All flag images from the World Flag Database
- used with thanksIndex of International Releases by Country
All flag images from the World Flag Database
- used with thanks
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This page is at the moment still a work in progress! Its purpose is to include country-specific information that would otherwise have to be repeated on many album and singles pages, and also highlight unusual country releases such as for Algeria and Angola, where only one Dylan release has so far been identified. Countries like the USA, Canada, the UK and many European countries have released every Dylan album, so for those countries I shall just list exclusive releases. The number of countries where Sony Music manufactures albums is now greatly reduced, for example all European CDs were sourced for many years from Austria, not pressed locally anymore as vinyl used to be. (They now seem to be manufactured in Germany.) The resurgence of vinyl means that records are now sourced from France (MPO), Holland (Music On Vinyl) and also Germany.
NORTH AMERICA
USA
 Original US Columbia with "Magic Notes" logo |
Manuel
García Jara
says: "In the
beginning there was only one Columbia: the US Columbia Records. Its logo was
the "Magic Notes" logo - labels like this, with "Viva-Tonal", were used again
for recent records by Bob. In 1931, the British Columbia Graphophone
Company (itself originally a subsidiary of American Columbia Records, then
to become independent, actually went on to purchase its former parent,
American Columbia, in late 1929) merged with the Gramophone Company to form
Electric & Musical Industries Ltd. (EMI). EMI was forced to sell its
American Columbia operations, because of anti-trust concerns. After this
date there were two Columbias: one the UK Columbia with the original "Magic
Notes" logo, property of EMI; and the US Columbia with a new logo, the
"walking eye" (see below); the US Columbia then created CBS for records
released
outside the USA and Canada." As Manuel says below, this became even
more complicated in the late 1950s when RCA bought Discos Columbia S.A. of
San Sebastian
in Spain from EMI.
This third Columbia remained separate after 1991 when Sony Music bought the
Columbia name from EMI, so Sony had to release records in Spain using the
CBS/Sony name in the 1990s. Sony Music bought the rights to the Spanish
Columbia name from BMG (successors to RCA) in 1996-97. 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. During the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s many Columbia US albums were exported to Europe and elsewhere but had to have all instances of "Columbia" covered over and replaced by "CBS" for copyright reasons. For examples of these export albums see below. |
 1960s UK Columbia with "Magic Notes" logo |
 Discos Columbia S.A., Spain |
 1990s Worldwide Columbia with "Magic Notes" logo |
Matrix Numbers:
Gerd Rundel found the following information re Columbia US first pressings at the Analog Planet web-site from former Columbia engineer Phil Brown: "Columbia Records would often cut six (or more) lacquers at the same time for high demand records. Multiple lacquers would be cut and sent to various pressing plants so that they could have more than one plant pressing the records at the same time. Columbia used XSM, MAL, XLP, and consecutive numbers for each side, or PAL and PBL prefixes for sides 1 and 2 of their albums. The coding of the lacquers with letters allowed the lacquers to be assigned to different pressing plants. A and B suffixes for the Santa Maria, CA, pressing plant, C and D for Terra Haute, IN, and E and F for Pitman, NJ. Six (or more) sets of lacquers were usually cut for any big-name artist, so the very first mastering would be 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, and 1F. This changed over the years (pressing plants opened or closed), so A and E lacquers were known to be sent to the Terra Haute, IN, pressing plant, B and D lacquers to the Pitman, NJ, pressing plant, C lacquers were sent to the Santa Maria, CA, pressing plant, and G and H were sent to the Carrollton, GA, plant. Thus a record with a 1A in the matrix could easily have been pressed at the same time as a record with a 1H in the matrix. They were just pressed at different pressing plants. Letters M and N were brought into use in the 1980s." There are so many matrix number variations amongst 1960s US Dylan albums that it is impossible for every combination to be listed on the mono and stereo album pages!
Sleeve Construction:
US and Canadian album sleeves (called "jackets" in the USA) were usually much heavier than European sleeves because they were made of thick buff card with the album artwork printed on a white sheet of paper called a slick and pasted on to the sleeve. Re US and Canadian mono and stereo vinyl releases, Robert Kornovich says "I was recently looking through my collection of Dylan records from the 1960s, specifically US and Canadian pressings, and noticed that the front sleeve slicks are exactly the same for the stereo and mono pressings. It appears that when pasting on a stereo cover slick, they made sure that the stereo markings at the very top are visible on the front by wrapping the excess at the bottom of the slick around to the back of the cover. For the mono album they pasted the slick so that the very top with the stereo markings wraps around to the other side of the cover and is eventually covered up when the back slick is pasted on. I had a few mono copies of Freewheelin' and Highway 61 Revisited that are in rather poor shape, so I peeled the slicks off of the back to confirm that the stereo markings are there, wrapped around to the other side. Some of my better mono copies have the stereo markings slightly visible through the back slick. This appears to be the case for all albums prior to Blonde On Blonde, and was no longer the case for any pressings done after the early 1970s."
Columbia US Catalogue number prefixes:
AS - 12" promotional issue (1975-1984)
ASQ - quadraphonic promotional issue
C [with barcode on cover] - $5.98 list price (1983 onwards)
CS - 1962 to early 1970s
FC - $8.98 list price (1978-1989)
HC - Columbia Records Master Sound issue (1981-1982)
JC - $7.98 list price (1973-1982), $8.98 list price (1983-?)
KC - 1973
KCS - early to mid 1970s
OC - $10.98 list price (1986-1989)
PC [with no barcode on cover] - $6.98 list price (1973-1980)
PC [with barcode on cover] - $5.98 list price (1980-1989)
PCQ - quadraphonic issue
QC - $8.98 list price (1983-1986)
TC - $8.98 (1981-1983) later used for cassettes
Printer and label identification:
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Thanks to Tim Norford for information about the numbers printed at bottom right of the rear sleeves of 1960s Columbia US albums. Tim says: "If you have Bruce Spizer's book on Beatles' Capitol albums, you will notice that they used different printers and sleeve fabricators to produce original-issue LP jackets (later eliminated by the 1970s). |
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 Modern Album, Terre Haute, IN ("8") |
 Modern Album, Terre Haute, IN ("1") |
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 Modern Album, Terre Haute, IN ("5") |
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 Columbia, Santa Maria, CA (thin "S") |
 Columbia, Santa Maria, CA (blocky "S") |
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Based on the Spizer book, then:
"2" indicated that the jacket was fabricated by Imperial Paper Box Corp. of Brooklyn, NY;
"4" indicated that Imperial Packing Co., Inc. of Indianapolis, IN, fabricated that particular sleeve, and
"8" was by Modern Album Finishing Co., probably at Terre Haute, IN. (Modern Album also had record jacket fabricating plants in New York, Los Angeles, CA, Newark, NJ, and Nashville, TN.)
In cases of reissues, Columbia would substitute their own pressing plant symbols for the various numbers from the different sleeve fabricators they used in the past. Imperial Paper sleeves were even-numbered (2, 4, 6, 8) whilst Modern Album-fabricated sleeves were odd numbered (1, 3, 5, 7, 9).
By the late 1960s Columbia began fabricating their own sleeves, with a heart symbol for Pitman, NJ; "A" for Terre Haute; "S" (whether straight or big blocky bold) for Santa Maria, CA." (Some 1970s sleeves also have what looks like a "B", I do not yet know where these were made. If it's actually an "8", they're renumbered sleeves originally printed by Imperial Paper.)
Label styles:
 Terre Haute, IN |
These are the four Columbia US "6 eye" stereo record label variants for Bob Dylan with sources identified by the Spizer book. |
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 Hollywood, CA (with Bert-Co typesetting) |
CD information:
The "DIDP" number (Digital Identification Popular) is a code used by Sony DADC (Digital Audio Disc Corporation) on CDs pressed in Terre Haute, IN, or one of their other CD plants in the USA, from 1983 onwards (Classical CDs had "DIDC"). If it's not present on a US Columbia CD, that probably means that it was either manufactured by Sony in Japan, or at another US CD pressing plant under contract from Columbia.
Columbia Record Club (USA):
Manuel García Jara says: "Columbia Record Club was formed in Aug 1955 by Columbia Records as an experiment to market music directly by mail, spurring sales to rural consumers. This club offered to subscribers standard and exclusive releases in LP and in 7" formats. LPs often had picture sleeves but sometimes they came in generic sleeves. Labels had different designs through the years. Some of them include Dylan tracks (e.g. 80 Biggest Hits By The Stars Who Made Them Famous, Disco Teen '65 or Disco Teen '66). From 1968, LPs of Columbia Record Club had a new design with the text "A Columbia Musical Treasury", but there were no albums with Dylan tracks.
Until 1965, singles and EPs released by this club were exclusive records, very collectable and beautifully packed: see scans of a 2-EP set released in 1964 with the text "Columbia Record Club - Terre Haute, Indiana". In the period 1965-1966, were released also commercial standard items, but they had exclusive sleeves with the text "Another great single from the Columbia Record Club". Apart from "Like A Rolling Stone", I've got also editions of "Positively 4th Street" and "Rainy Day Women" with these sleeves. From 1967 until 1974, Columbia Record Club released again only exclusive singles & EPs; from 1967 until 1971, in the "The Super Set" series with no Dylan contents, and from 1972 until 1974, in the "Playback" series including inserts with a feedback system. There were two variants of sleeves and design of record labels: in 1972, the sleeve has seven occurrences of "Playback" on front and seven or six on rear, and labels are yellow: there is only one EP with Dylan content; in the period 1973-74 there was a new design of sleeve and of labels."
