There’s something magical about flipping through old 45s—the crackle, the label design, the feeling that you’ve discovered a secret the radio forgot. These three singles are prime examples of deep soul at its most raw and personal. From heartbroken confessionals to groove-driven declarations, each of these 45s captures lightning in a bottle.
Jimmy Wallace: Forever / How You Did Destroy
Label: Alpha 002. Released 1964.
Label Owner: C. Percy (Don) White
Label Address: 2020 Ridge Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. (1964-1965)
A Side: Forever
B Side: How You Did Destroy
Jimmy Wallace’s Forever is a slow-burning soul ballad drenched in longing. His vocal delivery feels intimate and slightly frayed around the edges—in the best way possible. There’s a pleading quality to his voice that gives the song a confessional tone, like you’re overhearing a late-night apology that might already be too late.
Flip it over to How You Did Destroy and the emotional temperature rises. The track leans heavier, with a darker lyrical core and a sense of betrayal that cuts deep. Wallace doesn’t just sing about heartbreak—he sounds like he’s living in the wreckage. It’s that unfiltered honesty that makes this 45 such a treasured find among deep soul collectors.
Sound Clips and Order Information
Spencer Wiggins: Love Machine / Love Me Tonight
Label: Fame 1463. Released 1969.
Label Owner: Rick Hall. Florence Area Music Enterprises.
Label Address: 603 East Avalon Ave, Muscle Shoals, AL
A Side: Love Machine
B Side: Love Me Tonight
Spencer Wiggins is a name that soul aficionados hold close, and this pairing shows why. Love Machine rides a tight groove—rhythm section locked in, horns punching through with urgency. Wiggins’ voice glides over the arrangement with that signature Southern ache, equal parts smooth and gritty.
On Love Me Tonight, the vulnerability comes forward. The production pulls back just enough to spotlight his phrasing, which carries a conversational ease. There’s an immediacy here—no overproduction, no polish for polish’s sake—just pure Memphis soul energy pressed into seven inches of wax.
Sound Clips and Order Information
Anita Washington: (I'm) Afraid to Try Again / "Same" (Promo)
Label: Siamese 3.
A Side: (I’m) Afraid to Try Again
B Side: “Same” (Promo)
Anita Washington’s (I’m) Afraid to Try Again is deep soul at its most vulnerable. Her voice trembles with hesitation, capturing that fragile space between wanting love and fearing its consequences. The arrangement—subtle strings, steady drums—frames her vocal without overshadowing it.
The promo flip, “Same”, offers a fascinating contrast. While still rooted in emotional storytelling, it carries a slightly different energy—less fragile, more resolute. Washington commands the track with a quiet strength, making this 45 especially prized among collectors who appreciate nuanced, under-the-radar female soul performances.
Sound Clips and Order Information
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