What's going on - Cyndi Lauper

'What's going on' was written by Renaldo 'Obie' Benson, Al Cleveland, and Marvin Gaye. It was the title track of Gaye's groundbreaking 1971 album. A meditation on the troubles and problems of the world, the song was released as a single to worldwide success.

The song has been covered by multiple artists, notably Cyndi Lauper, whose version was released as the third single from her 1986 album 'True colours'. On the album version, the song starts off with a series of gunshots in reference to the Vietnam war, while the single release is a remix with an alternate vocal used in the intro. The single reached number 12 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 30 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 531
Found: Free Record Shop, 1987
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'What's going on' / 'One track mind'

Boom! There she was - Scritti Politti

Roger Troutman was well known for his use of the talkbox, a device that is connected to an instrument (frequently a keyboard) to create different vocal effects.After scoring a hit with 'I want to be your man' in 1987, he collaborated with Green Gartside from Scritti Politti on the single 'Boom! There she was'.

Released in November 1988, 'Boom! There she was' reached number 55 in the UK singles chart. Scritti Politti then disappeared from the scene for three years.

My collection: 7" single no. 809
Found: May 6, 1989
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Boom! There she was' / 'World come back to life'

This is not America - David Bowie and Pat Metheny Group

Taken from the soundtrack for the movie 'The falcon and the snowman', 'This is not America' was a collaboration between David Bowie and the jazz fusion band the Pat Metheny Group.

The single reached number 14 in the UK singles chart, number 32 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 1 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 366
Found: Bruxelles, January 11, 1986
Cost: 105 Belgian Francs
Track: 'This is not America' / 'This is not America (instrumental)'

Paradise by the dashboard light - Meat Loaf

Although the label on this single claims that 'Paradise by the dashboard light' has a running time of 7 minutes and 55 seconds, it is actually only 5 minutes and 25 seconds - which means it is a single edit of the epic album version, excluding the lengthy baseball commentary and some minor musical bits. I would regret this if I was actually planning on listening to this song ever again - which I won't for another decade or two.

Still, I have to concede that 'Paradise by the dashboard light' is a classic track, one that is forever synonymous to Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman's brilliant collaboration. I wish it wasn't played so damn often though.

My collection: 7" single no. 378
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1985
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Paradise by the dashboard light' / ''Bat' Overture'

Bloedend hart - De Dijk

The Dutch band De Dijk ('The Dike') released the single 'Bloedend hart' ('Bleeding heart') in the summer of 1982. The amusing tale of the Christian broadcaster NCRV always stuck with me: they took offence to the line 'Ik kijk wat door de ramen / en ik krab wat aan mijn kont' ('I'm looking through the windows / and I'm scratching my ass') and through some clever manipulation they managed to change the line to '...en ik krab wat aan mijn hond' ('...and I'm scratching my dog'). Personally, I think scratching your dog is a lot nastier than scratching your own ass.

This minor controversy didn't help the single: it failed to reach the Dutch Top 40 when it was released.

My collection: 7" single no. 158
Found: Den Haag, 1982
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Bloedend hart' / 'Geldgebrek en rock & roll'

As long as you follow - Fleetwood Mac

The production process of making 7" vinyl singles has been successful for millions of copies: you take a piece of vinyl, press the grooves on it, cut off the edges to make a round piece of vinyl and punch a hole in the middle. But sometimes, things go wrong. My copy of 'As long as you follow' by Fleetwood Mac had a hole in the middle, but it was not exactly in the middle. As a result, the sides were unlistenable.

I never went back to the shop with the single, but I did buy a promotional copy of it, made in Spain, seven years later. This copy featured 'As long as you follow' on both sides. For this blog, I used my original copy to record the B-side. It's a matter of putting the record on the right spot on the record player. I think the recording still turned out alright!

'As long as you follow' was a new track on the compilation album 'Greatest hits', released in 1988 after Fleetwood Mac's previous album 'Tango in the night' was very successful. Lindsey Buckingham had left the band and he was replaced by Billy Burnette (mainly for lead vocals) and Rick Vito. The single reached number 13 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 66 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 756 / no. 2612
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, February 23, 1989 / Record fair, Den Haag, February 10, 1996
Cost: 6 guilders / 3 guilders
Tracks (no. 756): 'As long as you follow' / 'Oh well (live)'
Tracks (no. 2612): 'As long as you follow' / 'As long as you follow'

To be with you again - Level 42

The album 'Running in the family' by Level 42 was a big success, and part of the success was the singles that kept entering the charts. 'To be with you again' was the third single from the album and it was just as successful as the previous two.

