VERY RARE NEIL YOUNG GIVE TO THE WIND (VERY EARLY TITLE OF COMES A TIME) LP

$

75

PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE LISTING

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NEIL YOUNG

GIVE TO THE WIND

EXTREMELY RARE ITEM

"GIVE TO THE WIND" WAS THE ORIGINAL TITLE OF "COMES A TIME"

ADDITIONALLY, GIVE TO THE WIND HAS A DIFFERENT TRACK ORDER ON SIDE A

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Note that the vinyl is titled Give To The Wind and the cover jacket is titled Comes A Time. 

When Neil Young first put together the album popularly known as "Comes A Time", with a fine group of musicians referred to on the back of the cover as the "Gone With The Wind Orchestra", he first titled the album "Give To The Wind". The track listing on these Give To the Wind pressings had 'Lotta Love' at the last song on Side A following 'Peace Of Mind' (the final Comes A Time album had these two songs reversed in order with 'Peace Of mind' as the last song preceded by 'Lotta Love').

In December of 1977 or January of 1978, Neil completed the Give To the Wind album and submitted it to Reprise Records. On April 22, 1978, the first test pressings (with RE1 in the trail off) were finished. Neil did not like the way Side A sounded and subsequently new test pressings (RE-1) were made. Neil still deemed Side A had an audio flaw and yet more test pressings were made (RE-2). In May of 1978, Warner Bros (parent company to reprise) issued a New Release Publication to record stores and distributors, still listing the album as Give To The Wind. Additionally, the May 18 issue of Rolling Stone Magazine stated that Give To The Wind was to be released May 15. However, this release date came and nothing was released. 

In June 1978 it was announced that the album would be released with a title change to Comes A Time. It was around this time that Neil found the original 2 inch master tape, compared it to the vinyl, and determined the master tape had been damaged during shipping to New York for mastering and such was the cause of the audio flaw that he could hear; some high frequencies were altogether missing. The master tape was repaired and another test pressing was made.

Finally, in August, Comes A Time pressings were being manufactured and shipped out. But then Neil changed his mind about the track order and stopped production of the album. Neil purchased the 2000,000 copies that had already been manufactured and shipped from Reprise, took them to his ranch, and shot them (and all the incorrect test pressings) with a rifle to make sure none of these ever found their way to market. Most stories indicate he used a 22 but I have also heard he did it with a shotgun. Soon after, another test pressing was made (RE-3) and was finally approved by Neil since the mysterious audio flaw was no longer present. At last, on September 29, 1978, the album Comes A Time was released by Reprise Records.

Along the way in this 10 month evolution, some copies made it to market with different variations. Japanese first pressing white label promo LPs and the first pressing of UK LPs still had the original track order listed on the labels and covers even though the record itself played with Peace of Mind as the last track. Some U.S.A. Promo LPs still had the old track order on the back of the cover and a large 3.5" x 12" sticker was made and applied to the back of the cover that indicated the corrected track order.

Perhaps the oddest variation was the New Zealand first pressings that still had Give To The Wind as the title on the record label despite the album cover titled Comes A Time. These pressings also have the incorrect track order with Lotta Love as the last song. This is one of these LPs. They are very hard to find and are an interesting link in the evolution of this record. 

I'd like to acknowledge my sources for the above history: (A) Sidestreet Records had the most detailed account of Give To The Wind. Jef no longer has that site but I printed out his information a few years ago and I can include a copy of this if you would like. (B) thrasherswheat is a site about Neil Young and has info on Give To the Wind (just google Give To The Wind and you will find his material on Give To The Wind; it's a good site). (C) page 414 Neil's autobiography Waging Heave Peace. (D) page 124 of Johnny Rogan's biography of Neil Young titled "Zero To Sixty". Rogan adds another theory to the track order change. He writes that Neil did this to differentiate the final LPs from the earlier ones he was not pleased with.

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This item is from my personal collection

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I grade the vinyl Very Good Minus*

(* The vinyl has good gloss and color. There are some parallel curved scuff marks on side A at 11:00; these begin on about the middle of track 1 and end just a little into track 4. On Side B, there are some lighter parallel curved scuff marks at 7:00; these begin about half way through track 2 and end about at the end of track 4. These type of parallel curved marks are usually caused by sliding the record in and out of it's cover without an inner sleeve. I first wondered if the scuff marks on Side A might cause a tick but they do not on my turntable; however, with a high end stylus, they might produce a light tick.)

I grade the cover Acceptable*. 

(The front of the cover is yellowed and has stain spots on it, mostly in the bottom left quadrant (see photos) but also at the top on the right. The back of the cover has 3 or 4 tiny nicks about an inch to the right of where is says Gone With The Wind Orchestra. The name Urlich was written on the bottom at the right per photo #7. There are no splits in the edges or spine. The front upper right corner has a small ding to it.  There is some ring wear at the top of the back per photo #4.

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Please note:

I combine shipping of two LPs whenever feasible

At this time I'm shipping my eBay items within the continental United States only

This item will be shipped via Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation and Insurance.

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