White fool - Clannad

'White fool' was released as the third single from Clannad's 1987 album 'Sirius'. I've never actually seen this single, but during the record fair I bought this copy, I suddenly saw several copies in different stands. Sometimes it's as if a record company decides to give out copies from decades ago.

The single was not a commercial success, which may be attributed to the rather sketchy nature of this particular track.

My collection: 7" single no. 4780
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'White fool' / 'Many roads'

Vulnerable - Roxette

The last single from Roxette's album 'Crash! Boom! Bang' was also the last of their singles to be released on the 7" vinyl format. Unfortunately, it wasn't their best single. 'Vulnerable' is a syrupy ballad with lyrics that are not very imaginative. The inspired lead vocals by Marie Fredriksson are also missing, as she is relegated to backing vocals, making way for Per Gessle's less interesting lead vocals.

As a result, 'Vulnerable' was the first Roxette single to miss the UK top 40 since 1989's 'Listen to your heart', peaking at number 44 in April 1995.

My collection: 7" single no. 2259
Found: April 8, 1995
Cost: 8 guilders
Tracks: 'Vulnerable (edit)' / 'The sweet hello, the sad goodbye'

Don't stop it now - Hot Chocolate

Ever since I decided to complete my Hot Chocolate singles collection, I keep finding titles I never knew existed. Granted, I only have a basic knowledge of this band's output, but there also seems no end to their singles discography.

'Don't stop it now' was released in March 1976 as the follow-up to one of their biggest hits, 'You sexy thing'. In the UK, the single reached number 11, but in the Netherlands this single failed to chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4772
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Don't stop it now' / 'Beautiful lady'

Hilda - Clouseau

Released as the follow-up to 'Geef het op', 'Hilda' was one of the other songs Clouseau performed during the national final in Belgium for the 1991 Eurovision Song Contest. The band actually performed three songs, from which one was picked to represent Belgium in 1991. The other two songs landed on this single.

Released in July 1991, 'Hilda' was a hit in Belgium but failed to chart in the Netherlands. At the time, I thought this was the best song of the three, but in hindsight I think 'Geef het op' was the right choice for the international final.

My collection: 7" single no. 1485
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, July 3, 1991
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Hilda' / 'Ik kan zonder jou'

Spring affair - Donna Summer

'Spring affair' is a song by Donna Summer from her 1976 album 'Four seasons of love'. The song (which represents the 'spring' phase of the concept album) tells of the beginning of a new relationship. At the time of its release, Summer had already started to make her name as the leading female disco singer by releasing frankly sexual songs that were considerable in length. The album version of 'Spring affair' lasted over eight minutes.

For the single release, the track was edited down to less than four minutes. It earned her a minor hit in the USA and Canada, peaking at number 58 and number 62 respectively.

My collection: 7" single no. 4774
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Spring affair' / 'Winter melody'

Typical male - Tina Turner

Tina Turner was quickly becoming a bit of a caricature in 1986, sporting a red miniskirt in the music video for 'Typical male'. One could discuss whether it's appropriate for someone in their fourties to wear miniskirts, but the fact is, by dressing up like that almost continually, it started to look a bit laughable to me.

Anyway, back to the song: 'Typical male' was recorded with Phil Collins on drums and released as the first single from Tina's 1986 album 'Break every rule'. The single reached number 2 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 33 in the UK singles chart and number 8 in the Dutch Top 40. The B-side, 'Don't turn around', was covered by Aswad and Ace of Base some years later.

My collection: 7" single no. 482
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1986
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Typical male' / 'Don't turn around'

Le chant de Mallory - Rachel

'Le chant de Mallory' ('Mallory's song') was performed by French singer Rachel at the 1964 Eurovision Song Contest, representing France. The lyric of the song deals with the story of Michael Mallory, a soldier. The singer asks him to sing the song he used to sing once more, as it was a song of love.

The song finished fourth in a field of 16 competitors. This EP brings together the Eurovision song along with three more chansons by Rachel.

My collection: 7" single no. 4767
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Le chant de Mallory', 'Feu de bois' / 'Mon coeur', 'L'eau sous les ponts'

Bring out the rain - Maarten Peters

'Bring out the rain' was the third and last single taken from Maarten Peters' third and most successful album 'White horses in the snow'. The single included a special version of the album track 'Who's dreaming (on your pillow)'; the album version of that track had been the B-side of the first single from the album, 'White horses in the snow' (yes, the title track).

This single was the least successful of the three, as it failed to chart even in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 1170
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, February 9, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Bring out the rain' / 'Who's dreaming (on your pillow) (special version)'

Wilde and exciting - Earth and Fire

In August 1970, Earth & Fire had their third top 5 hit in the Netherlands with 'Wild and exciting'. It earned them a performance in the first ever screening of the Dutch television show Toppop, the chart show that started in September 1970 and remained a prime time hit until well into the Eighties.

'Wild and exciting' delivered exactly what the title promised - at least in those days, when rock was still something relatively new. The track sounded a lot like Earth & Fire did in those days, a far cry from the much tamer pop hits they would produce a decade later.

My collection: 7" single no. 4766
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 10, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Wild and exciting' / 'Vivid shady land'

Find the time - Five Star

'Find the time' was written by Nick Trevisick and Paul Gurvitz who had previously written the single 'R.S.V.P.' for Five Star the previous year. Released in June 1986, it was the second single from their second album 'Silk and steel'.

