Hard to Find 45s, Vol. 12: 60s and 70s Pop Classics

The 19 singles collected on this set of 1960s and 1970s pop hits are hardly heavy or experimental, but are designed instead for comfortable appeal, and each, in its own way, freezes its era perhaps more clearly than the more artistic and exploratory work that went on in the recording studios of the day -- no doubt because these songs were heard constantly on the radio. Like them or not, there are some serious ear worms here, like Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders’ “Game of Love,” Jay & the Techniques' Motown-like “Apple, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie,” the Sandpipers’ wistful “Come Saturday Morning,” the group Smith’s toughened-up version of the Shirelles’ “Baby It’s You,” King Harvest’s “Dancing in the Moonlight,” and Andy Gibb's “I Just Want to Be Your Everything,” and each of these is likely to get one singing along, like it or not. Some songs we love. Some songs love us. These are examples of the latter. They worm their way in there. They don’t let go easily.