Suboceana (Boom boom chi boom boom) - Tom Tom Club

Tom Tom Club had two hits in the Netherlands: 'Wordy Rappinghood' (1981) and 'Under the boardwalk' (1982). I didn't buy either of them. I did buy this track, 'Suboceana' on a 12" single. It was a couple of years after I saw the interesting video. The single, of course, never reached the Dutch record shops, since this was released in the UK only. And so it was in the UK that I found this record.

The 'Dream master remix' was made by Keith Cohen, the man who also founded and fronted K.C. and the Sunshine Band.

My collection: 12" single no. 135
Found: Record Exchange, London, 1992
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Suboceana (Boom boom chi boom boom) (Dream master remix)' / 'Suboceana (Boom boom chi boom boom)', 'The Suckling'
Download: here

Christian - China Crisis

Somehow I managed to miss the song 'Christian' when it came out. I only found out about it years later, through a live version that came free with the double single for China Crisis's 'You did cut me'. I liked the song, but it took some time to find out that it was actually their first big hit - in the UK at least. In the Netherlands it didn't reach the top 40, but in the UK it got to no. 12 in 1983.

When I found the 12" single for 'Christian', I checked it out. The label said the song lasted for 5 minutes and 45 seconds, which seemed incredibly long to me. So I bought it, hoping to hear an extended version of the song. Of course, as fans of the band would know, the song is originally that long. But still, it wasn't a bad buy, because the B-side tracks were worth a spin or two as well. The upbeat 'Greenacre Bay' and the introspective instrumental 'Performing seals' are just two examples of China Crisis's extraordinary talent.

My collection: 12" single no. 98

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1990

Cost: 2,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Christian' / 'Greenacre bay', 'Performing seals'

Download: here

Jean - Oliver

As a child, I was collecting singles. I took over this obsession from my brother and sister, who were seven and six years older than me, respectively. Starting at such a young age had its disadvantages. For instance, like I wrote in my first post, I was constantly cleaning out my collection, so that I will never know what my first record was. It also meant that whenever I did have a record that one of my siblings deemed interesting enough, they swindled me out of it by proposing a swap. This is how Oliver came into my life. My brother wanted a single from my collection and gave me a broad range of his throwaway singles to choose from. I chose this one, for reasons that I cannot remember.

From that moment on until just a few minutes ago, I knew nothing about this Oliver. As a child I thought this record was from the 1950's, because it looked so old and had no year of release on it. It also didn't reach the Dutch singles chart. Not even the UK chart! I played it every now and again, but that was all. The mystery remained.

Thanks to Wikipedia, I now know everthing about Oliver. William Oliver Swofford (February 22, 1945 – February 12, 2000) was an American pop singer. Oliver's clean-cut good looks and soaring baritone were the perfect vehicle for his July 1969 single 'Good Morning Starshine', from the pop-rock musical 'Hair'. In October 1969 Oliver reached no. 2 on the Hot 100 and no. 1 on the adult contemporary chart with Rod McKuen's melodious ballad "Jean", the theme from the Oscar-winning film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. See? I didn't know all that. Thank God for this blog.

My collection: 7" single no. 3

Found: at home, in my brother's collection

Cost: nothing. Well, 1 other single.

Tracks: 'Jean' / 'Who will buy'

Download: here

Don't look now - Torch song

Back in 1984, I was addicted to music channels like Sky and Music Box. It got kinda bad, because at some point I couldn't get through the day without my daily fix of music videos. There was so much to see, and sometimes I even got to see what I wanted.

The great thing about this addiction was that I got to know a lot of videos. Not only the videos belonging to the popular tunes of the day, but also the more obscure ones. Like for instance, this one. It was a striking piece of video and although I hadn't seen it for twenty years until I rediscovered it on YouTube, I still remember most frames.

