THE BEATLES, White Album No.153116 + inners stereo 1/1/1/2 matrix EXC- UK 2LP

$

174

So, that's how Capitol Records in the USA announced the arrival of the new Beatles album in 1968...and for once, how right a record company was...The Beatles, soon known as The White Album, really was an astonishing collection of music by the biggest pop group ever to grace planet earth.

A1 Back In The U.S.S.R. A2 Dear Prudence A3 Glass Onion A4 Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da A5 Wild Honey Pie A6 The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill A7 While My Guitar Gently Weeps Guitar [Uncredited] – Eric Clapton A8 Happiness Is A Warm Gun B1 Martha, My Dear B2 I'm So Tired B3 Blackbird B4 Piggies B5 Rocky Raccoon B6 Don't Pass Me By B7 Why Dont We Do It In The Road B8 I Will B9 Julia C1 Birthday C2 Yer Blues C3 Mother Nature's Son C4 Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey C5 Sexy Sadie C6 Helter Skelter C7 Long, Long, Long D1 Revolution 1 D2 Honey Pie D3 Savoy Truffle D4 Cry, Baby, Cry D5 Revolution 9 D6 Good Night

Above information from Discogs website.

UK DOUBLE HEAVY VINYL LP IN DARK GREY NUMBERED/WHITE 'THE BEATLES' EMBOSSED LAMINATED SIDE-OPENING SLEEVE WITH 4 ORIGINAL COLOUR PHOTOS + THE ORIGINAL PLAIN WHITE 'EXTRA SPACER' SHEETS (NOT OFTEN FOUND IN ANY COPIES THESE DAYS) + ORIGINAL UNCENSORED FOLD-OUT LYRIC POSTER + ORIGINAL 'APPLE RECORDINGS' WHITE 'Patent Nos. 1125555', 'Made in Great Britain' INNER SLEEVES.

We all know that there are many variations and issues of this iconic release, the first double album ever to top the British albums chart, etc. etc. Below are the relevant facts pertaining to the copy we are offering for sale. The album was released in mono and stereo in 1968. This actual copy was purchased by the original owner in late 1970, new, in a provincial UK record shop. The owner sold this album to us, and we are offering it here. It really has not been played much and has been well-looked after. In dating this particular issue, we can safely assume [please see all details below] that it was pressed early 1970. The discs are pressed from first generation laquers.

In the United States, one small photograph and one small drawing in the poster that was included were censored. The UK posters were not and looked like this:

'The Beatles' was released on November 22, 1968. It entered the UK charts at number one on 1 December 1968, and spent seven weeks there. It returned to the top spot for a final week from 1 February 1969, spent a further four weeks in the top 10. The album had advance orders of more than 250,000, so numbered copies below this figure were all manufactured before the album was even shipped to the stores. Initial pressings came in a top-loading sleeve with black inners, which, sometime around 1969/1970, became a side-opening sleeve with white Apple Recordings inners. The first batch of side opening UK copies were still numbered in dark grey letters and had 'The Beatles' in white embossed. "Sold in the UK..." on the label had stopped shortly after Yellow Submarine (January, 1969). There were three separate pressings of the numbered UK stereo White Album: 1968: original top-loader with 7-digit serial number (same as original mono). Late 1969: first reissue, side-opening with 7-digit serial number. 1970/71: second reissue, side-opening with 6-digit serial number. From c. 1972 onwards, the albums were pressed without serial numbers.

Specifically, this copy appears to match the known label variation details for the Fifth pressing (from first matrix numbers) in spring 1971. Dark green label with “An E.M.I. Recording” text on two lines. Publishing year printed with big copyright symbol (P). Full laminated white gatefold cover without flaps and with openings at the sides. The front of the cover has “The BEATLES” embossed in raised block letters. Dark grey six digit number on the front. Album contained four color portraits of the band and collage poster. The records were housed in white paper Apple Recordings inner sleeves. Matrix numbers: Side 1: YEX 709-1; Side 2: YEX 710-1; Side 3: YEX 711-1; Side 4: YEX 712-1 or YEX-712-2. “Lennon-McCartney except * G. Harrison (and + R. Starkey)” credits on two lines on sides 2, “Lennon-McCartney except * G. Harrison” credits on two lines on side 4.

MATRIX NUMBERS IN RUN-OFF GROOVES: SIDE A: YEX 709-1 / SIDE B: YEX 710-1 / SIDE C: YEX 711-1 / SIDE D: YEX 712-2

MOTHER No. SIDE A: 1 / SIDE B: 7 / SIDE C: 1 / SIDE D: 3

STAMPER No. SIDE A: HO / SIDE B: GOH / SIDE C: GHR / SIDE D: GHG

SLEEVE: VERY GOOD+, SOME LIGHT SHELF, RING AND EDGE WEAR, MINOR CORNER LAMINATE LIFT, MILD YELLOWING AS IS COMMON FOR THIS SLEEVE. STILL HAS THAT 'CRACKLE' WHEN YOU OPEN THE GATEFOLD UP. PHOTOS ARE EXCELLENT. PHOTO SPACERS ARE EXCELLENT. POSTER VERY GOOD+ WITH SOME LIGHT WEAR BUT NO PIN-HOLES OR OTHER DAMAGE. INNER SLEEVES ARE VERY GOOD+ WITH MINOR WEAR AND A SMALL NICK ON TOP OF ONE.

DISCS: EXCELLENT MINUS. CLEAN VINYLS WITH NO SCRATCHES AND NO NOTICEABLE SPINDLE WEAR. A FEW VERY LIGHT HAIRLINES. DISCS HAVE CLEARLY NOT BEEN PLAYED VERY MUCH. THEY PLAY AND SOUND SUPERB, WITH AMAZING AUDIO. Kinda makes one laugh when you play them against the compressed CD issues and the recent LP 'remasters' - what a joke they all are - and what an insult to the legacy and art of the original recordings. This copy should satisfy all but a perfectionist, and someone in search of an affordable 'original' era pressing with that warm, analogue sound, but perhaps unable to afford the cost of low-numbered top-openers. Once you hear a decent copy of these albums on original pressings, you really will consign all the other copies you have to the basement. Play, enjoy, savour...

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