45 Singles You Just Had to Buy

The most recent one I recently picked up was the English 12" 45 for "Money for Nothing"; it's the only way I know of to get the complete version of that song on vinyl; oddly enough, the album version on vinyl is a shorter version, and I just had to have that longer into and the increased tension before that great guitar lick kicks in.  And the wider grooves on 12" singles deliver premium sound.

The first 45 I bought was one of two records: "Lovin' Every Minute of It" by Loverboy or "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry (as a retro single).  I'd love to say it was Chuck, but it was most likely Loverboy, but you'll have to give me a pass: I was probably only 11.

 "Poison Ivy" by the Coasters

I started buying records in 1963: the Beach Boys, Little Peggy March, the Four Seasons, the Ronettes and other Spector girl groups, Lesley Gore, etc. They were all 45s until December, as all I had was an RCA 45 player. That Christmas, my parents bought me a suitcase stereo for Christmas, as well as some albums by the Beach Boys, Lesley Gore, and Skeeter Davis.

I continued buying 45s that weren't included in albums until around 1968, when albums seemed to have become the dominant medium. I bought "Hey, Jude" and "Harper Valley PTA." I don't think I bought another until "Bette Davis Eyes" in 1981. It must not have come out on LP as soon as it was released.

I only bought one 45 that I can remember, Brandy by Looking Glass. It was all albums since then except I downloaded the live version of Jane Says by Jane's Addiction. It is so so much better than the album version.

Do Wah Diddy Diddy Manfred Mann  You Really Got me and All Day and All of the Night by the Kinks.

With the Beatles, DC5 and Stones switched to LPs