The last single to be released by Altered Images was 'Change of heart', taken from their third album 'Bite'. Although that album reached the UK album top 20, it sold less than the two previous albums. Following a concert tour, the band decided to break up.
Clare Grogan and Steve Lironi formed Universal Love School, performing live together but never releasing any recordings. Eventually they got married and lived happily ever after!
My collection: 7" single no. 5306 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Change of heart' / 'Another lost look'
Released in March 1960, 'Johnny Rocco' was the first single by Marty Wilde in a long time to peak outside the UK top 10. He'd just married Joyce Baker (in December 1959) and record company executives must have thought they were right when they said that Marty would lose his appeal to teenagers by his new status as a married man. Marty couldn't care less: love was more important to him than fame and he probably already knew that a child was underway: his daughter Kim was born in November 1960.
'Johnny Rocco' was written by Les Vandyke, who would go on to write many hit singles during the Sixties and early Seventies for Adam Faith, Eden Kane, John Leyton and Clodagh Rodgers.
My collection: 7" single no. 5317 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Johnny Rocco' / 'My heart and I'
Decca Records supplied a press information sheet within the sleeve of this single, and so we can read the following: 'Kit is honest enough to admit that 'Dancing in the city' kept her going financially, along with a lot of encouragement and moral support from friends in the business. At times she didn't know what to do. She even thought about going back to teaching in an infants school and playing in pubs at night if it came to it. But, what Kit did learn was to be patient and to recognise the right situation when it happened. It did happen last year when she signed to Decca and teamed up with Mike Thorne, who has also produced Wire, The Shirts, Soft Machine and John Cale. The result is Kit's first single "Uninvited guests" on Decca with her first album in the pipe-line for future release.'
The single was released on January 23, 1981 and didn't chart. The album 'Spirits walking out' was released later that year to similar lack of success...
My collection: 7" single no. 5308 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Uninvited guests' / 'Talk to me'
Paul Young was very successful with his first two albums, 'No parlez' and 'The secret of association'. Sell-out tours and many hit singles followed between 1983 and 1986. This version of 'Everything must change' was a limited edition featuring a free second single. It was a marketing ploy that was very popular at the time.
Released near the end of 1984, it was quite fitting that Paul recorded a Christmas message for his fans to be included on this single. One can wonder whether it was a good idea to put it right in the middle of the instrumental version of 'Everything must change' though.
My collection: 7" single no. 5324 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Everything must change' / 'Give me my freedom' // 'Everything must change', 'Paul's Christmas message' / 'I close my eyes and count to ten (live)'
Clannad wrote the music for the soundtrack of the television series 'Robin Hood', broadcast by the BBC in the mid-Eighties and released on the album 'Legend' by the band. This single was the second one to be taken from that album, featuring the previous single 'Robin (The hooded man)' on the B-side, as well as the very successful theme from another television series, 'Harry's game' from 1982.
Those two songs reached number 42 and number 5 respectively in the UK singles chart, but this single sank without a trace.
My collection: 7" single no. 5303 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Scarlet inside' / 'Robin (the hooded man)', 'Theme from Harry's game'
Between 1971 and 1986, Dusty Springfield had no hits in the American or British charts. That is a long time by any standard. Still, she kept on releasing singles. This single, released in 1985, explains a little about her lack of good fortune. The song is a bit bland and Dusty's voice sounds a little tired - or is that just the production?
Originally recorded in 1981, this single was released in 1985 and coupled with a B-side of that year, written by Jess Bailey, Diane Schnitzer and Dusty herself. The single didn't chart. In 1987, Dusty would return to the spotlights with a little help from the Pet Shop Boys.
My collection: 7" single no. 5300 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Sometimes like butterflies' / 'I wanna control you'
'A million love songs' was the penultimate single from Take That's debut album and was written by lead vocalist Gary Barlow at the age of 15. The single peaked at number 7 in the UK Singles Chart.
The song has also been voted by critics and music fans as the greatest ballad of all time. That seems a bit odd, but considering the numbers 2 and 3 were 'Everything I do' by Bryan Adams and 'Always' by Bon Jovi, you can just about figure out the blandness of the general public. So... greatest ballad of all time? Not really. A nice little song nonetheless.
