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In 1979, Deborah Harry and Blondie went all the way to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Heart of Glass.” Rolling Stone magazine includes the single as part of their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The single was a disco version of a song Deborah Harry had been working on for years, first as a ballad and then as a reggae song, but when the disco era hit; the perfect fit was found. Most 45’s with color picture sleeve are worth no more than $5.00 but a black and white hand-drawn picture sleeve is worth up to $400.00. Both versions are shown here.

Bobby Freeman was just 17 years old when he went top 10 on Billboard in 1958 with the Rock N Roll classic, “Do You Want to Dance.” In 1965, the Beach Boys also went top 10 with their version. Freeman’s original 45 on Josie Records is worth up to $30.00. His album with slight title change to “Do You Wanna Dance” can sell for $150.00. The Beach Boys’ single with picture sleeve can get you $75.00 today.

The first big hit for the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, came in 1967 with “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” The song is listed among the biggies on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. After 9 albums and little success with Columbia Records, Aretha’s first album for Atlantic launched her as a superstar. The 45 of “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” is worth up to $15.00 but the album of the same name can sell for $100.00 today.

In the early days of Rock N Roll many artists had hits with the same song such as “I’m Walkin’” for both Fats Domino and Ricky Nelson. Little Richard and Pat Boone each had hits with “Tutti Frutti.” Elvis and Carl Perkins both scored big with “Blue Suede Shoes.” And in 1957 the Kuf Linx and the Original Casuals each charted with “So Tough.” The 45 by the Kuf Linx on Challenge Records is worth up to $50.00 but find the song on the EP, “Three Kisses Past Midnight,” by the Original Casuals on Back Beat Records and $400.00 could be yours.

The song that first made the Bee Gees a “disco” band was “You Should Be Dancing,” hitting #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976. The song is also part of the soundtrack from “Saturday Night Fever.” The 45, released by RSO Records, is not a big collectible at $5.00 but it was also released to radio as a 12-inch single. A copy is worth up to $125.00 today. Both versions are shown here.

Among the biggest hits for Connie Francis came in 1959 with the release of “Lipstick on Your Collar.” It hit #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. The flip-side “Frankie,” about Frankie Avalon, also went top-10 making the single the most successful two-sided hit for Connie Francis. Released on M-G-M Records, a mono copy is worth up to $20.00 while a stereo copy can get you $150.00 today. Both versions are shown here.

Otis Blackwell wrote some of the greatest hits of the early Rock N Roll era including “Great Balls of Fire” for Jerry Lee Lewis and “Don’t Be Cruel” and “All Shook Up” for Elvis Presley. Blackwell’s first song to become a classic came in 1955 with “Fever” by Little Willie John and later a bigger smash for Peggy Lee. He was also a piano player and recorded many songs himself. His 1955 single, “Let the Daddy Hold You,” released on JAY-DEE Records can now sell for $1,000.00. In 1956 Davis Records released the album, “Singin’ the Blues,” by Otis Blackwell. A copy is also worth up to $1,000.00 today.

The Chocolate Watch Band broke out of San Jose, California in the mid-60s. Their music was a mix of Garage Rock and Psychedelic Rock. Heavily influenced by the Rolling Stones, they found little commercial top-40 appeal but were good enough to be the opening act for the Doors. The first album for the Chocolate Watch Band was released by Tower Records in 1967. “No Way Out” is worth up to $600.00 today.

One of the few Elvis movie soundtracks to hit #1 on the Billboard album charts in the mid-60’s was “Roustabout.” Also starring the legendary Barbara Stanwyck, the album featured no hit singles, unlike most Elvis films. Released on RCA, the value depends on several factors. A mono copy with “mono” at the bottom of the label is worth up to $400.00. A mono copy with “monaural” at the bottom of the label is up to $100.00. A stereo copy with “stereo” at the bottom of a black label can get you $400.00. A copy with the RCA logo in white on a black label and other print in silver is worth up to $75.00. A version where the label is orange and the vinyl is rigid can sell for $150.00. An orange label with flexible vinyl is no more than $30.00. The album with a tan label is valued up to $100.00, but a black label with dog near the top is no more than $20.00.

One of the most unusual ways to promote an album happened in 1968 when the Waleeco Candy Company hired a Boston band to cut a commercial. The band known as Flat Earth Society has been recognized over the years as truly innovative and talented. The way to obtain a copy of the album was to send proof of purchase of 6 Waleeco candy bars along with $1.60 to the candy company. It was a pretty good investment as the “Waleeco” album, released by Fleetwood Records, can get you $400.00 today.