The growth of the record club lead to the formation of CBS Direct Marketing Services in 1966, under which Columbia Record Club operated until 1971 when CBS Direct Marketing Services was renamed Columbia House. Columbia Record Club continued to operate as a branch of Columbia House until gradually being phased out, and by the late 1970s was completely absorbed into Columbia House and ceased to exist.
US Pressing Plant Codes:
Pressing plant codes used for Warner, Elektra, Atlantic and Asylum records:
AR: Allied Record Company. Los Angeles, California
BW: Bestway Plastics. Mountainside, New Jersey
CP: Columbia Records. Pitman. New Jersey
CSM: Columbia Records. Santa María, California
CT or CTH: Columbia Records. Terre Haute, Indiana
LY: Shelly Products. Huntington Station, New York
MO or MON: Monarch Records. Los Angeles, California
PL: Plastic Products, Memphis, Tennessee
PR: Presswell Records Company. Ancora, New Jersey
RCAH: RCA Records. Hollywood, California
RCAI: RCA Records. Indianapolis, Indiana
RI: Philips Recording Co. Richmond, Indiana
SP: Specialty Records Corp. Olyphant, Pennsylvania.
AFRTS releases:
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 AFRTS RL 31-2/P-13093 (USA) - Side 1 scan by Lars M. Banke |
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 AFRTS RL 4-7/P-16541 (USA) - Side 1 scan by Gerd Rundel |
 AFRTS RL 21-9/P-18371 (USA) - Side 1 scan by Lars M. Banke |
 AFRTS RL 39-9/P-18647 (USA) - Side 1 scan by Lars M. Banke |
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 AFRTS RL 25-6/P-23640 (USA) - Side 2 scan by François Guillez |
These very rare radio station LPs from the United States Armed Forces Radio & Television Service (AFRTS) usually have a selection of songs from a Bob Dylan album on one side, and songs by another artist on the other, although there are some Various Artists albums. I have details of albums so far from 1969 to 1986. The Concert For Bangladesh [George Harrison & Guests], Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II, Tribute To Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan At Budokan have songs from the same multi-LP set on both sides. The albums came in buff AFRTS or plain sleeves.
This list of AFRTS albums with Dylan tracks may not be complete.
RL 47-9/TP-339 Various Artists compilation with I Threw It All Away from Nashville Skyline (1969)
RL 3-1/P-12045-46 Bob Dylan - Self Portrait/Johnny Rivers - Slim Slo Slider (1970)
RL 21-1/P-12291-92 Bob Dylan - New Morning/Tim Buckley - Starsailor (1970)
RL 28-2/P-13053-54 George Harrison & Friends - The Concert For Bangladesh (1972)
RL 31-2/P-13093-94 Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II/Cat Stevens - Very Young And Early Songs (1972)
RL 9-4/P-14123-24 Bob Dylan - Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid/Various Artists - Oklahoma Crude OST (1973)
RL 28-4/P-14359-60 Bob Dylan - Dylan/Rory Gallagher - Tattoo (1973)
RL 34-4/P-14435-36 Bob Dylan/The Band - Planet Waves/Joni Mitchell - Court And Spark (1974)
RL 29-4/P-14495-96 Aretha Franklin - Let Me In Your Life/Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II (1974)
RL 34-5/P-15107-08 Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks/David Gates - Never Let Her Go (1975)
RL 5-76/P-15787-88 Bob Dylan - Desire/Chris Squire - Fish Out Of Water (1976)
RL 41-6/P-16315-16 Bob Dylan - Hard Rain/Bryan Ferry - Let's Stick Together (1976)
RL 4-7/P-16541-42 Various Artists - Tribute To Woody Guthrie (1976)
RL 21-9/P-18371-72 Bob Dylan At Budokan (1978)
RL 39-9/P-18647-48 Bob Dylan - Slow Train Coming/Van
Morrison - Into The Music (1979)
This is the second AFRTS album with tracks from
Slow Train Coming
- P-18626 (probably a Various Artists compilation) included Gotta Serve
Somebody, scans required!
RL 38-1/P-20159-60 Bob Dylan - Shot Of Love/Art Garfunkel - Scissors Cut (1981)
RL 25-6/P-23639-40 Bachman
Turner Overdrive - Live! Live! Live!/Various
Artists - Band Of The Hand Motion Picture Soundtrack
(1986)
Side 2 has Bob with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers on the film's title track.
Stickers etc. used on Front Sleeves of Export Copies:
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During the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s many Columbia US
albums were exported to Europe and elsewhere but had to have all instances of
"Columbia" covered over and replaced by "CBS" for copyright reasons. As can be seen, there is a very wide variation in the stickers used to cover "Columbia" on the fronts of export copies, as well as just erasing the name with marker pen. Because of all these different methods used to cover up "Columbia" and replace it with "CBS" or just cross it out, it does not seem that these import copies were coordinated, but that different importers used their own stickers or markings independently of one another. |
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 Columbia KCS 9189 (USA for export) - front "CBS" sticker scan by Lars M. Banke |
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 Columbia PC 32747 (USA for export) - detail of front, scan by Gerd Rundel ("Columbia" name obscured in black) |
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 Columbia PC 8993 (USA for export) - detail of front with "Columbia" obscured, scan by Lars M. Banke |
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 Columbia PC 9463 (USA for export) - front "CBS" sticker scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia PC 9604 (USA for export) - front "SKIV GROSSISTEN" sticker scan by Lars M. Banke (late 1970s/early 1980s release) |
 CBS KCS 9825 (USA for Denmark) - detail of front with silver foil "CBS" sticker, scan by Lars M. Banke |
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 Columbia PC 33893 (USA for export) - front "CBS" sticker scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia PC 33893 (USA for export) - front "CBS" sticker scan by Lars M. Banke |
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 Columbia PC 33893 (USA for export) - front/spine sticker scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia PCQ 33893 (USA for export to UK) - detail of front with "Columbia" covered by "MECOLICO" sticker, scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia CQ 32872 (USA for export) - detail of front with yellow "CBS" sticker, scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia CQ 32872 (USA for export) - detail of front with yellow "CBS" sticker over spine, scan by Lars M. Banke |
Stickers etc. used on Rear Sleeves of Export Copies:
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As can be seen, there is again a very wide variation in the stickers used to cover "Columbia" on the rear of export copies, as well as just erasing the name with marker pen. Most rear sleeves had all instances of "Columbia" covered over with stickers or erased, but examples can be found where one or more instances have been missed. |
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 Columbia PC 8579 (USA for export) - detail of rear, scan by Lars M. Banke ("Columbia" name obscured in black) |
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 Columbia KCS 9189 (USA for export) - rear "CBS" sticker scan by Lars M. Banke |
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 Columbia KCS/JC 8786 (USA for export) - detail of rear, scan by Lars M. Banke (Columbia logo completely blacked out) |
 Columbia C2S 841 (USA for export) - detail of inside of gatefold sleeve with "Columbia" obscured, scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia PC 9463 (USA for export) - rear "CBS" sticker scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia JC 9463 (USA for export) - detail of rear with black circular sticker, scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia PC 9604 (USA for export) - rear "SKIV GROSSISTEN" sticker scan by Lars M. Banke (late 1970s/early 1980s release) |
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 CBS KCS 9825 (USA for Denmark) - detail of rear with "FONA" sticker, scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia PC 9825 (USA for Sweden) - rear gold sticker scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia C2X 30050 (USA) - detail of rear with yellow sticker, scan by Lars M. Banke (1971 release) |
 Columbia PC 33893 (USA for export) - rear/spine sticker scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia PC 33893 (USA for export) - rear/spine sticker scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia CQ 32872 (USA for export) - detail of rear with yellow "CBS" sticker over spine, scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia JC 35453 (USA for export) - detail of rear with Swedish "SKIV GROSSISTEN" sticker, scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia TC 37496 (USA for export to UK) - rear sticker scan by Lars M. Banke |
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 Columbia PC 37496 (USA for export to West Germany) - detail of rear with "Sounds-Express" sticker, scan by Sergio Mariano Romay |
 Columbia PC 37496 (USA for export to West Germany) - detail of rear with sticker over spine, scan by Sergio Mariano Romay |
 Columbia PC 37496 (USA for export to West Germany) - detail of spine with sticker, scan by Sergio Mariano Romay |
Columbia CL 1986
(USA for export) - detail of rear with three instances of "Columbia"
whitened out, faded blue address stamp and "6" on right, scan by Gerd Rundel
Columbia PC 8579 (USA for export) -
detail of rear, scan by Lars M. Banke ("Columbia" name obscured twice)
Columbia KCS/JC 8786 (USA for export) -
detail of rear, scan by Lars M. Banke (two instances of
Columbia names blacked out)
Columbia CL 2328 (USA for export) - detail of rear
with two instances of "Columbia" covered with "CBS" stickers, scan by Gerd
Rundel
Columbia PC 32747
(USA for export) - detail of rear with "Columbia" obscured by
two "CBS" stickers, scan by Gerd
Rundel
