Magical Mystery Tour, Parlophone PCTC 255

Magical Mystery Tour album was issued in U.S. on 27 November 1967 as Capitol MAL 2835 (mono) and SMAL 2835 (stereo). The package was a huge hit with the public, generating the highest level of initial sales of any album to date, and netting the label more than $8 million in just three weeks. Realising the Capitol had created a product too popular to ignore, EMI imported a number of copies to the United Kingdom. This U.S. version of  Magical Mystery Tour officially was released in the United Kingdom on 19 November 1976. When the album was issued in Britain, EMI did a straight pressing from the American album, The left much to be desired as three of the tracks, “Penny Lane”, “Baby You’re A Rich Man” and “All You Need Is Love”, are in fake stereo.

Interesting facts: In 1973 EMI decided to issue a cassette version of the Magical Mystery Tour album. This cassette contained stereo versions of all the tracks included on the album, including a stereo version of “Baby You’re A Rich Man” that had previously been unavalaiblein Britain, although it was included on European pressingsof the album. The cassette also includes the re-recorded version of “All You Need Is Love”, although the album contains the original single version of the song. The album has the catalogue number PCTC 255 but the cassette, in addition to the usual cassette prefix TC, has the confusing number PCS 3077, that places it between theRubber Soul (PCS 3075) and Revolver (PCS 7009) albums.

British version of the Magical Mystery Tour album has a gatefold sleeve and with 28-page full color booklet stapled in gatefold inside. Include white paper EMI custom inner sleeve.

The Beatles, Rarities - Parlophone PSLP 261 and PCM 1001

The Beatles “Rarities”, Parlophone PSLP 261.

Release December 15, 1978. Originally included as a free addition to the 1978 boxed set, The Beatles Collection (blue box). Only rare tracks are “Across The Univers”, previously available only on the now-deleted charity album No One’s Gonna Change Our World, and the German-language version of “She Loves You” and “I Want To Hold Your Hand”, previously unavailable in Britain. In fact eight of the 17 tracks were previously available: “Long Tall Sally”, “I Call Your Name”, “Slow Down”, “Matchbox”and “I’m Down” are on the Rock And Roll Music album; “Yes It Is” and “This Boy” on Love Songs; and “Rain” on the Hey Jude album. Only four of the 17 tracks “Across The Universe”, “Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand”, “Sie Liebt Dich”, and “Bad Boy”, are in stereo. Although the album contains very little in the way of rare tracks, it is an intelligent compilation of some of the material previously available only B sides, EPs and foreign releases.

All free additions have a dark blue sleeves with gold text on both sides. Besides the sleeve has the banner “Sampler Album Not For Sale” in the upper left corner on the back and catalog number PSLP 261. All additions have white paper EMI custom inner sleeves.