Love is in the air - John Paul Young

One of the classics from the year 1978. 'Love is in the air' was performed by John Paul Young. It became his only worldwide hit in January 1978, peaking at number 2 in Australia, bumber 5 in the UK singles chart and number 11 in the Dutch Top 40.

It's a strange thing: whenever this song is played, people get a certain look in their eyes and they can't help dancing. Reportedly, the song was covered by Cher, to be included in her album 'Believe' (which spawned the hit single of the same name). It was, however, removed from the album before it was released.

My collection: 7" single no. 1064
Found: London, October 18, 1989
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Love is in the air' / 'Love you so bad it hurts'

More than you know - Martika

Martika released 'More than you know' as a single from her debut album 'Martika' in 1988. The single reached number 15 in the UK singles chart.

This is a delicious EP. Released as a limited edition, it features three of Martika's hits performed in Spanish. 'More than you know' is performed as 'Quiero entregarte mi amor', 'Toy soldiers' becomes 'Como un juguete' and 'I feel the earth move' is 'Siento tembla la tierra' here. To top it all off, the EP is housed in a poster sleeve. Those lucky UK record buyers, they get all the nice extras.

My collection: 7" single no. 3055
Found: May 8, 1999
Cost: unknown
Tracks: 'More than you know', 'Quiero entregarte mi amor' / 'Como un juguete', 'Siento tembla la tierra'

I cannot carry on - Princess

In 1987, Princess had left her producers Stock, Aitken & Waterman and went to America to record her second album with many different producers, including Glen Ballard, Richard James Burgess, Fox and Drinkwater.

'I cannot carry on' was released as the second single from the album, but it didn't reach the UK singles chart. It's a shame, because it's a ballsy, almost rock-oriented dance track. The single was let down by the B-side, which quite frankly is drivel.

My collection: 7" single no. 3164
Found: House of Rhythm, London, January 16, 2000
Cost: 40p
Tracks: 'I cannot carry on' / 'I can't say goodbye'

Free 4 track solid EP - Various

'The RM EP is to pop music what lion were to the Romans. A veritable signal post in the history of popular music, it is graced by the noble presence of New Order - already well establish in the halls of the gods. Hipsway, up and vying for a throne therin, the Adventures - another young and strong contender - and, last but not least, Raymonde, tipped by many as one of the most exciting newcomers this year. This is the RM EP - play it morning, noon and night'.

Well, there you have it. The UK magazine Record Mirror gave out this 7" single with their magazine sometime in 1986 and a decade later a record shop was trying to sell it. According to the price sticker, they weren't very successful. The price started at 1 pound and fell to 20p by the time I bought it.

My collection: 7" single no. 2501
Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 30, 1995
Cost: 20p
Tracks: 'Sub-culture (exclusive remix)' (New Order), 'Jennifer wants' (Raymonde) / 'Bad thing longing' (Hipsway), 'Walk away Renee' (The Adventures)

The valley road - Bruce Hornsby and the Range

'The valley road' was released as the first single from Bruce Hornsby and the Range's 1988 album 'Scenes from the Southside'. The song was inspired by observations Hornsby had made growing up in the state of Virginia. 'Every year, some rich girl would get involved with some country guy, and they would act irresponsibly and have to deal with the ramifications.'

The single peaked at number 5 in the US Billboard Hot 100, number 27 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 44 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 3190
Found: Record fair, September 16, 2000
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'The valley road' / 'The long race'

Never in a million years - Boomtown Rats

In 1980, Gerry Cott left the Boomtown Rats. The group continued as a quintet and released their fifth album, 'V Deep' in February 1982. Before that, the beautiful single 'Never in a million years' was released. It was released in a remarkable sleeve, featuring six holes at the front, representing the zeros in 'million', but omitting the band name and the title of the song.

As a result, many did not know of the single's release. It only reached number 62 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 892
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, June 17, 1989
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Never in a million years' / 'Don't talk to me'

Mama - Kim Appleby

Mel & Kim Appleby wrote 'Mama' as a tribute to their mother. It's always a tricky subject, because the danger of writing a sappy lyric is always there. I'm still undecided on this one: the combination of melancholy for the past and the outright sentimentality in this song leaves me, well, cold.

The single was not a success in the Netherlands, as it didn't even chart. In the UK singles chart, 'Mama' reached number 19.

My collection: 7" single no. 1489
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, July 4, 1991
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Mama' / 'Don't worry'

Weekend - Earth and Fire

I'm proud to say that I never understood what was sexy about Jerney Kaagman, but back in 1979 most of the Netherlands was in raptures about this woman and her blue suit, when she performed 'Weekend' in Toppop, the weekly chart show where Earth & Fire promoted their single from the album 'Reality fills fantasy'.

