We are golden - Mika

I'm really sorry now that I didn't buy the 7" singles from Mika's debut album 'Life in cartoon motion', because when you find them now on eBay, each one of them costs a fortune. So I decided to be quicker this time around, with the release of 'We are golden', the first single from Mika's second album. It was pressed on - you guessed it - gold coloured vinyl.

According to Mika, the song is 'big sounding and aggressive, but in a good way. It's got a gospel choir on it and a kids' choir, but unlike the first record they're not singing sweetly, they're screaming at the top of their lungs'. The single has already reached number 4 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4101
Found: eBay.co.uk, received October 14, 2009
Cost: 3 pounds
Tracks: 'We are golden' / 'We are golden (Jokers of the scene are not who you think they are remix)'

Net als in de film - Toontje Lager

Even if you're not able to understand the Dutch language, when you listen to this single it will be obvious from the music alone that the Dutch music scene was is pretty fine shape back in 1982. The instrumental break in 'Net als in de film' ('Just like in the movies') is up there with the pop classics of its time. And for the Dutch readers of this blog: the lyric of the B-side is a wonderfully cynical response to that old Dutch classic 'De glimlach van een kind' ('The smile of a child').

While Dutch music is much more popular these days, the quality is surprisingly low. Still, it reaches the higher regions of the Dutch Top 40 without much effort. By contrast, this excellent single only reached number 31 in July 1982.

My collection: 7" single no. 2813
Found: Record fair, Leiden, February 1, 1997
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Net als in de film' / 'De glimlach van een kind, deel 2'

Nothing can come between us - Sade

'Nothing can come between us' was released as the third single from Sade's 1988 album 'Stronger than pride'. The single was the second to feature backing vocalist Leroy Osbourne prominently, after 'Never as good as the first time'.

It was one of Sade's less successful singles, as it only reached number 92 in the UK singles chart. In other territories the single didn't chart at all, except in some of the segregated American charts (R&B and AC, reaching number 3 and 21 respectively).

My collection: 7" single no. 672
Found: Free Record Shop, Den haag, October 28, 1988
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Nothing can come between us' / 'Make some room'

Heading west - Cyndi Lauper

'Heading west' was the third single from Cyndi Lauper's album 'A night to remember'. It was written by Lauper with Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. The lyric of the song is about moving on from a past relationship, which was the overall theme of the album.

The single became a minor hit in the UK, reaching number 68 in the UK singles chart during a one week chart run.

My collection: 7" single no. 1275
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, August 16, 990
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Heading west' / 'Calm inside the storm'

The gap - Thompson Twins

While in the UK the Thompson Twins released a special single version of 'Sister of Mercy', the German record company decided that the album track 'The gap' was the better single choice. It was also released in the USA, where it reached number 69.

'Sister of mercy' does appear on the B-side of this single, incidentally, but that is the album version of the track.

My collection: 7" single no. 2315
Found: Record fair, June 3, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'The gap' / 'Sister of mercy'

Cry like a rainy day - Feargal Sharkey

I actually have no idea whether Feargal Sharkey's 'Cry like a rainy day' was released as a single commercially. My copy of the single is made for promotion, with a peculiar catalogue number 'HEY MR DJ 1'. The single features two tracks from his 1991 album 'After the mardi gras'.

The title track is featured on the B-side and the real reason for me buying this single. I heard the track on a cd-single I bought a few months before (for a measly 1 guilder) and didn't pass up on the opportunity to have it on vinyl as well.

My collection: 7" single no. 2535
Found: Beanos, East Croydon, London, November 1, 1995
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Cry like a rainy day' / 'After the mardi gras'

If you cared - Kim Appleby

The fourth single from Kim Appleby's self-titled debut album was also released on 12" single. This 12" single contains three remixes of the track. The remix on the A-side was made by Pete Schwier and George DeAngelis, while the two on the B-side were made by Ben Chapman.

I bought the disc in London, after I saw that one of these tracks (the 12" swing mix) does not appear on the cd-single of 'If you cared'. One has to be complete, of course.

