'Chicano' was released in 1983 as a single by Pussycat. It was taken from their album 'After all', also released that year. The song was written by Werner Theunissen, who was also responsible for the band's early successes.
'Heart attack' was one of two new tracks on the 1982 compilation album 'Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2'. It was released as the first single of the two to promote the album.
'That's what they always say' was the second single taken from Chris Rea's 1989 album 'The road to hell'. The track was remixed for the single release, but it didn't help much: the single didn't chart in any territory.
I wouldn't be surprised if people in 1960 compared Marty Wilde with Elvis Presley, as he sounds a lot like him on these recordings. 'Little girl' was Marty's eighth hit single in the UK, peaking at number 16 at the end of the year.
'Rockaria!' was the second single from Electric Light Orchestra's 1976 album 'A new world record'. The track features the operatic voice of Mary Thomas during the introduction. She flubbed the first take by starting the vocals too early. However, Jeff Lynne elected to use the take (complete with her interjection, 'Oops!') anyway.
Helen Terry was born on May 25, 1956. She is best known for her work as a backing vocalist with Culture Club and the Pet Shop Boys, but she also had a solo single hit with 'Love lies lost' in 1984. It reached number 34 in the UK singles chart.
'Zoals vrienden doen' was released as the follow up to Bonnie & José's 1984 single 'Cassandra'. It was a translation of the Abba track 'The way old friends do', featured on their 1980 album 'Super trouper'.
After the single 'No doubt about it', the band Hot Chocolate lingered on the theme of visitors from outer space some more on their next single, 'Gotta give up your love', albeit on the B-side, 'Children of spacemen'.
'Las palabras de amor' was inspired by the band's close relationship with their Latin American fans. It was released as a single from Queen's 1982 album 'Hot space' in June 1982. The single reached number 17 in the UK singles chart and number 26 in the Dutch Top 40.
'Into the blue' was released in 1990 as the third single from the Mission's fourth album 'Carved in sand'. I never bought the single because of the similarity between the sleeve of this single and the one of 'Hands across the ocean' (at least, in my mind), which made me think I already had it.
'Sexual healing' was composed by Marvin Gaye, Odell Brown and David Ritz. The song discusses a man's aching for finding sexual salvation with his woman - hence the title 'Sexual healing'. Some saw the song as Gaye's harmonious plea to sex in the form of him preaching the word of gospel, marrying his divided soul.
While Tina Turner live sounds a lot like a cat being strangled, this single is still of interest because of the appearance of David Bowie on the title track. The song 'Tonight' was written by David Bowie and Iggy Pop for Iggy's 1977 album 'Lust for life'. It subsequently appeared as the title track of Bowie's 1984 album.
After having had eight hit singles in several countries between 1971 and 1973, 'Samba d'amour' was the first of four singles that was only successful in Germany.
The Style Council recorded 'Have you ever had it blue' for the soundtrack of the movie 'Absolute beginners'. After David Bowie's song of the same name was released as a single, the Style Council's track was the next single to be taken from the soundtrack album.
'Surrender' is a 1987 single released by British pop act Swing Out Sister from their debut album, 'It's better to travel'. The song features a trumpet solo performed by John Thirkell. It was released as the follow-up to the successful single, 'Breakout'.
'Stray cat strut' is a track on the Stray Cats' debut album, released in 1981 in the UK. Released as the third single from that album, it reached number 13 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 11 in the UK singles chart.
'My broken souvenirs' was released in March 1977 as the fourth single from Pussycat's debut album 'First of all'. Like their debut single and number 1 hit 'Mississippi', the song was written by Werner Theunissen.
The album 'Another place and time' by Donna Summer, released in 1987, was entirely written and produced by Stock Aitken & Waterman. As a result, the songs sounded a lot like many other hits at the time.
'Victim of love' was written by Erasure band members Vince Clarke and Andy Bell and incorporates the signature Erasure sound of uptempo rhythm, analog synthesizer and a prominent acoustic guitar. Bell's lyrics pertain to one's apprehension when entering into a new love relationship. The song's protagonist doesn't 'want to look like some kind of fool' or become a 'victim of love'.
'Flashback' was released in 1981 as a single by Imagination. It was their third single overall, but also the third single taken from their debut album 'Body talk', named after their debut single which peaked at number 4 in the UK single. Like the second single 'In and out of love', this single peaked at number 16 in the UK singles chart.
