Friday 26 March 2010

Totally hot - Olivia Newton-John

The 1979 album by Olivia Newton-John was called 'Totally hot', and the title track was released as a single. Featuring a more aggressive sound, the single failed to impress the audience who had come to know her as the sweet Sandy from the 'Grease' movie.

Both the A-side and the B-side were taken from the album, which was more successful: it was certified platinum in the USA and gold in the UK.

My collection: 7" single no. 4700
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Totally hot' / 'Talk to me'

Boundaries - Jon Anderson

Jon Anderson released 'Animation' in 1982 during the Yes hiatus following the release of their album 'Drama'. At the time, Anderson was collaborating with Vangelis and Mike Oldfield and exploring new age and electronic pop.

The track 'Boundaries' was released as the second single from the album. It didn't chart in any territory. The track would later appear on other works by Anderson (entitled 'O'er', on 'The promise ring') and Yes (entitled 'Somehow, someday', on 'Open your eyes').

My collection: 7" single no. 4725
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Boundaries' / 'Much better reason'

Love is the seventh wave - Sting

'Love is the seventh wave' was the second single from Sting's 1985 solo debut album 'The dream of the blue turtles'. The song is supposedly about love being the seventh wave, or the strongest wave in a series of waves, thus wiping out any sort of problems. It concludes with a brief, self-mocking reference to Sting's biggest hit song with The Police, 'Every breath you take', which had been about the dark side of love that leads to sexual jealousy and obsession.

The single reached number 7 in the Dutch Top 40, but stalled at number 41 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4706
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Love is the seventh wave (new mix)' / 'Consider me gone (live)'

I wanna be - Lois Lane

The Dutch band Lois Lane released the second single from their second album 'Fortune fairytales' in the spring of 1990. 'I wanna be' was a straightforward pop song.

The single reached number 15 in the Dutch Top 40, becoming their fifth consecutive chart hit. Unfortunately, their next single would not make the chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4726
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'I wanna be' / 'Attracted to you'

Sanctify yourself - Simple Minds

'Sanctify yourself' was released as the second single from the Simple Minds' 1986 album 'Once upon a time', their seventh studio album. Released in the wake of their biggest hit 'Don't you (forget about me)' (1985), the band were able to ride the wave of success for some time. This single reached number 10 in the UK singles chart, number 11 in the Dutc hTop 40 and number 14 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

This double single set features a second disc with two live recordings, recorded at the Ahoy' in Rotterdam on December 3, 1985.

My collection: 7" single no. 4716
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Sanctify yourself' / 'Sanctify yourself (instrumental)' // 'Street hassle (live)' / 'Love song (live)'

All I need is a miracle - Mike and the Mechanics

'Mike + the Mechanics' is the debut album released by Genesis bassist and guitarist Mike Rutherford's side project 'Mike and the Mechanics' in 1985. The album featured two hit singles: 'Silent running', featuring lead vocals by Paul Carrack, and the up-tempo 'All I need is a miracle'.

Both songs reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 charts, peaking at numbers 6 and 5 respectively. 'All I need is a miracle' stalled at number 53 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4712
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'All I need is a miracle' / 'You are the one'

A kind of magic - Queen

'A kind of magic' was originally written by Roger Taylor before Freddie Mercury took it over, added the bassline, some connectors and re-arranged the structure. Regardless, it was still credited to Taylor. The new version was featured on the album of the same name and released as its first single. An alternate version plays during the credits of the movie 'Highlander'.

The phrase 'A kind of magic' is actually used by Christopher Lambert in the film and impressed Taylor so much that he made it into a full song. There are references to the film in the lyrics – 'one prize, one goal'; 'no mortal man' and 'here can be only one'.

My collection: 7" single no. 4709
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'A kind of magic' / 'A dozen red roses for my darling'

I'm sorry - Hot Chocolate

'I'm sorry' is one of the lesser known Hot Chocolate singles, released in November 1983. It was a commercial disappointment. After 'Tears on the telephone' reached number 37 in the UK singles chart, this single stalled at number 89.

The single was taken from Hot Chocolate's 1983 album 'Love shot', which was produced by Mickie Most.

My collection: 7" single no. 4654
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'I'm sorry' / 'Love is a good thing'

I hang on to my vertigo - Rupert Hine

'I hang on to my vertigo' was released as a single in 1981. Like all of his solo work, it failed to reach the singles chart in any territory.

Both sides of this single were taken from Rupert Hine's 1981 album 'Immunity'. The album also failed to have any impact on the album charts.

My collection: 7" single no. 4710
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro Tracks: 'I hang on to my vertigo' / 'Samsara'

Thursday 25 March 2010

You to me are everything - The Real Thing

'You to me are everything' was released in 1976 as the debut single by The Real Thing. Written by Ken Gold and Michael Denne and produced by Ken Gold, it became the band's only number 1 single in the UK, spending three weeks at the top in July 1976.

The song was a minor hit in the USA, where it peaked at number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Part of the reason for its lack of success was the flood of cover versions of the song released at the same time. American groups Broadway and Revelation both released versions of the song the same week, and at one point all three versions of the song appeared on Billboard Hot 100 chart. The three singles effectively prevented each other from becoming a hit.

