Dan Gould Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 As a child, I was quite pop-music oriented and spent many hours listening to the radio with my mom. Apparently, my very first "favorite" song was "Age of Aquarious", but I have a warm spot in my heart for a lot of early 70s dreck, simply because of the childhood memories that go with them. So, as a counter-weight to the worst songs thread, I thought people should chime in with their favorite singles, way back when. Doesn't have to be something that kind of embarrasses you now, just the tunes you really loved when they were "hot". My top two picks would be The Hollies, "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" Stealers Wheel, "Stuck in the Middle With You" Love that guitar part in the Hollies tune, and the mysterious lyrics! Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 1) Billy, don't be a hero. Played it almost everyday. 2) Everyday people would be second. Quote
jazzbo Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 "Badge" by Cream was the first single I ever purchased and I purchased it because it was a favorite, heard over BBC Radio and Radio Lorenco Marques. Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 Come Go With Me by the Dell Vikings and Keep A Knockin' by Little Richard. Quote
catesta Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 I remember playing the hell out of these. My music taste developed as a direct result of what was playing at the roller rink. Chicago - Saturday in the Park Boston - More Than a Feeling Ozark Mountain Daredevils - Jackie Blue Quote
rachel Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 I remember playing the hell out of these. My music taste developed as a direct result of what was playing at the roller rink. Chicago - Saturday in the Park Boston - More Than a Feeling Ozark Mountain Daredevils - Jackie Blue Catesta, we have lived parallel lives... Quote
Uncle Skid Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 early 70s dreck Paper Lace - "The Night Chicago Died" God, I hate that song. One of the kids in my neighborhood had that 45, and played the piss out of it every time we were at his house. It's taken 30 years to purge my memory of that song, and now it's back.... argh!! How about some late 70's disco dreck: Alicia Bridges - "I Love the Nightlife" (Action ... I got so much to give. I want to give it. I want to get some too.) Foxy - "Get Off" Chic - "Le Freak" I also had Chicago and Boston (what is it with bands named after cities?), but not the 45's -- paper route money bought the entire LPs! Quote
Harold_Z Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE by Huey Smith and The Clowns SHORT FAT FANNIE - Larry Williams Quote
Dave James Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 Just about anything by The Beach Boys. Especially California Girls. Perhaps the best free publicity for a state in the history of marketing. Up over and out. Quote
GA Russell Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 How Do You Do It? by Gerry & the Pacemakers The Game of Love by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders Incense & Peppermint by Strawberry Alarm Clock Quote
JSngry Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 (edited) Before I was 5, I had just about worn the grooves (ok- groove) off a RCA Victor 45 of Jim Reeves' "Billy Bayou". The 2nd most heavily played 45 of those years was "The Chipmunk Song" b/w "Almost Good", the B-side getting more play, although not by much. If 78s count, I had a sheetload full of Childrens Record Guild issues (favorite was probably the various "Adventures of Muffin" sides) and Little Golden Records, which, yeah, later came out on 45s. My folks made the conversion for me. Guess I was programmed early! Favorite LGR 78 must have been The Adventures of Rudy Kazoo, favorite LGR 45 was probably a tie between Mr. Green Jeans singing "Waltzing Matilda" and Shari Lewis doing "Hi Lilly, Hi Lilly, Hi Lo" (sp?). I started buying Pop 45s when I was about 10, albums at 11, and stopped (for quite a while) by the time I was 13 and into jazz. Favorite 45 during those years is too close to call, w/Beatles singles being disqualified, but I had a thing for B-sides - "Straight Shooter" by The Mammas & The Papas (flip side of "Twelve-Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon)" (only later did I realize what the song was really about), " (It Ain't Necessarily) Byrd Avenue" by Spanky & Our Gang (flip of "Sunday Will Never Be the Same"), quirky, off beat pop stuff. Edited April 28, 2004 by JSngry Quote
clifford_thornton Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 I was gonna say that my favorite 45 was the Albert Ayler/Ornette Coleman split on ESP (ever seen that one?), but that's off-subject. Always more of an LP fan than a single-fan, but I remember liking those Disney 45 and 33 seven-inches as a kid. I think my first 45 was a Shellac record, probably "The Rude Gesture" or some such. I was suspicious of the medium, but had to have it. Still don't like 45s as much, but what can you do? Quote
jlhoots Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 The Turbans: When You Dance Chuck Berry: Roll Over Beethoven Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 Showing my age, I think the only 45 I owned as a kid was this... or maybe this one: Notice the "C" in "Columbia" on the version without the picture sleeve. Quote
BERIGAN Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 Statler Brothers- Flowers on the Wall (Might have been on a LP, I still played the track to death when I was 3-4 years old) Rod Stewart-Do ya think I'm Sexy My Mom and I laughed at the thought of anyone thinking he was sexy, but still loved the song for some reason... Quote
ghost of miles Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 Sweet, "Fox on the Run" Bay City Rollers, "Saturday Night" The Rolling Stones, "Get Off Of My Cloud" (purchased as an "oldie" when I was 11 in 1977, the same summer that I purchased my first LP--the Ramones' LEAVE HOME, yeah!) Quote
brownie Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 When I was pretty young: 'Why Do Fools Fall In Love' by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, later 'Hit the Road Jack' by Ray Charles, even later 'Soul Man' Sam and Dave Quote
A Lark Ascending Posted April 28, 2004 Report Posted April 28, 2004 My first three singles (and records): Question - The Moody Blues Brontasaurus - The Move All Right Now - Free Summer 1970. Quote
connoisseur series500 Posted April 29, 2004 Report Posted April 29, 2004 Crosby, Stills, & Nash, "Love the One You're With" Argent, "Hold your Head High" "Green Eyed Lady" who did that one? Liked a lot of Crosby Stills, Nash stuff. Quote
connoisseur series500 Posted April 29, 2004 Report Posted April 29, 2004 Also the group, Chicago did some wonderful early stuff. Catesta mentioned Saturday in the Park. They had some great tunes and I loved the brass section. How about Boz Scaggs, "Lowdown?" Great funky pop. All time classic: Don Mclean, "American Pie." Everybody loved that single when it came out. Also Harry Chapin's "Taxi." Quote
paul secor Posted April 29, 2004 Report Posted April 29, 2004 Chuck Berry's "Rock & Roll Music" and Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue"/"Everyday" were two of the first 45's I bought. Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted April 29, 2004 Report Posted April 29, 2004 Looks like most of you (younger folks) listened to crap. Quote
BruceH Posted April 29, 2004 Report Posted April 29, 2004 Two of my favorite singles of all time are "He's Sure the Boy I Love" and "One Fine Day" though they came out when I was a pre-schooler. I got into buying singles in my late teens/early 20's, and bought oldies almost exclusively. But I did get some more contemporary stuff: Sex Pistols, XTC, Flipper, Stiff Little Fingers, Elvis Costello. Hard to name a favorite from that bunch. Quote
Jazzmoose Posted April 29, 2004 Report Posted April 29, 2004 Desmond Decker- The Israelites Can't remember who right now (The Foundations?)- Build Me Up Buttercup Quote
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