paradise' was the second single from Sade's 1988 album 'Stronger than pride'. It was released in the summer of 1988 and reached number 16 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the UK, it reached number 29 and in the Netherlands it peaked at number 26.

My copy of the single is an American pressing. For some reason, a European pressing was hard to come by at the time.

My collection: 7" single no. 641
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, July 23, 1988
Cost: 4 guilders
Tracks: 'Paradise' / 'Super bien total'

Lucky one - Amy Grant

'Lucky one' was released as the first single from the album 'House of love' by Amy Grant in 1994 in the UK. In the USA, it was the second single, following the title track, which was a duet with Vince Gill. The single performed slightly better on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 18.

In the UK, this single reached number 60 in August 1994.

My collection: 7" single no. 2196
Found: HMV, London, September 29, 1994
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Lucky one' / 'Baby baby'