Mother Freedom - Bread

The magazine Record World called Bread's 'Mother Freedom' a "stylistic shift of gears" for Bread in which they "prove they can rock with the best of them." Much like 'Let your love go', the record buying public wasn't too convinced, because the single only reached number 37 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, just after 'If' had reached number 4. 

I bought three singles by Bread in one go, which was quite astonishing for me, since they seem to be pretty rare nowadays. 

My collection: 7" single no. 7605
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 1 March 2025
Tracks: 'Mother Freedom' / 'Live in your love'

It don't matter to me - Bread

'It don't matter to me' is a song written by David Gates and originally recorded by the pop-rock group the Cryan Shames in 1965. It was later recorded by Bread, of which Gates was a member. The single reached number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 6 in Canada. The single didn't chart in Europe.

I discovered Bread in the late Eighties and started buying their singles. Over time, I have managed to amass quite a lot of them, and my recent haul in Rotterdam was an impressive one. Expect to see a few more Bread singles on here soon.

My collection: 7" single no. 7606
Found: Record fair, Rotterdam, 1 March 2025
Tracks: 'It don't matter to me' / 'Call on me'

Let your love go - Bread

Bread are best known for their soft pop inclinations, but this single is decidedly edgier. 'Let your love go' was released in 1971 and reached number 28 in the US Billboard Hot 100, slightly disappointing after the two previous singles 'Make it with you' and 'It don't matter to me' reached number 1 and 10 respectively. 

The album Manna, from which this was the lead single, was certified gold in the USA. Things would take a turn for the better with their next single, the classic 'If'.

My collection: 7" single no. 7550
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, 19 January 2025
Tracks: 'Let your love go' / 'Too much love'

Baby I'm a want you - Bread

You could argue that I already owned Bread's 'Baby I'm a want you' on this Original Oldies single, but there's nothing quite like the real thing, and the real thing in this case is a single from 1971. It's a great little Dutch pressing with adverts for other artists on the back sleeve, including the Doors' last album with Jim Morrison, 'L.A. Woman'. I've always felt that Bread was a kind of laidback Doors band, so it feels appropriate.

The B-side of this single is called 'Truckin'', and it's a song that leans towards country territory and quite different from the songs that this band became famous for. I got to buy this single - and the three that will follow on this blog - because I really wanted to scour a real life record shop again, and this shop is the closest to my home.

My collection: 7" single no. 6863
Found: De elpeezaak, Den Haag, 18 February 2023
Tracks: 'Baby I'm a want you' / 'Truckin''

Lost without your love - Bread

To be honest, I had forgotten that I already owned a copy of Bread's 'Lost without your love', so you might argue that I wasted some money on this one. On the other hand, the sleeve of this French edition is a lot more beautiful than the other one.

'Lost without your love' was the product of a reunion. Bread had broken up in 1974 but reconvened in 1976 to record one more album. It was to be the band's last hit. Through the years it has become a real classic and a surefire tearjerker. Perhaps that's what I like about this song. It's worth owning it twice at least.

My collection: 7" single no. 6085
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, May 24, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Lost without your love' / 'Change of heart'

Make it with you - Bread

Hard to believe, but the Bread song 'Make it with you' was recorded by only two people: Mike Botts (drums) and David Gates (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass & strings). Gates also wrote the song. It was released in June 1970 and became their first top 10 hit in the USA, peaking at the top of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The single also did well in the UK (where it peaked at number 5), Canada (number 2), New Zealand (number 6) and Australia (number 7). In France, where the single I bought was made, it didn't chart at all.

My collection: 7" single no. 6036
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 13, 2019
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Make it with you' / 'Why do you keep me waiting'

If - Bread

I don't have a lot of original singles by Bread, although I do like the band. They are simply quite hard to come by if you're not prepared to pay a lot for them. But sometimes I do get lucky. This original release of 'If', one of the band's most sentimental ballads, suddenly turned up in one of the many racks in Leiden's biggest vinyl shop, and of course I took it immediately.

Released in 1971, it was the first of only three hit singles in the Netherlands. It reached number 19 during a chart run of four weeks. In the USA, the single got to number 4, but in the UK it did not chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 5929
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, August 31, 2018
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'If' / 'Take comfort'

Guitar man - Bread

I've had an 'Original Oldies' single of Bread's 'Guitar man' for over 20 years now, but when I came across an original 1972 pressing of the single today, I couldn't resist buying it. 'Guitar man' is a classic track by Bread and as this sleeve testifies, it was chosen to be Veronica's Alarmschijf (a tip for the top from the famous Dutch radio station) upon its release. It went on to become a number 13 hit in the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 4425
Found: Any Record, Den Haag, January 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'The guitar man' / 'Just like yesterday'

Guitar man / Baby I'm a want you - Bread

This 'Original Oldies' single features two hit singles by Bread. 'Guitar man' was written by David Gates. It first appeared on Bread's 1972 album, which was also titled 'Guitar man'. The single peaked at number 11 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 16 in the UK singles chart and number 13 in the Dutch Top 40.

'Baby I'm a want you' was released a year earlier, reaching number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 14 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7"single no. 912
Found: Parkpop, Den Haag, June 25, 1989
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Guitar man' / 'Baby I'm a want you'

Lost without your love - Bread

Bread broke up in 1974 and lead singer David Gates launched a solo career, as well as Jimmy Griffin. The band come back together in 1976 when their record label expressed interest in another album. David Gates, Jimmy Griffin, Mike Botts and Larry Knechtel returned to the studio that year and recorded the album 'Lost without your love', which was released in January 1977.

The title track, written and sung by Gates, was the band's last top 10 hit in the USA, peaking at number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the Dutch Top 40, the single reached number 14 and in the UK singles chart it got as far as number 27.

My collection: 7" single no. 1235
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, May 25, 1990
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Lost without your love' / 'Change of heart'

Diary - Bread

Bread became famous with their guitar-based romantic ballads, of which 'Diary' was one. Released in 1972, the single went top 20 in the USA, but did not chart in Europe. Only a few singles by Bread made the charts in Europe.

Despite the band's success, tensions existed between band members David Gates and Jimmy Griffin. All eleven of Bread's charting singles between 1970 and 1973 had been written and sung by Gates. Elektra Records had invariably selected Gates' songs for the A-sides of the singles, while Griffin felt that the singles should have been split between the two of them. It eventually led to the disbanding of Bread in 1974.

My collection: 7" single no. 1562
Found: All that music, Leiden, January 2, 1992
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Diary' / 'Down on my knees'

Aubrey - Bread

The American band Bread consisted of David Gates, Jimmy Griffin, Robb Royer, Mike Botts and, later, Larry Knechtel. They signed to Elektra records in 1968. 'Aubrey' (1973) was their last hit before the band split up due to internal conflicts.

I got to know Bread thanks to a compilation cd owned by my sister. My interest in the group was so big that I started to buy their singles initially. Only later did I eventually buy the same compilation cd myself. I found this particular single, made in Japan, in a shop in the centre of Brussels, amid a whole collection of Japanese singles for discount prices.

My collection: 7" single no. 1538

Found: Record shop, Brussels, 1991

Cost: 6 guilders

Tracks: 'Aubrey' / 'Didn't even know her name'

Download: Album 'Guitar man', including both tracks