'To be with you again' reached number 6 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 10 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2752
Found: House of Rhythm, London, October 29, 1996
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'To be with you again' / 'Microkid (live)'

Last days of summer - Imagination

'Last days of summer' was released in the summer of 1985 as a single by Imagination. Their last hit was 1984's 'Thank you my love', and this new single would be the second in a long line of singles that would be unsuccessful in all territories.

The B-side featured a live recording of the earlier hit 'Shoobedoo da dabba doobee', recorded at Hammersmith Odeon in London.

My collection: 7" single no. 3107
Found: Big Company Records, London, May 13, 1999
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'Last days of summer' / 'Shoobedoo da dabba doobee (live)'

Oye mi canto - Gloria Estefan

'Oye mi canto' showed off some of Gloria Estefan's musical roots, much like in the style of her earlier music with Miami Sound Machine, and is in the style of the earlier hit 'Conga', which is included on this single as the B-side track.

Released as the fourth single from her album 'Cuts both ways', it reached number 48 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 16 in the UK singles chart and number 8 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1058
Found: London, October 17, 1989
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Oye mi canto' / 'Conga'

If - Janet Jackson

In the song 'If', Janet Jackson is consumed with sexual fantasies of a man who doesn't even know she exists. An electric guitar and a sample from Diana Ross & the Supremes' 1969 song 'Someday we'll be together' are the musical ingredients for this fast-paced track. The single contains a B-side track called 'One more chance', which is a cover of a song her brother Randy wrote, produced, and performed for The Jacksons' 1984 album 'Victory'.

'If' was released as the second single from Janet's album 'janet.' in the summer of 1993. It reached number 1 in Canada, number 14 in the UK singles chart, number 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 10 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2004
Found: HMV, London, October 18, 1993
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'If' / 'One more chance'

Girl you know it's true - Milli Vanilli

The tale of Milli Vanilli is all too familiar: they had a lot of success in the late Eighties, then people found out that they didn't actually sing the songs themselves and started burning their records. I never quite understood that attitude: you like a song or you don't, and it doesn't really matter who sings them, does it? Sure, it is misleading, but Frank Farian was never the most honest man in pop: Boney M's songs were rarely sung by the band members either - and no-one ever complained about that.

Anyway, 'Girl you know it's true' is a fine example of a Milli Vanilli track. (And let's be honest: when you've heard one, you've heard them all.) This remix is of special interest for Boney M fans. What a coincidence!

My collection: 12" single no. 528
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 199X
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Girl you know it's true (Super club mix)' / 'Girl you know it's true (radio mix)', 'Magic touch'

E.S.P. - Bee Gees

E.S.P. stands for Extrasensory perception, a paranormal ability, but it's also the title track of the Bee Gees' 1987 album, which was released as a single in the autumn of 1987. The acapella intro on the album version was edited out for the single version.

The single reached number 51 in the UK singles chart and number 32 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2596
Found: Utrecht, December 30, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'E.S.P.' / 'Overnight'

Babe - Styx

Syrupy sweet and slightly silly, the ballad 'Babe' was a big hit at the end of the Seventies for the American band Styx. Written by band member Dennis DeYoung as a birthday present for his wife Suzanne, it was not originally intended to be a Styx track, but the band decided to include it on their album 'Cornerstone' upon hearing the demo by DeYoung and Styx membes John and Chuck Panozzo.

The song became Styx's first and last US number-one single, also reaching number 6 in the UK singles chart and number 9 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1089
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, October 27, 1988
Cost: 1 guilders
Tracks: 'Babe' / 'I'm OK'

Strangelove - Depeche Mode

'Strangelove' may well be one of Depeche Mode's best singles ever. The melody, the hook, the lyric and the instrumentation: it's all damn near perfect. The band was able to combine the upbeat poppy influences of their earlier work with the gloomy, disturbing vibe of their later work.

