Americanos - Holly Johnson

Back in 1989, I didn't really like the track 'Americanos', written and performed by Holly Johnson. It was basically a listing of all the things I didn't like about the American junk culture - except maybe those Oreo cookies.

It was Holly Johnson's second solo single, after leaving his band Frankie Goes to Hollywood. The single reached number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 6 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4235
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Americanos' / 'Americanos (Mambo dub mix)'

Oh yeah - Roxy Music

'Oh yeah' was written by Bryan Ferry. He explained in an interview: 'In this song I was trying to create a picture of Americana, and long hot summer evenings at drive-in movies. It is wistful and nostalgic, rather like a country record.'

The track was released as the second single from Roxy Music's 1980 album 'Flesh + Blood'. It reached number 5 in the UK singles chart, just like the previous single 'Over you'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4234
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Oh yeah' / 'South downs'

Johnny Blue - Lena Valaitis

Valaitis was born in Memel (Klaipėda), in 1943 part of the Memel Territory of East Prussia, Germany, now in Lithuania. Her father, a soldier of the Wehrmacht, was killed during World War II. At the end of the war, Valaitis, her mother, and her brother arrived as refugees in West Germany.

She began her musical career by joining the band Frederik Brothers. She signed a record contract with Philips in 1970 and released her first single, 'Halt das Glück für uns fest' that same year. Six years later she enjoyed her first big chart success with 'Da kommt José der Straßenmusikant'. In 1981, she represented Germany during the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Johnny Blue', which finished second.

My collection: 7" single no. 4217
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,66 euro
Tracks: 'Johnny Blue' / 'Jeder Mensch hat seinen Traum'

Nobody's perfect - Mike and the Mechanics

'Nobody's perfect' was the first single from Mike and the Mechanics' 1988 album 'The living years'. With its rather original sound, the track still failed to catch the attention of the general public and went by almost unnoticed. Still, I got to know the song because my sister bought it when it came out.

The single reached number 63 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 80 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4233
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Nobody's perfect' / 'Nobody knows'

Via Satellit - Rheingold

Bodo Staiger, Brigitte Kunz and Lothar Manteuffel formed Rheingold in the early Eighties. Their biggest hit was 'Dreiklangs dimensionen', released in 1982. They continued making music, and this single from 1983 is proof of that.

'Via Satellit' is another synthpop track, slightly reminiscent of material by Kraftwerk, but with the lush production values of Conny Plank, who became famous for his work with Ultravox.

My collection: 7" single no. 4232
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Via Satellit' / 'Digital'

Que sera - Chris Rea

In 1988, Chris Rea released the album 'New light through old windows', an album of re-recordings of his own songs. Reportedly, Rea was dissatisfied with some of his earliest recordings, produced by Gus Dudgeon. There are rumours, however, that Rea wanted to dispense with royalties or contractual payments on the original recordings that would have been due under an agreement with his first manager John McCoy, with whom Rea had parted ways in the early Eighties.

'Que sera' predates this album by a couple of months. It is actually a re-recording of a track on his 1987 album 'Dancing with strangers'. Perhaps this re-recording was also a source of inspiration for 'New light through old windows'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4231
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Que sera' / 'Se sequi'

With a girl like you - Harpo

'With a girl like you' was written by Reg Presley and a hit single for the Troggs in 1966. Swedish singer Harpo released his version of the song in 1978. Although the single was released all over Europe, it was not a hit.

The B-side of the single features 'Ballad of Los Angeles', written by Harpo himself. He actually travelled to Los Angeles in 1977, and this song was one of the creative results from that trip.

My collection: 7" single no. 4230
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'With a girl like you' / 'Ballad of Los Angeles'

Walking on sunshine - Katrina and the Waves

'Walking on sunshine' is a song on Katrina and the Waves' second album of the same name. The song was released as a single from the album in a re-recorded version. This single, released in 1985, reached number 4 in Australia, number 9 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 8 in the UK singles chart.

The B-side of the single features a version of 'Going down to Liverpool', a track that was a modest hit for the Bangles in 1984.

My collection: 7" single no. 4229
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Walking on sunshine' / 'Going down to Liverpool'

How old are you? - Robin Gibb

While a member of the Bee Gees, Robin Gibb still had a solo career. During the Eighties he released three solo albums: 'How old are you', 'Secret agent' and 'Walls have eyes'. From the first of these comes this single, the title track of that album.

'How old are you' reached number 37 in Germany and number 92 in the UK singles chart. Although I do remember the song from 1983, it was not a hit in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 4228
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'How old are you?' / 'I believe in miracles'

On the radio - Donna Summer

Donna Summer's 1979 single 'On the radio' was written for the soundtrack of the movie 'Foxes' and also included as a new track on her first international compilation album 'On the radio: greatest hits volumes 1 & 2'.

When the track was released as a single, it peaked at number 5 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 32 in the UK singles chart and number 20 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4227
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'On the radio' / 'There will always be a you'

Dance, dance, dance - Chic

'Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)' is a 1977 disco song recorded by Chic. Luther Vandross, who was a session vocalist at the time, provided backing vocals on the track. The 'yowsah, yowsah, yowsah' of the title, which appears as a spoken interjection in the middle of the song, originated with the American jazz violinist and radio personality Ben Bernie, who popularized it in the Twenties.

