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This page lists mono releases of this regular Bob Dylan album. These LPs were
listed here because the mono versions of Dylan songs were
unavailable on CD until the release of the first eight Dylan albums in mono as
The Original Mono Recordings in 2010. Mono LPs with rare tracks (e.g. mono versions with
significant differences from the album tracks, such as different mixes, edits or
fades) are listed in the main chronological pages. Mono singles up to 1976 have their
own pages, see the links above. Thanks to David Burgess for the UK catalogue numbers - all my mono LPs were stolen when my Manchester flat was burgled in May 1968! For stereo releases of this album, see International Album Releases (Regular). |
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If you have any entries to add to the list or additions/corrections to
existing entries, please let me know!
Please note I cannot value your Dylan rarities -
see the Mission page for reasons why. Contact the
dealers on my Trading page for assistance!
Revised: 05 February, 2024.
Vinyl Releases
"John Wesley Harding" - mono vinyl LP, Columbia CL 2804 (USA),
5 Jan 1968:
For details of how I arrived at this release
date, see this album's entry in
International Album
Releases (Regular). The front photograph is by John Berg, another Columbia staff photographer.
The picture has promoted much discussion, such as who are the people shown (the Bauls of Bengal), and whether or not you can see faces of The Beatles in the
trees! For more information, see the EDLIS "Things Twice" page
. The promo album below left may have
been
released in Dec 1967.
 Columbia CL 2804 (USA) promo album - front scan with timing strip by Hans Seegers |
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 Columbia CL 2804 (USA) promo album - detail of front, scan by Gerd Rundel (commercial album is the same) |
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Columbia CL 2804 (USA) regular album - front scan by Hans Seegers |
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 Columbia CL 2804 (USA) - detail of Side 1, scan by Hans Seegers (first variant) |
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 Columbia CL 2804 (USA) - detail of Side 2, scan by Gerd Rundel (second variant, "B. Dylan" credit missing!) |
This was the last US mono album, and is now very rare! The mono version was for a long time thought just to be a reduction of the stereo mix, but Bob Irwin of Sundazed confirmed in 2003 there is a separate mono mix-down tape. Sundazed released a mono version on vinyl in Nov 2003 (see below).
The labels have the final mono design used by Columbia with "MONO" at bottom centre in white without the "360º SOUND"/arrows logos on either side (see the mono versions of earlier Dylan albums for examples). Gerd Rundel's first copy has handwritten matrix numbers: Side 1 - XLP-135309-1A, Side 2 - XLP-135310-1A. Gerd Rundel's second copy with variant labels has handwritten matrix numbers: Side 1 - XLP-135309-1C, Side 2 - XLP-135310-U.
Renaud Depierreux has two promo copies without timing strips: the first has a price sticker ("Special Value $1.59"), a promo sticker and a promo punched hole, the second is still in the original shrink wrap with a price sticker on top of the shrink wrap, a gold promo sticker under the shrink wrap but no punched hole.
Sergio Mariano Romay has a copy of this album where the record has the first variant labels. The inner sleeve shows details of contemporary albums by other Columbia artists. The record of this copy has handwritten matrix numbers: Side 1 - XLP -135309-1C, Side 2 - XLP-135310-1C.
Tormod Aas has a commercial copy with a yellow sticker with black text "THIS HI-FI RECORD CAN BE PLAYED ON A STEREO PHONOGRAPH". The record has first variant labels with "B. Dylan" credits on both sides. The matrix numbers of this copy are: Side 1 - XLP-135309-1A, Side 2 - XLP-135310-1A.
Roberto Mento owns a record shop in Florence, Italy, and has two copies of this mono album. On one the text at rear bottom right "© 1968 by Bob Dylan" is missing, and on the other it is present. This is the same as for the rear sleeves of the US stereo albums.
Justin Hickerson has a copy where the record labels are the second variant with no credit on Side 2. The sleeve also has no credit on the rear lower right corner. The record of this copy has matrix numbers handwritten except "B", "J", and "P" which are stamped: Side 1 - o XLP 135309-1C BM B J P, Side 2 - o XLP 135310-1C Bm P. On Side 2, "Bm" is etched directly above the catalogue number. "m" is also lower cased on Side 2 but is capitalized ("M") on Side 1. Discogs.com records this pressing as from Pitman, NJ.
