MA-12 - 45s & Favorites, Disc 1

The origin of the "45s & Favorites" series is simple.  A couple of years ago, my beautiful wife (you can view a poor representation of her in my profile pic) gave me an mp3 turntable for Christmas.

So, obsessive memory-miner that I am, I immediately began to spin the hundred or so 45s I had been buying as an adolescent in all stages.  After dubbing them, I had to decide what to do with them.  This was one of the springboards of Spock's Record Round-Up.

Mine may have been a typical middle-class upbringing.  The revolutionaries scoff at music and pop culture as diversions from the true struggle of the classes.  Not do such opinions make fun of the very people the snobs are trying to "edify," they can't get over another fact:

Yes, it's a truism that adolescence inflames our consciousness and makes pop songs seem profound when we're going through what the moon-June, love-above lyrics are talked about.  But the truth is still that something in us reacts with recognition or yearning to songs like these, maybe because we're so vulnerable to our surroundings as we gro.

Pupy love may be a common thing, but to the person going through it, it's a wonder.  The sun may come up every morning, but with thankful eyes it can still spark new joy.

When listening to songs like these that somehoe became part of my environment  as I grew, I can still feel an echo of those wishes or regrets or "dizzy, dancing way you feel" (to quote Joni Mitchell).

Back when Coca-Cola began using The New Seekers and "I'd Like to Build the World a Coke," wise guys in the merchandising department had some 45s pressed and distributed as giveaways in record stores.  That's the source of the first and last tracks in this group.

1     Buy the World a Coke       The New Seekers

1970

2     Amazing Grace       Judy Collins  

3     House at Pooh Corner          Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

4     Anticipation     Carly Simon

       

1971

5     Levon       Elton John

6     Long Ago and Far Away          James Taylor   

7 Brown Sugar    The Rolling Stones

8 Legend in Your Own Time Carly Simon

9 Joy to the World - single version Three Dog Night

10 What the World Needs Now + Abraham Martin and John Tom Clay

11 Roundabout Yes

1972

12 Cover of The Rolling Stone     Dr. Hook

13 Back When My Hair Was Short - original version Gunhill Road

14 Woman Is the Nigger of the World John Lennon Plastic Ono Band

15 All The Young Dudes Mott The Hoople

16 Give Ireland Back to the Irish Wings

17 Sisters O Sisters Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band

18 Little Woman Love     Wings

19 I Saw The Light Todd Rundgren

20 Little Bit of Sunshine The New Seekers 1971

You may hear some hiss or scratches.  That's because these are records.  They are physical artefacts which are touched by fallible human beings.  Like life itself, they are not in perfect condition.  And you're going to have both sides of a record.  Sometimes I like the "B" side as much as the "A" side.

MA-12 - 45s & Favorites, Disc 1