“The Logical Song” by Supertramp from 1979; I was eleven and still have it. The only other single from that year I had was “Another Brick In The Wall”, but I guess this came out a tad later (unfortunately, I gave it away to a girlfriend of mine some years later, having bought “The Wall” in the interim. I still regret that, but at least I still own the follow up “Run Like Hell”. I guess she didn’t like that song.). Naturally I hadn’t much money at that age, so I rather saved my money for a whole album (10-12 songs for 20 DM instead of 5 DM for two songs) and taped songs I liked from the radio, but the few 45’s I still own from that time are quite cool (granted, Supertramp not so much).
Woodstock by Matthews Southern Comfort, but it was a present for my older brother’s birthday. It must have taken some time to climb the charts to #1 as his birthday was in August. The B side was Scion. Once he moved out a few years later, it reverted to my collection though! Still have it somewhere.
First single I bought for myself was, I’m fairly sure, Me and You and a Dog named Boo by Lobo. That would have been March the following year. I was a kid; it was fun!
“Convoy”, by C.W. McCall. I still have it; it’s in absolutely horrible shape, due to being played over and over again on cheap record players. 
Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks. got it in the sixth grade.
b side was If You Go Away
Amazon has it used. I still have my copy in a box somewhere.
Early spring of 1964 (shortly before I turned eight), I bought this record from the Helms Bakery man. I believe it was at the urging of Mr. Wishbone.* It cost me 69 cents, which was actually pretty pricey for a '45 in 1964, now that I think about it.
Anyway, I no longer have it.
Wait. It had a “B” side?
*Or maybe it was Beachcomber Bill.
It was either “Sweat Pea” by Tommy Roe or “They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha Haaaaa!” by Napoleon XIV. They are probably the only 45s I ever bought – I got a new record player and went to albums only.
I know I still have “They’re Coming to Take Me Away” somewhere. And I loved the flip side . . . 
“Parents Just Don’t Understand” - DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
I had a few 45s when I was a kid, but by the time I was buying music for myself (& asking for it for Christmas, etc.), cassettes were my medium of choice.
If there was a song I liked, I’d reach for the RECORD button on my boom box when it came on the radio. If I really liked it, I’d want “more where that came from” and want to get the album.
I bought two at the same time:
“Weird Al” Yankovic’s “Eat It” and "Maneater"by Hall & Oates
Back in the spring of 1969, I went to buy the Beatles 45 of “Get Back” which was #1 on the charts at the time. The way you asked for a 45 was by looking at the wall behind the counter, which had the 45s ordered by their rank on the top 40. So, I asked for “One,” and like an idiot didn’t look at what I was given, and when I got home I realized I’d just purchased “One” by Three Dog Night… which I think was #4 on the charts.
From then on I switched to buying albums.
Quick question, was “Wolf Creek Pass” on the “B” side? Because it was on the one they sent out to the radio stations and I was told it wasn’t for the commercial records.
My first purchased 45 was “Ahab the Arab.” I was very young.
I’d have to look (the record is buried somewhere in the house), but that doesn’t sound familiar (and I know we played the B-side at least occasionally).
I’m pretty sure it was Only the Lonely. I didn’t have a record player at the time but a friend did. It was portable and we’d take it to parties. Everyone would bring their records so we’d have a bigger selection.
Or it might have been Angela Jones.
Same here.
My parents never were, and still aren’t big on music. My mother would very occasionally listen to gospel, but my father is completely disinterested in music. So of course, the odd child has to go and buy a record. :rolleyes: And then more. And now has about 5,000 songs on iTunes while my parents do not have a single song on their phones or iPads.
“I Want To Hold Your Hand” by the Beatles in 1963. Capitol Records with the yellow and orange spiral label. Flip side might have been “There’s A Place” but that’s a guess. I might still have it packed away, but if I do, it’ll be in terrible condition.
It’s a bit hard to admit, but that’s the first LP I bought, for “Sherry” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry”.
For me as well. This 45 and the Hotel California LP were all of my record collection that survived our house fire in summer of 77, so are the oldest bits of music I own.
I can’t remember that far back, but it might have been Snoopy vs. the Red Baron by the Royal Guardsmen. We had a big console stereo with a 4-speed record changer and a 45 adapter that slid over the spindle and allowed you to stack your 45s. I sold my 45 collection years ago, it’s now on my iPhone, along with all of the other Guardsmen’s Snoopy tunes.
Lido Shuffle - Boz Scaggs. And I can’t believe I remember that.
My GOD do I feel old today.
I clipped a lot of records off the backs of cereal boxes before I ever bought any.
The first singles I ever bought were Paul McCartrney’s “Live and Let Die” and Jim Croce’s “Bad Bad Leroy Brown.”
I’m pretty sure it was “Pop Muzik” by M. It was released in 1979 so I was probably 11. I think all my old records are still at my mother’s house.