Troy Saldana has a copy of CL 2804 that is very similar to Justin Hickerson's. The album front cover has "Stereo 360 Sound"" centred above Bob Dylan, which means it's a stereo sleeve. The back has "©1968" by Bob Dylan. The record has the second variant labels with the Side 1 credit to "B.Dylan" up high. Side 2 is missing the credit. The matrix numbers are: Side 1 - o XLP 135309-1C BM, Side 2 - o XLP 135310-1C Bm. On Side 2, "Bm" is etched directly above the catalogue number. "m" is also lower case on Side 2 but is capitalised ("M") on Side 1. This record does not have "B J P" on Side 1 nor a "P" on Side 2. Instead it has an upside down capital "V" and a "C" above the "A" in "COLUMBIA".
 Columbia CL 2804 (USA) - front photo by Giorgio Bosio (commercial release) |
 Columbia CL 2804 (USA) - rear photo by Giorgio Bosio (commercial release variant 2) |
 Columbia CL 2804 (USA) - detail of rear, photo by Giorgio Bosio (commercial release variant 2 - "© 1968 by Bob Dylan" missing) |
 Columbia CL 2804 (USA) - insert photo by Giorgio Bosio |
 Columbia CL 2804 (USA) - Side 1 photo by Giorgio Bosio (third variant, same as second variant) |
 Columbia CL 2804 (USA) - Side 2 photo by Giorgio Bosio (third variant) |
Giorgio Bosio has an unlisted sleeve and label variant that comes with a Columbia advertising insert. Like the stereo album rear sleeve variants and one of the mono albums owned by Roberto Mento mentioned above, "© 1968 by Bob Dylan" is missing at rear bottom right. This time both labels have the "B. Dylan" credit higher. The record has handwritten matrix numbers: Side 1 - o XLP-135309-1A BM A5 T; Side 2 - o XLP-135310-1A Bm A4 T | (At the beginning of both there is a small letter "o". On Side 1 letters "BM" are in upper case, on Side 2 letters "Bm" are in upper/lower case. On Side 2 the last character is a bar).
Ian Woodward has a Columbia US catalogue from late 1968 with a tear-off portion so dealers could order albums to stock for Christmas. The only two Dylan albums listed are Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits and John Wesley Harding, both in four stereo formats: LP, 4-track stereo, 8-track stereo and stereo reel-to-reel tape. This indicates that by late 1968 Columb8ia US had stopped promoting mono LPs.
Thanks to Hans Seegers, Peter Lindberg, Gerd Rundel, Renaud Depierreux, Sergio Mariano Romay, Tormmod Aas, Roberto Mento and Giorgio Bosio for information and pictures.
"John Wesley Harding" - mono vinyl LP reissue, Sundazed/Columbia LP 5123 (USA), 25 Nov 2003:
This is a unique mono mix rediscovered by Sundazed's founder and
engineer on many Dylan records, Bob Irwin. The label reproduces
the original US mono design as above. For more
information see Sundazed's web-site
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Thanks to Robert Kornovich, Patrick Helfrich and Gerd Rundel for information and scans.
"John Wesley Harding" - mono vinyl LP reissue, Columbia 88697761051-8/CL 2804 (USA), 7 Dec 2010:
 Columbia 88697761051-8/CL 2804 (USA) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (2010 release) |
This heavyweight vinyl mono release is part of the LP version of the 2010 9LP set The Original Mono Recordings, see International Album Releases (Multi-Packs) 2010s, sold separately. |
 Columbia 88697761051-8/CL 2804 (USA) - rear scan by Manuel García Jara (2010 release) |
 Columbia 88697761051-8/CL 2804 (USA) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara (2010 release) |
 Columbia 88697761051-8/CL 2804 (USA) - detail of Side 1, scan by Manuel García Jara (2010 release) |
 Columbia 88697761051-8/CL 2804 (USA) - Side 2 scan by Manuel García Jara (2010 release) |
The record labels reproduce the style of the original 1965 mono labels. As well as "CL 2804" the record sides are also numbered "88697761051-8A/B".
This album was also sold in Europe by the Dutch company Music On Vinyl as MOVLP 246, see below.
Thanks to Manuel García Jara for information and scans.
"John Wesley Harding" - mono vinyl 2LP 45 rpm reissue, Mobile Fidelity MFSL 2-464 (USA), 7 Dec 2016:
Mobile Fidelity MFSL 2-464 (USA) - front of gatefold sleeve with sticker,
scan by Gerd Rundel (2016 release)This 2LP mono audiophile
release comes in a gatefold sleeve and plays at 45 rpm. There was a
limited edition of 3000. The
limited edition number at bottom left of the rear of the gatefold sleeve of this
copy is
obscured.
