Browsing around a large second-hand store in Glasgow a few months back, my eye was caught by a 12″ single dating back to 1980.
Despite very much being a post-punk addict, I was still fond of disco music in various guises, not having a care about what any of my gig-going mates from the school thought. I didn’t buy all that much at the time – there was no need to, as many of the great songs were chart hits and never off the radio.
One of the biggest successes of the year had been Diana, the eleventh studio album released by Diana Ross, and one which had seen her forge a partnership with Nile Rogers and Bernard Edwards who had taken Chic to great heights in the previous couple of years.
History shows that Diana was the biggest selling solo album in her career, reckoned to have shifted a million copies in the USA alone and that its three singles, Upside Down, My Old Piano, and I’m Coming Out were hits, with the first of them only kept off the top spot by Abba and The Winner Takes It All which had provided the Swedish superstars with their eighth#1 in six years.
I never bought a copy of Diana, or indeed any of the singles. But for just £1, I was more than happy to shell out for what the sleeve promised was ‘A Long Playing 12″ Disco Single’.
It turns out to have been a misleading sleeve, as the track was identical in length to the album cut. It also turned out not to be in the very best of condition, and as it was likely doing a bit of damage to the stylus, it was whipped back off the turntable after about 30 seconds. You’ll need to make do with a digital version:-
mp3: Diana Ross – My Old Piano
The b-side wasn’t another track from the album, which is hardly a surprise as there were just eight songs on it. Instead, a golden oldie, was offered up:-
mp3: Diana Ross – Where Did We Go Wrong
A tear-jerker of a (boring) ballad that had been included on the 1978 album, Ross. Again, it’s the digital version on offer.
Having likely taken many of you out of your comfort zones today, I better get some indie-schmindie lined up for tomorrow.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 