It also presented a problem, because when I went out to buy 'Don't look now' by Torch Song, all I got in the Dutch record shops were blank stares. To this day, I don't know if a 7" single even exists. But I did manage to find the 12" single, only a couple of years ago. What a great find. At the time, I didn't even know who William Orbit was. Nowadays, everybody knows. But does everybody know this great track? I bet they don't.

My collection: 12" single no. 435

Found: 2004

Cost: 5 euro

Tracks: 'Don't look now' / 'P2e (remix)'

Download: here

It takes a muscle to fall in love - Spectral Display

In the early 1980's, synthpop was the flavour of the day. Bands that were starting out didn't need drums, bass and guitars anymore: all they needed was a good synthesizer to make it in the charts. Depeche Mode, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Soft Cell were the hottest bands around and their example was followed everywhere.

In the Netherlands, Michel Mulders was the synth wizard behind Spectral Display. The single 'It takes a muscle to fall in love' was a striking piece of pop music, which should have been a massive hit. Amazingly, it never reached the Dutch Top 40. These days, a band would be dropped almost immediately by their record label, but Spectral Display released a handful of singles and two albums before calling it a day. Did I mention that none of these records made the charts?

My collection: 7" single no. 151

Found: Studio Echo, Den Haag, 1982

Cost: 5,5 guilders

Tracks: 'It takes a muscle to fall in love' / 'Tango'

Download: Album 'Spectral Display', including both tracks

China in your hand - T'pau

The British band T'pau burst onto the scene in 1987 with this song, 'China in your hand'. It wasn't their first single, but it was certainly their biggest hit. In the Netherlands, it got to number one in early 1988, after having reached that same position in the UK. There was no doubt that this band would make it big...

I bought this single almost right after its release in the charts. I was pretty surprised when I found out, later on, that the single version was actually way better than the album version. I bought the album later on in 1988 and was very pleased that I owned the single to compensate for this.

The throwaway B-side 'No sense of pride' was an early indication of how the second album by T'pau would sound. Like the rest of their career, this single was a hit-and-miss affair.

My collection: 7" single no. 574
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'China in your hand' / 'No sense of pride'
Download: here

Diggi-loo diggi-ley - Bröderna Delay

One of the great injustices in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest was the fact that the Swedish Herrey brothers won the 1984 edition with 'Diggi loo diggi ley', a simple popsong with nonsensical lyrics. So what else is new...

But when I found this single six months ago at a record fair, I was curious enough to want to buy it. The 'original disco cover version' by the Swedish Delay brothers is exactly what it promises to be: a disco cover version of the song that won their country the contest. Released in 1984 like the original, this is probably a novelty record with the aim of cashing in on a popular song.

Even in this day and age of internet, no details about the Delay brothers can be found. Not even a chart statistic of their homeland! The single contains the Swedish and the English version of the song.

My collection: 7" single no. 3452

Found: Record fair, Utrecht, 2008

Cost: 1 euro

Tracks: 'Diggi-loo diggi-ley (Swedish version)' / 'Diggi-loo diggi-ley (English version)'

Download: here.

Sweetest smile - Black

In 1987, I went on holiday to London. Having not been there for many years, I really longed for that holiday. I knew that the city would offer some record shops, and if I was to believe my sister, they were huge. I saved up a lot of money for that holiday, hoping to have enough to buy everything I saw - at least the things I liked.

The day before we went, I saw 'Top of the pops' on the BBC. Much to my surprise, I saw a performance by the band Black. I hadn't heard from that band since Hey Presto, so this was a great surprise. Apparently their single 'Sweetest smile' was just released, and the holiday to London presented an opportunity to pick up the single. Of course, it wasn't released in the Netherlands until it became a hit in the UK. I couldn't know that Black was about to become a household name during that year.

'Sweetest smile' was very different from 'Hey Presto', but I really liked it. Singer Colin Vearncombe has one of the most beautiful voices in the business, and the sophistication and style that oozed from 'Sweetest smile' was irresistible for me. I do wonder why the public dropped him so easily after 'Wonderful life'. Maybe it was just too good. Fortunately, I never lost contact with Black again.