Mobile Fidelity MFSL 2-464 (USA) - front sticker scan by Gerd Rundel (2016 release)
Mobile Fidelity MFSL 2-464 (USA) - rear of gatefold sleeve, scan by Gerd
Rundel (2016 release)
Mobile Fidelity MFSL 2-464 (USA) - detail of rear of gatefold sleeve with
limited edition number obscured at bottom left, scan by Gerd Rundel (2016 release)
More scans required!
Thanks to Éamonn Ó Catháin and Gerd Rundel for information and scans.
"John Wesley Harding" - mono vinyl LP, Columbia CL 2804 (Canada), Jan 1968:
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The Canadian album has the same
sleeve as the US release except for the words "LITHO IN CANADA" on the
spine. The rear sleeve is the same as the US release except that "PRINTED IN
U.S.A." is missing. The record labels have "PRINTED IN CAN." on the bottom
line. This was the only
Canadian mono release. Gerd Rundel is sceptical that this Canadian mono release existed, he thinks that copies were imported from the USA. Confirmation required! |
"John Wesley Harding" - mono vinyl LP, CBS BPG 63252
(UK), 23 Feb 1968, re-released 1969:
For the equivalent stereo album, see International Album
Releases (Regular).
CBS BPG 63252 (UK), 23 Feb 1968 (first release):
The sleeve of Hans Seegers' copy was printed by the Upton Printing Group and is laminated on the front only. The sleeve of the mono commercial release was also used for the stereo release by putting a stereo sticker on the back. The record has orange CBS labels which come in two variants: the second release (below) has "MONO" and the arrows symbol to the left of the centre hole underneath the Side number, the first release does not. Gerd Rundel's has a first release copy where the record (above) has stamped matrix numbers: Side 1 - 63252 A2, Side 2 - 63252 B2. Thanks to Ian Woodward for finding a mono copy on www.eil.com with first release labels with matrix numbers: Side 1 - 63252 A2, Side 2 - 63252 B1.
CBS BPG 63252 (UK), 1969 (second release):
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CBS BPG 63252 (UK) - front scan by Gerd Rundel (sleeve with second release record) |
The second release record labels have "MONO" and the arrows symbol to the left of the centre hole underneath the Side number, the first does not. The record of Gerd Rundel's second release copy has the same sleeve as above and stamped matrix numbers: Side 1 - 63252 A3, Side 2 - 63252 B2. Gerd has another copy where the record has second release labels with “MONO” plus arrows but in a different sleeve with a green tinge. The printer's name (Upton Printing Group) is missing below “© 1968 by Bob Dylan” at bottom right of the rear sleeve. If the inner sleeve is original, the second release with “MONO” plus arrows on the labels must have been released after May 1969 because Nashville Skyline is listed on the front. The stamped matrix numbers are the same as the second release copy listed above (Side 1 - 63252 A3, Side 2 - 63252 B2). |
 CBS BPG 63252 (UK) - rear scan by Gerd Rundel (sleeve with second release record) |
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 CBS BPG 63252 (UK) - detail of rear, scan by Gerd Rundel (no printer's name, sleeve with second release record) |
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 CBS BPG 63252 (UK) - inner sleeve rear scan by Gerd Rundel (second release) |
 CBS bpg 63252 (UK) - Side 1 scan by Gerd Rundel (second release) |
 CBS bpg 63252 (UK) - detail of Side 1, scan by Gerd Rundel (second release with "MONO"/arrows) |
 CBS bpg 63252 (UK) - Side 2 scan by Gerd Rundel (second release) |
Thanks to Hans Seegers, Jean-Pol Hiernaux, Gerd Rundel and Éamonn Ó Catháin for information and scans.
"John Wesley Harding" - mono vinyl LP releases, CBS 63252 (Spain),
1968, re-released 1969:
Contrary to previous reports this album was not banned by the Franco regime. Before CBS was established in Spain,
CBS records were released in Spain by Discophon under license from CBS France. For
this reason, all Discophon records have the "BIEM" logo instead of "SGAE". "SGAE"
was the only Spanish copyright organisation and all records released there
had to have its logo unless the recording company was not established in Spain. Although Discophon was a small company,
it had its own pressing plant: the Dylan Spanish EPs released in
1966 (see Mono 7" Singles & EPs 1966) were made by Discophon itself. For some reason, John Wesley Harding was
first made in the pressing plant of another company (Fonogram, the manufacturer of three
Dylan records in 1970, when CBS was just established in Spain: Bob Dylan's
Greatest Hits, Nashville Skyline and Self Portrait).
