FOLLOWUP: My brother concurred that the shop was on 5th Ave, near 47th Street, but he cannot remember the name. A cursory Google session didn't help.
Here in Australia in the mid-sixties the GOLDEN FLEECE branded Petrol Stations were giving away cheap cover version 45's of hit singles if you bought a full tank of petrol. I remember getting I'LL NEVER FIND ANOTHER YOU by the Jaybirds (trying to sound like The Seekers)... and LITTLE THINGS by someone trying to sound like Bobby Goldsboro. Technically, I never BOUGHT them, my Dad bought the petrol. First decent record I was given (on my 10th birthday) was I FEEL FINE / SHE'S A WOMAN. First record (I think) I actually bought was SUGAR TOWN / SUMMER WINE by Nancy Sinatra.
Hey Paula - Paul and Paula My older sister was a big American Bandstand fan and I think that’s where I first heard this song.
Me too! I borrowed from every friend I knew (I must have been 8 years old) because I just HAD to get "Strawberry Fields Forever." "Fire" by Arthur Brown, but it wasn't for me. It was for my brother's birthday. I thought the song was scary. My second 45 was "If I Can Dream" by Elvis Presley. I did buy that but never saw a picture sleeve for it (until many, many years later).
I can't think of one I bought myself earlier than Convoy by CW McCall. I would have been 10 when this came out so that was probably about right. I had an older brother and sister so I had lot's of records that were hand-me-downs much earlier - and probably some kid records that my Mom bought me.
I was living in Switzerland and my dad bought the Beatles "Rock and Roll Music", b/w "Eight Days a Week" (not 100% sure about the back side, but I am totally sure that I do not remember the label. He kind of liked it, although he was all opera, symphony and other classical stuff - all my music was "Jungle Music", I wanted to like the Beatles too, but since he took a liking to them, I hated them, and it took me years to snap out of this weird mindset.
the beatles - she loves you /i'll get you for the life of me i cannot remember the label, i know it was black. (swan, decca, ????)
LOL, Fun memories, I was 10 years old when I bought this ;-) Adam & The Ants* – Antmusic Label: CBS – S CBS 9352, CBS – 9352 Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single, Paper labels Country: UK Released: 28 Nov 1980
Ferry Across The Mersey - Gerry & The Pacemakers...and I stole it...or 90 cents worth of it. This was in 1964 or 65 and I was like 11 years old. There were two display racks, one for old, unwanted 45s at 10 cents a piece, and the newest most desirable records were 99 cents a pop. I simply switched the sleeves where the price was marked and bought it for a dime. A sneaky little $hit, apparently.
1st: Ace Frehley - New York Groove 2nd: Paul McCartney - Coming Up 3rd: Ian Dury & The Blockheads - I Wanna Be Straight --Geoff
In the US? It must have been Swan. Decca released "My Bonnie." VeeJay released "Please Please Me" and "From Me To You." ATCO released "Ain't She Sweet." Capitol finally got into the act with "I Want To Hold Your Hand." EDIT TO ADD: It appears "My Bonnie was also released on MGM. ?
I remember my first 45rpm rock and roll single. The Foundations : Build Me Up a Buttercup b/w New Direction Great tune. Also played the B-Side because the opening organ sounded like the opening to Star Trek TV series back then. Listen to it, see if you think the first few notes sound like it. It was given to me by this troubled kid across the street. Jackie Brown was his name. He had one of those loud fathers that would scream and yell as he chased Jackie out of the house. Screen door slamming. I can still picture it. As for 1st 45's I bought. My first dozen or so was either the Monkees or the Beatles. I branched out to CCR and the Guess Who soon after. The 1st Apple 45 was Something / Come Together. I was real proud of that. Played both sides endlessly.
When I was 11 (I think) my dad took me along with him to a business conference in Portland, OR and let me wander around downtown where I found a record store with a 45's rack. I was thrilled to find a bunch of Beach Boys titles I didn't have, so I scooped them up. What sticks out in my mind are Do You Wanna Dance? and Be True To Your School on that grayish Capitol reissue label. Must have been around 1971. Not sure that was the very first of my purchases, but has to be close. I was puzzled (but thrilled) about finding a totally different version of Be True To Your School to what was on the Little Deuce Coupe LP. Had no idea what was up with that.