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On some early 1960s US copies with Columbia inner sleeves the Columbia name on the inner sleeve was even pasted over with "CBS" stickers! |
 Columbia CL 1986 (USA for export) - detail of inner sleeve, photo by Rob Rioux ("CBS" stickers) |
Stickers etc. used on Record Labels of Export Copies:
 Columbia CL 1986 (USA for export) - Side 1 scan by Gerd Rundel (shaped grey sticker with four "CBS" logos) |
As well as a wide variety of printed stickers used to cover "Columbia" on the labels of export copies, the ring of "Columbia" logos on 1970s labels was frequently covered up with plain ring-shaped stickers in a variety of colours. Here again some labels just had this ring covered up inexpertly with marker pen. Gerd Rundel has found a "CS 8905" copy on eBay with white ring-shaped stickers with three "C.B.S." logos. This was sold in Switzerland. Peter Rice has a US copy of Hard Rain bought in Glasgow, Scotland, at the time of release in 1976 with six yellow stickers covering the ring of "Columbia" logos on the labels. As far as I can tell "Columbia" is not obscured on the record sleeve. |
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 Columbia/CBS CL 2105 (USA for export) - Side 1 with shaped red sticker with three "CBS" logos and "GUARANTEED HIGH FIDELITY", scan by Lars M. Banke |
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 Columbia KCS 9189 (USA for export) - Side 1 with black ring-shaped sticker with eight "CBS" logos, scan by Lars M. Banke |
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 Columbia CS 9189 (USA for export) - Side 1 with red "CBS" sticker, scan by Lars M. Banke |
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 Columbia C2S 841 (USA for export) - Side 1 with white ring-shaped "C.B.S." sticker covering Columbia logos, scan by Gerd Rundel |
 Columbia C2S 841 (USA for export) - Side 1 with white ring-shaped Swedish "Akademibokhandel" sticker covering Columbia logos, scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia C2S 841 (USA) - late 1970s copy for sale in the UK with gold ring-shaped sticker hiding Columbia on labels, photo by Charlie Pritchard |
 Columbia C2S 841 (USA for export) - Side 3 with blue sticker, scan by Lars M. Banke (sticker has been removed from Side 1) |
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 Columbia PC 9604 (USA for export) - Side 1 with Swedish "SKIVGROSSISTEN" ring-shaped sticker, scan by Lars M. Banke (late 1970s/early 1980s release) |
 Columbia C2 33682 (USA for export) - Side 1 with three white stickers, scan by Tim Norford |
 Columbia C2 33682 (USA for export) - Side 1 with three purple CBS stickers, scan by Gerd Rundel |
 Columbia C2 33682 (USA for export) - Side 1 with three yellow CBS stickers, scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia PC 33893 (USA for export) - Side 1 with red/black stickers, scan by Gerd Rundel |
 Columbia PC 33893 (USA for export) - Side 1 with silver stickers, photo from Vinyl Garage Japan |
 Columbia PCQ 33893 (USA for export) - Side 1 with plain white ring-shaped sticker and marker pen, scan by Lars M. Banke |
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 Columbia FC 36553 (USA for export) - Side 1 with white ring-shaped sticker, scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia TC 37496 (USA for export) - Side 1 with "Columbia" logos obscured with red "CBS" ring-shaped sticker, scan by Gerd Rundel |
 Columbia PC 37496 (USA for export) - Side 1 with West German orange ring-shaped "Sounds-Express" sticker covering "Columbia" logos, scan by Sergio Mariano Romay |
Columbia Inner Sleeves:
 Columbia (USA) - inner sleeve front scan by Gerd Rundel (1958) |
This collection is still incomplete. The two very early Columbia US inner sleeves were found with copies of 1962's Bob Dylan, although the 1958 sleeve is surely a mistake by a dealer. The striped grey or blue sleeves occur with copies of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan in 1963, and it appears that Columbia US used these or plain white sleeves until 1967, when the first reintroduced picture sleeve promoted the Columbia/CBS compilation The Rock Machine Turns You On. Up until 1974 Columbia US used picture sleeves with illustrations of contemporary albums, which helps date them closely. Of special note is the 1968 sleeve offering giant posters, including the Milton Glaser poster first enclosed with copies of the US version of Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits in 1967 Posters were again offered on two sleeves from 1970, the second also offering jigsaw puzzles of album sleeves. Between 1971 and 1974 the sleeves had a magazine-style format called "The Inner Sleeve", not just with illustrations of the highlighted albums, but also promotional text. |
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 Columbia CS 9128 (USA) - inner sleeve photo by Brett Sherris |
 Columbia CS 8579 (USA) - inner sleeve front, scan by Hans Seegers (1961) |
 Columbia CS 8579 (USA) - inner sleeve rear, scan by Gerd Rundel (1961) |
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 Columbia CL 2804/CS 9604 (USA) - inner sleeve rear scan by Gerd Rundel (1967) |
 Columbia (USA) - inner sleeve front scan by Lars M. Banke (1968) |
 Columbia (USA) - inner sleeve rear scan by Lars M. Banke (1968) |
 Columbia CS 9604 (Canada) - inner sleeve front, scan by Gerd Rundel (1968 release - printed in USA) |
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 Columbia (USA) - inner sleeve front scan by Gerd Rundel (1969) |
 Columbia (USA) - inner sleeve rear scan by Gerd Rundel (1969) |
 Columbia CS 8905 (USA) - inner sleeve front scan by Sergio Mariano Romay (1969) |
 Columbia CS 8905 (USA) - inner sleeve front scan by Sergio Mariano Romay (1969) |
 Columbia CS 8905 (USA) - inner sleeve front scan by Sergio Mariano Romay (1969) |
 Columbia CS 8905 (USA) - inner sleeve rear scan by Sergio Mariano Romay (1969) |
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 Columbia CS 8993 (USA) - inner sleeve rear scan by Gerd Rundel (1970) |
 Columbia CS 9604 (USA) - inner sleeve front scan by Nigel Harrison (1970) |
 Columbia CS 9604 (USA) - inner sleeve rear scan by Nigel Harrison (1970) |
 Columbia KCS 9825 (USA/Canada) - inner sleeve front scan by Gerd Rundel (1970) |
 Columbia KCS 9825 (USA/Canada) - inner sleeve rear scan by Gerd Rundel (1970) |
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 Columbia CS 8905 (USA) - inner sleeve rear scan by Gerd Rundel (1971) |
 Columbia C3X 31280 (USA) - inner sleeve front scan by Manuel García Jara (1973) |
 Columbia C3X 31280 (USA) - inner sleeve rear scan by Manuel García Jara (1973) |
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Fake Singles Sleeves:
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Like the unauthorised sleeves below
from Portugal and Mexico, the USA has its own fake sleeve sellers! One of
these sleeves was even listed (as a joke!) on bobdylan.com... The fake sleeve used for Columbia 4-43592 even has the EMI Columbia logo as then used in the UK at top right, not a genuine US Columbia logo! It also has "Pledding My Time" instead of Pledging my Time! These singles are listed in Questionable Releases (Official Dylan Singles). |
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 Columbia 4-43792 (USA) - B-side with fake sleeve, picture fr1om eBay |
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 Columbia JBS 44926 (USA) - front of fake sleeve, photo from eBay |
 Columbia AE7-1039 (USA) - front photo from eBay |
 Columbia 3-10851 (US promo) - A-side with fake sleeve picture from eBay |
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CD Manufacturing Codes
From Discogs.com:
DID_ codes are the numbers used by Sony's manufacturing company, Digital Audio Disc Corporation, to identify the master copies of CDs duplicated in their pressing plants. DADC has used a number of different DID_ code series over the years:
* DIDC - Classical recordings released on
Sony-affiliated record labels.
* DIDP - Popular (i.e. non-classical) recordings released
on Sony-affiliated record labels.
* DIDX - Recordings pressed by DADC released on non-Sony-affiliated
record labels.
* DIDY - Recordings pressed by the US division of DADC for the Columbia House
Record Club.
* DIDZ - Recordings released on WEA Japan. (This code was only used from 1983 to
1985.)
A DID_ code on a release doesn't necessarily mean that copy of the release was actually pressed by DADC. As more CD pressing plants opened around the world, the record labels would often have other manufacturers press later runs of releases originally manufactured by DADC, but wouldn't necessarily remove the DADC mastering code from the CD's packaging. In some cases the DIDX codes also appear in the matrix codes of CDs manufactured by other companies.
US Columbia Dylan CDs have "DIDP" codes. Six examples are shown below.
 Columbia CK 8905 (USA) - detail of CD, scan by Hans Seegers ("DIDP 071321") |
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CANADA before 1965 CANADA
after 1965
Columbia Records of Canada opened a pressing plant at Don Mills, Toronto, Ontario, in 1971, which operated until 1988. This means all Dylan records sold in Canada before 1971 were pressed in the USA. They have "PRINTED IN CAN." at the bottom of the record labels, but this can only refer to the labels themselves. The blank records must have been imported into Canada and then have had the Canadian labels affixed. Most Canadian sleeves usually are identical to US sleeves apart from having "LITHO IN CANADA" on the front or spine, with "PRINTED IN U.S.A." missing from the rear sleeve. Other Canadian sleeves have the printer name of Shorepak Canada.
Columbia Records of Canada Ltd. was renamed CBS Records Canada Ltd. in late 1976. This is reflected in the different text on Columbia album sleeves and record labels. Hard Rain was released by Columbia Records of Canada in Sep 1976, so Street-Legal must be the first Canadian Dylan album to be released by CBS Records Canada Ltd.