The rear sleeve has a biography of Bob in Spanish instead of the liner notes. The song titles are given in English and Spanish. There is an inner sleeve with song lyrics in English with the demo copy below only, not with any commercial releases of the album, which have plain white inner sleeves. The outer sleeves are identical for all variants.
The record was in mono only, and apparently the first variant is in poor quality, the sound quality of the other variants is good. All variants have orange CBS labels. The song titles on the record labels are listed in English and Spanish. There are six different variants of record labels for this Spanish album! Four of them were made by Fonogram of Madrid for Discophon and two were made by Discophon itself. The first release of this album in 1968 in Spain is very rare, as according to Juan B. Heinink only 250 were produced, 125 of which were apparently sold by one record shop in Bilbao (although Manuel García Jara's father bought his copy in Madrid).
Most of the tracks have different Spanish translations on the rear sleeve and on the record labels!
John Wesley Harding: untranslated
As I Went Out One Morning: "Me marché una mañana" (rear sleeve) "Cuando salí una mañana" (record label)
I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine: "Soñé que vi San Agustín" on both but grammatically incorrect: it should be "Soñé que vi a San Agustín"
All Along The Watchtower: "A lo largo de la atalaya" (rear sleeve) "En la torre de vigilancia" (record label)
The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest: "La balada de Frankie Lee y Judas Priest" (both)
Drifter's Escape: "Escapada a la deriva" (rear sleeve) "La huida del errante" (record label)
Dear Landlord: "Querido Landlord"! (rear sleeve) "Querido patrón" (record label)
I Am A Lonesome Hobo: "Soy in vagabundo solitario" (both)
I Pity The Poor Immigrant: "Compadezco al pobre inmigrante" (both)
The Wicked Messenger: "El malvado mensajero" (rear sleeve) "El mensajero malvado" (record label)
Down Along The Cove: " Por la ensenada" (rear sleeve) "Allí en la cala" (record label)
I'll Be Your Baby Tonight: " Seré tu chico esta noche" (rear sleeve) "Seré tu baby esta noche"! (record label)
The record matrix numbers are: Side 1 - "850 63252" plus "s" (an inverted triangle) plus "A=1"; Side 2 - "850 63252" plus "s" plus "B=1". These matrix numbers are the same for all variants of this album.
Made by Fonogram for Discophon:
The Fonogram record labels have catalogue numbers 63252 E.1
and 63252 E.2 on Sides 1 and 2.
1 Demo copy with sticker of Cadena SER.
 CBS 63252 (Spain) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (demo copy) |
This is a very rare demonstration copy, sent by Discophon to the Cadena SER radio station in Madrid. The front has the CBS logo in the top left-hand corner and a sticker with the text "DISCO CORTESÍA DE DISCOPHON" (record by courtesy of Discophon). The rear sleeve has a sticker from the radio station (SER: Servicio Español de Radiodifusión). The record labels are identical to variant #2 below except for the detail of a sticker. However, this is the only copy that includes an inner sleeve with lyrics in English. This inner sleeve must have been included for promotional purposes. The inner sleeves of the rest of the variants are plain white. |
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CBS 63252 E.2 (Spain) - detail of rear, scan by Manuel García Jara (all
variants)
2 Commercial copy of variant 1.
 CBS 63252 (Spain) - front scan by Hans Seegers (commercial copy) |
This is identical to the previous variant except for the stickers and the inner sleeve. As well as "FABRICADO POR FONOGRAM S.A." on the circumference text, "Fab. por Fonogram SA..." is present to the left of the centre hole on Side 1 below "33 rpm". There are two mistakes on Side 2: I Pity The Poor Immigrant" is printed as "I Pity The Poor Inmigrant" ("Inmigrante" is the Spanish translation) and an extra bracket after the timing of I'll Be Your Baby Tonight 2'41"). | ||
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3 Third variant also made by Fonogram, S.A.