My collection: 7" single no. 5301 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'A million love songs' / 'A million love songs (Lovers mix)'
'Son of a Preacher Man' was recorded by Dusty Springfield in September
1968 as a track on her legendary album 'Dusty in Memphis'. Written by
John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins, the song was originally offered to
Aretha Franklin, but she turned it down. Only after she'd heard
Springfield's version she recorded the song herself. By that time,
however, Springfield's version had already become a hit; thus,
Franklin's version, included on her 1970 album, 'This girl's in love
with you', ended up as a B-side of the single 'Call me' only.
Although
the album 'Dusty in Memphis' was released in stereo, the singles off
the album were remixed and released in mono. This single reached number
10 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 9 in the UK singles
chart. I bought a sleeveless version in 2011 and a year later I found one with a picture sleeve. Sometimes one has to have a better copy of a single.
My collection: 7" single no. 5042 / no. 5319 Found: Kringloop, Haarlem, March 11, 2011 / Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 0,25 euro / 1 euro Tracks: 'Son of a preacher man' / 'Just a little lovin' (Early in the mornin')'
'Sister Moon' was Transvision Vamp's fifth single release and the final single to be taken from their debut album Pop Art. It was a minor hit on the UK singles chart in 1988, peaking at number 41. Like most of their singles it featured two tracks on the B-side.
The album 'Pop Art' peaked at number 4 in the UK albums chart and became the 25th highest selling album of 1989 in Australia, peaking at number thirteen.
My collection: 7" single no. 5307 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Sister moon' / 'Oh yeah', 'Walk on by'
'I wanna be loved by you' was written by Herbert Stothart and Harry Ruby with lyrics by Bert Kalmar for the 1928 musical 'Good boy'. First performed by Helen Kane, the song became best known in a version by Marilyn Monroe in Billy Wilder's classic movie 'Some like it hot'.
It was a bit of a surprise when I found this single by Marty Wilde, because I didn't know he'd recorded a version too. It was released in the summer of 1960 but didn't reach the UK singles chart. And of course I should have known about this track because I actually have it on the lengthy 3 cd compilation, 'The full Marty'. D'oh!
My collection: 7" single no. 5318 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'I wanna be loved by you' / 'Angry'
'Hide and Seek' was Five Star's second single and would later be included on their 1985 debut album 'Luxury of life'. The single was written by Gary Bell (who co-wrote their later hit 'System addict'), and Anne Dudley, one of the UK's top female songwriters and composers. The single wasn't a hit, only charting at number 113. The song was later covered by New Edition in 1984 as part of their self-titled album.
The video to the single featured a colourful setting with an early Five Star logo as a backdrop, with the floor resembling the American stars and stripes flag, and a very simple dance routine.
My collection: 7" single no. 5315 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Hide and seek' / 'I'm gonna make this a night you will never forget'
After their top 10 hit with 'Halfway down the stairs' in the summer of 1977, the Muppets followed that single up with an EP featuring four songs. It was another hit for the Jim Henson creations, peaking at number 19 in the UK singles chart in December 1977.
The single displays much of the charm the old television series had, although obviously the songs were a bit more important on this disc than all the slapstick and visual jokes the audiences enjoyed on television. Still, the back of the sleeve displays this message from Miss Piggy: 'To my adoring fans, Thank you for making me the superstar I was destined to become.' Quite.
My collection: 7" single no. 5312 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Don't dilly dally on the way', 'Waiting at the church' / 'The boy in the gallery', 'Wotcher knocked 'em in the Old Kent Road'
I first discovered this song when I bought the 12" single in November 2008, also at the record fair in Utrecht. I'd just started this blog and it was a great discovery. Now that this blog is slowly winding down (I only have to add a couple of dozen 12" singles and any new records I buy) it's nice to find this single.
According to the information on the sleeve of this single, it doesn't just feature the two famous singers (from Heaven 17 and Propaganda respectively), but also Midge Ure (from Ultravox) on keyboards. The single was released in August 1985 and wasn't a hit.