I wasn't the only one to appreciate the single: even in the Netherlands, where Depeche Mode have always had a hard time reaching the charts, it peaked at number 24 in the Dutch Top 40. In the UK singles chart, 'Strangelove' hit number 16.

My collection: 7" single no. 523
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Strangelove' / 'Pimpf'

When tomorrow comes - Eurythmics

I remember the feeling of disillusionment when I first heard 'When tomorrow comes' by the Eurythmics. They were always known for their synthpop tracks, but on this song, there was literally no synthesizer in sight. And weren't there already too many guitar bands?

'When tomorrow comes' isn't a bad song, though. The album 'Revenge' would continue this rock sound, making the synthpop label on Eurythmics a bit misplaced anyway. Meanwhile, this single only reached number 30 in the UK singles chart and number 19 in the Dutch Top 40, while becoming a top 10 hit in Scandinavia and Australia.

My collection: 7" single no. 463
Found: V&D, Den Haag, 1986
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'When tomorrow comes' / 'Take your pain away'

Whenever you're ready - Five Star

Released in August 1987, 'Whenever you're ready' was the first single from Five Star's third album 'Between the lines'. It is a bouncy popsong full of subtle sounds and a rather straightforward chorus-verse structure.

The single reached number 11 in the UK singles chart and number 18 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 1184
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, March 3, 1990
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Whenever you're ready' / 'Forever yours'

Suspended in gaffa - Kate Bush

'I'm scared of the changes' says a little voice in this track, 'Suspended in gaffa' by Kate Bush. It's a minor detail in the enormous soundscape created by Kate Bush in this track, but one that caused me to listen to this track over and over again from 1982 until today. The song lyric is about seeing something one really wants, then not being able to see or experience it ever again. The 'gaffa' of the title and chorus refers to gaffer tape, the tough black tape used by technicians in film and concert industries.

Released as the third single from her fourth album 'The dreaming' - with the exception of the UK where 'There goes a tenner' was released instead - it was not a commercial success for Kate Bush. I actually own two versions of this single: I bought the first one, a German pressing, as soon as it came out. Just four months ago, I found the Dutch edition with a slightly different sleeve.

My collection: 7" single no. 172 / no. 4116
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1982
Cost: 3,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Suspended in gaffa' / 'Ne t'en fuis pas'

On my own - Patti Labelle and Michael McDonald

Although 'On my own' was a duet between Patti Labelle and Michael McDonald, both were in separate cities when they recorded their individual parts. They were mixed together during mastering. This was reflected in the music video, which showed Labelle and McDonald performing the song on two different locations. 'On my own' couldn't have been a more apt title for this song.

The track was taken from LaBelle's album 'Winner in you' and written and produced by Burt Bacharach and his former wife Carole Bayer Sager. The single reached number 2 in the Dutch Top 40 and the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 448
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, August 26, 1986
Cost: 4 guilders
Tracks: 'On my own' / 'Stir it up'

Everlasting love - Howard Jones

Sometimes even Wikipedia is intriguing. In the description for 'Everlasting love' by Howard Jones it says: 'The video had mummies.' I'm sure this is true, but having never seen the video, it was a bit puzzling. These days, fortunately, you can hop over to YouTube and see it for yourself. (Proving the point that this blog is still a journey of discovery for me too.)

The song was co-produced by ex-Tears for Fears band member Ian Stanley. It was released as the first single from Howard Jones' 1989 album 'Cross that line'. It reached number 12 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, while stalling at number 62 on the UK Singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1019
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 17, 1989
Cost: 60p
Tracks: 'Everlasting love' / 'The brutality of fact'

1.000.000 sterren - Frank Boeijen Groep

The Frank Boeijen Groep had to come up with another hit after their previous single 'Zwart wit' had been such a convincing top 5 hit. '1.000.000 sterren' ('1,000,0000 stars') was a song that didn't meet these expectations, although it was still able to reach number 29 in the Dutch Top 40.

Having been successful with their first music video for 'Zwart wit', another music video was made for this single. While 'Zwart wit' was shown sometimes in later years, the video for '1.000.000 sterren' disappeared from tv screens forever.

My collection: 7" single no. 229
Found: LP Top 100, Den Haag, 1984
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: '1.000.000 sterren' / 'Het antwoord (live)'