 CBS 63252 (Spain) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (variant 3) |
This copy was bought in Seville in Sep 1968. The rear sleeve has the stamped text "Cortydix Sevilla". ("Cortydix" was the former name of the records section of the department store El Corte Inglés.) The quality of sound now is very good and the record labels have noticeable differences from those of the previous variants. This copy also has the text "Fab. por Fonogram S.A." on Side 1 but, unlike the first edition, this text is above "33 rpm", instead of below. The needless bracket at the end of track #6 of Side 2 has now been removed, but I Pity The Poor Immigrant is still incorrect and I'll Be Your Baby Tonight is now translated as "Seré tu babby esta noche"! ("Babby" for baby is common to several Northern England dialects.) |
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 CBS 63252 (Spain) - "Cortydix" stamp scan by Manuel García Jara (variant 3) |
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 CBS 63252 E.1 (Spain) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara (variant 3) |
 CBS 63252 E.1 (Spain) - detail of Side 1, scan by Manuel García Jara (variant 3) |
 CBS 63252 E.2 (Spain) - Side 2 scan by Manuel García Jara (variant 3) |
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4 Fourth variant also made by Fonogram, S.A.
The next Fonogram variant has the text "Fab. por Fonogram SA..." to the left of the centre hole on Side 2 instead of Side 1, again above "33 rpm". The Side 2 label has the same mistakes on the song titles as variant 3. Dr. Hanns Peter Bushoff has a copy of this variant in the same sleeve which has the text elements to the left and right of the centre hole positioned much lower than those of the first Side 1 label. As far as I can see the Side 2 labels are the same.
 CBS 63252 E.1 (Spain) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara (variant 4A) |
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 CBS 63252 E.1 (Spain) - Side 1 scan by Hanns Peter Bushoff (variant 4B) |
 CBS 63252 E.1 (Spain) - detail of Side 1, scan by Hanns Peter Bushoff (variant 4B) |
 CBS 63252 E.1 (Spain) - Side 2 scan by Hanns Peter Bushoff (variant 4B) |
 CBS 63252 E.1 (Spain) - detail of Side 2, scan by Hanns Peter Bushoff (variant 4B) |
Made by Discophon:
The following two variants were released in 1969, the typeface of labels is identical to the Discophon mono edition of Nashville Skyline.
5 First variant made by Discophon itself:
 CBS 63252 (Spain) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara (variant 5) |
This is the first variant made by Discophon instead of Fonogram and the fifth of all Spanish mono variants of this album. Although it has the same sleeve, the record labels have a totally different layout from the previous four copies listed:
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 CBS 63252 (Spain) - Side 2 scan by Manuel García Jara (variant 5) |
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 CBS 63252 (Spain) - detail of Side 2, scan by Manuel García Jara (variant 5) |
 CBS 63252 (Spain) - detail of Side 2, scan by Manuel García Jara (variant 5 - "Inmigrant" and "babby" still present) |
6 Second variant made by Discophon itself.
 CBS 63252 (Spain) - Side 1 scan by Gerd Rundel (variant 6) |
 CBS 63252 (Spain) - detail of Side 1, scan by Gerd Rundel (variant 6) |
 CBS 63252 (Spain) - detail of Side 1, scan by Gerd Rundel (variant 6) |
 CBS 63252 (Spain) - inner sleeve scan by Gerd Rundel (variant 6) |
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 CBS 63252 (Spain) - Side 2 scan by Gerd Rundel (variant 6) |
 CBS 63252 (Spain) - detail of Side 2, scan by Gerd Rundel (variant 6) |
 CBS 63252 (Spain) - detail of Side 2, scan by Gerd Rundel (variant 6 - "DEARD LANDLORD"!) |
 CBS 63252 (Spain) - detail of Side 2, scan by Gerd Rundel (variant 6 - "Immigrant" and "baby" correct!) |
 CBS 63252 (Spain) - detail of inner sleeve, scan by Gerd Rundel (variant 6) |
Gerd Rundel's copy is the sixth variant and the last made by Discophon. There are still two song titles above the centre hole, but the song titles are now in upper case. "BIEM" is missing from the Side 2 record label. The two previous errors on the Side 2 record label are corrected, but a new error has been introduced - the Side 2 label has “DEARD LANDLORD” instead of DEAR LANDLORD. One side of the plain inner sleeve of Gerd's copy has small numbers at bottom right – Manuel thinks this may just be a previous owner's reference.
One year later this album was released again in Spain, this time in stereo and it was made by COFASA for CBS itself.
