It’s a memory that we all share. That first – and subsequent – 45 rpm that we couldn’t wait to buy and then listen to over and over again. Those were the days when buying a just-released record in a record store was an experience in itself. I hear that these days, people enjoy the phono stage by going to Graham Slee HiFi or something similar to relive similar experienced vinyl that has such a rich tone and history to them.
I was transported to one of my earliest buys at auction recently when box after box of 45 rpm singles and LPs were laid out on and under several tables. This was certainly someone’s collection; either chosen purposefully or by the love of music that moved him or her. The vinyl was not dusty or dirty (there was some water damage), so the records were not likely stored in a basement and forgotten.
Some years ago, I saw an off-Broadway show about a man who was taken back to his growing-up years in Philadelphia through some old record albums he found in his parents’ basement. It was a stirring show, rich with soul music, by actor and writer Colman Domingo. In April, Domingo’s co-written story about the life of singer Donna Summer opens as a musical on Broadway.
Many of the records at auction were still in their sleeves, so I pulled out a few to see whom I’d recognize: Nat King Cole, Bill Haley, the “Rocky” soundtrack, Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, Elvis, Steely Dan, the Village People.
Some songs I recognized: the Silhouettes (“Get a Job”). And some I didn’t: Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers (“I Surrender Dear”). For a few days after the auction, the song “A Million to One” played in my head, probably from having seen the 45 here. But when I listened to Jimmy Charles and the Revellettes’ 1957 version on YouTube, I realized it wasn’t the one I recalled. That was a song by the Manhattans from 1972 and the lyrics were different.
Much more than 45s and albums were on the tables. There were empty paper sleeves, boxy cardboard holders for albums, cases with handles for 45s and a gold-plated record rack that was a staple in most homes. On another table, I found some pop and jazz albums by African Americans, including the Ink Spots and Mills Brothers, but these did not appear to be part of the collection.
The smaller records were a god-send for those of us who wanted a cheap 45 and could not afford a higher-priced album. They were accessible then as they were when they were first sold.
RCA Victor created the 45 rpm, announcing both the single and a record changer in January 1949. The first records were commercially released a few months later. The vinyl came in different colors: dark blue for popular classics, green for country, yellow for children, red for classical, orange for R&B/gospel, sky blue for international, black for popular.
The record was seven inches wide with a hole in the center. It pushed aside the heavy and bulky 78 rpm with upgraded features and a reasonable price. It was promoted as having a better sound.
With the release, RCA went head to head with its rival, Columbia Record, which had introduced a 33 1/3 long playing record the summer before. The 45, though, caught on with teenagers and jukeboxes, and soon became the standard. Columbia began offering 45s in 1951.
I still love going to those recreated burger joints with the tabletop jukeboxes – just as much as I love the beautiful old floor models. I know I’ll always find some old record that will take me back.
What are your memories of buying 45s?
