Wild is the wind - David Bowie

'Wild is the wind' was written by Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington and originally recorded by Johnny Mathis for the 1957 film of the same name. The song was covered by Nina Simone on her album 'Wild is the wind' (1966).

David Bowie recorded a version of 'Wild is the wind' in 1976 for his album 'Station to station'. Bowie was an admirer of Simone’s style, and after meeting her in Los Angeles was inspired to record the song for his album. The song was released as a single in 1981, to promoted the compilation album 'ChangesTwoBowie'. It reached number 24 in the UK singles chart and number 15 in Ireland.

My collection: 7" single no. 2012
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 18, 1993
Cost: 1,5 pounds
Tracks: 'Wild is the wind' / 'Golden years'

Original sin - INXS

The Australian rock band INXS recorded 'Original sin' on their fourth album 'The swing' in 1984. The song was written by Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farriss, and produced by Nile Rodgers. Singer Daryl Hall sings the chorus along with Hutchence. Nile Rodgers called him up and asked him to sing on the song. Rodgers had produced 'Adult education' by Hall & Oates the previous year.

When the song was released as a single, it reached number 58 in the US Billboard Hot 100, number 29 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 1 in Australia.

My collection: 7" single no. 2322
Found: June 3, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Original sin' / 'Jan's song (live)', 'To look at you (live)'

Tears on my pillow - Kylie Minogue

'Tears on my pillow' was written by Sylvester Bradford and Al Lewis in 1958. The song was originally recorded by Little Anthony & The Imperials as their debut single.

Kylie Minogue recorded her version of this song on her second album 'Enjoy yourslef'. It was released as a sigle in November 1989 in Australia, and two months later in Europe. The song reached number 1 in the UK singles chart and peaked at number 19 in the Dutch Top 40. The B-side was released as a single in Sweden, reaching number 1.

My collection: 7" single no. 3326
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, March 24, 2001
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Tears on my pillow' / 'We know the meaning of love'

Desire - U2

I think this single is definite proof that I'm a sucker for special editions. The song 'Desire' was never really my cup of tea, but the gatefold sleeve was so nice, that in the end I still bought this single. I was very disappointed with U2 at this time, since they'd made such great singles before, and they were going down a very 'American-sounding' road with the album 'Rattle & Hum'. And everyone knows that British music always sounds better.

The single reached number 1 in the UK singles chart, number 2 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1167
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1988
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Desire' / 'Hallelujah here she comes'

Fly like an eagle - Seal

'Fly like an eagle' was originally a hit for the Steve Miller Band in 1976. Seal recorded a cover version of the song in 1997 for the soundtrack of the movie 'Space Jam', a live-action/animated film starring Michael Jordan, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and many more Looney Tunes characters. His version was probably just as ill-advised as his current album 'Soul', but it's still a pretty listenable version. The single peaked at number 13 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and in the UK singles chart as well.

This single is a great find, as it's another one of those tracks I didn't believe existed on 7" vinyl. It's a jukebox edition, with an almost unreadable label.

My collection: 7" single no. 4128
Found: eBay.co.uk, received October 26, 2009
Cost: 3 pounds
Tracks: 'Fly like an eagle (radio mix)' / 'Fly like an eagle (CJ Cosmack's edit)'

Election day - Arcadia

Duran Duran broke up in early 1985, in order to have a year for the members to pursue other musical interests. While John and Andy Taylor formed the Power Station, Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor formed Arcadia. They recorded one album, entitled 'So red the rose', described by Le Bon as 'the most pretentious album ever made'.

The first single from the album was 'Election day', a weird and wonderful track featuring guest vocals by Grace Jones. The single reached number 6 in the US Billboard Hot 100, number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 11 in the Dutch Top 40. My copy has a gatefold sleeve, which was released as a limited edition in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 609
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 1989
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Election day' / 'She's moody and grey, she's mean and she's restless'

Stay with me - The Mission

When you see this sleeve, it's easy to conclude that this is the third single by the Mission. 'Stay with me' was the first single taken from the Mission's debut album 'God's own medicine', but two previous singles had already been released, reaching the lower regions of the UK singles chart.