Thanks to Juan B. Heinink for information and to Hans Seegers, Manuel García Jara, Lars M. Banke, Gerd Rundel and Hanns Peter Bushoff for further information and scans.
"John Wesley Harding" - mono vinyl LP, CBS BP 233498 (Australia),
1968:
For the equivalent stereo album, see International Album
Releases (Regular). Scans required of the New Zealand mono release CBS BP
473489!
 CBS BP 233498 (Australia) - front scan by Stuart Moore |
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 CBS BP 233498 (Australia) - side 2 scan by Peter Lindberg |
The record of this release has orange CBS labels with the Albert's logo.
Early Australian release labels had the text "MADE IN AUSTRALIA BY A REGISTERED USER OF THE TRADE MARKS" without a CBS copyright. This is because up to 1977 all Australian records were manufactured by the Australian Record Company (Pty) Ltd. (A.R.C.) on behalf of CBS.
Thanks to Chris Denyer for information and to Stuart Moore and Peter Lindberg for the scans.
"John Wesley Harding" - mono vinyl LP, Columbia/CBS
CL 2804 (Philippines),
1968:
For two variants of the equivalent stereo album, also
with the US catalogue number, see International Album
Releases (Regular).
 Columbia/CBS CL 2804 (Philippines) - front scan by Lars M. Banke |
This release with the US stereo catalogue number was made by Mareco Inc. in the Philippines for CBS Records. It uses the standard US mono/stereo sleeve without the "© 1968 by Bob Dylan" text at lower right of the rear sleeve. There is a "Columbia" logo on the front sleeve but a "CBS" logo on the rear, printed not a sticker. The rear sleeve has "Printed in U.S.A." at the bottom right but it was probably printed locally. Sadly both the front and rear sleeve of this very rare album have been heavily defaced in blue ink (the stereo album shown has exactly the same sleeve, not defaced). The record has orange CBS labels. The record of this copy has handwritten matrix numbers: Side 1 - XLP 135309-1C, Side 2 - XLP 135310-1C. |
 Columbia/CBS CL 2804 (Philippines) - detail of front, scan by Lars M. Banke ("Columbia") |
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 Columbia/CBS CL 2804 (Philippines) - front scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia/CBS CL 2804 (Philippines) - detail of rear, scan by Lars M. Banke ("CBS") |
 CBS CL 2804 (Philippines) - Side 1 scan by Lars M. Banke |
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 CBS CL 2804 (Philippines) - Side 2 scan by Lars M. Banke |
Columbia/CBS CL 2804 (Philippines) - detail of rear,
scan by Lars M. Banke
Thanks to Lars M. Banke for information and scans.
"John Wesley Harding" - mono vinyl LP, CBS ALD 8124 (South
Africa),
1968:
For the equivalent stereo album, see International Album
Releases (Regular).
 CBS ALD 8124 (South Africa) - front scan by Manuel García Jara |
All Dylan
albums except Another Side of Bob Dylan
were released in mono in South Africa between 1965-1968.
These albums were made in South Africa by The
Gramophone Record Company (Pty) Ltd, (part of EMI) for CBS Records.
John Wesley Harding
is a unique album in South Africa: it was the only album to be
released simultaneously in mono (CBS ALD 8124) and in stereo (CBS ASF 1228),
the last album in mono and the first in stereo. Both releases are also the
first Dylan albums to be printed by Interpak, instead of Record Pac. While
stereo copies of this album are (more or less) common, mono albums are very
rare. The front sleeve is laminated, the rear has two folded-over flaps.
The record labels are plain orange and both copies, mono and stereo, have
the same typeface.