It was the group's first hit, reaching number 6 in the UK singles chart and a more modest number 37 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4226
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Dance, dance, dance' / 'Sao Paulo'

Where did our love go - Amii Stewart

Written by Holland-Dozier-Holland, 'Where did our love go' was originally a hit for the Supremes in 1964. In 1981, Amii Stewart recorded her cover version of the song, and included it on her 1981 album 'I'm gonna get your love', which was produced by Narada Michael Walden.

When the track was released as a single, it was not a big success, as it didn't chart in most territories.

My collection: 7" single no. 4225
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Where did our love go' / 'Premiere'

Room service - Fischer Z

I read in an article on Wikipedia that the songs written by Fischer Z's John Watts drew heavily on his experience as a mental health care worker. On the B-side of this single, entitled 'Limbo', he sounds like someone who really should be committed himself - but perhaps that was the intention. I remember I was really fascinated by this track back in 1980, and although I've had it on cd for several years, I was very happy to have found this single which features the track as well.

I was also intrigued by the label of the B-side, by the way: it does not contain any information except the logo of the record label. I suspect this is a mispressing. Since this single was not a hit, I can't imagine it's worth much though.

My collection: 7" single no. 4222
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Room service' / 'Limbo'

Who can it be now? - Men at work

'Who can it be now?' was the second single from the 1981 debut album by Men at work, 'Business as usual'. The lyric is the narrative of a reclusive, perhaps paranoid man who hears knocking at his house door and wishes to be left in solitude.

The track peaked at number 2 on the Australian singles chart and reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 45 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4220
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Who can it be now?' / 'Anyone for tennis?'

Ease on down the road - The Wiz Stars

'Ease on down the road' is one of the lesser known Michael Jackson hits. It was taken from the 1978 movie soundtrack 'The Wiz', based on the Wizard of Oz tale. The track was produced by Quincy Jones, with vocal performances by Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. In the song, Dorothy (portrayed in the film by Ross) and the Scarecrow (played by Jackson) dance their way down the Yellow Brick Road, and give each other words of encouragement.

Released as a single, it reached number 41 in the Billboard Hot 100, while peaking at number 45 in the UK singles chart. It was a number 1 hit in Turkey, though.

My collection: 7" single no. 4221
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Ease on down the road' (Diana Ross & Michael Jackson) / 'Poppy girls' (Quincy Jones)

The floral dance - The Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band

The Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band was formed in 1881. Based in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, the band relies on public subscriptions and fundraising.

The Brass Band had one of the most unlikely chart hits of the Seventies, when they released a recording of 'The Floral dance' as a single in November 1977. The single reached number 2 in the UK singles chart and then went on to reach number 7 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4219
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'The floral dance' / 'Bachelor girls'

Then the music stopped - Pussycat

These days, Dutch bands find it hard to come up with a decent song, let alone decent instrumentation, but this 1981 single by Pussycat proves that it is possible even for a Dutch band to produce a great track.

'Then the music stopped' was released in March 1981, and rose to number 11 of the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4218
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Then the music stopped' / 'Cha cha me baby'

Sparvöga - Marie Fredriksson

'Sparvöga' is a 1989 single by Swedish artist Marie Fredriksson. It was written for the Swedish TV series 'Sparvöga', based on Ann-Charlotte Alverfors's book of the same name. The word literally means 'sparrow-eye', but it could be translated to the English word 'hawkeye', as it describes particularly sharp human eyes.

When the single was released in March 1989, it peaked at number 6 in the Swedish singles chart. It was Fredriksson's biggest hit until 2008's 'Där du andas'. 'Sparvöga' was added as a bonus track on the re-release of Marie Fredriksson's 1992 album 'Den ständiga resan' and quickly became one of my favourite tracks by her. Finding this single was a great surprise.

My collection: 7" single no. 4216
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 6 euro
Tracks: 'Sparvöga' / 'Sparvöga (instrumental version)'

You can call me Al - Paul Simon

Paul Simon's legendary album 'Graceland' was brought to prominence partly because of the first single taken from the album, 'You can call me Al'. The names in the song came from an incident at a party that Simon went to with his then-wife Peggy Harper. The host of the party mistakenly called Paul 'Al', and Peggy 'Betty', inspiring Simon to write a song.

The song was made famous by the music video, featuring Chevy Chase, who lipsynchs Paul Simon's vocal, leaving Simon to do nothing much but look bored and dragging instruments on screen. The single reached number 23 in the US, number 4 in the UK, number 2 in the Netherlands and number 1 in Australia.

My collection: 7" single no. 4215
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,66 euro
Tracks: 'You can call me Al' / 'Gumboots'

Runaway - Janet Jackson

Written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, 'Runaway' was one of two previously unreleased songs on Janet Jackson's 1995 compilation album 'Design of a decade 1986-1996'. It was released as the first single from that album, and much to my surprise, it was also released on 7" vinyl - albeit only in the USA. I found this copy 14 years after its release.

'Runaway' reached number 1 in Canada, number 6 in the UK and number 32 in the Dutch Top 40. In the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, the single reached number 3.

My collection: 7" single no. 4213
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 0,66 euro
Tracks: 'Runaway' / 'When I think of you (Morales House mix '95)'