Running in the family - Level 42

The single 'Running in the family', released in February 1987, was the title track from their most successful album, released in March 1987. The band first performed the song live in 1986, but at the time it featured different lyrics.

The single release peaked at number 6 in the UK singles chart and number 3 in the Dutch Top 40. In the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, the single stalled at number 83.

My collection: 7" single no. 2821
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, February 1, 1997
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Running in the family' / 'Dream crazy'

Saint Saviour Square - China crisis

The fifth studio album by China Crisis was called 'Diary of a hollow horse', which earned critical acclaim, but little commercial success.

The first single from the album was 'Saint Saviour Square', which failed to chart. The B-side was a non-album track (although it was included on the cd version of the album as a bonus track). Walter Becker produced this track, as well as some tracks on the album. He is of course best known for his work with Steely Dan.

My collection: 7" single no. 2518
Found: Record Exchange, London, November 1, 1995
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Saint Saviour Square' / 'Back home'

All I want - Howard Jones

On his third album 'One to one', Howard Jones made a more or less deliberate move towards a more 'American' sound. The result was an album that lacked the glossy production of 'Dream into action' (his second album) and the beauty of 'Human's lib' (his debut album).

The first single, 'All I want' was still a rather catchy song. It was released in a limited edition 'booklet' sleeve, featuring various photographs of Howard Jones by Simon Fowler. The single reached number 35 in the UK singles chart and number 76 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1036
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1989
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'All I want' / 'Roll right up'

Strut - Sheena Easton

In 1984, Sheena Easton released the album 'A private heaven'. The song 'Strut' was released as the third single from the album, after the tracks 'Back in the city' and 'Hungry eyes' failed to chart in most territories. The music video and the sleeve signalled the first steps of Easton towards a more sexually suggestive image.

The single reached number 7 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 8 in Canada, but in Europe it wasn't successful.

My collection: 7" single no. 1911
Found: Leiden, May 19, 1993
Cost: 0,5 guilder
Tracks: 'Strut' / 'Hungry eyes'

Ashes to ashes - David Bowie

David Bowie revived his old character Major Tom for the 1980 single 'Ashes to ashes'. According to David Bowie, he was 'wrapping up the seventies really for myself, and that seemed a good enough epitaph for it'.

'Ashes to ashes' was released as the first single from Bowie's 'Scary monsters (and super creeps)' album (1980). It reached number 1 in the UK singles chart and number 21 in the Dutch Top 40. Major Tom, meanwhile, popped up once again in 1996 on the single 'Hallo Spaceboy'.

My collection: 7" single no. 69
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1980
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Ashes to ashes' / 'Move on'

Shake the disease - Depeche Mode

'Shake the disease' was the first of many Depeche Mode singles that disappointed me upon first listening. As their music became more complex, it was less easy to like, although I still think their best work was made circa 'Ultra', one of their most difficult to grasp albums.

Released in April 1985, 'Shake the disease' was the band's 13th single in the UK, and one of two new tracks on their compilation album 'The singles (81-85)'. While not a hit in the Netherlands, it reached number 18 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 291
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 3,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Shake the disease' / 'Flexible'

Dansen - Clouseau

The Belgian band Clouseau were the best thing since sliced bread in Belgium almost right from their early beginnings. The single 'Dansen' ('Dancing') is one of their very first releases, a powerpop track that wouldn't look too bad compared to English releases from around that time.

The lyric of the song is a simple affair about a boy who is looking forward to Saturday night, when he'll be dancing with some sultry girl in a discotheque. The single did not chart anywhere else, but it was a hit in Belgium of course.

My collection: 7" single no. 1277
Found: August 16, 1990
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Dansen' / 'Dansen (instrumental)'

The big L. - Roxette

Britney Spears used the imagery and themes from the circus to revive her ailing career recently. The Swedish band Roxette did a similar thing for their single 'The big L.', although their career was thriving and would continue to do so. It would give them a colourful music video and a rather glam single sleeve nonetheless.

