The Joy of 45 Collecting: Lost 45 Tunes Not Available from iTunes, Spotify, or Similar Services
Jukebox "Snippet" 45s: Chronological List of Site Additions
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!
This single is one of many from Elton John that include a previously unreleased, non-album cut on the flip. In this case, this isn't a throwaway song — it's a beautiful ballad in the best Elton John tradition. Back with his original partner, Bernie Taupin, John puts on an emotional performance that's reminiscent of his early albums... before he let his silly gene take over. :-) "The Retreat," like the snapshot of a war whose tale it tells, is well worth remembering, even though it only appeared on a B side.
This single's terrific B side also appeared on the flip of an earlier release. Why Keymen didn't just release it as an A side is a mystery, since it's probably the singer's best recording for the label.
I'm always looking for this great early Drifters single. Finally found a really nice copy, and hearing Clyde McPhatter's load vocal, the group's terrific backup, and Leiber-Stoller's spot-on production has made the search well worth the effort!
Wow! You wanna change the mood a bit but still keep 'em dancing next time around, stick this B side on the turntable. One of Fulsom's finest, singing about his bad, frisky ol' self.
In case you've forgotten, right in the middle of this uptempo, tuneful Sunshine Pop number, the song breaks apart into a totally unexpected, Beatles-psychedelic-"Day in the Life" direction. Of course, the band does eventually pick up with an equally unexpected and delightful chorus that would make the Five Americans ("Western Union") proud. Just cause I like it and figure some folks out there may not remember it, I'm putting this segment of the song in the jukebox.
In case you've never heard the flip side of this northern soul classic ("Nothing But A Heartache"), you're missing out...! It's at least as tasty, if not more so, than the main course. That's why we keep a snippet of the song in the Classic 45s "jukebox."
This group's followup to their classic Psychedelic Rock single, "Talk Talk," wasn't nearly so successful, but that's no comment on its quality. The A side is a top-notch psych-rock performance... I've put a snippet of it in the jukebox, since many 1960s Rock fans may not know it.
Now playing:
Do It Again
For All We Know by The Spinners
These virtual "boxes" are for you folks who only like new, unplayed or pristine Mint 45s.