'Weekend' became a number 1 hit in the Dutch Top 40, their biggest hit since 1972's 'Memories'. The 'sexy' Kaagman is now a botox-filled expressionless old witch.

My collection: 7" single no. 3287
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 24, 2001
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Weekend' / 'Answer me'

Lap of luxury - Jethro Tull

Buying my 400th single was quite a big deal. I was thinking hard what would be an appropriate buy. In the end, I settled on this double single. Not because I was a fan of Jethro Tull, but because it was the only double single available at the time for a reasonable price. And I thought it would be appropriate to have a double single as a festive treat.

The band had just released 'Under wraps' in 1984, a very electronic album with no live drummer but a drum machine. Although the band was reportedly proud of the sound, the album was not well received. However, the video for 'Lap of luxury' did manage to earn moderate rotation on the newly influential MTV music video channel. 'Lap of luxury' reached number 70 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 400
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1984
Cost: 7,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Lap of luxury' / 'Astronomy' // 'Automotive engineering' / 'Tundra'

The touch - Kim Wilde

The second single from Kim Wilde's 1984 album 'Teases & dares', entitled 'The touch', didn't do much to restore her image in her native UK. She hadn't had a top 20 hit since 1982's 'View from a bridge', and this one didn't even make the top 50. Peaking at number 56, it qualified as a real disappointment.

Outside of the UK, things were not quite that problematic. The single reached number 20 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 29 in Germany. The single was also released as a shaped picture disc and featured for the first time a composition by Kim Wilde herself: 'Shangri-la' was included as the B-side track. Plus quite a lovely sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 252
Found: LP Top 100, 1984
Cost: 6,5 guilders
Tracks: 'The touch' / 'Shangri-la'

Woman - John Lennon

'Woman' was written by John Lennon as an ode to his wife Yoko Ono. In an interview for Rolling Stone magazine on December 5, 1980, Lennon said that 'Woman' was a 'grown-up version' of the song 'Girl'.

The song was released as the second single from Lennon's 'Double fantasy' album, and the first single released after his tragic death on December 8, 1980. It spent two weeks at number 1 in the UK singles chart and five weeks at number 1 in New Zealand. In the Netherlands, the single only managed to reach number 21, while in the US it reached number 2.

My collection: 7" single no. 2384
Found: House of Rhythm, London, July 1, 1995
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'Woman' (John Lennon) / 'Beautiful boys' (Yoko Ono)

The sweetest taboo - Sade

Sade introduced her second album 'Promise' with this single, 'The sweetest taboo'. The track built on the sound that was laid down on her debut album 'Diamond life'. Although at first I was not convinced by this composition, it grew on me over the years.

The single peaked at number 31 in the UK singles chart, but did much better in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 5. In the Netherlands, 'The sweetest taboo' reached number 14. 'You're not the man' was a non-album track, although it was later included on the Compact Disc release of 'Promise'.

My collection: 7" single no. 340
Found: LP Top 100, 1985
Cost: 5,5 guilders
Tracks: 'The sweetest taboo' / 'You're not the man'

Nightshift - Commodores

Without Lionel Richie as their frontman, the Commodores soldiered on. They surprised everyone with this 1985 hit, 'Nightshift'. Written as a tribute to Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye, two musicians who died in 1984. The single reached number 3 in the UK singles chart and number 1 in the Netherlands - the only number 1 hit for the Commodores in this country.

'Nightshift' won a Grammy Award in 1985 for best R&B Performance by a duo or group with vocals.

My collection: 7" single no. 1722
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, October 3, 1992
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Nightshift' / 'I keep running'

One more try - George Michael

'One more try' was written by George Michael to express his unwillingness to return to a new relationship because he had been emotionally hurt so many times previously. The song concludes with temptation taking over, and Michael ends by singing the title of the song for the only time.

The song was released as the fourth single from George Michael's debut album 'Faith'. Despite the fact that the song clocks in at almost six minutes, it was still a hit in several countries. It peaked at number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100, number 4 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 8 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2453
Found: Record fair, September 2, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'One more try' / 'Look at your hands'

Lambada - Kaoma

The summer is almost over, so it's high time I would present this single, Kaoma's summer hit from 1989. It is kindof tricky, because this song is cheesier than a Gruyere these days. When I bought it, it was still fresh, although it was already clear that it was becoming a bigger hit than it should. Twenty years later, you will hear this song regularly whenever and wherever you don't want it.