'The big L.' was the third single from their 1991 album 'Joyride'. It was a top 10 hit in Japan, while reaching number 14 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 21 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1513
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, August 29, 1991
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'The big L.' / 'One is such a lonely number (demo, September '87)

Mad about you - Sting

Sting released his third solo album 'The soul cages' in 1991. The album was dedicated to his recently deceased father and had a suitably melancholic sound, which was notable in most of the singles released from the album as well.

'Mad about you' was the second single from 'The soul cages'. While it reached number 56 in the UK singles chart, number 59 in Germany and number 13 in Italy, it failed to chart everywhere else.

My collection: 7" single no. 1433
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, April 26, 1991
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Mad about you' / 'Tempted (live)'

The best things in life are free - Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson

I've always had a soft spot for Janet Jackson's Eighties and early Nineties material, but this single version of 'The best things in life are free' is quite abyssmal. At the time, the single was promoted with a music video that featured a different version of the song - this one bounces around and sounds too hollow and also adds some unnecessary rapping.

The single was a release from the soundtrack of the money 'Mo' Money' in 1992. It reached number 24 in the Dutch Top 40, number 10 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 2 in the UK singles chart. A remix was made and released in 1995 on the occasion of Janet Jackson's compilation album 'Design of a decade'. That time around, it reached number 7.

My collection: 7" single no. 1702
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, September 5, 1992
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'The best things in life are free' / Snippets: 'Money can't buy you love' (Ralph Tresvant), 'Let's just run away' (Johnny Gill), 'Let's get togeher (So groovy now)' (Krush)

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

The Pet Shop Boys have always been known for their many remixes, even releasing remix compilations called 'Disco' in between albums. Back in 1991, they had several releases of their double A-side single 'Where the streets have no name (Can't take my eyes off you)'/'How can you expect to be taken seriously'.

I found this 12" single for 1 pound in London. While missing the picture sleeve and housed in a standard 'Our Price' sleeve, the disc was interesting enough to warrant me buying it. The three remixes were created by David Morales, one of the better known DJ's circa 1991, when the single was released.

My collection: 12" single no. 212
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 1993
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Where the streets have no name (Can't take my eyes off you) (David Morales remix) / 'How can you expect to be taken seriously? (Mo Mo Remix)', 'How can you expect to be taken seriously? (Ragga Zone remix)'

Zo mooi - Frank Boeijen Groep

'Zo mooi' ('So beautiful') was the first single release from the Frank Boeijen Groep's second album. Released in September 1982, it was also the first single from the band that I bought upon its release. I was never much of a fan of Dutch music, but there was something special about this song: it grabs your attention from the first to the last second.

The B-side of this single has become quite a rarity, because it is one of only a handful of tracks that was never released on cd.

My collection: 7" single no. 157
Found: Studio Echo, Den Haag, 1982
Cost: 5,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Zo mooi' / 'Verrekijker'

You could be mine - Guns n' Roses

Contrary to popular belief, 'You could be mine' was not originally going to be the official theme song of 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day'. However, the references to Guns N' Roses that were made in the film were so clear and obvious that it was the best business decision to make when director James Cameron decided to recruit the band to perform a song. Arnold Schwarzenegger had the band members over for dinner at his own home to negotiate the deal.

The song appeared during the closing credits of 'Terminator 2' and was heard in the film itself in early scenes with John Connor. The original script called for The Ramones song 'I wanna be sedated' to be played instead. he single reached number 5 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 3 in the UK singles chart. I bought this single at a time when loud music appealed to me a lot. Now the track just bores the hell out of me.

My collection: 7" single no. 1515
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, September 20, 1991
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'You could be mine' / 'Civil war'

A song goes out around the world - Egon Egemann

Egon Egemann studied classical violin and Jazz at Graz Music Academy in Austria. He settled in Switzerland following studies in Boston (USA) and founded the Egon Family Orchestra. By the end of 1989 he had decided to start a solo career. In 1990 Egon was selected to represent Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest 1990 with the song 'Musik klingt in die Welt hinaus'. The song finished eleventh out of 22 competitors at the Contest.

