MATRIX INFORMATION
Machine Stamped - Hand Written
Machine Stamped - Hand Written
WITH THE BEATLES
Parlophone PMCO 1206 (MONO) / PCSO 3045 (STEREO)
Parlophone PMCO 1206 (MONO) / PCSO 3045 (STEREO)
| FORMAT | RELEASE DATE | SIDE 1 MATRIX | SIDE 2 MATRIX | PARTS |
| MONO | 22 Feb 1964 | XEX 447-1N | XEX 448-1N | UK |
| STEREO | 19 Mar 1964 | YEX 110-2 | YEX 111-2 | UK |
| STEREO | Aug 1979 | YEX 110-4 | YEX 111-2 | UK |
| STEREO | 11 Dec 1980 | TPCS 3045A-3 OR | TPCS 3045 B-4 DB | AU |
| MONO | 14 Nov 1988 | PCSO 3045D-A PB EMIDISC DMM |
PCSO 3045D-B-2 PB EMIDISC DMM |
AU |
SLEEVE INFORMATION
| ORIGIN | CODE | CIRCULATED | SLEEVE DETAILS |
| AUST | A1 | Feb 1964 | Mono catalogue number only; Australian designed flipback sleeve |
| AUST | A2 | Mar 1964 | Mono & stereo catalogue numbers; Australian designed flipback sleeve |
| AUST | A3 | Dec 1969 | Stereo catalogue number only; Australian designed non-flipback sleeve |
| AUST | A4 | 1981 | UK replica sleeve; stereo catalogue number only; local EMI details on rear cover |
| AUST | A5 | Nov 1988 | UK replica sleeve; "DIGITALLY REMASTERED" footer on rear cover |
The 1988 digital remaster, despite being mono like the 1987 CD release, maintained the stereo numbering system.
THE AUSTRALIAN VERSION OF THE SLEEVE
All With The Beatles album sleeves manufactured in Australia between December 1963 and February 1981 utilise a front-sleeve image unique to Australia.
The local sleeve came about as a consequence of unsatisfactory attempts to utilise the heavy-shadow, grained UK sleeve cover art via the photographic process (Australian Union ruling forbade the use of imported photographic negatives for the production of local record sleeves; this ruling was circumvented by taking a photograph of an imported sleeve and using the resultant negative as the 'original' in the production of local sleeve art).
A new front sleeve was designed by EMI's Andrew Bokor using 'sharp' graphic elements. It is rumoured that during the Beatles' 1964 tour of Australia, John Lennon took exception to the local With The Beatles sleeve, but the protests fell on deaf ears and the sleeve remained unchanged.
The correct title for Side 2, track 3, 'You Really Got A Hold On Me', did not appear on an Australian With The Beatles sleeve until 1981. Up 'til then, the track was printed as, 'You Really Gotta Hold On Me', an error that had appeared on early UK sleeves but unlike the UK, where the 'Gotta' sleeve error was quickly rectified, Australian sleeves went unchanged until a UK-replica sleeve replaced the unique 'floating head' local sleeve in February 1981.
LABEL NOTES
The premiere Australian release of With The Beatles retained the gold label design as seen on the earliest pressings of Please Please Me, even though by then UK pressings had adopted the new 'yellow Parlophone' design.
A disagreement over music-publishing rights ensued in relation to track 2.7, 'Money'. Prior to November 1963, Tu-Con Music controlled Jobete Music titles in Australia. However, following lengthy discussions between Tu-Con and Belinda Music during November, the majority of the Jobete catalogue, including 'Money', moved under the control of Belinda. As the paperwork for With The Beatles was completed before the ownership was resolved and notified, early With The Beatles labels credited Tu-Con as the publisher; a timing error that was corrected mere weeks later (see gold label - variation 'b'). The 'Money'/Tu-Con label was issued, virtually exclusively, in 'mono-catalogue number only' sleeves.
Interestingly, however, at least two variations of the post-March 1964 "Banner" stereo label credited 'Money' to Tu-Con. This is perhaps a printer oversight in reading the Acceptance Sheet, because by this time the track was controlled by J Albert & Son. It's quite possible than an equivalent, as yet unidentified, mono label variation exists with the same error.