The record of the copy shown has
matrix numbers: Side 1 - XSM135311-1G,
Side
2 - XSM135312-1J. Thanks to Manuel García Jara for information and scans. |
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 CBS ALD 8124 (South Africa) - detail of front, scan by Manuel García Jara |
 CBS ALD 8124 (South Africa) - rear scan by Manuel García Jara |
 CBS ALD 8124 (South Africa) - detail of rear, scan by Manuel García Jara |
 CBS ALD 8124 (South Africa) - detail of rear, scan by Manuel García Jara |
 CBS ALD 8124 (South Africa) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara |
 CBS ALD 8124 (South Africa) - Side 2 scan by Manuel García Jara |
"John Wesley Harding" - mono vinyl LP, CBS CL 4128 (Colombia), 1968:
 CBS CL 4128 (Colombia) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
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 CBS CL 4128 (Colombia) - Side 1 scan by Hans Seegers (promo release) |
 CBS CL 4128 (Colombia) - Side 2 scan by Hans Seegers (promo release) |
 CBS CL 4128 (Colombia) - Side 1 scan by Hans Seegers (commercial release) |
 CBS CL 4128 (Colombia) - Side 2 scan by Hans Seegers (commercial release) |
This rare album has a standard front sleeve with Spanish sleeve notes on the rear. These are a short biography of Bob, not a translation of the English sleeve notes. They end: "Se le ha preguntado un million de veces a Bob la causa de su popularidad. El contesta: 'No tengo idea; es la verdad y yo siempre digo la verdad.'" A rough translation is: "Bob's been asked a million times why he's so popular. He says: 'I have no idea. It's the truth and I always tell the truth.'" Sergio Mariano Romay says the text has wrong data and does not follow a chronological line with the facts related. Hans Seegers says "The sleeve quality is poor and fragile, they used a cheap kind of card, folded it and glued a front insert on it. The rear is rough and fragile."
The front sleeve has the mono number only, but the rear sleeve also has the stereo catalogue number "CLS 4128". The promo release has white CBS labels, and the commercial release has orange labels. I don't know if this is a unique mono mix or a reduction from stereo. The spine text reads: “CLS 4128 BOB DYLAN – JOHN WESLEY HARDING CBS, S.A. Logo CBS CL 4128”. The sleeve was printed in Colombia by Intergráficas Ltda. The record of Sergio Mariano Romay's copy has matrix numbers: Side 1 - XLP-135309-1C BM (faintly) - all text handwritten, Side 2 - XLP135310-1D (stamped) P1 (faintly handwritten).
Thanks to Bob Paxon for initial information and to Hans Seegers and Sergio Mariano Romay for further information and scans.
"Bob Dylan: The Original Mono Recordings" - 9LP set in 12" box, Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 88697761051 (USA), 21 Dec 2010; Columbia/Legacy/Music On Vinyl MOVLP 239-246 (NL), 7 Dec 2010:
For full details see The Original Mono Recordings 2010.
Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 88697761051 (USA):
Thanks to "Isis" Newsletter 153½ for information about the vinyl box set - this was remixed by a different engineer from the CD set below and the sound is noticeably warmer. The records were mastered at Sterling Sound, Edgewater, NJ.
The eight albums (9 LPs) have sleeves reproducing the original Columbia US mono sleeves. The records have labels reproducing original Columbia US 1960s first issue mono records labels.
Columbia/Legacy/Music On Vinyl MOVLP 239-246 (NL), 7 Dec 2010:
 Columbia/Legacy/Music On Vinyl MOVLP 239-246 (NL) - vinyl LPs photo by Andreas Volkert |
This album was sold in Europe by the Dutch company Music On Vinyl as MOVLP 246 as part of the European set. The copy shown has a gold Music On Vinyl sticker on the front sleeve and a white sticker with a barcode on the rear sleeve at bottom right. The record in the Dutch release is the same as that in the 2010 US release, see above. |
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 Columbia/Music On Vinyl MOVLP 246 (NL for Europe) - front with sticker, scan by Ronald Born |
 Columbia/Music On Vinyl MOVLP 246 (NL for Europe) - front sticker photo by William Henry Prince |
 Columbia/Music On Vinyl MOVLP 246 (NL for Europe) - rear scan by Ronald Born |
 Columbia/Music On Vinyl MOVLP 246 (NL for Europe) - detail of rear with sticker, scan by Ronald Born |
 Columbia/Music On Vinyl MOVLP 246 (NL for Europe) - Side 1 scan by Ronald Born |
 Columbia/Music On Vinyl MOVLP 246 (NL for Europe) - Side 2 scan by Ronald Born |
Thanks to Gerd Rundel, Manuel García Jara, Ronald Born, William Henry Prince and Andreas Volkert for information and pictures.
