The highest high - China Crisis

Here's another one of those singles I thought I already had, and so I left it in the racks for many years. Finally I had some presence of mind, and bought this disc, one of the many lovely songs by the UK band China Crisis.

'The highest high' was released in 1985 as a single from their third album 'Flaunt the imperfection'. It reached number 82 in the UK singles chart. Please listen to the B-side of this single, it's the nicest bouncy instrumental track you will hear for some time.

My collection: 7" single no. 5004
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, January 29, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'The highest high' / '96.8'

Thorn in my side - Eurythmics

'Thorn in my side' was released as a single from the Eurythmics' album 'Revenge' in the summer of 1986. Written by band members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart, the song is a cast-off to an unfaithful lover.

The single became Eurythmics' ninth Top 10 single, reaching number five in the UK singles chart. In the United States, the track stalled at number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100.

My collection: 7" single no. 5003
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, January 29, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Thorn in my side' / 'In this town'

Te amo - Umberto Tozzi

The Italian singer Umberto Tozzi had a European hit with 'Ti amo' in 1977, a track that is still played on radio stations that specialize in mushy, romantic classics. However, there was also a Spanish version of the track, released on this Spanish 7" single.

I've got a feeling that this track is sung with an unmistakable Italian accent, but my Spanish is not good enough to judge this. Still, it is quite a rare track, and that's what always interests me: rare stuff.

My collection: 7" single no. 5002
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, January 29, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Te amo' / 'Olvidate, olvidame'

Baby don't cry - INXS

The Australian band INXS released many albums, but 'Welcome to wherever you are' is their best, in my opinion. I bought all of the single releases at the time - although in the age of cd-singles the 7" single sometimes slipped through. I was very surprised to find that I didn't have 'Baby don't cry' on 7" vinyl, an omission I finally managed to rectify today.

Besides the storming A-side track, there's also an instrumental version of the album track 'Questions' on the B-side. Instrumental versions usually aren't much cop, but with the varied instrumentation on this one, it's worth a spin or two.

My collection: 7" single no. 5001
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, January 29, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Baby don't cry' / 'Questions (instrumental)'

Gloria - Laura Branigan

'Gloria' was originally a hit for Italian singer Umberto Tozzi, but Laura Branigan was quick to cash in on the song's success. She released an English-language version two years after the original version had taken Europe by storm in 1979.

Her version was released in the summer of 1982 and eventually reached number 6 in the UK singles chart. It was shortly before she would have an even bigger hit with 'Self control', which would become her signature song.

My collection: 7" single no. 4990
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, January 15, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Gloria' / 'Living a lie'

My 16th apology - Shakespears sister

Shakespears Sister, the duo consisting of Marcella Detroit and Siobhan Fahey, had a few hits in the UK and Europe, but this was not one of them. 'My 16th apology' entered the UK singles chart at February 27, 1993 at number 61, then disappeared the next week.

Still, it was an attractive proposition: a single containing the title track plus no less than three live tracks as a bonus. The cover version of 'Hot love', originally performed by T-Rex and Marc Bolan, is quite a good one.

My collection: 7" single no. 4991
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, January 15, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'My 16th apology', 'Catwoman (live)' / 'Hot love (live)', 'Dirty mind (live)'

Dirty looks - Diana Ross

While it is certainly true that Diana Ross has had an impressive career with many classic songs, some people tend to forget she's released some drivel from time to time too. When I bought this single, I didn't actually know that 'Dirty looks' was quite substandard. The lyrics are vacuous and the tracks as a whole is very repetitive.

The album whence this single came from, 'Red hot rhythm & blues', was released in May 1987 and featured a cover photo by Herb Ritts. It may have been the saving grace of the album, as the tracks on the album consisted of cover versions of old R&B hits plus some random new tracks. One has to wonder if the fact that this album fulfilled Ross's contract with RCA records was the main reason for this hastily cobbled together batch of songs.