My collection: 7" single no. 544

Found: Tower Records, Kensington London, 1987

Cost: 2 pounds

Tracks: 'Sweetest smile [7" edit]' / 'Sixteens'

Download: here

Coming home - Marshall Hain

Say Marshall Hain, and most people with some knowledge of the late seventies charts will reply with 'Dancing in the city'. A typical one hit wonder act, Julian Marshall and Kit Hain only released on album ('Free ride') before going their separate ways. Kit Hain tried to launch a solo career, but that didn't go so well either.

'Injustice!', I cry, for the follow-up to 'Dancing in the city' is a jewel. 'Coming home' was released in October 1978 and scraped the lower regions of the UK singles chart for a couple of weeks. The album 'Free ride' includes a version that is slightly different from the single version, because it omits the great fretless bass intro, replacing it with vocals from Julian Marshall instead.

So here it is, in all its glory, the single version of 'Coming home' and the B-side 'Different point'. Just to prove that I was right in buying this, even if I was just an eight year old kid.

My collection: 7" single no. 72

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1978

Cost: 1 guilder

Tracks: 'Coming home [7" version]' / 'Different point'

Download: here

Hammer horror - Kate Bush

This is it: the first Kate Bush single I ever bought. All through 1978 I was captivated by Kate Bush. I've heard it many times in my life: hearing 'Wuthering Heights' is, for most people, a life-changing experience. Since I was only 7 years old at the time, my memory is hazy about this, but the fact that I bought this single in the autumn of 1978 is a testament to the fact that she stuck in my mind. I must have paid full price for it, and that was the first time I ever did that.

But it was worth it. 'Hammer horror' is an exciting piece of music and the sleeve, as you can see, carried a very beautiful picture of ms. Bush.

'Hammer horror' and the B-side, 'Coffee Homeground' were both taken from the album 'Lionheart', that would be released quickly after this.

My collection: 7" single no. 19
Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1978
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Hammer horror' / 'Coffee Homeground'
Download: Album 'Lionheart', including both tracks

From New York to L.A. - Patsy Gallant

Described as 'camp as tits' somewhere on the web, and I'm inclined to agree. This is another of my very first singles, and I remember buying it. I had one guilder to spend, and the single I really wanted to buy was 'A far l'amore comincia tu' by Rafaella Carra, another camp track. I never bought that single in the end. I spent some time searching for it in the shop, and when I finally concluded they didn't have it, I had to search all over again for something else.

It's not the best guilder I ever spent, because in the past thirty years I don't think I played it much. Hearing it now I have to conclude that it isn't too bad, but I also reckon that I'm not a fan of song titles with the city 'New York' mentioned in them.

My collection: 7" single no. 5
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1978
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'From New York to L.A.' / 'Angie'
Download: here

Pop Muzik - M

When you have a record collection it's always nice to show people some rarities and gimmicks. Back when everyone knew what vinyl records did, it was great to show this one. The 12" record of M's 'Pop Muzik' played two different songs on the same side, both songs starting at the beginning of the record. It was just a matter of choosing the right groove, because the A-side of this record actually had two grooves!


Of course, I only found out about this 12" when it left the shops for some time. So I had to wait for some time to get my hands on it, whereas my brother actually had it for years. I bought my second hand copy in 1990, eleven years after its release.

Which brings me to another interesting fact: a lot of people actually seem to think that 'Pop Muzik' is an eighties song. However, it was released in April 1979 and was a top 10 hit almost everywhere in Europe that summer. It influenced a lot of tracks from the eighties, though, so it's no wonder it keeps appearing in lots of eighties compilations.

My collection: 12" single no. 91
Found: 1990
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Pop muzik', 'M Factor' / 'Pop muzik (full length disco mix)'
Download: here

Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes

In the Netherlands and most of Europe, Kim Carnes is a one hit wonder. She still released a stack of albums, so I guess she did better in her home country, America. But the one hit I'm talking about, is 'Bette Davis Eyes'. It reached no. 16 in the Dutch top 40 in the summer of 1981. In the UK it fared even better and reached no. 10.