The infamous 'You Really Gotta Hold On Me' error that appeared on label and sleeve (see above) tracklists on early UK pressings of With The Beatles, was duplicated on early local pressings. 'Gotta' was corrected to 'Got A' for the third variation of the gold label but reverted to 'Gotta' with the appearance of the mono yellow Parlophone label (and coincident with a change in publishing credit from Belinda to Albert), which is how it remained until changed back to 'Got A' with the issue of 'Side-Stereo' orange labels.
THE AUSTRALIAN VERSION OF THE SLEEVE
All With The Beatles album sleeves manufactured in Australia between December 1963 and February 1981 utilise a front-sleeve image unique to Australia.
The local sleeve came about as a consequence of unsatisfactory attempts to utilise the heavy-shadow, grained UK sleeve cover art via the photographic process (Australian Union ruling forbade the use of imported photographic negatives for the production of local record sleeves; this ruling was circumvented by taking a photograph of an imported sleeve and using the resultant negative as the 'original' in the production of local sleeve art).
A new front sleeve was designed by EMI's Andrew Bokor using 'sharp' graphic elements. It is rumoured that during the Beatles' 1964 tour of Australia, John Lennon took exception to the local With The Beatles sleeve, but the protests fell on deaf ears and the sleeve remained unchanged.
The correct title for Side 2, track 3, 'You Really Got A Hold On Me', did not appear on an Australian With The Beatles sleeve until 1981. Up 'til then, the track was printed as, 'You Really Gotta Hold On Me', an error that had appeared on early UK sleeves but unlike the UK, where the 'Gotta' sleeve error was quickly rectified, Australian sleeves went unchanged until a UK-replica sleeve replaced the unique 'floating head' local sleeve in February 1981.
LABEL NOTES
The premiere Australian release of With The Beatles retained the gold label design as seen on the earliest pressings of Please Please Me, even though by then UK pressings had adopted the new 'yellow Parlophone' design.
A disagreement over music-publishing rights ensued in relation to track 2.7, 'Money'. Prior to November 1963, Tu-Con Music controlled Jobete Music titles in Australia. However, following lengthy discussions between Tu-Con and Belinda Music during November, the majority of the Jobete catalogue, including 'Money', moved under the control of Belinda. As the paperwork for With The Beatles was completed before the ownership was resolved and notified, early With The Beatles labels credited Tu-Con as the publisher; a timing error that was corrected mere weeks later (see gold label - variation 'b'). The 'Money'/Tu-Con label was issued, virtually exclusively, in 'mono-catalogue number only' sleeves.
Interestingly, however, at least two variations of the post-March 1964 "Banner" stereo label credited 'Money' to Tu-Con. This is perhaps a printer oversight in reading the Acceptance Sheet, because by this time the track was controlled by J Albert & Son. It's quite possible than an equivalent, as yet unidentified, mono label variation exists with the same error.
The infamous 'You Really Gotta Hold On Me' error that appeared on label and sleeve (see above) tracklists on early UK pressings of With The Beatles, was duplicated on early local pressings. 'Gotta' was corrected to 'Got A' for the third variation of the gold label but reverted to 'Gotta' with the appearance of the mono yellow Parlophone label (and coincident with a change in publishing credit from Belinda to Albert), which is how it remained until changed back to 'Got A' with the issue of 'Side-Stereo' orange labels.
GENERAL ALBUM INFORMATION
PAGE LAST UPDATED: 24 FEBRUARY 2023
GOLD MONO B
AU1206M1
22 Feb 1964
AU1206M1
22 Feb 1964
YELLOW/BLACK mono
AU1206M2
Mar 1964
AU1206M2
Mar 1964
NZ YELLOW mono
AU1202M3
1968
AU1202M3
1968
'BANNER' STEREO
AU3045S1
19 Mar 1964
AU3045S1
19 Mar 1964
ORANGE 1-BOX C
AU3045S3C
1979
AU3045S3C
1979
ORANGE 1-BOX A
AU3045S3A
Q3 1969
AU3045S3A
Q3 1969
ORANGE 1-BOX B
AU3045S3B
Oct 1978
AU3045S3B
Oct 1978
BLACK 1-BOX A
AU3045S5A
Apr 1982
AU3045S5A
Apr 1982
NZ DK GREY 1-BOX
AU3045S4B
1981
AU3045S4B
1981
BLACK 1-BOX B
AU3045S5B
Jul 1987
AU3045S5B
Jul 1987
NZ YELLOW stereo
AU3045S2
1968
AU3045S2
1968
