Little Jackie wants to be a star - Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam

Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam formed after Lisa Velez auditioned for the production team Full Force at age 14. The group signed with Columbia Records, which released their debut single, 'I wonder if I take you home' in 1983 for the compilation album Breakdancing. The single eventually went gold in the United States. That same year, the group released their debut album, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force.

'Little Jackie wants to be a star' was released as a single off their third album Straight to the sky from 1989. The single reached number 5 in the Dutch Top 40, but only got to number 90 in the UK singles chart. In the US Billboard Hot 100, the single peaked at number 29.

My collection: 7" single no. 8450
Found: Plato, Leiden, 27 September 2026
Tracks: 'Little Jackie wants to be a star' / 'Star (The Jackie mix)' 

Always another girl - Silver Convention

The best way to describe this single by Silver Convention is 'vacuous but fun'. The song 'Always another girl' isn't very impressive lyrically - lots of repeats - but it's got a good rhythm; perfect for discotheques. The B-side, 'I like it', is equally void of substance. It's bubblegum music, but in a good disco way. 

'Always another girl' was the trio's second single, after 'Save me'. It reached number 29 in the Belgian (Flemish) chart and number 15 in the Dutch Top 40. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8449
Found: Plato, Leiden, 27 September 2026
Tracks: 'Always another girl' / 'I like it' 

Masquerade - Sky

Inspired by classical music, Sky recorded several albums with their modern versions of compositions by various composers. Their best-known line-up featured two Australians - classical guitarist John Williams and electric guitarist Kevin Peek - alongside three Britons - bass player Herbie Flowers, drummer/percussionist Tristan Fry and keyboard player Francis Monkman. In 1980, Monkman was replaced by Steve Gray. In March 1982 they released their fourth album, and this single was taken from that one.

'Toccata' remains the band's only successful single, and I have to say that I never came across any other single by the band. Although I'd never heard 'Masquerade', I was intrigued enough to buy this single. The B-side, 'Fantasy', sounds more interesting, I have to say. According to Herbie Flowers, 'John was keen to do 'Fantasy' by Bach'. Turns out he had a good instinct.

My collection: 7" single no. 8448
Found: Plato, Leiden, 27 September 2026
Tracks: 'Masquerade' / 'Fantasy' 

Wonderful world, beautiful people - Amazulu

The reggae/ska/pop band Amazulu was started by Sharon Bailey and Lesley Beach, together with Rose Miner, the original lead singer. With Debbie Dread joining on drums, initially all the members were female. Miner was later replaced by Anne-Marie Ruddock, and Dread was replaced by John "Nardo" Bailey, whom they called their token male.

Their debut album Amazulu was quite successful, especially in New Zealand and Sweden. The biggest hit single taken from that album was 'Too good to be forgotten', originally recorded by the Chi-lites. By 1987, Ruddock and Bailey were the only members left and they released their second album Spellbound, which didn't chart. 'Wonderful world, beautiful people', a cover version of a song by Jimmy Cliff, was their final single, peaking at number 97 in the UK singles chart. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8447
Found: Plato, Leiden, 27 September 2026
Tracks: 'Wonderful world, beautiful people' / 'Wonderful world, beautiful people (instrumental)'

Superman - Vulcano

I bought a single by Vulcano recently ('Staying with it') and I enjoyed it enough to justify buying another one. 'Superman' was their second single after their debut 'Shut up and boogie' and it became their only English-language hit. 

The single entered the Dutch Top 40 on 24 October 1981 and reached number 29. After three more singles in English they switched to Dutch for the national final of the Eurovision Song Contest in the Netherlands. With 'Een beetje van dit' they would enjoy their only top 10 hit, causing them to stick with Dutch language songs for the rest of their career.

My collection: 7" single no. 8446
Found: Plato, Leiden, 27 September 2026
Tracks: 'Superman' / 'O-only you' 

Late in the evening - Paul Simon

'Late in the evening' was the lead single from Paul Simon's fifth studio album One Trick Pony, released in 1980. The song was praised for Simon's lyrics, the horn interlude, and the distinctive drum part, a New York City-style Cuban Mozambique drum groove by Steve Gadd. Gadd performed the part using two pairs of drumsticks – one in each hand – in order to give the impression of two drummers playing together.  

The single reached number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In the UK singles chart it only reached number 58, but in the Dutch Top 40 it got to number 9. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8445
Found: Plato, Leiden, 27 September 2026
Tracks: 'Late in the evening' / 'One trick pony' 

Dancing the night away - The Motors

'Dancing the night away' was the debut single by English garage rock pub rock band the Motors, which was released in 1977 as the lead single from their debut studio album 1. On the album the song was a full six and a half minutes; for the single it was edited down to just three. The song was written by band members Andy McMaster and Nick Garvey, and produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange. 

The single peaked at number 42 on the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 50 for four weeks. In 1983 the American rock band Cheap Trick recorded a cover version of the song for their seventh album Next position please. They also released the song as a single, but it only reached number 111 in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 8444
Found: Plato, Leiden, 27 September 2026
Tracks: 'Dancing the night away' / 'Whisky and wine'