Back in vinyl days, there was a mix of 78, 45 and 33 1/3 RPM records. By the time I was growing up, 33 1/3 albums were already battling it out with 45 singles (each usually accompanied by a B Side). Of course, all forms of records were displaced in the 1980s by CDs, which are in turn now being rapidly displaced by digital downloads. We don't even need to get into reel-to-reel, 8-track and cassette tape at this point.
I love technology, and remain especially fond of "old" technology. It's always a surreal trip to be able to play 45 singles on jukeboxes, especially the little flip-top kind at hoary diners and roadhouses.
Two of the last 45s I bought (and still have -- these are scans of my own single jackets) were Billy Joel's "Allentown" (1982) and Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." (1984). The excitement and hubbub around them is still palpable, which is why I keep them.
Both songs cover American setbacks and problems, and both seem even more pertinent today than the 25 odd years ago when they first came out, although things were pretty bad then, too. Prescient artists, as artists often are.
Has anyone out there bought a 45 RPM single in the past two decades?
Today's Rune: The Mystery Rune.
5 comments:
Go back three, maybe even four decades since I bought a 45. I always wanted the whole 33 1/3 but I remember quite well the old mans extensive collection of classical music on 78's.
I never bought a 45, record or gun. but I bought quite a few 8 track tapes.
I haven't bought a 45 since the 90's.
I have the Springsteen single and several others-- I bought them for the B-sides-- "Shut Out the Lights" was the B-Side to "Born In The USA," I think, and the B-Side to "I'm On Fire," which was an ode to Elvis, "Johnny Bye-Bye."
I still have 400-500 singles in a bin down in my basement.
I love Bruce!! :D
When I was a kid we used to have a record player. I used to dance to Madonna constantly, haha.But sadly my mom got rid of them all, even the player. I never understood why. I thought they were neat.
Eric, I had a decent collection of albums back in the day that I sold at a garage sale when I moved here. Now, my Son is collecting some of the very same ones I sold. My very first album was "Three Dog Night", "Golden Buscuit". I loved it!
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