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Columbia PG 31120 (Canada) - detail of rear of gatefold sleeve, scan by
Gerd Rundel (early 1970s release - "COLUMBIA RECORDS OF CANADA LTD.",
Don Mills address)
Columbia PG 31120 (Canada) - detail of rear, scan by Lars M. Banke
(mid-1970s release - "CBS RECORDS CANADA LTD.", Don Mills address)
During the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s many Columbia Canada as well as Columbia US albums were exported to Europe and elsewhere but had to have all instances of "Columbia" covered over and replaced by "CBS" for copyright reasons.
Stickers etc. used on Front Sleeves of Export Copies:
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As with the US front sleeves, there is a wide variation in the stickers used to cover "Columbia" on the fronts (and spines) of Canadian export copies, as well as just erasing the name with marker pen. |
 Columbia KCS 8579 (Canada for export) - detail of front with Columbia name obscured, scan by Lars M. Banke |
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 Columbia KCS 8579 (Canada for export) - detail of front with blue sticker, scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia KCS 8905 (Canada for export) - detail of front with "COLUMBIA" obscured, scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia KCS 8905 (Canada for export to Sweden) - detail of front, scan by Lars M. Banke ("COLUMBIA" whitened out) |
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 Columbia KCS 9825 (Canada for export) - front gold sticker scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia KC 32460 (Canada for export) - detail of front, scan by Lars M. Banke (fourth export copy with gold sticker hiding spine text) |
 Columbia KC 32460 (Canada for export) - detail of front, scan by Lars M. Banke (gold sticker hiding Columbia logo) |
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 Columbia PC 32747 (Canada for export) - front/spine sticker scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia PC 32747 (Canada for export) - detail of front with "Columbia" obscured, scan by Lars M. Banke |
Stickers etc. used on Rear Sleeves of Export Copies:
 Columbia KCS 8579 (Canada for export) - detail of rear with two Columbia logos obscured, scan by Lars M. Banke |
As with the US rear sleeves, there is again a very wide variation in the stickers used to cover "Columbia" on the rear (and spines) of Canadian export copies, as well as just erasing the name with marker pen. Most rear sleeves had all instances of "Columbia" covered over with stickers or erased, but examples can be found where one or more instances have been missed. |
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 Columbia KCS 8579 (Canada for export) - detail of rear with gold sticker, scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia KCS 8579 (Canada for export) - detail of rear with Columbia" obscured, scan by Lars M. Banke |
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 Columbia KCS 8905 (Canada for export to Sweden) - detail of rear, scan by Lars M. Banke ("COLUMBIA" whitened out) |
 Columbia C2S 841 (Canada for export) - detail of inside of gatefold sleeve with Columbia name obscured, scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia PC 9463 (Canada for export) - detail of rear with Columbia logo obscured, scan by Lars M. Banke |
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 Columbia PC2 36067 (Canada) - detail of rear sleeve with sticker over "Columbia", scan by Patrick Helfrich |
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Columbia KCS 8579 (Canada for export) - detail of rear with two Columbia
names obscured, scan by Lars M. Banke
Columbia KCS 8905 (Canada for export) - detail of rear with "Columbia"
name obscured, scan by Lars M. Banke
Columbia XFC 36553 (Canada for export) - detail of rear, scan by Lars M.
Banke ("Columbia" covered with silver sticker)
Stickers etc. used on Record Labels of Export Copies:
 Columbia KCS 8579 (Canada for export) - Side 1 with white ring-shaped sticker obscuring Columbia logos, scan by Lars M. Banke |
Apart from the full label stickers used on the Canadian copy of Bob Dylan At Budokan shown, the ring of "Columbia" logos on 1970s Canadian labels was covered up with ring-shaped stickers in a variety of colours. Here again as with the US export copies some labels just had this ring covered up with marker pen or perhaps an inked rubber stamp. |
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 Columbia PC2 36067 (Canada) - Side 1 with full label sticker, scan by Patrick Helfrich |
EUROPE
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European releases were all on the CBS label until 1991, when Sony bought the use of the Columbia name outside North America from EMI for all countries except Spain, where the name was still owned by RCA until the mid-1990s. The new 1991 releases in Europe had Nice Price "Dylan Originals/30 Years on Columbia" stickers on the front. |
"LC|0149" was a Label Code issued by the IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) from the mid-1970s and represented CBS Records. "LC|0162", used after 1991, represents Columbia Records.
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A new Sony Music logo was introduced outside North America in 2009. The "apostrophe" logo on the left can be white or red, but "SONY MUSIC" is always in white. |
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UK
UK sleeves were usually made of designs printed on white card (thinner than the buff card used for North American sleeves). They came in four different designs:
Three rear folded-over flaps: the rear sleeve was a separate piece of card (usually not laminated while the front would be laminated); the front sleeve had three flaps which were folded over the rear and glued down. This is the earliest design.
Two rear folded-over flaps: the front and rear sleeve were the same piece of folded card with two flaps on the front that folded over the rear at top and bottom and were glued down. If the front was laminated and the back not, the line on the back where the lamination ended could look like a third flap.
Three rear folded-under flaps: the rear sleeve was a separate piece of card (again usually not laminated while the front would be laminated); the front sleeve had three flaps which were this time folded over and the rear sleeve was glued to it. I have only one example of this.
Two rear folded-under flaps: the front and rear sleeve were again the same piece of folded card with two folded-under flaps on the rear at top and bottom. This is the latest design used until vinyl was mostly phased out in the 1990s, and again today in the vinyl revival.
Manuel García Jara says: "Before 1962 Columbia records from the USA were released in the UK by Philips (who later became PolyGram, and are now part of Universal) on either the Philips or Fontana labels. CBS records were pressed by Philips from their launch as a separate label in 1962 and CBS didn't own pressing facilities until they bought Oriole Records in 1964. Oriole had its own pressing plants at Aston Clinton and Colnbrook*, kept busy by the weekly Embassy titles for Woolworths, well over half their output. Oriole had also released American Columbia hits in the UK in the early 1960s. The pressing plants made the company an attractive proposition, and US giant CBS was seeking its own pressing facility instead of relying on its partnership with Philips. Oriole came to an end in September 1964 when the company was bought up by CBS on 21 Sep 1964 and most of the catalogue ceased, but Oriole singles continued to be issued until November 1965. Oriole LPs were thicker than average, and all the early Motown LPs in Britain were on Oriole-American and collectability is enhanced by the heavy vinyl. CBS continued with both the Oriole Embassy and Realm labels for some years. CBS records were released in the UK up to 1991, when they became Columbia. Up until this time the UK Columbia record label was part of EMI, with no link to the US Columbia label, as it was everywhere in the world except North America." Ronald Born adds: "There's an easy way to identify Philips-made CBS LPs. The inner pressing ring is deeper and about 22mm while CBS pressings have a ring of about 32mm. Probably all Philips pressings have this upside down triangle as a part of the matrix numbers. Another Side of Bob Dylan was the last UK CBS LP (of any artist, not just Dylan) made by Philips first." Philips pressings exist for both Bringing It All Back Home and Highway 61 Revisited, but these were made to meet extra demand, not pressed by Philips first.
*Although Wikipedia and several other sources say that Oriole had a pressing plant at Colnbrook, other sources say that the Oriole premises there were just a distribution warehouse, with possibly some recording and editing facilities, but not a pressing plant.
Because of the huge variations in record labels from 1962 to the 1990s, the UK may be the most prolific country for Dylan releases, even including the USA with its much larger number of processing plants. For a detailed discussion of Dylan UK record label designs, see CBS UK Record Labels.
The CBS Records London address was 104 New Bond Street, London W1, from 1964 to 1967. Sleeves before 1967 didn't have a postal address. The company was then at 28/30 Theobalds Road, London WC1 (WC1X 8PB from early 1970) between 1967 and late 1973 - the inner sleeves from my original CBS UK copies of Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid (Jul 1973) and Dylan (Nov 1973) still have the Theobald Road address. Between 1974 and 1975 the address was CBS Records, 17/18 Soho Square, London W1B 5PD. Between 1975 and 1983 the address was CBS Records, 17/19 Soho Square, London W1V 6HE.
CBS catalogue number prefixes:
40- stereo cassette releases
42- stereo 8-track tape cartridge releases
CQ- SQ Quadraphonic releases
CAQ - Q8 Quadraphonic 8-track tape cartridge releases
Albums Exclusive to UK
 Greatest Hits (UK, 1967) |
The UK release of Greatest Hits had a different front sleeve picture (by Jerry Schatzberg from the Blonde On Blonde
sessions) and a different track list from the US version - Positively 4th
Street is missing (which means that every track here had previously appeared
on LP in the UK), but is replaced by She Belongs To Me. There are two additional tracks:
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue and One Of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later). Because of the 1967 differences the UK release More Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits was obliged to have a different tracklist from the US version Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II - Positively 4th Street replaced She Belongs To Me as the first track on disc 2. This was the first time Positively 4th Street had appeared on a UK album. On Side 4, It's All Over Now, Baby Blue, which had also appeared on the 1967 UK Greatest Hits album as one of the two extra tracks, was replaced as track 2 by New Morning. |
 More Bob Dylan Greatest Hits (UK, 1971) |
 S CBS 85178 (UK, 1981) - front with black lettering (my copy) |
The front sleeve of the UK release of Shot Of Love above right is immediately noticeable as different from the US album - the US album title is in white lettering, whereas the UK sleeve has the title in black as per a rejected front design. Hans Seegers informs me the UK was the only country in the world where this sleeve variation was used!