My collection: 7" single no. 4684
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'You to me are everything' / 'Keep an eye'

Throwing it all away - Genesis

'Throwing it all away' was released as the last single from the Genesis album 'Invisible touch' in the summer of 1987. It reached number 22 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The sleeve uses an adaptation of the Tidyman logo from the Keep Britain Tidy Group.

My collection: 7" single no. 4702
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Throwing it all away' / 'I'd rather be you'

Found my girl - Imagination

Released in 1985, 'Found my girl' was dedicated to Charlotte. The song was written by Leee John and Ashley Ingram, so without any additional information I can only assume that the girl meant something to one of them - or both. However passionate the message in the song, it left the audiences cold, as the single didn't chart in any territory.

The B-side of this single is a reggae-fuelled version of 'In and out of love', a far cry from the smooth soul track they recorded in the studio.

My collection: 7" single no. 4656
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Found my girl' / 'In and out of love (live)'

Promised you a miracle (live) - Simple Minds

In 1987, the Simple Minds released the album 'Live in the city of light', which as the name vaguely describes, was a recording of their concerts at Le Zenith in Paris on August 12 and 13, 1986.

The live recording of 'Promised you a miracle' was released as the first and only single from this album in order to promote the album. One has to wonder at this: the live version doesn't add to the studio version but rather detracts from it because it's sung so flatly. The single still managed to reach number 19 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4669
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Promised you a miracle (live)' / 'Book of brilliant things'

Telephone - Lady Gaga featuring Beyonce

Gaga originally wrote 'Telephone' together with Rodney Jerkins, for Britney Spears. however, Spears' label rejected it and Gaga recorded the song as a collaboration with Beyoncé Knowles for her own album 'The fame monster'. According to Gaga, the telephone addressed in the lyric of the song is not a physical phone, but a person in her head telling her to keep working harder and harder.

This single was released yet again as a picture disc on vinyl. Released in February 2010, 'Telephone' reached number 1 in the UK singles chart, number 20 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4735
Found: La La Land, Den Haag, March 25, 2010
Cost: 6 euro
Tracks: 'Telephone' / 'Telephone (Passion pit remix)'

Lovely day - Bill Withers

Although I've known Bill Withers' 1978 hit single 'Lovely day' pretty much since it came out, I never actually bought the single. While I did own the 1988 remix by Ben Liebrand on this single, I can't say that I actually saw this original single very often.

Although this single doesn't add very much (the original version of 'Lovely day' appeared on the B-side of the 1988 remix), it's still very interesting to own the original version in its original appearance. After all, this is what record collecting is all about.

My collection: 7" single no. 4673
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Lovely day' / 'It ain't because of me baby'

We'll be together - Sting

'We'll be together' was originally written by Sting for a beer commercial for Kirin Brewery Company. The original recording included Eric Clapton on guitar, while other takes feature Brian Loren instead. The original version would surface on Sting's 1994 greatest hits album. Near the end of the song, Sting sings a snippet of his earlier hit, 'If you love somebody set them free'.

The single reached number 7 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 41 in the UK singles chart and number 31 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4708
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'We'll be together' / 'Conversation with a dog'

Wednesday 24 March 2010

If looks could kill - Transvision Vamp

Released in 1991, 'If looks could kill' was the final single by Transvision Vamp, the second to be taken from their third album 'Little magnets versus the bubble of babble'. This album took on a more mellow sound which was the reason that their record company at one stage refused to release it - it was eventually released in the USA but never in the UK.

Although released in a variety of formats, this single only managed to reach number 41 on the UK singles chart. The band subsequently broke up 'unofficially' before Christmas 1991 and officially with a statement through their label in February 1992.

My collection: 7" single no. 4659
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'If looks could kill' / 'My friend the tom cat', 'Puppy dogs tails'

You can't hurry love - Phil Collins

Unlike many of the earlier Supremes records, 'You can't hurry love' has inspired many different cover versions. The most notable of these was released in late 1982 as a single by Phil Collins from his second solo album, 'Hello, I must be going'.

Sounding rather retro, his version was immensely popular and reached number 1 in the UK and the Netherlands. Although Collins had previously done covers as album tracks (of Genesis' 'Behind the lines' and the Beatles' 'Tomorrow never knows' on his debut album 'Face value'), 'You can't hurry love' was the first cover he released as a single.

My collection: 7" single no. 4703
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'You can't hurry love' / 'I cannot believe it's true'

Chicano - Pussycat

'Chicano' was released in 1983 as a single by Pussycat. It was taken from their album 'After all', also released that year. The song was written by Werner Theunissen, who was also responsible for the band's early successes.

However, this Latin-tinted track couldn't match those successes, as it failed to chart even in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 4678
Found: All that music, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Chicano' / 'It's over'

Heart attack - Olivia Newton-John

'Heart attack' was one of two new tracks on the 1982 compilation album 'Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2'. It was released as the first single of the two to promote the album.

The single reached number 46 in the UK singles chart, but fared much better on the other side of the Atlantic: it reached number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 2 in Canada.

My collection: 7" single no. 4698
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Heart attack' / 'Recovery'

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