Elvis Presley 78rpm MYSTERY TRAIN / LOVE ME HMV POP 295 UK 1st Press VG+/E
£
30
$
40
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Description
In February 1957, His Master's Voice issued POP 295. While the title provided in the listing query pairs "Mystery Train" with "Love Me" (the famous track from his debut EP), the actual historical pairing on this specific UK 78 RPM catalog number is Presley’s final, legendary Sun Records double-sider: "Mystery Train" backed with "I Forgot To Remember To Forget"
.Musically, this pairing represents the absolute absolute pinnacle of early American rockabilly."Mystery Train" (originally by Junior Parker) is a dark, propulsive masterpiece. Built entirely on Bill Black’s rhythmically slapped double bass, Scotty Moore’s chugging guitar riff, and Johnny Bernero’s minimalist snare work, it captures a raw, echo-drenched momentum that changed the course of popular music."I Forgot To Remember To Forget" provides a perfect country-blues contrast, highlighting Presley's early, mournful vocal delivery before major-label gloss took over.Socio-economically, this record arrived in Great Britain during a period of immense generational friction. It was early 1957, and post-war British adolescence was fully defining itself through American imports. Because the conservative BBC kept a strict limit on rock and roll airplay, teenagers clustered around commercial jukeboxes or tuned into late-night shortwave broadcasts from Radio Luxembourg just to hear this music. Stamped into the label of this genuine first pressing is the "RT" Purchase Tax Code, placing its manufacture firmly at EMI's Hayes plant during that winter window before subsequent tax restructuring.
Though recorded at Sun Studios in Memphis back in the summer of 1955, EMI did not issue these historic tracks in the UK until early 1957, rushing them out to satisfy the insatiable British demand for Presley's back-catalogue.
Condition ReportShellac Surface: VG+/E (Very Good Plus to Excellent). A highly superior, beautifully preserved copy.
"Mystery Train" grades at a strong, glossy VG+, showing only minor, faint surface hairlines and paper scuffs from sleeve removal under direct light.
The flip side grades at a top-tier E (Excellent), retaining its deep factory mirror sheen. No deep, feelable, or problematic scratches on either side.
Spindle Hole: The standard small center hole remains clean, round, and free from any stress fractures or heavy spindle wear.Labels:
Original HMV blue labels with silver print. The "Nipper the Dog" logo and all text remain completely crisp and legible. No ink graffiti, name signatures, or sticker residue.
Audio: Plays with immense clarity, warmth, and power. It carries that unmistakable mid-50s heavy shellac presence with clear high-frequencies and no aggressive clicks, pops, or skipping.
Shipping & ProtectionGiven the fragile, brittle nature of late-1950s shellac discs, standard cardboard record mailers are entirely inadequate. This record will be packaged using a defensive, multi-layered method:
Housed in its sleeve and sandwiched securely between two oversized layers of thick, rigid corrugated card stiffeners.
Wrapped in multiple layers of shock-absorbent bubble wrap to float the record safely within the parcel.
Placed inside a custom, heavy-duty double-skin box with void fill packaging to completely prevent internal movement during transit.
Your order will be carefully packed and promptly dispatched.
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