CBS UK Printers
 Bob Dylan - Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd. |
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 Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits - Shorewood Packaging Co. Ltd. |
 Nashville Skyline - the Upton Printing Group |
 Nashville Skyline - Quality Stationery Limited |
Many UK albums do not have printer's names on the rear sleeve, but CBS UK used at least six different named British printers at different times, sometimes more than one printer for the same album. In the 1970s some albums and singles had sleeves printed in the Netherlands.
CBS UK LP Inner Sleeves
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Original generic CBS UK LP inner sleeves from the 1960s and early 1970s promoted current albums by CBS artists at the time of printing and are therefore very interesting to collectors and can help date a release accurately. Examples of the various designs are shown here, including several "Inner Sleeve" magazine-style designs from around 1973. |
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 CBS UK inner sleeve rear scan by Ronald Born (1970 variant 4) |
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 CBS UK inner sleeve front (1972) |
 CBS S 66315 (UK) - inner sleeve front scan by Manuel García Jara (1972) |
 CBS S 66315 (UK) - inner sleeve rear scan by Manuel García Jara (1972) |
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 CBS UK inner sleeve front scan by Manuel García Jara (1973) |
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 CBS UK inner sleeve rear (1973) |
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 CBS UK "Nice Price" inner sleeve front scan by Gerd Rundel (1985) |
 CBS UK "Nice Price" inner sleeve rear scan by Gerd Rundel (1985) |
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CBS UK started using plain paper sleeves around 1974, so these informative printed sleeves were discontinued, although there are some examples from the 1980s when the "Nice Price" range was introduced for reissue LPs. Apart from Bob Dylan At Budokan, where the records had plain paper sleeves, UK Dylan albums from Street-Legal onwards through the 1980s to Oh Mercy had album-specific picture inner sleeves (not shown), after which plain paper sleeves were predominant.
CBS UK Fake 7" Single Sleeves
 CBS 201824 (UK) - fake front sleeve, picture from eBay |
Thanks to Manuel García Jara for finding these CBS UK singles with fake picture sleeves on eBay in Jun 2022. These sleeves are the same on both sides. The original UK singles came without picture sleeves. The records with these sleeves look genuine. |
 CBS 4434 (UK) - fake front sleeve, picture from eBay |
CBS UK Fake Acetates
 Most Of The Time - picture from eBay |
Thanks to Gerd Rundel for finding these three items on eBay in Jun/Jul 2022 which purport to be UK 12" acetates, each with two versions of songs from the Oh Mercy sessions. They have CBS Whitfield Street Studios labels with typed text and all come in CBS UK 12" single card sleeves. Arie de Reus has confirmed that these items are not genuine. Work-in-progress recordings from the Oh Mercy sessions were created only in the USA. The distinctive CBS UK 12" single sleeve is genuine but was never used for any UK Dylan 12" single releases, which is why it isn't listed on my Singles Sleeves page. |
 Shooting Star - picture from eBay |
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 Series Of Dreams in CBS 12" sleeve - picture from eBay |
These three discs belonged to a departed US collector who had in the past contributed to my web-site. Before his death he sold off most of his collection through Heritage Auctions, Dallas, TX, but there were some that Heritage wouldn't sell because they didn't think they were authentic. His son is now selling these on eBay and these are three of them. I have no doubt that the original owner bought them in good faith and believed them to be genuine. The seller claims they come from aborted first recording sessions for Oh Mercy in the UK with Ronnie Wood, but I haven't found any evidence such sessions ever took place.
PDO UK Discs and CD "Bronzing"
 CBS 655358 2 (UK) - 1989 5" CD single (my copy, "MADE IN U.K. BY PDO", but not affected) |
Thanks to Jim Siddy for pointing out that the 1990 Unbelievable UK 5" CD single (see International Singles: Singles & EPs 1990-1999) was not as expected made in Austria, but in the UK by PDO (Philips & Dupont Optical) at their plant in Blackburn, Lancashire. Like Jim's copy, my copy of the CD today is discoloured by an effect called "bronzing", which occurs mainly in discs made by PDO in Blackburn between 1988 and 1993 because of a fault in their manufacturing process. PDO manufactured mostly budget and classical CDs for a large number of record companies including Ace Records, Decca and Deutsche Grammophon. Other PDO plants worldwide were not affected. Bronzing can make the disc unplayable but my copy still plays perfectly (this is just as well because PDO, now called EDC, Entertainment Distribution Company, stopped replacing defective CDs in 2006). |
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 Columbia XPCD 308 (UK) - 1993 CD scan by Hans Seegers (also "MADE IN U.K. BY PDO", but possibly not affected) |
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My copy of the Jan 1990 Political World UK CD single also made by PDO seems unaffected, while my 1991 "Dylan Originals" promo CD single is very badly discoloured, although it again plays OK. The 1993 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration UK CD single was also made by PDO, but later UK CD singles from 1994 onwards came from Austria. For the 1989 CBS UK CD single of Everything Is Broken, also made by PDO, see International Singles: Singles & EPs 1987-89. This again appears not to be affected. For the 1990 Forever Young promo compilation CD, which is affected, see International Releases (Dylan-Only Compilations) 1990s. These six CDs seem to be the only unique to the UK Dylan CDs made by PDO between 1989 and 1993.
IRELAND
7" & 12" Singles
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These CBS singles were released in Ireland from 1969-71 and
then in 1978 and 1985. The 1973 Parlophone B-side from George Harrison may
have Bob playing harmonica. The Island single is the only Irish 7" single so
far listed from that record label. The 2001 Columbia promo CD single was also exclusive to Ireland. |
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 Island WIP 6188 (Ireland) - A-side scan by Manuel García Jara (1974) |
 S CBS 6499 (Ireland) - A-side scan by Hans Seegers (1978) |
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 Columbia BD001 (Ireland) - promo CD single scan by John Caruth (2001) |
Regular Dylan Albums:
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Planet Waves from 1974 is the only Irish Island album. From the late 1970s to the late 1980s CBS Dylan albums were released in Ireland in UK sleeves (not shown) with the records manufactured in Ireland. |
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 CBS 86003 (Ireland) - Side 1 scan by Gerd Rundel |
 CBS 86016 (Ireland) - Side 1 scan by Lars M. Banke |
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 CBS S 86067 (Ireland) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara (variant 2A) |
 CBS S 86067 (Ireland) - Side 1 scan by Lars M. Banke (variant 2B) |
 CBS 96004 (Ireland) - Side 1 scan by Gerd Rundel |
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 CBS 85178 (Ireland) - Side 1 scan by Éamonn Ó Catháin |
 CBS 25539 (Ireland) - Side 1 scan by Gerd Rundel (1983) |
 CBS 460727 1 (Ireland) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara (late 1980s) |
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 CBS 460267 1 (Ireland) - Side 1 scan by Hans Seegers (1988) |
 CBS 465800 1 (Ireland) - Side 1 scan by Gerd Rundel (1989) |
All the 1960s and early 1970s albums shown here are therefore re-releases. Albums with catalogue numbers CBS 32xxx date from after 1982. All the record labels have "Record mfd. in Ireland" below the song titles, but some have earlier variants that still have "MADE IN ENGLAND" at the bottom of the labels.
The Irish release of Nashville Skyline, CBS S 63601, probably from the late 1970s, just has "Girl Of The North" on the Side 1 label, omitting "Country"!
Other Albums
 Columbia 5147732 (Ireland) - front of set with sticker (2003) (my copy) |
These two compilations and the promo CD were also exclusive to Ireland. |
 EMI Music Ireland CDWOS 01 (Ireland) - front scan by Hans Seegers (2006) |
 Promo CD front scan by Éamonn Ó Catháin (2008) |
GERMAN FEDERAL REPUBLIC - WEST GERMANY (1949-1990)/GERMANY (1990 onwards)
 CBS SBPG 62022 (UK) - detail of front of 1965 release with German sticker, photo by Stefan Hollstein |
CBS Germany began to press Dylan albums in 1965, Bringing It All Back Home was the first one. To make sure that all Dylan albums were available in Germany, CBS imported copies of the first four albums from the UK with the sticker "STEREO auch mono abspielbar [STEREO also playable in mono]". Because German record companies stopped releasing mono LPs around mid-1964, CBS released only the Dylan stereo albums, with the same sticker. To keep up with that, the imported UK albums had to carry such a sticker as well. Similar stickers can be found on many LPs released by German companies throughout 1965-1966. |
 CBS West Germany 1966 inner sleeve front photo by Jesko Priess |
 CBS West Germany 1966 inner sleeve rear photo by Jesko Priess |
Shown on the right above is a CBS West Germany inner sleeve from 1966 with illustrations of eight current CBS albums on each side. At top right on the front is Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits, the unique compilation released in Holland in early 1966, and subsequently released in Germany. This sleeve was actually found with an early copy of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan from the UK!
The last West German CBS vinyl release was New Morning in 1970, although Asylum Records issued German releases of Planet Waves and Before The Flood in 1974. After 1970 all CBS releases sold in Germany, even those intended exclusively for the German market, were imported from Holland.
 CBS 4434 (West Germany) - fake front scan from eBay (rear is the same) |
Thanks to Sergio Romano Romay for finding a copy of the 1969 West German 7" single CBS 4434 for sale on eBay with a homemade sleeve. The sleeve, which is the same both sides, is actually very attractive, and has a contemporary colour photo of Bob. The record is official. |
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GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC - EAST GERMANY (1949-90)
The East German Intershop "hard currency" shops also sold Amiga-pressed releases of Bob Dylan At Budokan in Dutch sleeves but with record labels stating "MADE IN GERMANY". Infidels, Down In The Groove and Dylan And The Dead were also released in Dutch sleeves with East German pressed records, but the labels misleadingly say "MADE IN HOLLAND".