Egemann returned to Eurovision in 1998, as composer of Switzerland's entry in Birmingham, 'Lass ihn'. Performed by Gunvor it came twenty second (last) with no points.

My collection: 7" single no. 4408
Found: Second Life Music, Amsterdam, December 30, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'A song goes out around the world' / 'Musik klingt in die Welt hinaus'

Don't talk to me about love - Altered Images

This 12" single of Altered Images's most successful single 'Don't talk to me about love' contains an impressive 8 minute 30 seconds version of the track. And I say 'most successful', as it was the only single by the UK band to have almost made it into the Dutch Top 40.

'Don't talk to me about love' is included on a lot of Eighties compilation albums, but this extended version remains a rarity.

My collection: 12" single no. 526
Found: unknown
Cost: unknown
Tracks: 'Don't talk to me about love (extended version)' / 'Last goodbye'

Stage fright - Chic

By 1981, disco was out of style and most bands who were popular during the disco age were struggling. Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers were successful as producers - most notably with Diana Ross's 1980 album - but their own band Chic was suffering.

The album 'Take it off' and the only single from that album, 'Stage fright', went by unnoticed by the public. Truth be told, 'Stage fright' is a rather weak track in comparison to Chic's biggest hits. Maybe the bands from the disco age were just not inspired anymore.

My collection: 7" single no. 4562
Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, February 4, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Stage fright' / 'So fine'

It's raining men - Weather girls

Martha Wash and Izora Armstead got together in the late Seventies as 'Two tons o' fun', who had three minor hits in America in 1980 and 1981. In 1982 they changed their group name to the Weather Girls, scoring an instant worldwide hit with the song 'It's raining men', selling over 6 million copies worldwide.

The song was originally offered to Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Cher and Barbra Streisand, but they all turned it down. After the success in 1983, the song has been covered numerous times by artists such as RuPaul and ex-Spice Girl Geri Halliwell.

My collection: 7" single no. 4561
Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, February 4, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'It's raining men' / 'It's raining men (longer)'

We'll be dancing - Time Bandits

In the beginning of 1987, Alides Hidding has finished writing songs for the new Time Bandits album, but the other members of the band are not enthusiastic about the material. Hidding decides to fire them all and look for a new band. He recruits Hugo de Bruin, Jean Monsou, Michel de Groot and Loek Coenraad to have it his own way.

After another writing session in America with Dan Hartman, the new album 'Can't wait for another world' and the single 'We'll be dancing' are released. Both are commercial disappointments. Hidding decides to end the Time Bandits and moves to America.

My collection: 7" single no. 4560
Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, February 4, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'We'll be dancing' / 'Pasadena dream world'

Macho city - Steve Miller Band

'Circle of love' was the eleventh studio album by the Steve Miller Band, released in 1981. Side 2 of the original LP was a 16 minute track called 'Macho city'. An edit of this track was made for the single that was released in December 1981.

The single didn't chart in the UK, but reached number 33 in the Dutch Top 40. The B-side was an old classic of the band: the iconic 'Fly like an eagle'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4559
Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, February 4, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Macho city' / 'Fly like an eagle'

My baby just cares for me - Nina Simone

Nina Simone recorded 'My baby just cares for me' in 1958 for her debut album, 'Little girl blue'. The track remained relatively obscure until 1987, when it was used in a UK television commercial for Chanel No. 5 perfume.

To follow up this exposure, the track was released as a single, entering the UK singles chart in October 1987, becoming Simone's first hit after 19 years absence from the chart. The single reached number 5 in the UK singles chart and number 1 in the Dutch Top 40. A claymation music video was produced by Aardman Animations, directed by Peter Lord.

My collection: 7" single no. 4558
Found: Empire Records, Den Haag, February 4, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'My baby just cares for me' / 'Love me or leave me'