My collection: 7" single no. 4994
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, January 15, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Dirty looks' / 'So close'

Oh how the years go by - Simon Climie

'Oh how the years go by' is a track on Amy Grant's 1994 album 'House of love'. That's how I heard it first, at least. The writer credit was given to Simon Climie, which isn't that surprising since he wrote lots of songs for other artists in the Eighties and Nineties.

What is surprising, is that I found this single by Simon Climie himself. It was released in 1992, and his version is at least as good as Amy's. It wasn't a hit, like most of his solo output.

My collection: 7" single no. 4989
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, January 15, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Oh how the years go by' / 'Believe in me'

Forget me nots - Patrice Rushen

Patrice Rushen was born on September 30, 1954 in Los Angeles, California (USA). A classically trained pianist, she won a competition at the 1972 Monterey Jazz festival and gained national attention. She signed with Elektra Records in 1978 and recorded several albums on this label. Her biggest success was 'Forget me nots', released in 1982. Record label executives deemed it "a flop", but she reached the charts worldwide and almost was awarded a Grammy for her vocal performance.

In 1996, the song was used by George Michael on his hit single 'Fastlove', a track from his third solo album 'Older'. It is also one of the theme tunes for Kim Wilde's current radio programme on Magic 105.4 FM in London, 'Secret Songs'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4993
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, January 15, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Forget me nots' / '(She will) Take you down to love'

A town called malice - The Jam

Paul Weller was always at his best when he was angry, and he was the most angry while he was part of his band The Jam. Furious drums and wild guitars always made for interesting hit singles.

'A town called malice' is a great example of their sound. It was released in January 1982 as the first single from their album 'The gift'. It ended up a number one hit single in the UK, while also peaking at number 7 in the Dutch Top 40 (their first and last top 10 hit in the Netherlands). Weller commented that the song was about his teenage experiences in the English city of Woking.

My collection: 7" single no. 4988
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, January 15, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'A town called malice' / 'Precious'

Some people / Imagination - Belouis Some

I remember it well: the extended version of Belouis Some's 'Imagination' was used for a version of the music video of that song, which was played quite regularly on Music Box, the previous incarnation of MTV in Europe. I searched for the 12" single for some time, but after a while I realised there was so much more to buy and I gave up.

Fast forward more than a decade, and I see myself in London, going through rows and rows of bargain 12" singles.... including this one: a double 12" single of 'Some people' and 'Imagination' by Belouis Some. An amazing deal at an amazing price. Somehow I'm glad I never found the 12" when it was just out...

My collection: 12" single no. 414
Found: Record Exchange, London, 1998
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Some people (extended remix)' / 'Some people (dub version)', 'Walk away' // 'Imagination (extended remix)' / 'Imagination (dub mix), 'Imagination (7" version)', 'Have you ever been in love'

The dreamer - All about Eve

Although by 1991 the chart rules in the UK had restricted the number of different formats any single could be released on in order to count for sales, All about Eve still used the maximum amount of different formats to sell their singles. 'The dreamer', the last single to be taken from the album 'Touched by Jesus', was released on 7" single, cd-single, 12" single and this picture disc 12".

And this picture disc 12" came with one exclusive track, too: the demo version of the previous single 'Strange way'. It's an interesting version as the lyric of the song wasn't complete yet. The two instrumental B-sides, which were included on other formats too, have become classics in their own right.

My collection: 12" single no. 137
Found: Rhythm Records, London, October 1992
Cost: 4 pounds
Tracks: 'The dreamer (remix)', 'Frida of blood and gold' / 'Road to Damascus', 'Strange way (demo)'

Manchild - Neneh Cherry

This 12" single was a bit of a gamble: a rap artist who by chance had made a reasonable track, remixed by a triphop band that had made a reasonable track as well. Unfortunately, all this didn't add up: the remixes on this disc are not very interesting at all.

Also, while I thought this 12" was quite rare, it turns out it is offered on discogs.com for less than 5 euros. Sometimes you're less lucky with a gamble than you think.

My collection: 12" single no. 291
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 1993
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Manchild (Massive attack remix)', 'Manchild (Massive Attack bonus beats)' / 'Manchild (Smith n Mighty remix)', 'Manchild (More bass less vocal style)'

Shouldn't have to be like that - Fra Lippo Lippi

'Shouldn't have to be like that' was Fra Lippo Lippi's international breakthrough single. They had already built up a reputation in Scandinavia as an indie band, but this pop song caused some international interest.

