Regular readers will be aware of my love for vinyl records: beautiful, spinning discs revealing a world of aural pleasure.  Most of my attention is devoted to albums, though I’ve also amassed a fair collection of 7 inch singles over time.

Back in my younger days, I would pick up singles to embellish my album collection with b-side tracks excluded from the main release.  I’d also pick up some interesting, groovy records that were within my budget and offered something different to my music library.

Over the last couple of years, I originally ignored the 45 rpm singles, but gradually I’ve started picking a few up.  One of the main influences for this was my friend Greeny’s jukebox, installed in his home, which I though was really cool.  It inspired me to pick up a few classics, in order to compile a wider range of musical genres on 7″.

You never, know, I may just get my own jukebox one day.

And so I’ve bought singles from record fairs, charity shops and car boot sales to complete gaps in my collection.  This has left me with a stack of 45s that I haven’t got round to playing yet.

So I had the idea for Singles Night:  I would play the records, both sides (A then B) from the top of the pile down, oldest to newest.  Regardless of genre, or what ever mood I was in.  Almost like the random playlists I’ve posted here before, but analogue.

The reader will notice that there are some cheesy, if not disgusting, purchases included amongst the gems in this list.  Everyone has some guilty pleasures; in the land of the 7″ single, my love of the truly awful can be fully exposed.

Here’s the list of what I played.  May the gods of music forgive me…

1. Dave Edmunds – “Queen of Hearts” / “Creature from the Black Lagoon”
2. Lipps, Inc – “Funkytown” / “All Night Dancing”
3. Depeche Mode – “New Life” / “Shout”
4. Carrie – “The Birds” / “Sugar Fan (Demo Version)”
5. Deborah Harry – “I Want That Man” / “Bike Boy”
6. Lovebug Starski – “Amityville (The House on the Hill)” / “Amityville (The House on the Hill) (Dub Mix)”
7. Sinitta – “So Macho!” / “Cruising”
8. Sinitta – “GTO (Radiomix)” / “GTO (Instrumental)”
9. The Firm – “Star Trekkin'” / “Dub Trek”
10. Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass – “Mame” / “Our Day Will Come”
11. Dannii Minogue – “Show You the Way to Go” / “Show You the Way to Go (Dub)”
12. Partners in Kryme – “Turtle Power” / “Splinter’s Tale 1” + “Splinter’s Tale 2”
13. MC Hammer – “U Can’t Touch This (LP Version)” / “U Can’t Touch This (Instrumental)”
14. Selena – “Shotgun” / “Shotgun (Instrumental Version)”
15. Roxy Music – “Jealous Guy” / “To Turn You On”
16. Senseless Things – “Hold It Down” / “Crucial Juvenalia”
17. The Silent Underdog – “Papa’s Got a Brand New Pig Bag” / Pigbag – “Papa’s Got a Brand New Pig Bag”
18. The Beach Boys – “Breakaway” / “Celebrate the News”
19. Black Box – “Ride On Time Massive Mix (Remix)” / “Ride On Time Epsom Mix (Remix)”
20. Genesis – “Invisible Touch” / “The Last Domino”
21. Quincy Jones – “Razzamatazz (Edit)” / “Velas”
22. Hawkwind – “Silver Machine” / “Silver Machine (Full Version)” + “Psychedelic Warlords”
23. David Bowie – “Sorrow” / “Amsterdam”

I could write notes about pretty much every one of those songs to elaborate on why they’re in my collection.  Some are classics – Bowie, Hawkwind, Beach Boys etc. and need no introduction.

But as a means of explanation for some of the really ripe songs, let me say this: Sinitta and Dannii are in my collection ‘cos they’re well fit.

Oh, and “Turtle Power” is an awesome song and needs to be heard again!

I hope you enjoyed that playlist, reader.  I certainly did, and there will be more of this in the future.