As I add 45s to our inventory, I pick select 45s to highlight with mp3 "snippets" so you can hear the music yourself. I only record "snippets" of tunes I particularly like, ones I think have been under-played and under-appreciated, or ones that are so rare and wonderful I'll never hear them otherwise. For myself, I keep an iTunes playlist of these "snippets," and that playlist is one I listen to most often. These pages chronicle the mp3 "snippets" I've added to our online "jukebox" in reverse chronological order. You can browse the pages to see what was added and when. Click on the blue "Play" button to play the snippet, or click on a song's title to load the page. Many of these 45 records are still for sale, though just as many have been sold. I hope you enjoy perusing these pages as much as I have enjoyed putting them together!
02/28/11
Bobby Day
1958, Class 229
Genre: Rockin' RnB
Sure, the A side ("Rock-in Robin") is a classic, but so is the flip! Written by Bobby Day (R. Byrd), it was covered often in the 1960s, most notably by the Dave Clark 5, which had a big hit with their (IMHO inferior) version.
02/25/11
Eddie Cochran
1958, Liberty 55144
Genre: Rockabilly/Retro
This beautiful copy of the Eddie Cochran classic has a version of the song most rock fans have never heard, assuming they know the song through reissues, greatest hits LPs, or CD compilations. The original U.S. single came in two versions, and this is the rarer of the two. Take a listen to the jukebox snippet, and you'll notice that the spoken bits have a reverb effect. Later U.S. releases, and indeed all releases in the U.K. and Canada are reverb-free, as are reissue 45s and compilation LPs and CDs. Personally, I think the reverb adds to the menace of those scolding voices that are giving Cochran those summertime blues. The U.S. single also has a fade-out at the end, whereas other versions have a "cold" ending.
02/16/11
Was (Not Was)
1983, Geffen 29477
Genre: Power Pop
The A side is a simple pleasure enough: Terrific pure pop for now people!
02/10/11
Shakin' Stevens
1982, Epic 02217
Genre: Rockabilly/Retro
Shakin' Stevens was a hugely popular Rockabilly revival artist in the U.K. in the early 1980s, racking up no less than 13 Top 10 hits (4 of them chart-toppers) between 1980 and 1985. The 1980s Rockabilly revival never caught fire in the U.S. as it did in Europe, and Stevens managed only one chart single here ("I Cry A Little Bit", #67 in 1984). I've only heard an album's worth of his material, most of which consists of covers of relatively obscure 1950s Rockabilly and RnB tracks. This single is far-and-away the best I've heard and is a personal favorite. It's one of those tunes I don't want far away, so I'm sticking a bit of it in the Classic 45s jukebox.
02/07/11
Ray Charles
1956, Atlantic 1096
Genre: Rockin' RnB
One of Ray Charles' very best early Atlantic singles.
02/01/11
Tokens
1966, B.T. Puppy 518
Genre: Sunshine Pop
This delightful Sunshine Pop single earns our highest recommendation — 2 stars!
Rummage through hundreds of original-issue 45's for $6.00 or less!
Now playing:
Victim of a Foolish Heart by Bettye Swann
Goddess of Love/ Love Is A Many Splendored Thing by The Fantastic Four
These virtual "boxes" are for you folks who only like new, unplayed or pristine Mint 45s.