When the single was released, a 12" single quickly followed. In the absence of any remixes, the archive of the indie label which they originally released their music on was plundered: 'Say something' was licensed from Uniton records. It sounds less polished than the other tracks, but it is a very interesting piece of electronic music.

My collection: 12" single no. 78
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Shouldn't have to be like that', 'The distance between us' / 'Say something', 'Shouldn't have to be like that (original version)'

Daddy - Pussycat

Released in the summer of 1979, the Dutch band Pussycat managed to reach number 14 in the Dutch Top 40 with the song 'Daddy'. Like many of their previous hits, the track was written by band member Werner Theunissen.

The seven piece band continued to be successful throughout the second half of the Seventies. As is evidenced on Youtube, many people still feel very positive about the band's Seventies output.

My collection: 7" single no. 4986
Found: Flea market, Leidschendam, January 2, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Daddy' / 'Three steps and then...'

Kiss this one goodbye - Andrew Gold

Andrew Gold released his fourth solo album 'Whirlwind' in 1979. An edited version of the song 'Kiss this one goodbye' was released as a single the following year. The single was unsuccessful, as it didn't make the charts anywhere.

Shortly afterwards, Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman asked Andrew Gold to join 10CC, but business conflicts prevented him from doing so. After 10CC folded in 1983, Gold started the duo Wax with Gouldman.

My collection: 7" single no. 4985
Found: Flea market, Leidschendam, January 2, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Kiss this one goodbye' / 'Make up your mind'

My life - Billy Joel

Billy Joel wrote 'My life', released as a single in 1978, in reference to comedian Richard Lewis. He 'closed the shop, sold the house, bought a ticket to the west coast, now he gives them a stand up routine in LA'.

The single reached number 22 in the Dutch Top 40, number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100.

My collection: 7" single no. 4984
Found: Flea market, Leidschendam, January 2, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'My life', '52nd street'

I'll be your woman - Pussycat

The Dutch band Pussycat had four top 10 hits in the Netherlands in 1976 and 1977 with a few country-tinged songs. The country-influence was still evident in their fifth hit single, 'I'll be your woman', but this time, the single peaked at number 11 in the Dutch Top 40.

'I'll be your woman' was the third single taken from Pussycat's 1977 album 'Souvenirs' and the song was written by band member Werner Theunissen.

My collection: 7" single no. 4983
Found: Flea market, Leidschendam, January 2, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'I'll be your woman' / 'Just a woman'

Der Sommer ging vorüber - Lys Assia

Although the 7" single of Lys Assia's winning Eurovision number 'Refrain' still eludes me, I did find another treasure today: her German version of the 1963 winning song 'Dansevise'. Entitled 'Der Sommer ging vorüber', the song lyric was translated into German by Ralph Siegel, another Eurovision legend.

The B-side is another cover: it's a German translation of the 1963 English contestant 'Say wonderful things to me'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4982
Found: Flea market, Leidschendam, January 2, 2011
Cost: 2,5 euro
Tracks: 'Der Sommer ging vorüber' / 'Zwei blaue Vergissmeinnicht'

The getaway - Athlete

One of the standout tracks on Athlete's most recent album 'Black swan', 'The getaway' was released as an EP in the UK a few months ago. It was only released on the elusive 10" vinyl format, and as I never heard about its release I nearly didn't get it at all. A shame, because the bonus tracks on this EP are quite magnificent.

Like the previous singles from the album, 'The getaway' didn't reach the UK top 40. The band subsequently released a 'greatest hits' album which unfortunately was equally unsuccessful.

My collection: 10" single [unnumbered]
Found: Recordstore.co.uk, received December 29, 2010
Cost: 3 pounds
Tracks: 'The getaway (US radio mix)', 'Somewhere beneath my skin', 'Corner of my baby's eyes' / 'With you I never lose', 'The getaway (Athlete re-work)