Vinyl DJs swear by the portability of the 45 rpm single. In a platter pack or any sundry 45 carrier, you’ve got up to 100 tunes, since most of those boxes can accommodate 50 of those little plastic discs. Most of my fellow DJs decry LPs, especially Soul LPs of the 1960’s as full of needless filler. Constructing an album to a cohesive artistic statement wasn’t a priority for those marketing Black Music (or music in general) 50+ years ago.

Of course, I’m one to play Devil’s Advocate.

Since It’s Scorpio Season, I thought it was a perfect time to go digging for hidden riches among the long players of the 1960’s from some of my favorite artists lucky enough to get the honor of shipping out up to 12 tunes, not all of them hits, on a 12 inch disc. With the exception of the Dionne Warwick selection appearing on a 6 track EP, all of these songs lay dormant and far away from the Top 40 as recorded by these talents. Some of these would get lifted as covers and hits for others, and some of them were fictional hits (as goes the Shirelles selection that never saw single release).

Sit back and enjoy this forgotten gold from an time before complete album statements mattered. Sometimes in the random fray you get the gems regardless.

1) Mary Wells – The Day Will Come

2) Chuck Jackson – Another Day

3) The Miracles – From Head To Toe

4) Betty Everett – Down In The Country

5) Irma Thomas – While The City Sleeps

6) Freddie Scott – What Do I See In The Girl?

7) Brenda Holloway – A Favor For A Girl (With A Lovesick Heart)

8) The Temptations – Born To Love You

9) Jackie Ross – Be Sure You Know

10) Walter Jackson – The Magic’s Gone

11) Gladys Knight & The Pips – Since I’ve Lost You

12) The O’Jays – Too Sweet To Be Lonely

13) Martha & The Vandellas – Tell Me I’ll Never Be Alone

14) The Four Tops – Then

15) The Supremes – Mother You, Smother You

16) Maxine Brown – In My Entire Life

17) Etta James – It’s Alright

18) Carmen McRae – Flying

19) The Chiffons – Down, Down, Down

20) Barbara Lewis – Stop That Girl

21) The Intruders – Good For Me Girl

22) Dionne Warwick – Where Would I Go?

23) The Toys – Baby’s Gone

24) The Royalettes – How Can You Face Me?

25) Bobby Hebb – For You

26) The Ronettes – You, Baby

27) Dusty Springfield – Welcome Home

28) Baby Washington – Take Me As I Am

29) The Shirelles – What Is Love?

30) Tamiko Jones & Herbie Mann – It’s Time To Settle Down

31) Peaches & Herb – The Door Is Still Open To My Heart

32) Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles – Try To Remember

33) The Marvelettes – This Night Was Made For Love