My collection: 12" single no. 140
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 1992
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'If you cared (12" remix)' / 'If you cared (12" Ben Chapman mix)', 'If you cared (12" swing mix)'

Diamonds and pearls - Prince

'Diamonds and pearls' is the title track from Prince's 1991 album, recorded with the New Power Generation and featuring the powerful vocals of band member Rosie Gaines. The repeated lyric 'If I gave U diamonds and pearls, would U be a happy boy or a girl?' echoes the lyrics 'I'll buy U diamonds and pearls only if U're a good girl' from Prince's 1982 song, 'International lover'.

The track was released as the album's third single in November 1991. It reached number 25 in the UK singles chart and number 15 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 3098
Found: House of Rhythm, London, May 13, 1999
Cost: 40p
Tracks: 'Diamonds and pearls' / 'Q in doubt'

Stay - Shakespears sister

Shakespear's sister released 'Stay' as the second single from their second album 'Hormonally yours' in early 1992. It became the duo's biggest hit, reaching number 1 in the UK singles chart for eight weeks, making it one of the longest running UK number ones in chart history.

This single was the only Shakespears Sister song that featured Marcella Detroit more prominently on vocals than Siobhan Fahey, with Detroit singing the verses and lead chorus and Fahey singing the song's bridge.

My collection: 7" single no. 1591
Found: Melody Maker, March 14, 1992
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Stay' / 'The trouble with Andre'

Call me (The Ben Liebrand remix) - Blondie

'Call me' was originally recorded as the main theme of the movie 'American Gigolo'. Producer Giorgio Moroder originally asked Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac to make a song for the soundtrack, but they declined. Moroder then turned to Debbie Harry and Blondie. The song was recorded by the band, with Moroder producing.

In 1988, a remixed version by Ben Liebrand taken from the Blondie remix album 'Once more into the bleach' was issued as a single. This single reached number 61 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2401
Found: July 8, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Call me (The Ben Liebrand remix)' / 'Call me'

Way of the world - Max Q

Max Q was formed by Michael Hutchence and Ollie Olsen who were accompanied by key members of the Melbourne post-punk scene, most of whom had previously collaborated with Olsen. The project followed on from Hutchence and Olsen's work on the film 'Dogs in space', where they met.

Their self-titled debut album was released in 1989. The single 'Way of the world' was a powerful political statement which only reached number 8 in Australia. In the UK, the single stalled at number 87.

My collection: 7" single no. 1106
Found: Leiden, November 11, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Way of the world' / 'Zero 2 0 (Todd Terry mix)'

Don't you want me - Human League

The lyric of 'Don't you want me' was, according to lead singer Phil Oakey from the Human League, inspired by a story in "a trashy tabloid". Musicians Jo Callis and Philip Adrian Wright created a synthesizer score to accompany the lyrics which was much harsher than the version that was actually released. Oakey disliked the remixed and remodelled version of the song so much that it was relegated to the last track on the album 'Dare'.

Having already released three hit singles from 'Dare', Virgin's Simon Draper decided to issue one more single, and it was 'Don't you want me'. This resulted in a row with Oakey who hated the decision to choose 'the poor quality filler track'. He finally agreed on the condition that a large colour poster accompany the 7" single, because he felt fans would "feel ripped off" by the 'substandard' single alone. The rest, of course, is history: the single reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK singles chart. The sleeve features the number '100'. This was a reference to a restaurant/bar in Sheffield.

My collection: 7" single no. 3066
Found: House of Rhythm, London, May 9, 1999
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Don't you want me' / 'Seconds'

Rich man - Ten Sharp

The last single from Ten Sharp's debut album 'Under the waterline' was 'Rich man', released in March 1992. Amazingly, it sold a lot better than the two previous singles, reaching a respectable number 16 in the Dutch Top 40.

The single closed off a very successful year for Ten Sharp. They had made it in the Netherland and a few European and Asian countries.They would continue to record albums for years, but because the 7" format was abandoned by most record companies in Europe in 1992, no further singles by the band were released on this format.

My collection: 7" single no. 2076
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, February 19, 1994
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Rich man' / 'You (acoustic version)'

Drowning in the sea of love - The Adventures

The Adventures released their most successful album 'The sea of love' in 1988. It reached number 30 in the UK albums chart and remained in that chart for 10 week. It was certified silver (for 60,000 copies sold) a year after its release.