My collection: 7" single no. 5310 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'When your heart runs out of time' / 'When your heart runs out of time (drumless)'
A photographic memory isn't of much use when record companies decide to have different picture sleeves for singles in different territories. I was convinced I didn't have 'Looking for you' by Kit Hain when I bought this, but as it turns out I did (see it here). Fortunately the B-side of this single is different, and it's a good one too.
'Looking for you' was released in 1982, four years after Kit Hain scored a massive hit together with Julian Marshall: 'Dancing in the city'. It's the same delightful voice with different material. She could have been a star, but the general public wasn't interested.
My collection: 7" single no. 5305 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Looking for you' / 'Lost domain'
When I posted this blog about the 12" single of Fiction Factory's 'Ghost of love', Laurent from Belgium pointed out that there was another single by this excellent band called 'All or nothing' with an unreleased B-side track, 'Dreaming of someone'. I didn't know this, but it was obviously interesting because I haven't heard anything by the band I didn't like.
I was pleasantly surprised last week when I found this promotion copy of the single. There is a version with a picture sleeve, but in the absence of that, a promo copy is always nice to have. And of course, the track is good, but the B-side is even better. That's my opinion, of course...
My collection: 7" single no. 5314 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'All or nothing' / 'Dreaming of someone'
When Kim Wilde recently recorded a cover of 'Spirit in the sky', it was reason enough for me to want to hear (and have) the original version by Norman Greenbaum. That single isn't as easy to find as this 1986 hit version by Doctor & the Medics, which like the original version reached number 1 in the UK singles chart.
The single was taken from their debut album 'Laughing at the pieces'. Subsequent singles weren't as successful. They released three further albums between 1987 and 1996. In 2003 there was a reunion, after which they started performing - in a different line-up - as a tribute act to various artists.
My collection: 7" single no. 5323 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Spirit in the sky' / 'Laughing at the pieces'
With a softfocus sleeve and a singer like Lynsey de Paul, people in the Seventies knew what they were getting: carefully crafted pop songs brought by a tempting but not entirely convincing voice. At least, that's my opinion. I heard 'Won't somebody dance with me' a while ago on the radio and thought it was a nice song, so the hunt for this single was on.
On this German release, the 1973 UK top 20 hit is relegated to the B-side in favour of 'Sugar me', which was a hit the year before and reached number 4. This single was actually released in 1981, in the hope of improving on the number 16 placing in the German chart almost a decade earlier.
My collection: 7" single no. 5325 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'Sugar me' / 'Won't somebody dance with me'
I've already featured the Jon & Vangelis version and the Donna Summer version of 'State of independence' on this blog, so here is the version by Boilerhouse. Who? Boilerhouse, who remixed Donna Summer's version in 1990. Not a lot of spectacular things happen in this version: it apparently features a 'new bass' (whatever that is).
The single was released to promote a compilation album imaginatively titled 'The best of Donna Summer' and did a reasonable, if not great, job: it peaked at number 45 in the UK singles chart.
My collection: 7" single no. 5320 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'State of independence (new bass mix)' / 'State of independence (original version edit)'
The Australian band INXS had their biggest success with the 1987 album 'Kick'. The immortal 'Need you tonight' was taken from that album, but also 'Never tear us apart', 'New sensation' and this one: 'Devil inside'. In the UK, the sales were stimulated with a limited edition pack containing six colour postcard, each featuring a member of the band.
I was always aware of this limited edition so I never bought the single until I saw it last weekend. I could have bought it back in 1988, but at the time, there were so many good records and not so much money to go around. These days it's almost the other way around...
My collection: 7" single no. 5311 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 3 euro Tracks: 'Devil inside' / 'On the rocks'
Many artists seemed to reach their creative peak in 1984. It's the year from which I remember so many great songs, and I'm sure I'm not alone. Paul Young's personal best was the single 'I'm gonna tear your playhouse down', also released in that year. I wanted to buy this single for a long time but had to wait until I found the limited edition with a poster sleeve. I finally have it now.
'I'm gonna tear your playhouse down' was the first single taken from Paul Young's second solo album 'The secret of association' and peaked at number 9 in the UK singles chart in October 1984.
My collection: 7" single no. 5322 Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 14, 2012 Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'I'm gonna tear your playhouse down' / 'One step forward'
