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Post by Alan on Apr 23, 2023 12:28:17 GMT
Lay All Your Love On Me / On and On and OnA second UK 12” single, but this time not on 7”. As a few other countries only issued this on 12”, it’s almost certain that the restriction came from Polar as part of licence veto rights. Lay All Your Love On Me also sees the debut of Epic’s new “A” catalogue numbering system. The original Ring Ring was S EPC 1793, and by the time of Super Trouper it was reaching the end, at S EPC 9089. The new “A” system would stay for ABBA’s remaining singles, though the reissue of Waterloo in 1986 had yet another new format. LAYLOM adds a “13” into the number, which I can only assume is to indicate it’s a 12”. The new format ditches the “S” (for “single”) of the old but retains the EPC until Thank You For The Music, which did away with that as well. Two UK pressings with different text placings. Images from Discogs. I own both variants but didn’t get out my 12” singles for photographing.  
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Post by Alan on Apr 23, 2023 18:42:08 GMT
One of Us / Should I Laugh Or CryUK pressing. First 7” of the “A” catalogue numbering system  Light blue injection-moulded  Darker blue injection-moulded with very different text placing. One of Us was the first of two singles to get two different injection-moulded variants.  Irish pressing, image from 45cat  UK picture disc. Previously the Voulez-Vous album got this treatment but this is the first of three singles to do so. The unique UK picture sleeve had Agnetha and Frida on the front and the boys on the back. For some reason the picture disc reverses this. 
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Post by Alan on Apr 23, 2023 18:58:08 GMT
Greatest Original Hits - 4 Track EP: Super Trouper / Lay All Your Love On Me / The Winner Takes It All / One of UsThis is a lesser-known release. Presumably not eligible to chart at the time as it didn’t. A 1982 release collecting together ABBA’s last four single A-sides using the One of Us artwork, with all four heads on the front. Internally classed as a single as it uses the “A” catalogue numbering system. The (P) line credits the compilation to CBS Records rather than the usual Polar Music International. Part of a series of EPs issued around this time for CBS acts. 
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Post by Alan on Apr 23, 2023 19:09:22 GMT
Head Over Heels / The VisitorsThis is a significant release. It is the only Epic ABBA single not to get a UK commercial issue on the standard UK paper label of the time. The nearest it got was the promo and the Irish pressing (which used UK labels anyway). It’s therefore one of only three Irish single pressings I own (the others being the equally significant Knowing Me Knowing You and I Have A Dream) and one of only two promos (the other being Angeleyes / Voulez-Vous). A possible reason for this is that the injection-moulded and Dutch pressings may have been ordered first, with the remainder being covered by the UK pressing plants. As the single didn’t sell that well (missing not only the top 5, but even the top 20), UK pressings weren’t needed. Promo  Injection-moulded  Dutch pressing. Again, the sleeve was a side-opener as opposed to the usual top. This is the final ABBA Dutch single pressing, but the 1983 Thank You For The Music album would have one  Irish pressing, the only commercial issue on the standard UK paper label 
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Post by Alan on Apr 23, 2023 20:20:55 GMT
The Day Before You Came / CassandraUK pressing  Light blue injection-moulded  Darker blue injection-moulded with completely different text placings. This is the second of two singles (the other being One of Us) to get two injection-moulded variants  Irish pressing, image from Discogs. Unusual placing of ABBA logo 
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Post by Alan on Apr 23, 2023 20:27:13 GMT
Under Attack / You Owe Me OneUK pressing  Injection-moulded  Irish pressing, image from Discogs. Once again, no ABBA logo  UK picture disc. The design wisely ditches the standard artwork in favour of the album artwork and font. Second of three ABBA singles to get the picture disc treatment. 
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Post by Alan on Apr 23, 2023 20:34:20 GMT
Thank You For The Music / Our Last SummerFinal new ABBA single release on Epic, though the 26-single blue vinyl anniversary box would follow in 1984 along with a reissue of Waterloo in 1986. Thank You For The Music ditches the EPC of the catalogue number, but is still part of the same “A” series started with Lay All Your Love On Me UK pressing  Irish pressing, image from Discogs. Again no ABBA logo  UK picture disc. A novelty as it is shaped, but unfortunately the clear parts of the design usually went brown, with a tea-stain circle. Image from Discogs. I do own this but it lives with my 12” singles and albums, so wasn’t photographed for this topic  A sleeve variation on this single. The most common variant is the lavish poster sleeve (left). A standard sleeve (right) was produced but is less common (probably due to the single not selling that well). The standard sleeve has a different colour border and different font for the catalogue number  The back cover also differs. Poster sleeve (left) depicts the four individual photos. The standard sleeve (right) shows the album cover 
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Post by lamont on Apr 24, 2023 5:19:40 GMT
Interesting topic. As a kinda off topic note: I always loved the design of the Thank You For The Music album from 1983. I know it screams 80s aesthetics, and the group are pictured individually, highlighting at the time how fractured they were, perhaps subconsciously. The ladies look amazing however. Shame a CD was never produced, it’s a nice compilation of songs also.