Meanwhile, the second single from the album was 'Drowning in the sea of love'. It reached number 44 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2420
Found: All that music, Leiden, July 22, 1995
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Drowning in the sea of love' / 'Stay away'

If you were with me now - Kylie Minogue and Keith Washington

Kylie Minogue teamed up with American R&B singer Keith Washington for the single 'If you were with me now', a track traken from Kylie's fourth album 'Let's get to it' (1991). The single reached number 4 in the UK singles chart, but did not chart in the Netherlands.

The song is notable for being Minogue's first hit single to feature her as a co-writer. The two performers did not meet until they made the music video: the song was recorded in the UK and America separately.

My collection: 7" single no. 3325
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, March 24, 2001
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'If you were with me now' / 'I guess I like it like that'

Thru' these walls - Phil Collins

'Thru' these walls' was released as the first single from Phil Collins' second solo album 'Hello, I must be going!'. It was an unusual choice: a slow ballad interspersed with hard drum beats that sounded a lot like the drums from his debut solo single, 'In the air tonight'. The song is about a man listening through the wall to his neighbours who are enjoying the nightlife, so to speak.

The song reached number 56 in the UK singles chart but was not released as a single in America. In the Netherlands, the single did not reach the Dutch Top 40. The B-side, 'Do you know, do you care' was used a decade later in the Netherlands for an ad campaign against alcohol abuse.

My collection: 7" single no. 285
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Thru' these walls' / 'Do you know, do you care'

I would do for you - UB40

'I would do for you' was a 1989 single by UB40. As they continued to make music well into the Nineties and Noughties, the band became increasingly uninspired, and personally I think this is one of their last great songs.

It was not particulalrly successful, considering it only made number 45 in the UK singles chart and number 33 in the Dutch Top 40. They opted for cover versions to keep their career going: their next album was 'Labour of love II', a second collection of covers with a few hit singles drawn from it.

My collection: 7" single no. 928
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, July 1, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'I would do for you' / 'Hit it'

Uit de bol met alcohol - Rubberen Robbie

The British and the Irish have a strange relationship with alcohol: for some reason they always seem to have to overdo it. And then there's musicians, who are also prone to drinking too much. Put it together and you have Irish and British musicians. Stephen Gately, an Irish musician, died two days ago, according to the latest rumours, as a result of excessive drinking. His ex-boyfriend was on Dutch television tonight, saying that Stephen never drank much. Yeah, right.

Hence this song, a more upbeat track that the situation might warrant, but at least it is appropriate. 'Uit de bol met alcohol' ('Out of your mind with alcohol') is an ode to drinking, from the Leiden-based band Rubberen Robbie. They didn't have a hit with this in 1978, even if the B-side is a great parody of another Dutch classic, 'Met de vlam in de pijp'.

My collection: 7" single no. 70
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1980
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Uit de bol met alcohol' / 'Met een stuk in me reet'

19 - Paul Hardcastle

I bought the German version of '19' this year, but I've had the original since 1990. The story remains the same: '19' featured television narrator Peter Thomas talking about Vietnam war veterans.

The single reached number 1 in the UK and the Netherlands. Mike Oldfield later claimed that a melodic element of '19' was copied from a sequence in his album 'Tubular bells'. This was settled out of court.

My collection: 7" single no. 1365
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, December 28, 1990
Cost: 1 guilders
Tracks: '19' / 'Fly by night'

One night in Bangkok - Murray Head

Abba never officially disbanded, but when they stopped recording together in 1983, Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus concentrated on writing musicals for a while. One of them was 'Chess', created together with Tim Rice. The choruses were sung by Anders Glenmark while the verses, spoken raps by Murray Head, are a sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek denunciation of the city's moral corruption and comparative glorification of the intellectual purity of chess: 'The queens we use would not excite you.'

The single reached number 1 in various European countries, but peaked at number 2 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 12 in the UK singles chart. I only bought the single after I got to know Puck, who was quite extatic about this song.

My collection: 7" single no. 1904
Found: Record fair, May 2, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'One night in Bangkok' (Murray Head) / 'Merano' (London Symphony Orchestra and the Ambrosian singers)