THE NETHERLANDS (HOLLAND)
 CBS S 62515 (NL) - front scan by Hans Seegers (stereo) |
The first Dylan album to be released in Holland,
Bringing It All Back Home was released in both stereo and mono with the
alternative title of what must have been considered at the time to be its
most marketable track, Subterranean Homesick Blues. The album was also released under this title in West Germany and Portugal. The first release of the album came in a open sleeve (plain white on the inside), which was folded into a clear hard plastic cover, approx 1cm (0.4") smaller than a standard 12" LP sleeve. The front is folded-over the back on three sides. (These covers were standard in Holland until 1966 for all CBS artists.) |
 CBS 62515 (NL) - front scan by Hans Seegers (mono) |
Blonde On Blonde was released in Holland as two separate LPs in stereo, and then no Dylan LPs were released there until 1967, when all the Dylan LPs from Bob Dylan onwards were released together in stereo. After John Wesley Harding in 1968, the twelve track UK version of Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits was released in Holland in 1969. After that Dutch vinyl releases were virtually the same as the UK until the early 1990s. Today all European Columbia/Sony Music vinyl releases are sourced from Holland.
 CBS 2360 (NL) - front of "art" sleeve with record, picture from eBay |
Thanks to Michel Pomarede for finding a Dutch copy of the Just Like A Woman/Obviously 5 Believers 7" mono single on eBay with a homemade "art" sleeve. |
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FRANCE
 CBS 62 193 (France) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
In 1965 and 1966 CBS France released five mono Dylan LPs, Bob Dylan and Another Side Of Bob Dylan were omitted. After that CBS albums sold in France were sourced from Holland, although these French mono albums continued to be released into the 1970s in a surprising number of variants, with sleeves from several different French printers. Three of the albums had gatefold sleeves, with the English lyrics and French commentaries. |
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 CBS 62515 (France) - front scan by Gerd Rundel |
 CBS 62515 (France) - inside of gatefold sleeve, scan by Gerd Rundel |
 CBS 62515 (France) - rear scan by Gerd Rundel |
 CBS 62.572 (France) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS 66012 (France) - outside of gatefold sleeve - scan by Chris Hirte |
 CBS 62.572 (France) - rear scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS 62.572 (France) - inside of gatefold sleeve, scan by Lars M. Banke |
 CBS 66012 (France) - inside gatefold sleeve scan by Chris Hirte |
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Although it has the regular outside gatefold sleeve, the French Blonde On Blonde has a new inside without any of the usual photos. All the other rear sleeves are different from the usual worldwide rear sleeves.
ITALY
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Italy continued releasing mono albums until as late as 1978, long after other countries had stopped releasing them. For this reason, Italian mono albums can be found with the new style orange/yellow record labels. Four of these scans are from Italian mono releases of The Times They Are A-Changin'. |
 CBS 62251 (Italy) - detail of Side 1, scan by Manuel García Jara (1970 release) |
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 CBS 62251 (Italy) - detail of Side 1, scan by Marco S from Italy (1978 release - "SUGAR" missing but text not realigned) |
The other detail scan, with "MADE IN ITALY BY CBS SUGAR S.p.A." in the circumference text, is from a stereo copy of Nashville Skyline.
The 1960s albums were made in Italy by CBS Italiana S.p.A. and distributed by Messaggerie Musicali, Milan. The sleeves were printed in Italy by Stampa Reparto Grafico C.G.D. CBS Italiana S.p.A was actually a subsidiary of Compagnia Generale Del Disco (C.G.D.), an Italian record company active between 1948 and 1988 founded by Teddy Reno, and acquired in 1959 by Sugar Music. In 1966 Sugar had a deal with CBS to distribute its catalogue in the Italian market, becoming CBS Sugar in 1970, which lasted until 1977.
Dylan Italian albums in the early 1970s were released by CBS Sugar, but by the late 1970s CBS had stopped using the Sugar name, even though "MADE IN ITALY BY CBS" on the record labels was still aligned as if "SUGAR" were present. Manuel García Jara says: CBS stopped releasing vinyl albums in Italy in the early 1980s, Real Live was probably the last Dylan vinyl album to be released in Italy. For this reason, Italian albums of the late 1980s with red CBS labels are very scarce and they were released only as parts of series, for example Blood On The Tracks from the series "Il Rock" (1988).
SPAIN
Although there are many variants of the Spanish language in every Spanish speaking country, the conventional spelling system of the language is identical for all these countries, ruled by the Academies of the Spanish Language present in all those countries, from Mexico to the Philippines. Some translations of Dylan song titles into Spanish, especially in Latin American countries, are very eccentric!
 RCA CD released by Discos Columbia, S.A., Spain |
Manuel García Jara says: "Apart from Columbia Records in the USA and Canada, and EMI-owned Columbia Records in most of the rest of the world, there was a third Columbia Records in Spain. The Spanish subsidiary of Columbia was Fábrica de Discos Columbia or just Discos Columbia. It was established here in 1935 in San Sebastián (Spanish Basque Country). Until the late 1950s it was the property of EMI, but then it was bought by RCA. In the early 1960s, RCA was the most important record company in Spain: apart from records released by RCA itself, it was the manufacturer and distributor of several companies like Warner, Decca, Deram, Roulette... This group had its own pressing plant, Fonogram, in Alcorcón (Madrid). Some Dylan records of Discophon-CBS and all Dylan albums of 1970 released by CBS itself were made in this pressing plant. In late 1970, Fonogram changed its name to COFASA (Columbia Fonogram Asociadas Sociedad Anónima). Many Dylan albums of the period 1971-72 were made there, but it's important to know that Fonogram and COFASA were different names of the same pressing plant. Although Discos Columbia was a different company from the UK Columbia, property of EMI, this Spanish label continued using not only the name "Columbia", but also the "magic note" logo! It was a source of legal disputes between EMI and RCA Spain, the owner of Discos Columbia. Discos Columbia S.A. of San Sebastian was an important record company in Spain: its biggest hit was the single "Black Is Black" of the Spanish band Los Bravos (The Braves), sung in English and recorded in UK (Jimmy Page, before Led Zeppelin, played guitar). In 1966 this single was #1 in many European countries and #2 in UK and in USA (released in both countries by Decca). Discos Columbia was active in Spain until 1993 and, to avoid problems, it was the reason why in Spain Dylan albums were released in the 90s by CBS/Sony, not by Columbia as in the rest of the world." |
 Detail of RCA CD released by Discos Columbia, S.A., Spain |
Manuel adds: "Next Christmas will be published in Spain a very interesting book titled "Historia de la música grabada en España" (History of Recorded Music In Spain). I received today an advance copy, because of a lot of records shown in this book were taken from my father's collection. I tried to translate some comments which could be interesting for your site:
About CBS-Spain:
"In the period 1970-76, the way of thinking of this company was "Spain is a
limited market because of the economy, so the editions must be also limited".
This way of thinking became a peculiar way of working: each album was
released again and again in a small quantity of copies (500 to 3000) instead of
important editions (more than 10.000) as other companies did (EMI, Warner...)
So, each CBS album of this period (with the address Calle Princesa) is a treasure for
collectors".
Manuel adds: "You can find three different CBS addresses on Spanish records: "Calle Princesa 1, Madrid-13" (from the establishment of CBS here in January of 1970 until March of 1976), "Avenida del Generalísimo 25, Madrid-16" (from March of 1976 until November of 1980) and "Paseo de la Castellana 93, Madrid-16" (from November of 1980 until the end of CBS in Spain, mid 1990s). The last address later changed from "Madrid-16" to "28046-Madrid after a postcode change). However, CBS only changed its address once, not twice! After the Spanish Civil War, many places lost their original names "in honour of" Franco and his generals: there were everywhere (from big cities to small villages) streets, squares, avenues, colleges, hospitals... with his name and all its variants (Caudillo or Generalísimo). The Paseo de la Castellana (north of Madrid) was one of the most important and longest avenues of Madrid: part of this avenue retained its original name, but another part lost it in 1930 and the name was changed to Avenida del Generalísimo. When CBS moved to brand new offices in 1976, they were in Avenida del Generalísimo. However, after Franco died, many places returned to their original names: so, the third CBS address of "Paseo de la Castellana!" does not mean a change of location, only a change of name of the same street!"
About Dylan records:
"CBS-Spain did an important effort publishing in this
period all his 19 albums (from Bob Dylan to Hard Rain), and most of them
were reissued an half-dozen of times. The rarest albums of this period are the
first copies (with orange labels) of Blood On The Tracks and The Basement
Tapes of which only 100 copies were issued".
These Spanish records (with "Made in Spain" instead of "Fabricado en España", with Dutch sleeve and without SGAE logo) are a mystery to me. I always thought that records like this were made in Holland for the Spanish market, but I have got now some doubts. I am not absolutely sure but I suspect these records never were sold in Spain. Last July I was on the International Record Fair of Madrid and I met some other Dylan Spanish collectors. Obviously, we have talked about Dylan records and nobody has seen records "Made In Spain" anywhere in Spain. They always found their copies on EBay and, curiously, sellers always were from Holland or Germany. My father bought this copy of Blonde On Blonde as new record, not used (an important detail), in Rotterdam (Holland) in September of 1972. He bought all his records "Made in Spain" in different locations of Holland, except a copy of The Basement Tapes, in an UK sleeve, bought in Leeds in 1976. I know a CBS commercial agent and to create more confusion he says these records were pressed in Spain (a proof: look the mistake "Bob Dylan con Johnny Cash" on Nashville Skyline labels) and jacketed in Holland to be sold out of Spain. He added that selling records in Spain without SGAE logo was forbidden by Spanish laws for Protection of Artistic Ownership. (Dylan records released by Discophon on the 60s have not SGAE logo because CBS was still not established in Spain.) CBS released five Dylan albums in Spain in 1970, in this order: 1- Greatest Hits, 2- Nashville Skyline, 3- Self Portrait, 4- John Wesley Harding & 5- New Morning. Albums #1, 2 & 3 were made by Fonogram; #4 & 5 by COFASA.