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Post by Alan on Apr 24, 2023 7:40:13 GMT
Yes, it’s a hard album to recreate, lamont, due to the way the songs cross-faded into each other. I did create the album running order (with artwork) in my iTunes and therefore it’s on my phone, but the gaps between tracks are there so it’s not the same. I haven’t heard the album in over 30 years but I remember the cross-fades. The applause of The Way Old Friends Do running into the start of Thank You For The Music was especially memorable. I keep checking YouTube to see if someone has put them on there, but no luck yet. I’ve still got my original album though, and I have got a vinyl turntable with USB to allow conversion to mp3, but haven’t used it for years. |
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Post by HOMETIME on Apr 24, 2023 7:51:13 GMT
For some reason, Alan , my iTunes crossfades tracks on my playlists when I'm playing them on the phone. I don't think it's something I deliberately set-up. In any event, you can set your iTunes to crossfade as follows: - At the top left of your screen, you'll see "File Edit Song View Controls Account Help"
- Click on Edit, and scroll down and click on Preferences
- This will open a pop-up screen
- Across the top, you'll see "General Playback Sharing Downloads" etc. Click on Playback.
- That screen lets you set up crossfade - and you can adjust the length of the crossfade to your taste.
It's really handy if you've created playlists for a party - there are no awkward silences between your favourite bops.
Now that you've put the idea in my head, I think I might set up my own TYFTM playlist!
EDIT: Just tried it and it's pretty crap. Oh well. |
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Post by Alan on Apr 24, 2023 11:08:25 GMT
Just tried it and it's pretty crap. Oh well. Thanks for the update, saves me trying it! I would be surprised if it got them right on this album anyway. 1983 was the first year of commercially available CDs wasn’t it? I doubt CBS would have forked out to put Thank You For The Music onto that format though. I did read once that they did release some ABBA albums on CD in the UK during the 1980s, but that they were merely Polar imports (which they probably added an Epic sticker to). If so I’ve never seen one on any site. |
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Post by Alan on Apr 24, 2023 16:00:32 GMT
Someone I know who also collects all the Epic variants (he got me into it) has sent me photos of his collection, each title with all the variants in one or two photos. Promos and push-out versions are included, which I generally don’t collect.
He’s given me permission to post the photos, so rather than go back and edit all my posts so far, I’ll post these photos separately in new posts. Irish pressings are excluded, as the photos date from before he started collecting them, but nearly all other variants are included.
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Post by Alan on Apr 24, 2023 16:08:05 GMT
Ring Ring / Rock ‘n’ Roll Band, original 1973 release
S EPC 1793, 12 October 1973 Includes the commercial release push-out centre version 
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Post by Alan on Apr 24, 2023 16:16:18 GMT
Waterloo / Watch Out
S EPC 2240, 5 April 1974 / S EPC 5961 (1978 reissue)
Two photos. Includes promo and commercial push-out version. The second lot of yellow issues ARE different from the first - the ABBA name is thinner. The orange Waterloo with the ABBA logo was part of a CBS number ones series in 1978, hence the sleeve. 1986 reissue not included.  
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Post by Alan on Apr 24, 2023 16:31:57 GMT
Ring Ring (remix) / Rock ‘n’ Roll Band, 1974 release
S EPC 2452, 21 June 1974Includes promo and commercial push-out 
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Post by Alan on Apr 24, 2023 16:39:13 GMT
So Long / I’ve Been Waiting For You
S EPC 2848, 22 November 1974Includes promo and commercial push-out 
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Post by Alan on Apr 24, 2023 16:51:31 GMT
I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do / Rock Me
S EPC 3229, 4 April 1975This is a curious one, which I only found out yesterday. Firstly, it’s one of only two singles with no promo issue. Secondly, a mistake was made on both a set of yellows and a set of oranges. Stig Anderson is missing a credit on one set. Only one orange issue credits Stig, even though these are later issues and they had time to check their facts and get it right.  
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Post by Alan on Apr 24, 2023 16:58:37 GMT
SOS / Man In The Middle
S EPC 3576, 19 September 1975The second of two singles where no promo was ever issued. The yellow commercial push-out is therefore the only one of its type for this title. 
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Post by Alan on Apr 24, 2023 17:05:44 GMT
Mamma Mia / Tropical Loveland
S EPC 3790, 14 November 1975Includes promo and push-out. This is the first promo to be solid rather than push-out. 
