My First Single

Buying your first single is a watershed moment in anyone’s life. It joins the ranks of those memorable events that are ingrained so deeply into your memory that useless information like your pin number have to step out of the way.

Two words for you: Take That. Two more words: Everything Changes.

I remember the day so clearly. The weather was blindingly hot and my mum, being the thrifty (some may say ‘tight’) person she is, decided to take me to a car boot sale on a stretch of wasteland behind the local pub.
I think it is safe to say I wasn’t thrilled to be spending the day looking into the boot of cars. That was until I saw five familiar faces emblazoned on a plastic case poking about in a shoe box. I picked it up, examining the cover and imaging what it would be like to be able to take this home and call it mine. All mine! The couple of pounds I had been given to keep me sweet jingled in the pocket of my Bermuda shorts (blame the 90s) and I looked over to my mum to check that it really was OK for me to hand over the readies. I got the nod and my £1 was whipped out of my hand in exchange for my first ever single.

I clutched my new possession all the way home and ran up the stairs to put the disc into our boombox, listening to the song on repeat and practicing my smooth moves for youth club.

We all know the amazing comeback story of Take That. Almost 20 years later they are celebrating being at the peak of their success and popularity. I saw them live last month and had to smile when they all sat around Captain Barlow’s piano to sing a few lines of the old favorites, Robbie breaking out a few lines of Everything Changes.  It’s still a fan favorite and there was almost a sense of disappointment that they didn’t belt out the entire track.

Everything Changes is still regularly played on the radio today, a testament of what a truly brilliant pop song it is, and my love for this song has only grown over time.  Whenever I hear the bouncy piano-chords and young Robbie’s spoken intro I turn up the volume and sing along “forever mooooore…”

This article was initially published on Electric-City. For further 'first single' stories, music reviews, news and general all round goodness please click visit  http://electric-city.org.uk/