 CBS S 63601 (Spain for NL) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara ("MADE IN SPAIN") |
Since Manuel wrote the text above we've established that the records with "MADE IN SPAIN" in English on the labels were manufactured there for sale in Holland or even England. They could not be sold in Spain because they don't have the logo of the Spanish copyright organisation "SGAE" on the labels. The Spanish equivalents have the "SGAE" logo on the labels and "FABRICADO EN ESPAÑA", not "MADE IN SPAIN". |
 CBS S 88147 (Spain for UK) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara ("MADE IN SPAIN") |
Manuel adds: "The first Spanish editions of Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits, Nashville Skyline and Self Portrait were made by Fonogram, but the original editions of the rest of the albums, from Bob Dylan to Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits. Vol. II, were made by COFASA. According to J.B. Heinink, who worked at CBS at this time, the COFASA editions are the rarest and the best copies ever made in Spain: good pressing and excellent quality of sound: in the manufacturing process were used original matrices sent directly by Columbia from the USA.
The last Dylan album released by CBS itself in Spain was Under The Red Sky (1990). In 1991 CBS Spain became CBS/Sony and after early 1994 this company no longer manufactured vinyl. Records with red CBS/Sony labels are rare: they were made in limited quantities because most of people preferred to buy CDs. In this period (1991-1994) only four Dylan new albums were released by this company: The Bootleg Series Vol. 1-3 (1991), Good As I Been To You (1992), The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration (1993) and World Gone Wrong (1993). However, CBS/Sony also reissued all the previous Dylan albums from Bob Dylan to Under The Red Sky, except Biograph but including Planet Waves and Before The Flood. So, there are 40 Dylan Spanish albums with red CBS/Sony labels... plus two or even three different variants of several albums (black/white logo, sleeve variants)."
 Book cover scan by Manuel García Jara |
Manuel further adds: "As I told you, many Dylan albums were not released in the 60s in Spain for several reasons, but not for reasons of censorship. When CBS was established in Spain in 1970 and tried to release all those records, then there were problems with some tracks, but finally all albums were released while "The Generalísimo" was still alive. I have read an interesting and just published book titled "Veneno en dosis camufladas. La censura en los discos de pop-rock durante el franquismo" ("Poison in camouflaged doses. Censorship in pop-rock albums under Franco's regime") by Xavier Valiño, ed. Milenio). At last, came to light interesting documents, very important to know the history of Dylan discography in Spain. A record could be censored for four reasons: politic, religion, sex or drugs. Many albums never were released in Spain for these reasons. Others had to be modified, e.g. Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones: the cover was censored as obscene and the song "Sister Morphine" for reasons of drugs; the Spanish edition has a different cover and includes two unreleased tracks instead of "Sister Morphine"; obviously, this issue is wanted by collectors around the world." |
These are the Dylan albums that had problems with the censorship:
John Wesley Harding (Discophon edition, 1968) . All tracks were authorised, but "The Three Kings" text was censored as "obscene" (!). The rear sleeve of this rare mono edition has a biography in Spanish instead of Bob's liner notes. Surprisingly, two years later the censors authorised the original text and this album was reissued in 1970 with the "Three Kings" notes.
 Letter from Discos CBS Spain, 13 Dec 1971, re The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, scan by Manuel García Jara |
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1971): All tracks were authorised except "Masters Of War". Censors said this song was "subversive and violent". CBS argued in its defence (13 Dec 1971) that "Masters Of War" was "a song against war but not against morals or religion". The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan was authorised and this album was released in the last days of 1971. |
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 Letter from Spanish Ministry of Information to Discos CBS Spain, 8 Nov 1971, re Blonde On Blonde, scan by Manuel García Jara |
Blonde On Blonde (1971): The story behind this album is well documented by Juan B. Heinink, but we can see now the original documents. The censorship denied the publication of six tracks (8 Nov 1971): Just Like A Woman (see scan with the text "Denegado [Denied]" stamped over the lyrics); Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat ("obscene"), I Want You, Obviously Five Believers, Temporary Like Achilles ("possible homosexuality") and 4th Time Around ("immoral"). Surprisingly, Just Like A Woman and I Want You had already been released for almost two years, included on Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits. CBS Spain replied on 17 Nov 1971, giving two reasons why the album should be released: the first is because of economy "we have 1000 double albums ready to sale and to destroy those albums would be an important loss to our company"; but the second reason is amazing: Bob Dylan "is an obscure lyricist, who writes in American slang, very difficult to understand even for Spanish people who speak English correctly. His songs are composed without any structure and they are just meaningless ideas"(!!!). Blonde On Blonde was eventually authorised and released in 1972. |
 Lyrics of Just Like A Woman with "DENEGADO [DENIED]" Spanish censor stamp, scan by Manuel García Jara |
 Letter from Discos CBS Spain, 17 Nov 1971, re Blonde On Blonde, scan by Manuel García Jara |
 Letter from Discos CBS Spain, 30 Nov 1973, re Another Side Of Bob Dylan, scan by Manuel García Jara |
Another Side Of Bob Dylan (1973): All tracks were authorised except "Chimes Of Freedom" because of the words "the mistitled prostitute". CBS replied again in the same terms of Blonde On Blonde and this album was released with some delay. Dylan (1973): This time the reason was political. The colours of the sleeve (red-yellow-violet) were identical to the Spanish Republican flag. This flag was forbidden after the Spanish Civil War. CBS replied that this sleeve was the same in the worldwide. |
 Dylan (1973) and the 1930s Spanish Republican flag, scan by Manuel García Jara |
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Spanish albums with records made by Tecnodisco S.A.:
 CBS S 66287 (Spain) - detail of Side 1, scan by Manuel García Jara (mid-1980s release - "FABRICADO EN ESPAÑA POR DISCOS CBS S.A. MADRID") |
 CBS S 32098 (Spain) - detail of Side 1, scan by Lars M. Banke (late 1980s release - "FABRICADO EN ESPAÑA POR TECNODISCO S.A. MADRID" without telephone number) |
 CBS/Sony S 32098 (Spain) - detail of Side 1, scan by Manuel García Jara (1992 release - "FABRICADO EN ESPAÑA POR TECNODISCO S.A. MADRID" now with telephone number) |
Discos CBS S.A. manufactured their own records up until the late 1980s, after which records were made for them by Tecnodisco S.A., also of Madrid. After the name change to CBS/Sony in 1991, the last records manufactured in Spain in the early 1990s were still made by Tecnodisco.
Albums made by CBS Spain for the Dutch market:
Manuel explains the mystery of records dating from 1973 with "MADE IN SPAIN" and "STEMRA" on the record labels, but with a sleeve printed in Holland.
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This
is the Spanish version of the compilation The Music People,
released in several countries in 1972. Other compilations of the same name
included The Grand Coulee Dam by Bob Dylan and
The Band from 1968, but it's missing from this promo single LP. It has a
gatefold sleeve without text that looks like it has a cut-out centre, but
it's printed, part of the artwork. The most noticeable feature is the text printed on the inner gatefold; it says in big letters that this album was released to celebrate two facts: the third anniversary of CBS in Spain and the opening of the pressing plant of CBS in Alcorcón, near to Madrid; this pressing plant was at the time the most advanced pressing plant of CBS in Europe with a capacity of 6 million records per year. This pressing plant was opened by Peter de Rougemont (CBS International vice president in charge of European operations) and Max Wyngaard (director for Spain, Switzerland and Austria). Peter de Rougemont says in this text that the Spanish pressing plant has capacity for Spain and for export records to Europe "quickly and made of high quality". After this date several records came to Holland with "MADE IN SPAIN" on the labels, with the same typeface as the Spanish record labels but with the "STEMRA" (Dutch copyright organisation) logo. |
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Examples of these Spanish albums with album titles and song titles in English only, plus "MADE IN SPAIN" instead of "FABRICADO EN ESPAÑA" on the record labels. They all come in Dutch printed sleeves.