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Post by Alan on Apr 24, 2023 17:12:37 GMT
Fernando / Hey Hey Helen
S EPC 4036, 12 March 1976 / S EPC 5962 (1978 reissue)1978 reissue is another in the CBS Number Ones series, the same as Waterloo (the new catalogue number following on from Waterloo’s 5961 without a gap). Note the writing on the promo - presumably a note to radio stations!  A full list of the CBS Number Ones series can be found here: www.45cat.com/45_list_view_record.php?li=2948
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Post by Alan on Apr 24, 2023 19:55:45 GMT
Dancing Queen / That’s Me
S EPC 4499, 6 August 1976
Unlike Waterloo and Fernando, Dancing Queen kept its catalogue number throughout its various incarnations. As the changeover to orange happened during the chart run of this single, there is a push-out version in both colours.  
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Post by Alan on Apr 24, 2023 20:14:23 GMT
Money Money Money / Crazy World
S EPC 4713, 12 November 1976Another one requiring two photos as there are so many variants. This is one of two ABBA singles to get two promo issues (though the other one, Summer Night City, is more interesting). The one without the big “A” is a Canadian pressing, the only title known to get one. Quite why CBS needed to call on the Canadian branch to produce a few promos is a mystery. More commonly, they’d call on the Netherlands, USA and France for commercial issues. The top two variants are different - the one on the right has a thinner ABBA logo.  
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Post by Alan on Apr 24, 2023 20:27:20 GMT
Knowing Me Knowing You / Happy Hawaii
S EPC 4955, 18 February 1977The ugly Dutch pressing omits the “S” of the catalogue number, which is also missed from the Money Money Money ones. 
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Post by Alan on Apr 24, 2023 20:45:16 GMT
The Name of The Game / I Wonder (Departure) [Live version]
S EPC 5750, 14 October 1977The French pressing is their only known paper label issue for a UK ABBA single. It’s also the only orange label with black surround text instead of the usual white. USA pressing is one of two, the other being the follow-up, Take A Chance On Me. Unusually, there is no push-out variant, something else it has in common with Take A Chance on Me. 
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Post by Alan on Apr 24, 2023 20:54:21 GMT
Take A Chance On Me / I’m A Marionette
S EPC 5950, 27 January 1978There was never a blue issue for this title, despite it being such a big hit, even though the likes of SOS got one. No push-out variety for this, so it’s uncertain what was supplied to jukebox owners. Second of two USA pressings, following The Name of the Game.  
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Post by gazman on Apr 24, 2023 23:41:05 GMT
Just tried it and it's pretty crap. Oh well. Thanks for the update, saves me trying it! I would be surprised if it got them right on this album anyway. 1983 was the first year of commercially available CDs wasn’t it? I doubt CBS would have forked out to put Thank You For The Music onto that format though. I did read once that they did release some ABBA albums on CD in the UK during the 1980s, but that they were merely Polar imports (which they probably added an Epic sticker to). If so I’ve never seen one on any site. Alan, I think I can clear up the point regarding the 'CBS ABBA CDs'. They were indeed given Epic catalogue numbers - from memory the set was initially Super Trouper, The Visitors and Greatest Hits Vol 2., plus Frida's SGO and Agnetha's WYAAM. There were no CBS/Epic stickers to my knowledge - I bought SGO and GHV2, and they were purely West German imports on Polydor. They might have gone back in ABBA's catalogue a bit later, and then the girls' respective 2nd English-language solo albums were added. |
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Post by Alan on Apr 25, 2023 15:16:18 GMT
Summer Night City / Medley: Pick A Bale of Cotton, On Top of Old Smokey, Midnight Special
S EPC 6595, 8 September 1978Second of two singles (after Money Money Money) to get two promos. The reason for this is the expletive that is just on the fade. Publicity surrounding that caused the company to get cold feet and issue a second promo (bottom left) with a 3:10 edit. The main one is 3:34. Once again, no push-out. 
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Post by Alan on Apr 25, 2023 15:22:52 GMT
Chiquitita / Lovelight
S EPC 7030, 26 January 1979Push-out variant returns. On some ABBA singles during this period, the ABBA logo can vary in size with an A-side having a larger logo and a B-side a smaller one. 
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Post by Alan on Apr 25, 2023 15:27:51 GMT
Does Your Mother / Kisses of Fire
S EPC 7316, 27 April 1979After a few singles with no push-outs, this title gets two. 
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Post by Alan on Apr 25, 2023 15:31:26 GMT
Angeleyes / Voulez-Vous
S EPC 7499, 6 July 1979Back to no push-out 
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