In 1988 a French entrepreneur, Olivier Lamotte d'Incamps, visited Porto Seguro and discovered locals dancing the tightly syncopated lambada to a melody that turned out to be Bolivian. With a lot of publicity, d'Incamps originated a lambada dance craze, largely by promoting a European tour of Kaoma, a band formed from a Porto Seguro dance group Touré Kunda. He bought the musical rights of about 300 lambada songs. He went back to France, and created the Kaoma Band. They turned Lambada into a worldwide known style. When Kaoma recorded 'Lambada' in 1989, it became a worldwide hit, reaching number 1 in several countries including the Netherlands. However, the song was an unauthorized translation of the song 'Llorando se fue' (1982) from the Bolivian group Los K’jarkas. Due to the clear act of plagiarism, Los Kjarkas successfully sued Kaoma.

My collection: 7" single no. 1073
Found: HMV, London, October 19, 1989
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Lambada' / 'Lambada (instrumental)'

Around my heart - Sandra

'Around my heart' was released as the fourth single from Sandra's third album 'Into a secret land'. The song was written by Hubert Kemmler, Markus Lohr, Sör Otto's, Frank Peterson, Klaus Hirschburger and produced by Michael Cretu. The track was remixed for the single release.

The single peaked at number 6 in Israel, number 11 in Germany, number 19 in Switzerland, number 23 in Austria and number 28 in France. My copy of the single includes a biography of Sandra in Spanish.

My collection: 7" single no. 1778
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, October 25, 1992
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Around my heart' / 'Around my drums'

Here we'll stay - Frida

'Here we'll stay', the third single from Frida's 1982 album 'Something's going on', went by almost unnoticed. So much so, that I forgot all about it when I wrote about the previous single, 'To turn the stone'. The track was originally recorded as a duet with Phil Collins, who produced the album. For the single version, his voice was omitted. The single was unsuccessful: it only reached number 100 in the UK singles chart.

I originally bought the single back in 1983 or 1984. When I arrived home with it, I noticed that the single was broken in two. I could have gone back for a refund but I think I was afraid they wouldn't believe me when I said I bought it like that. So that was 1 or 2 guilders down the drain. I only bought it again one and a half decade later.

My collection: 7" single no. 3049
Found: Record fair, January 30, 1999
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Here we'll stay' / 'Strangers'

Breath of life - Erasure

The fourth and final single taken from their 1992 album 'Chorus', Erasure's 'Breath of life' is written from the point of view of someone who is beginning to experience life on his own terms, finding love and making decisions without the control of outside influences.

This 7" single contains three versions of the song, including the original album version. The single reached number 8 in the UK singles chart. I bought my copy during a holiday in Austria.

My collection: 7" single no. 1682
Found: Deutschlandsberg, Austria, July 2, 1992
Cost: 54 Schilling
Tracks: 'Breath of life (7" mix)' / 'Breath of life', 'Breath of life (Acapella dub remix)'

Rockollection - Laurent Voulzy

Laurent Voulzy was born on December 18, 1948 in Paris, France. After leading the English-pop-influenced band Le Temple de Vénus in the Sixties, he worked with Pascal Danel between 1969 and 1974. He started writing songs with Alain Souchon and released this debut single 'Rockollection' in 1977.

Long before the world came to know Stars on 45, he introduced the idea of mixing together wellknown classic songs - but in this case, interspersed with an original lyric by Souchon and himself. On the A-side you can hear him singing 'The locomotion', 'A hard day's night', 'I get around', 'Gloria' and 'Satisfaction', followed on the B-side by 'Massachussetts', 'Mellow yellow' and 'California dreaming'. The single was an international hit, although it did not chart in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 2427
Found: Den Haag, August 19, 1995
Cost: nothing
Tracks: 'Rockollection (part 1)' / 'Rockollection (part 2)'

Tom's diner - DNA featuring Suzanne Vega

Suzanne Vega originally wrote 'Tom's diner' as an acapella song in 1981. It was released on her album 'Solitude standing' in 1987. The acapalla track was then used by two British record producers in 1990 to create the DNA remix of 'Tom's diner' without Vega's permission. Rather than sue them, record company A&M decided to buy the track and release it as a single. It was a wise move: this version reached number 1 in Austria and Germany, and went top 10 almost everywhere else. A year later, Vega released 'Tom's album', a compilation of different versions of the song, in various different versions.

The original version of 'Tom's diner' (on the B-side of this single) was used by Karlheinz Brandenburg to develop the audio compression scheme known as MP3. He recalled: 'I was ready to fine-tune my compression algorithm...somewhere down the corridor, a radio was playing 'Tom's diner'. I was electrified. I knew it would be nearly impossible to compress this warm a cappella voice.'

My collection: 7" single no. 2287
Found: May 6, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Tom's diner' (DNA featuring Suzanne Vega) / 'Tom's diner' (Suzanne Vega)