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 fabulous Disco-fied take on the Christmas classic will not only get your toes tapping, but it's guaranteed to make you smile as well. Have a listen to the mp3 "snippet" I couldn't resist making... Top notch Christmas fare!
This is a gorgeous copy of the original 45 record of this classic duet, one of the nicest I've yet had in the store, with pristine audio that's simply awesome! Check out the mp3 "snippet" of it, keeping in mind that this compressed format simply can't do it justice.
Wow! I can't believe I found a copy of this early Soul classic in such beautiful condition! Credited as .. "And the Famous Flames," this is an amazing rethinking of the 5 Royales hit from a few years before. Have a listen to the mp3 "snippet" of this one, and you can hear that it's not a big leap from "Think" to a more Funky instrumental and vocal style that would be his trademark.
On the original, "spider-web" Checker design, this is a beautiful copy of the first pressing of one of the essential classics of early rockabilly. Check out the mp3 "snippet" of "Susie-Q" to hear its amazing audio.
Here's a beautiful Mint copy of this unforgettably catchy hit single from the Netherlands group headed by Johannes Bouwens. Have a listen to the mp3 "snippet" of this incredibly popular song... the audio is amazing!
Heavy Metal fans rejoice! If you don't know this one, you've gotta get a copy: It's the best Whitesnake track I've yet heard and will definitely feed your Hard Rock appetite! Check out the mp3 "snippet"!
This seriously Funky rendition of U.S. Bonds' "New Orleans" actually "Bubbled Under" the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart in 1967. I suspect a lot of Black stations, including the one Louise Neal worked for, didn't give the tune a listen... why would they? Steve Alaimo wasn't known as an RnB or Soul artist. Still, they missed out on what would surely have been a hit with this one. It's backed by what many think is an even better recording — again, a Funky Soul rendering of an older RnB classic. "Ooh Poo" in Alaimo's version bears very little resemblance to the original, other than the name... but what a great groove! I liked the A side so much I made an mp3 "snippet" for you to hear. I've never been an avid Alaimo collector, but he has certainly had his share of wonderful 45s... and this is one you will definitely want to check out. His backing band, especially the bass player, is on fire!
This awesome Funk number didn't even chart in the Black/RnB market... Were they deaf? Check out the cool rhythm section that drives the track in the accompanying mp3 "snippet". Sure, a few lines have a somewhat dated, 1970s vibe, but the rhythmic vibe the band concocts makes it easy to overlook. :-)
Here's a very nice copy of one of the most iconic Allman Bros. recordings, based on "It's A Man Down There" by G.L. Crockett and earlier variations of the same song. This copy has such great audio I decided it was time to make an mp3 "snippet" of this for our online "jukebox"... so check it out!
This was West's second chart single, and her second biggest solo hit as well. It should have gotten airplay on Pop radio as well as Country, because it's got melodic and instrumental hooks galore. Check out the mp3 "snippet" of it.
This obscure single was Starr's second for Gordy after moving from Ric-Tic, and how it failed to catch fire on the radio surely puzzles anyone who listens to it. Check out the mp3 "snippet" of it!
It's puzzling why either Gaye or Columbia would have thought that "Til Tomorrow" should be the plug side of this 45. Its ultra-laid-back vibe only reached #31 on Billboard's Black Singles chart and didn't even register on the Pop chart... highly unusual for Marvin Gaye singles. But wait! On the flip is "Rockin' After Midnight", a must-have Gaye tune whose delightful dance-fest vibe surely would have been a hit had it been plugged instead. Oh well... it certainly is considered the A side by fans today. :-) Check out the mp3 "snippet" of it.
Rummage through hundreds of original-issue 45's for $6.00 or less!
Now playing:
Destination Unknown by Missing Persons
Love and Understanding (Come Together) by Kool & the Gang
These virtual "boxes" are for you folks who only like new, unplayed or pristine Mint 45s.