I never bought this single until recently. Back in 1981 the song was played on the radio too often, I didn't need the record to play the song in my head. But it's a great slice of pop that belongs in my collection.

My collection: 7" single no. 3399
Found: Den Haag, 2004
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Bette Davis Eyes' / 'Miss you tonight'
Download: Album 'Mistaken identity', including both tracks

Love resurrection - Alison Moyet

After working with Vince Clarke in Yazoo, Alison Moyet went solo. I was disappointed at first, but then slowly warmed up to her music. I had to be quick in deciding whether I wanted to buy her debut single, 'Love resurrection', because despite the fact that it was in the charts, the shop where I went to offered it for half price. And so I bought it, despite doubting this purchase at first. It was the summer of 1984, the golden age for pop music as far as I'm concerned, and each week there were many singles I wanted to have.

'Love resurrection' reached no. 10 in the UK singles charts, and only no. 25 in the Dutch top 40. The single featured a non-album track, 'Baby I do'.

My collection: 7" single no. 236

Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1984

Cost: 3,5 guilders

Tracks: 'Love resurrection' / 'Baby I do'

Download: here

Elstree - The Buggles

The Buggles are best known for their debut hit 'Video killed the radio star'. I didn't know this single existed until I saw it at a record fair earlier this year. I had to buy it, if only for the curiosity value.

'Elstree' reached number 55 in the UK singles chart, and was the fourth single to be taken from the album 'The age of plastic'.

My collection: 7" single no. 3450
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, 2008
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Elstree' / 'Johnny on the monorail'
Download: Album 'The age of plastic', including both tracks

Kids in America - Kim Wilde

Did I mention that I have a complete collection of Kim Wilde records? I didn't? Well, okay, so I did now. And in this first installment of a series that will take some months to develop, I can tell you it all started with Kim's debut single: 'Kids in America'.

I bought my first copy of this single in 1982 in the shop I mentioned in my first post, Disco Market. It was a year after Kim made the charts with this track, and it took so long to get it because I was always buying older, thus cheaper, chart singles. When Kim burst onto the scene I was only 10 years old. The song stuck in my mind, which is why I still wanted to have it one year on.

The copy pictured here is not the one I bought then. I've got three copies: the tattered, torn first one, a third one I bought recently to have a pristine copy, and the one pictured here. I had it signed by Kim in 1997, when she ended her 11 month run with the musical Tommy.

My collection: 7" single no. 108
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1982
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Kids in America' / 'Tuning in tuning on'
Download: Album 'Kim Wilde, including both tracks

One more lonely night - Kaija

When you're into pop music, you're bound to be into the Eurovision Song Contest. Although in recent years that logic seems to have diminished. I always loved it, anyway, ever since I was a kid. Part of the excitement was the process of seeing every country giving their opinion on the songs, part of the disappointment was usually the winning song. My taste is probably so eclectic that I always seem to root for the underdog. One of those underdogs was Kaija. She competed in the Contest in 1991 with a song called Hullö Yö. Pardon? Yes, it's Finnish. I don't know many people outside Finland who can understand this language, but the Finnish always had to compete singing in their own language.

No wonder, then, that the song didn't win. It got 4 points from Ireland, 1 from Iceland and 1 from Greece... And that was all. To make matters even worse, the single was unavailable wherever I went. In the shops, at record fairs and even among some Eurovision fans I knew, no-one was able to provide me with this single. Finally, in 2008, my luck changed. A few months ago I bought this single on eBay. A search of 17 years was concluded.

The single includes the song in English and Italian.

My collection: 7" single no. 3455

Found: eBay, 2008

Cost: 7 euro

Tracks: 'One more lonely night' / 'Una notte folle'

Download: here

Don't you want me - Human League

The soundtrack of the eighties wouldn't be complete without the Human League. For years I thought that 'Don't you want me' was their debut single, until I found out that there was a previous incarnation of the group - an incarnation I never quite got into.