This was the first single by the Mission to reach the UK top 40, peaking at number 30 in the summer of 1986. 'Stay with me' has got all the sounds the band would become renowned for.

My collection: 7" single no. 2878
Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 28, 1997
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'Stay with me' / 'Blood brother'

Tristana - Mylene Farmer

The lyric of 'Tristana' was inspired by the film 'Tristana' featuring Catherine Deneuve, which tells the story of a mutilated woman. Originally, the song 'Au bout de la nuit' was scheduled to be released as Mylene Farmer's fifth single, but when the song 'Tristana' was completed, this one was preferred.

The single reached number 7 in France and sold a quarter of a million copies.

My collection: 7" single no. 1921
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, June 5, 1993
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Tristana' / 'Au bout de la nuit'

Holding back the years - Simply Red

Simply Red frontman Mick Hucknall wrote 'Holding back the years' when he was 17, while living at his father's house. The chorus did not come to him until many years later. His mother left him when he was three; the upheaval caused by this event inspired him to write the song. He recorded a version of the song with his first group The Frantic Elevators in 1982, but when he recorded it with Simply Red in 1985 it became a hit.

In the UK, the single came no further than number 51, but in the Netherlands, the single peaked at number 3. In other territories, the single did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 367
Found: Brussels, 1985
Cost: 120 Francs
Tracks: 'Holding back the years' / 'I won't feel bad'

Emotional jungle - David Roach

When you listen to this single, it's hard to believe that both tracks were composed and performed by the same man. The A-side is an exciting, upbeat affair, whereas the B-side is rather bland and middle of the road.

Longtime readers of the blog, however, are already familiar with these two tracks, as the 12" single of 'Emotional jungle' was featured here ten months ago. I had the 7" single four years before I found the 12" single.

My collection: 7" single no. 1477
Found: July 1, 1991
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Emotional jungle' / 'Sleepwalkers'

When your heart is weak - Cock Robin

'When your heart is weak' was originally Cock Robin's debut single, taken from their self-titled debut album. It was re-released after their second single 'The promise you made' was a big success in Europe. This re-release proved fruitful, because the single got to number 9 in France, number 8 in Germany and number 35 in the US Billboard Hot 100.

I got this single from my parents, as a souvenir during a holiday in Paris.

My collection: 7" single no. 436
Found: Paris, July 1986
Cost: -
Tracks: 'When your heart is weak' / 'Because it keeps on working'

Tesla girls - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

'Tesla girls' was the third single to be taken from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's 1984 album 'Junk culture'. The accompanying music video was a parody on the style of American music videos who relied heavily on attractive young female models posing in them. Subsequently, the media slammed the music video as being 'sexist'.

The single reached number 22 in both the UK singles chart and the Irish singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2877
Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 28, 1997
Cost: 20p
Tracks: 'Tesla girls' / 'Telegraph (live)'

New life - Depeche Mode

These are the humble beginnings of Depeche Mode. 'New life' was their second single, released in June 1981. The song was composed by Vince Clarke, who at the time was the band's chief songwriter.

The single became Depeche Mode's breakthrough hit in the UK, peaking at number 11. On June 25, 1981, the band had their first appearance in the UK chartshow 'Top of the pops'. The single was not released in other territories.

My collection: 7" single no. 2914
Found: London, November 1, 1997
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'New life' / 'Shout!'

Wonderwall - Oasis

'Wonderwall' takes its name from the 1968 album 'Wonderwall music' by George Harrison. It is often claimed that the song was written for Gallagher's then-girlfriend, Meg Mathews. Gallagher married Mathews in 1997, but the couple divorced four years later. Gallagher now claims that the song was not about Mathews at all, but he felt he had to go along with the rumour, saying 'The meaning of that song was taken away from me by the media who jumped on it. How do you tell your Mrs it's not about her once she's read it is? It's a song about an imaginary friend who's gonna come and save you from yourself.'

The single reached number 2 in the UK singles chart in November 1995. In the Netherlands, it reached the Dutch Top 40 in the last chart of the year, peaking at number 9 in early 1996.