The single reached number 20 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 7 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1386
Found: All that music, Leiden, February 22, 1991
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Find the time' / 'Sky'

Going to the run - Golden Earring

'Going to the run' was the first single taken from the Golden Earring's 1991 album 'Bloody Buccaneers'. The single reaches number 3 in the Dutch Top 40 and their last big hit before they start to repeat themselves.

In 1992 they record 'The naked truth', an album of 'Unplugged' tracks. From then on, the main body of their work is covers and re-recorded versions of their old hits.

My collection: 7" single no. 1496
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, July 25, 1991
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Going to the run' / 'Time warp'

Sign o' the times - Prince

'Sign o' the time' was constructed by Prince almost entirely on the Fairlight sampling synthesizer, which provides the primary keyboard riff and sampled electronic bass sounds heard on the track. Unlike some artists, Prince did not program new sounds for this song. He simply used the stock sounds the Fairlight offered, including the famed "orchestra hit" towards the end of the track.

The lyric of the song addressed various socio-political problems including AIDS, gang violence, natural disasters, poverty, drug abuse, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and impending nuclear holocaust. Prince famously refused to make a video for the song, so the record company made a video that showed the lyric of the song instead. The single reached number 10 in the UK singles chart and number 6 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2326
Found: June 3, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Sign o' the times' / 'La la la, he he hee'

The one - Elton John

'The one' is the first single from Elton John's 1992 album, also called 'The pne'. Elton said that he felt an intense connection to Taupin's lyrics for 'The one' in light of his personal circumstances around the time of making the album, in particular the line 'for each man in his time is Cain until he walks along the beach.'

The single reached number 10 in the UK singles chart, number 11 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 9 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1664
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, June 13, 1992
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'The one' / 'Suit of wolves'

Love takes time - Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey's debut album for the label was completed and being mastered when she wrote 'Love takes time' with Ben Marguiles. According to Marguiles: 'It was just a piano vocal demo - I played live piano, and she sang it.' During a meeting with the people from her record company, she played the demo. She was told that the song was a 'career-maker', and that it had to go on the first album. Within a few weeks, the song was recorded and included last-minute on the album.

Released as the second single from the album, it reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 24 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 37 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1599
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, March 28, 1992
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Love takes time' / 'Sent from up above'

World in my eyes - Depeche Mode

'World in my eyes' was the fourth and final single from Depeche Mode's 1989 album 'Violator', released in September 1990. The two B-sides are both mixes, according to the tracklisting, but since no 'regular' version of these two tracks exist, one can assume that these are the 'regular' versions.

The single was less successful than its predecessors from the album, peaking at number 17 in the UK singles chart but only at number 52 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1322
Found: HMV, London, October 16, 1990
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'World in my eyes' / 'Happiest girl (Jack mix)', 'Sea of sin (Tonal mix)'

Radio gaga - Queen

'Radio gaga' was released in 1984, two years after their last single release. It was unusual for a popular band like Queen to be away from the scene for such a long time back then, and so 'Radio gaga' was some kind of comeback single. The song was a commentary on television overtaking radio's popularity and how one would listen to radio for a favorite comedy, drama, or sci-fi program. It also pertained to the advent of the music video and MTV.

The single was a big success worldwide, reaching number 1 all over Europe and becoming a number 3 hit in Australia. In the UK, the single reached number 2 and in the USA, the single peaked at number 16.

My collection: 7" single no. 1393
Found: All that music, Leiden, February 22, 1991
Cost: 3,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Radio gaga' / 'I go crazy'

Get on your feet - Gloria Estefan

'Get on your feet' was one of the singles released by Gloria Estefan while she was recovering from a fractured spine, as a result of a car crash with her tour bus in March 1990. Recovery took ten months, but singles were still released. This limited edition of the single features a posterbag.

The single reached number 12 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 23 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1240
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Get on your feet' / 'Don't let the sun go down on me'

Body talk - Imagination

'Body talk' was Imagination's debut single, released in April 1981. It was this song the trio Leee John, Ashley Ingram and Errol Kennedy took to producers Steve Jolley & Tony Swain on a demo tape. They recorded the track, and a hit was born.

The single reached number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 11 in the Dutch Top 40. Their debut album, also titled 'Body talk', was released a few months later and yielded two more hit singles: 'In and out of love' and 'Flashback'.

My collection: 7" single no. 1822
Found: Record Palace, Amsterdam, January 13, 1993
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Body talk' / 'Body talk (instrumental)'

Geef het op - Clouseau

After having conquered the charts in Belgium and the Netherlands, the Belgian band Clouseau tried to launch their career in the rest of Europe with an appearance in the 1991 Eurovision Song Contest. The Netherlands were not participating, so both Belgium and the Netherlands were of course hoping for a good result for the group.

'Geef het op' was a dynamic song, performed with conviction in Italy, where the show was hosted, but unfortunately the result was disappointing: they finished 16th in a field of 22 competitors. They did, however, end up with another hit in the Netherlands: the single reached number 17 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1506
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, August 10, 1991
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Geef het op' / 'Geef het op (instrumentale versie)'

The king and queen of America - Eurythmics

Released as the third single from their album 'We too are one', the Eurythmics' 'The king and queen of America' was written by band members Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart. The song's music video showed Lennox and Stewart in a variety of costumes and settings which parodied various aspects of American pop culture, including a game show host and hostess, singing cowboy and cowgirl à la Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, and Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

The single reached number 33 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 29 in the UK singles chart. It was not released in America.

My collection: 7" single no. 1204
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, April 7, 1990
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'The king and queen of America' / 'See no evil'