"John Wesley Harding" - mono vinyl release, Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 889854516918 (Europe), Nov 2017:
 Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 889854516918 (Europe) - front picture from Éamonn Ó Catháin |
This 2017 release has the same record as the 2010 Music On Vinyl release MOVLP 246, see above. Even though the record is in mono, it now inexplicably has stereo labels (dated 2017)! The 2010 MOV sleeves were printed in the USA and reproduce the original mono sleeve. The 2017 Legacy sleeves were printed in the EU and are stereo sleeves with the stereo catalogue number on the front and minus the stereo and mono numbers on the rear. The barcode on the rear sleeve is printed, not a sticker as it was in 2010. |
 Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 889854516918 (Europe) - rear picture from Éamonn Ó Catháin |
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 Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 889854516918 (Europe) - Side 2 with incorrect "STEREO" label, picture from Éamonn Ó Catháin |
Thanks to Éamonn Ó Catháin for information and pictures.
CD Releases
"Bob Dylan: The Original Mono Recordings" - 9CD set in 5" box, Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 88697761042 (USA/Europe), 19 Oct 2010; Sony Music SICP 2951-59 (Japan), 10 Nov 2010:
For full details see The Original Mono Recordings 2010.
Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 88697761042 (USA/Europe), 19 Oct 2010:
 Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 88697761042 (Europe) - front of outer box with sticker (my copy) |
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 Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 88697761042-8/CL 2804 (Europe) - CD |
 Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 88697761042-8/CL 2804 (Europe) - detail of CD |
This set of Bob's first eight albums in the original mono mixes comes in a cutaway card box inside an outer box. The CD albums are in thick card sleeves reproducing the original mono album artwork, in this case Columbia CL 2804. The CD comes in a plain inner sleeve and its design is based on the original Columbia design (see above).
Sony Music SICP 2951-59 (Japan), 10 Nov 2010:
 Sony Music SICP 2951-59 (Japan) - front of box with obi and sticker, scan by Anthony Perry |
Thanks to Sonny Boy McFitzson for information about the Japanese release, Sony Music SICP 2151-59. It has a wrap-around obi with price ¥18,900 (¥18,000 plus sales tax). This has been reduced from the originally announced price of ¥25,000! As the original mono albums were never released in Japan, each has a light blue top obi based on those of the original stereo releases. |
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 Sony Music SICP 2959 (Japan) - obi scan by Anthony Perry |
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 Sony Music SICP 2959 (Japan) - booklet front scan by Anthony Perry |
 Sony Music SICP 2959 (Japan) - CD scan by Anthony Perry |
The Japanese CD also comes in a plain inner sleeve with a Japanese language booklet and three inserts: the original 1965 US sticker promoting "Like A Rolling Stone" (see above); a second sticker promoting the limited edition print (also see above), and the reproduction of the limited edition print.
Thanks to Éamonn Ó Catháin for information that this album can be downloaded in MP3 format from Play.com in the UK for £6.99 or £0.89 per track. For full details of the set, see here.
Thanks to Anthony Perry for scans of the Japanese album.
"The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" - mono hybrid SA-CD release, Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab UDSACD 2183 (USA), Oct 2016:
 Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab UDSACD 2183 (USA) - front of card sleeve with sticker, scan by Gerd Rundel |
Thanks to Éamonn Ó Catháin for information about this mono hybrid SA-CD release from the US audiophile company Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab. It comes in a limited edition of 3000 and a folded card sleeve. There was a simultaneous release on hybrid SA-CD and vinyl of seven Dylan mono albums excluding Blonde On Blonde. Because Highway 16 Revisited is "2182" and John Wesley Harding is "2183", it would appear there was never any intention to release a mono hybrid SA-CD release of Blonde On Blonde. This hybrid SA-CD mono release of this album is the first time the mono version has been remastered in audiophile quality. It is therefore also listed in 2016. The disc was made in Austria. |
 Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab UDSACD 2183 (USA) - front sticker scan by Gerd Rundel |
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 Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab UDSACD 2183 (USA) - rear of card sleeve with Italian "SIAE" sticker, scan by Gerd Rundel |
 Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab UDSACD 2183 (USA) - outside of unfolded card sleeve, scan by André Wilbers |
 Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab UDSACD 2183 (USA) - inside of unfolded card sleeve, scan by André Wilbers |
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Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab UDSACD 2183 (USA) - detail
of rear
of card sleeve, scan by Gerd Rundel
Gerd Rundel's copy was sold in Italy and therefore comes with an "SIAE" sticker on the rear. The limited edition number at bottom left of the rear of both copies shown is obscured.
For the Mobile Fidelity 2015 stereo SA-CD release, see International Album Releases (Regular).
Thanks to André Wilbers and Gerd Rundel for information and scans.
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John Wesley Harding (1968) |
 Nashville Skyline (1969) |
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