GREATEST HITS VOLUME 1
Parlophone PMCO 7533 (MONO) / PCSO 7533 (STEREO)
Parlophone PMCO 7533 (MONO) / PCSO 7533 (STEREO)
| FORMAT | RELEASE DATE | SIDE 1 MATRIX | SIDE 2 MATRIX | PARTS |
| MONO | 7 Jun 1966 | XAPAX 73 | XAPAX 74 | AU |
| STEREO | 22 Feb 1968 | YAPAX 1015 | YAPAX 1016 | AU |
| STEREO | Jun 1982 | YAPAX 1015-2 AP | YAPAX 1016-2 AP | AU |
MATRIX INFORMATION
Machine Stamped - Hand Written
Machine Stamped - Hand Written
| ORIGIN | CODE | CIRCULATED | SLEEVE DETAILS |
| AUST | A1 | Jun 1966 | Mono catalogue number only; flipback sleeve |
| AUST | A2 | Feb 1968 | Mono + stereo catalogue numbers; flipback sleeve |
| AUST | A3 | 1969 | Stereo catalogue number only; flipback sleeve |
| AUST | A4 | Dec 1969 | Stereo catalogue number only; non-flipback sleeve; stereo EMI footer on rear cover |
SLEEVE INFORMATION
YELLOW/BLACK mono
AU7533M1
7 Jun 1966
AU7533M1
7 Jun 1966
NZ BLUE mono
AU7533M2
1966
AU7533M2
1966
NZ YELLOW mono
AU7533M3
1968
AU7533M3
1968
ORANGE 1-BOX A
AU7533S5A
Q3 1969
AU7533S5A
Q3 1969
'BANNER' STEREO
AU7533S1
22 Feb 1968
AU7533S1
22 Feb 1968
Both Greatest Hits Volume 1 and Greatest Hits Volume 2 were conceived together in early 1966, with EMI (Australia) requesting stereo tapes from EMI UK for the tracks not already in its library. This means that both volumes, despite not being released locally in stereo until February 1967 (Volume 2) and February 1968 (Volume 1), contain the 1965 stereo mixes of 'I Want To Hold Your Hand', 'Day Tripper' and 'We Can Work It Out' rather than the new mixes that were created by EMI UK in November 1966 for A Collection Of Beatles Oldies. This also explains why the two volumes contain no post-1965 "greatest hits".
The mono release of Volume 1 was mastered to mono from the stereo production master tape (ie folddown), with only 'She Loves You' and 'I'll Get You' appearing in true mono, due to the unavailability of stereo mixes at the time of compilation. Mysteriously, the stereo version would not be released until twenty months after the mono release, and twelve months after the release of Volume 2! This is why the Volume 2 sleeve refers only to the mono release of Volume 1. For the stereo release, EMI (Australia) replaced the mono mix of 'She Loves You' with the fake stereo mix created by EMI UK in November 1966.
The cover art borrowed heavily from overseas releases, using elements from the US Beatles VI and German The Beatles Beat. Use of these 1965-period sleeve photos emphasises the genesis of these albums.
By mid-1973, Volume 1 had sold over 100,000 copies. What is intriguing about both volumes is that, despite the myriad "greatest hit" packages and assorted themed compilations released over the ensuing years, they never went out of print, selling consistently right up until the end of EMI's vinyl production in November 1990.
Volume 1 was recut by Allan Parsons at Studios 301 in June 1982, utilising the Maxicut process. Despite being recut two months after the introduction of the Black Parlophone label (Black 1-Box A), a number of copies have been confirmed on the late Orange Parlophone label (Orange 1-Box C), presumably due to existing printed stock on hand.
EMI (Australia) exported Volume 1 mono mothers to HMV (New Zealand) and stereo mothers for both volumes to EMI (South East Asia). HMV (New Zealand) pressed domestic copies of Volume 1 (PMCM-7533) and copies for export to Australia. EMI (South East Asia) pressed both volumes in stereo (S-LPEA 1001/1002) for distribution in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
Volume 1 Side 1: Please, Please Me / From Me To You / She Loves You / I'll Get You / I Want To Hold Your Hand / Love Me Do / I Saw Her Standing There. Side 2: Twist And Shout / Roll Over Beethoven / All My Loving / Hold Me Tight / Can't Buy Me Love / You Can't Do That / Long Tall Sally.
The mono release of Volume 1 was mastered to mono from the stereo production master tape (ie folddown), with only 'She Loves You' and 'I'll Get You' appearing in true mono, due to the unavailability of stereo mixes at the time of compilation. Mysteriously, the stereo version would not be released until twenty months after the mono release, and twelve months after the release of Volume 2! This is why the Volume 2 sleeve refers only to the mono release of Volume 1. For the stereo release, EMI (Australia) replaced the mono mix of 'She Loves You' with the fake stereo mix created by EMI UK in November 1966.
The cover art borrowed heavily from overseas releases, using elements from the US Beatles VI and German The Beatles Beat. Use of these 1965-period sleeve photos emphasises the genesis of these albums.
By mid-1973, Volume 1 had sold over 100,000 copies. What is intriguing about both volumes is that, despite the myriad "greatest hit" packages and assorted themed compilations released over the ensuing years, they never went out of print, selling consistently right up until the end of EMI's vinyl production in November 1990.
Volume 1 was recut by Allan Parsons at Studios 301 in June 1982, utilising the Maxicut process. Despite being recut two months after the introduction of the Black Parlophone label (Black 1-Box A), a number of copies have been confirmed on the late Orange Parlophone label (Orange 1-Box C), presumably due to existing printed stock on hand.
EMI (Australia) exported Volume 1 mono mothers to HMV (New Zealand) and stereo mothers for both volumes to EMI (South East Asia). HMV (New Zealand) pressed domestic copies of Volume 1 (PMCM-7533) and copies for export to Australia. EMI (South East Asia) pressed both volumes in stereo (S-LPEA 1001/1002) for distribution in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
Volume 1 Side 1: Please, Please Me / From Me To You / She Loves You / I'll Get You / I Want To Hold Your Hand / Love Me Do / I Saw Her Standing There. Side 2: Twist And Shout / Roll Over Beethoven / All My Loving / Hold Me Tight / Can't Buy Me Love / You Can't Do That / Long Tall Sally.
GENERAL ALBUM INFORMATION
PURPLE 1-BOX
AU7533S6
Feb to May 1973
AU7533S6
Feb to May 1973
ORANGE 1-BOX C
AU7533S5C
1979
AU7533S5C
1979
BLACK 1-BOX B
AU7533S8B
Jul 1987
AU7533S8B
Jul 1987
NZ DK GREY 1-BOX
AU7533S4C
1981
AU7533S4C
1981
BLACK 1-BOX A
AU7533S8A
Apr 1982
AU7533S8A
Apr 1982
TEAL 1-BOX
AU7533S7
Q4 1979
AU7533S7
Q4 1979
PAGE LAST UPDATED: 11 FEBRUARY 2022