The yellow label. A plain white paper sleeve. Black type in sans serif font and a little logo at the top… names and numbers and things I didn’t understand. Whilst I’ve often waxed lyrical about the hours spent poring over the 12” cardboard album sleeves of my youth, meticulously exploring the artwork and the unknown song titles, it’s easy to overlook the simple thrill of a first 7” single purchase. Not just the music, not just the fact that you could bring a song you'd only previously heard on the radio or on Top Of The Pops directly into your living room and access it any time of your choosing – but that very specific, peculiar pleasure to be found in every detail of its physical form.
It was the Summer of ’76, I’d just turned 13. With a pounding heart and my pocket money savings in my turquoise purse, I went into Boots the Chemist where there was a little space right at the back of the shop selling records, and I bought Dancing Queen by ABBA. The yellow label and even the fact that it had a plain white paper sleeve, they're indelibly stamped on my mind… and then, ohh, the grooves of joy in that small shiny slab of black vinyl. I was so excited!
I think my copy was very slightly warped – weirdly not badly enough to mar the song for me, but just giving it the merest hint of distortion which then became the norm to my ears. When I hear it now, I rather miss that imperfection, that split second dip in speed in each revolution. The sound was somewhat tinny too, but it didn’t matter one bit. I loved Dancing Queen, it made me feel happy, uplifted. I loved this band of exotic Swedes who had brought it to my TV screen on Thursday nights - they were grown-up and glamorous, but they had a special accessibility. The song, alongside their image, their presence, just spoke to 13 year old girls like me.
Just around the corner, punk was looming its head. Punk found me when I was truly ready to rebel, pissed off with school, seeking refuge for my ever-present ‘outsider’ feelings, needing an outlet for my inner dissenter. Stranglers, Generation X, Buzzcocks and more filled out my little 7” singles box, I studied their different labels, their exciting picture sleeves, I buzzed to their fuzz guitars. But, before all that, before the drastic haircut, black eyeliner and a graffitied school tie, I was a double denim (or triple, if you count the waistcoat), Charlie perfume, blue eyeshadow, ABBA fan - as so many of us were. And still are? Well, not the double denim, etc. – but their songs, their classiness, their story – it’s stayed with us somewhere deep down. So it'll be strange and otherwordly, I'm sure, but I'm really looking forward to rediscovering my inner 13 year old in just under two weeks' time, when I go down to London to see the ABBA Voyage show. And, hopefully, it'll be just as memorable as that very first single purchase 46 years ago….
I shall let you know!
Whenever I'm asked what my first single was, I always say "Talk of the Town" by the Pretenders, because that's the first one I have a clear memory of purchasing. But I had Abba and Beatles re-issue 7"s before that - didn't everybody?
ReplyDeleteBy the way, my sister has been to the Abbatar show and reckons it's amazing.
DeletePretenders, Abba and the Beatles, it's all good! There were plenty of singles around in the house that I used to play - Kinks, Supremes, Foundations, various others, plus my older sister's, but to go out and buy your own, that feeling of knowing you had to have it for yourself, and actually asking for it in a shop, that's the thing, isn't it?
DeleteGreat to know your sister enjoyed the show too, thanks. It's for my friend's 60th birthday and that fact in itself feels completely impossible - what with the holograms and the age of the songs I think the whole evening will seem quite surreal.
I look forward to reading about it on SDS.
DeleteThanks, yes, hope to put something together then.
DeleteAm trying to think of an Abba-related pun to respond with, but am struggling. Maybe I need to send out an S.O.S. to a Super Trouper to help, otherwise I've met my Waterloo :)
Delete:-) I thought you were going to say "gimme gimme gimme a post about Abba" Aargh!
DeleteOh you lucky thing - two friends have been to the show already and loved it.
ReplyDeleteAbba are one of those bands who have grown in stature over the decades, as back in the day, although they were prolific purveyors of perfect pop, I don't remember them standing out from the crowd the way the younger generation might imagine. Those savvy Swedes (I'm full of alliteration tonight) have done great things with their legacy since you bought your single as a 13-year-old - savvy C. 1976 in a nutshell - double denim, blue eyeshadow and Charlie perfume. All boxes ticked for me too. A couple of years later I left home and although I don't think I rebelled, student life certainly brought a whole new wardrobe and music tastes. Abba left my orbit for some time but you are right, they never left us totally.
Enjoy the show - I'm very jealous.
It's getting great reviews so I have high hopes - great to know too that your friends (and Martin's sister) loved it.
DeleteIt's so true what you say about their status at the time and their legacy now. There aren't that many bands/artists you can say that about and I think it's hard to put your finger on why, but some just have it. Perhaps the fact that we can't explain it is exactly what it is, if that makes any sense!
Maybe you'll get a chance to see it at some point? Hope so. In the meantime, I also hope to report back!
What a glorious post, C. You're right - kids these days will never know the true joy of buying a 7" single. They are all greatly deprived.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy Voyage - I'm jealous.
Ah thanks Rol - I'm trying to get back into the blogging saddle. So true what you say, and I know it makes us sound old and all that, but these were great yet simple joys.
DeleteHave you read this?- some interesting/encouraging takes on the value of actually going out and finding music for yourself versus the passive, throwaway streaming experience
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/sep/27/theres-endless-choice-but-youre-not-listening-fans-quitting-spotify-to-save-their-love-of-music?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other&fbclid=IwAR22EKQwKHh_rdj7cQBsC1WysMvjkCMu1PT4E_35pUK1Jvzn9PXcYeJKnGs
I'll be honest, I just didn't understand the fuss over ABBA when I was growing up or why my classmate at secondary school loved them unconditionally, particularly as by then it was the mid-80s and they'd stopped releasing records at least half a decade before.
ReplyDeleteAs a grown up, I have to say that it clicked and I appreciate just how incredible ABBA were and are. The Voyage show sounds like an amazing experience and a night to remember. I don't need to wish you an incredible time, you will!
I can totally understand that - being a few years older than you I think it was just perfect timing for me just at the start. Soon after that I quickly abandoned them, so I completely get what you say about appreciating them as a grown up - it's only on reflection sometimes that we can see the full worth. Hope to report back after Voyage and confirm that!
DeleteOh, and the first 7" I ever bought with my own pocket money? Ant Rap by Adam & The Ants from the bargain bin at Woolies!
ReplyDeleteAh, that's a good'un!
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