'Don't You Want Me' was released in the UK on 5 December 1981 and to everyone in the band's amazement it went almost immediately to number one and remained in the UK charts for 13 weeks. The group became famous for lead singer Phil Oakey's weird hairdo, although he cut his hair pretty quickly and started to look more like a regular Joe.

I only bought this single in 2004, when I reached the point of wanting to 'complete' certain parts of my collection. Back in 1982, when this song was in the charts, I heard it so many times I didn't really want to buy it. There are still other Human League songs I prefer, but to many, this is their one and only classic.

My collection: 7" single no. 3380
Found: Den Haag, 2004
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Don't you want me' / 'Seconds'
Download: 12" single 'Don't you want me', including both tracks

Get it - Urban Heroes

I'm not a big fan of Dutch music, but every now and again there are exceptions to this rule. I'm always happy to hear exceptions, but they've been pretty scarce recently. Things were better in the 1980's. The Urban Heroes are an example. The band was formed in the late Seventies in Den Haag, and released their first single, 'Get it', in 1980. It reached the Dutch top 40, stayed in there for three weeks and reached number 32. Not a very high chart placing, but they would also reach number 32 with the next single, 'Not another world war'. Their biggest hit was 'Habadaba Riwikidi', which got to number 21 in 1981. After this, the band never reached the top 40 again. They split up, reunited, split up again and reunited again.

Only 'Get it' made it into my record collection, because I considered the other singles to be a repeat of this nice song. As I said, I'm not a big fan of Dutch music....

My collection: 7" single no. 42

Found: Wouters, Den Haag, 1980

Cost: 3 guilders

Tracks: 'Get it' / 'Lovin' you lovin' me'

Download: here

The best of the Top 40 of the year - Various artists

I don't know what the occasion was, but I remember I got this double lp in the summer of 1979. The way I remember it, it was the first lp that was my own, because this one was bought in the shop as opposed to earlier lp's I got, previously owned by my parents. This album contains no less than 32 hits of the year 1978 and although I was at first a bit disappointed at the track listing (I missed my favourite artists of that time, Kate Bush and Abba and others), I played these two discs a lot. Now that I've listened to it again I can hear that it hasn't survived the years too well.

Some sounds of that lp have become etched in my memory forever. I will always define 1978 by tracks like 'Dancing in the city', 'Follow me', Windsurfin'' and 'Let's all chant'. I consider this to be the actual start of my obsession with pop music - and records.

My collection: LP no. 7

Found: as a present, 1979

Cost: -

Tracks:

Side 1: Let's all chant (Michael Zager Band) / Dancing in the city (Marshall Hain) / Red Hot (Robert Gordon) / Every 1's a winner (Hot Chocolate) / Only a fool (Mighty Sparrow) / Ragtime Piano Joe (Peter Straker) / Malibu (Patricia Paay) / Copacabana (Barry Manilow)

Side 2: Nutbush city limits (Ike & Tina Turner) / Boogie Oogie Oogie (A taste of honey) / You and I (Rick James) / Fool (Chris Rea) / If I had words (Scott Fitzgerald & Yvonne Keeley) / For a few dollars more (Smokie) / If you can't give me love (Suzi Quatro) / It's raining (Darts)

Side 3: Three times a lady (Commodores) / Follow me (Amanda Lear) / Angel of the morning (Guys & Dolls) / Put your love in me (Hot Chocolate) / More than a woman (Tavares) / Baker street (Gerry Rafferty) / Windsurfin' (The Surfers) / Hold on (Bolland & Bolland)

Side 4: I put a spell on you (Dee Dee) / Wet day in September (Pussycat) / Realite (Next One) / Rosita (George Baker) / She was too young (The Cats) / Round in circles (Highlight) / It's only a matter of time (Breeze) / Floral Dance (Brighouse & Rastrick Band)

Download: Disc One, Disc Two