My collection: 7" single no. 2637
Found: Record fair, April 13, 1996
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Wonderwall' / 'Round are way'

Where the streets have no name (I can't take my eyes off you) - Pet Shop Boys

The Pet Shop Boys stated that they wanted to turn 'a mythic rock song into a stomping disco record'. They recorded their version of U2's stadiumfiller 'Where the streets have no name' in combination with the disco anthem 'Can't take my eyes off you'. Singer Neil Tennant performs the lyrics with no vocal exertion or stresses, in contrast to Bono's performance. Tennant claims that when this record was released, Bono of U2 heard it for the first time, and issued the statement, 'What have we done to deserve this?'.

The B-side was 'How can you expect to be taken seriously?', a new version of a song from the album 'Behaviour'. The lyric of the song criticizes the insincere humanitarian messages of a number of pop stars during the Eighties.

My collection: 7" single no. 1429
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, September 13, 1991
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Where the streets have no name (I can't take my eyes off you)' / 'How can you expect to be taken seriously?'

Go your own way - Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac band member Lindsey Buckingham wrote 'Go your own way' with regard to his bandmate Stevie Nicks, with whom he had just ended a romantic relationship. It describes their breakup, with the most obvious line being, 'Packing up, shacking up is all you want to do.' Nicks insisted she never shacked up with anyone when they were together, and wanted Lindsey to take out the line, but he refused.

'Go your own way' was the first single taken from Fleetwood Mac's legendary album 'Rumours'. It reached number 38 in the UK singles chart, number 10 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 331
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Go your own way' / 'Silver springs'

Roxanne - The Police

The Police's lead singer Sting wrote 'Roxanne', inspired by the prostitutes he saw near the band's seedy hotel while in Paris, France in October 1977 to perform at the Nashville Club. The title of the song comes from the name of the character in the play Cyrano de Bergerac, an old poster of which was hanging in the hotel foyer.

During recording of the song, Sting accidentally sat down on a piano keyboard in the studio, resulting in the atonal piano chord and laughter at the beginning of the track. The Police were initially diffident about the song, but eventually it got hem their first record deal. At its first release in April 1978 the single did not chart, but when it was re-released exactly a year later, in April 1979 it reached number 12 in the UK singles chart, number 32 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 21 in the Dutch Top 40. This copy of the single was pressed on blue vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 3260
Found: London, 2001
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Roxanne' / 'Peanuts'

Uri - Achinoam Nini

This is a very rare one-sided 12" promo from Israel, which I got to buy through eBay a few years ago. The disc contains an early version of the song 'Uri' as recorded by Achinoam Nini, or Noa as she is better known in the rest of the world. Although this version is very different from the 'Uri' that appeared on her subsequent cd's, when I reported this track to Noa's webmaster at the time, he replied that no earlier version of 'Uri' was ever recorded. Well, I think this is proof enough, don't you?

Noa went on to become a big name in the worldwide 'world music' circuit. She's recorded three studio albums in Hebrew and five in English, plus several live albums. More recently, she represented Israel together with Mira Awad during the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest.

My collection: 12" single no. 517
Found: eBay.com, received 2001
Cost: 20 guilders
Tracks: 'Uri'

Shadow of your heart - Risqué

While I was going through the 12" singles today at the Kringloop, I suddenly found this one. And the first thought that came to mind was: 'Jos is going to love this!'. As regular readers of this blog know all too well, Jos is Puck's brother and he really loves Risqué.

This is a 12" single of their 1984 single 'Shadow of your heart'. It contains two versions of the song that didn't appear on the 7" single.

My collection: 12" single no. 516
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, October 24, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Shadow of your heart (extended)' / 'Shadow of your heart (instrumental)'

Why - Bronski Beat

'Why?' was the second single taken from Bronski Beat's debut album 'The age of consent'. I already own the 7" single since 1994, but it's been quite a search to get the 12" single as well.

The 12" single features a 7 minute remix of 'Why', plus the B-side of the single, 'Cadillac car'.

My collection: 12" single no. 515
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, October 24, 2009
Cost: 1,5 euro
Tracks: 'Why? (extended mix)' / 'Cadillac car'