 CBS S 62022 (Spain for NL) - Side 1 scan by Gerd Rundel (1973 release) |
Not yet listed: Highway 61 Revisited, New Morning, Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II, Dylan (1973), Blood On The Tracks, Hard Rain and Slow Train Coming. In this time period Planet Waves and Before The Flood were sold in Holland and Spain by Asylum Records, not CBS. |
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 CBS S 62515 (Spain for NL) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara (1973-74 release) |
 CBS S 66012 (Spain for NL) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara (1972 release) |
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CBS S 63601 (Spain for NL) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara (1972 release variant 1 - Nashville Skyline title missing) |
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 CBS S 69042 (Spain for NL) - Side 1 scan by Henk Soeten) |
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 CBS 86067 (Spain for NL) - Side 1 scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS 96004 (Spain for NL) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara |
Spanish Printers:
 CBS S 81712 (Spain, 1976) - detail of rear, scan by Ger Hemel (variant 1 - printed by "Offset ALG") |
At the end of 1976 CBS Spain changed their printer from Offset ALG, Madrid-20, to Indugraf, Alcorcón, Madrid. (The Spanish release of the album Hard Rain was printed by Indugraf from the first release.) Some albums had their sleeves originally printed by Offset ALG, but reissue sleeves were printed by Indugraf. |
 CBS S 81712 (Spain, 1976) - detail of rear, scan by Manuel García Jara (variant 2 - printed by "INDUGRAF") |
Fake Spanish Sleeve:
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The apparently attractive sleeve for the Spanish Hurricane 7" stereo single is really a blatant fake. The "No. 1 in USA" logo (printed, not a sticker) is actually taken from Asylum Spanish singles like the Eagles example shown. The real CBS Spain "NO. UNO EN USA" logo is shown on a Spanish Chicago single. The Hurricane single actually only reached #33 in the USA, although the Desire album did reach #1 (and was sold in Spain with this logo on the front sleeve). Thanks to Manuel García Jara for the information and the Eagles/Chicago scans. |
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 Asylum 45-1469 (Spain) - front scan by Manuel García Jara |
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PORTUGAL
Bob's early albums were prohibited in Portugal during the dictatorships of Dr. Antonio Salazar followed by Marcelo Caetano, which ended in 1974, so no mono LPs were released there. The regular albums were not released in Portugal until 1975. CBS releases in Portugal were made by Fábrica Portuguesa de Discos da Rádio Triunfo, abbreviated at first to just "F.P.D." and later as "Rádio Triunfo". Apart from regular Portuguese releases, Manuel García Jara has copies of Street-Legal, Slow Train, Saved, Shot Of Love and Infidels made in Spain to be exported to Portugal. The sleeves look the same as the Spanish releases but the record labels have "SPA" (Sociedade Portuguesa de Autores) instead of "SGAE" to the right of the centre hole. There is also a version of Bob Dylan At Budokan made in Spain with "SPA" on the record labels that Manuel knows about but has not yet tracked down. Although CBS was active in Portugal until the 1990s, the production of albums was decreasing there in the second half of the 1980s: the last Dylan album released in Portugal was Knocked Out Loaded (1987). Some Dylan records (e.g. More Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits) were reissued after this time, but no new Dylan albums were pressed in Portugal. Dylan albums sold in Portugal in the late 1980s/1990s were imported from Holland and also from Spain.
Portuguese 7" Single & EP Record Sleeves
 CBS 5769 (Portugal) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS 5779 (Portugal) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS 5992 (Portugal) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS 6193 (Portugal) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS 6198 (Portugal) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
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 CBS 6475 (Portugal) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS 6476 (Portugal) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS 4434 (Portugal) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS 4219 (Portugal) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
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 CBS 7329 (Portugal) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
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 Asylum N-S-07-2 (Portugal) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
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 Asylum NS-07-6 (Portugal) - front scan by Kenneth Robson |
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 CBS 3841 (Portugal) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS 4113 (Portugal) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
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These are all genuine CBS and Asylum Portuguese 7" singles and EPs from the 1960s to 1980s. If there are any missing please let me know.
Fake Portuguese 7" Single & EP Record Sleeves
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Thanks to Sergio Mariano Romay, Manuel García Jara and Michel Pomarede for informing me about these fake Portuguese "promo" picture sleeves found on eBay. The records usually appear genuine but the sleeves are fake! (Although the "Portuguese" Unbelievable single is actually from Holland, not Portugal at all...)
These singles are listed in Questionable Releases (Official Dylan Singles).
For fake Mexican sleeves, see below.
 CBS 3841 (Portugal) - front of "promo" copy, scan by Michel Pomarede |
Michel Pomarede has what purports to be a radio
station promo copy of the 1976 single CBS 3841 bought on eBay. The sleeve is
of thick card and slightly yellowing. The front sleeve has a completely
different photo of Rubin Carter, not used anywhere else worldwide, and lacks
the Portuguese text of the genuine front. The rear sleeve is similar to that of the commercial
copy but does not have folded-over flaps and opens at the top, not the side.
The A-side has what looks like the variant 2 label design and a white promo
sticker. Like the fakes above, the
authenticity of the sleeve is questionable although the record is
almost certainly official (even if the promo sticker is not). The Hurricane record shown above with a different fake sleeve does not have a promo sticker. |
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GREECE
Manuel García Jara says: "Music-box, the manufacturer and distributor of CBS in Greece, used to release records (especially singles) with some delay because it always waited to see how well records released in other countries, especially in Holland, sold. Then Music-box released singles with two tracks that were both A-sides in Holland, surely to make them more attractive to buyers.
Except for the first Dylan single ever released in Greece in the 1960s (CBS BA 301079 - Subterranean Homesick Blues with the usual B-side, She Belongs To Me), and the last single of the 1960s (CBS BA 301264 - Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You with the usual B-side, Country Pie), Greek Dylan singles of this period always included two tracks originally released in Holland as A-sides. So, you can find:
Like A Rolling Stone/Positively 4th Street (CBS BA 301089)
I Want You /Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (CBS BA 301111)
Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat/Just Like A Woman (CBS BA 301119)
I Threw It All Away/Lay Lady Lay (CBS BA 301258)
If a Greek single exists with Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window? (not yet found), the B-side would be One Of Us Must Know."
Bob Dylan CBS releases in Greece were limited during military rule (1967-74), and only allowed where the material was thought non-political. Unlike other CBS releases of the time, the records have dark-red labels rather than orange ones. Although these albums are official they were released during the Greek colonels' regime when Bob was banned in Greece and were therefore distributed "underground" by an Athens company called "Music-box". The sleeves were printed in Greece by Fotiadis & Ioannidis. "Music-box" is described as "Exclusive Representative of CBS Records in Greece", although on the 1973 Greek release of Nashville Skyline this reads "General Representative of CBS Records in Greece". The information on four sleeves is in English only, on the 1973 Greek release of Nashville Skyline it is given in English and Greek and the printer's name is missing.
CBS
SBPG 63601 (Greece) - detail of rear, scan by Manuel García Jara (1969 release -
"Exclusive Representative of CBS Records in Greece")
CBS
SBPG
63601 (Greece) - detail of rear, scan by Paul Prince (1973 release - "General
Representative of CBS Records in Greece", probably from a different printer)
CBS 66250 (Greece) -
detail of rear of gatefold sleeve, scan by Manuel García Jara (1970 release
- "Exclusive Representative of CBS Records in Greece")
CBS S 67239 (Greece) - detail of rear, scan by Manuel García Jara (1971
release - "Exclusive Representative of CBS Records in Greece")
CBS 69042 (Greece - detail of rear, scan by Hans Seegers (1973 release -
"Exclusive Representative of CBS Records in Greece")
CBS 69049 (Greece) - detail of rear, scan by Hans Seegers (1973 release - "Exclusive
Representative of CBS Records in Greece")
CBS 69097 (Greece) - detail of rear, scan by Manuel García Jara (1975 release
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"Exclusive Representative of CBS Records in Greece",
this was probably the last Dylan release distributed by Music-box)
New Morning from 1970 was also distributed by Music-box and and also has "Exclusive Representative of CBS Records in Greece" on the rear sleeve.
The 1974 Greek releases of Planet Waves and Before The Flood were distributed by Lyra Records & Tapes of Athens and Thessalonica on behalf of Asylum Records, with records made in Greece by C.G.C.G. Ltd.
Asylum 7E-1003 (Greece) - detail of rear, scan by Gerd Rundel (1974)
However, four 1960s albums (Bob Dylan, Another Side Of Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited and John Wesley Harding) can be found with CBS Greece sleeves as below with printer code "MT 49xx" but with Dutch 1967 or 1968 records with plain orange CBS labels. I suspect these albums were actually released much later than 1967, perhaps even around 1975 - confirmation required! Arie de Reus says that he was told by a Greek dealer that some Greek records were made in Greece but had Dutch labels. Of these four albums, the copies of Another Side Of Bob Dylan and John Wesley Harding have different matrix numbers from those of the Dutch releases with the same labels. This means that the records may have been sourced from Greece but given Dutch labels! The copies of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan and Highway 61 Revisited have the same matrix numbers as those of the Dutch releases with the same labels. Lars M. Banke's mid-1970s Greek copy of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan has Dutch labels, and the record also has the same matrix numbers as the 1975 Dutch release with the same labels.
After 1976 Dylan albums were distributed by Diski CBS A.E.B.E., starting with Desire (The Basement Tapes release was later). Further as regards albums, Lars M. Banke says: "I have a number of re-releases with red CBS labels, but – strangely not – regarding Another Side Of Bob Dylan, Subterranean Homesick Blues [Bringing It All Back Home], New Morning, Blood On The Tracks, Hard Rain and Bob Dylan At Budokan. Is this because these LPs haven’t been re-released with red CBS labels or is it simply because I haven’t (yet) been able to find copies?
Many Greek Dylan LPs have been re-released with a new catalogue numbers starting with 32xxxx. But I haven’t such re-releases regarding Highway 61 Revisited, John Wesley Harding, Self Portrait, Blood On The Tracks, Hard Rain and Bob Dylan At Budokan. Again the same questions as above are relevant to ask.
The Planet Waves album has been re-released by CBS in Greece, but not the Before the Flood album? At least I do not have a copy and I haven’t seen it listed anywhere.
 CBS 32389 (Greece) - Greek sleeve with Greek CBS "Nice Price" sticker, scan by Lars M. Banke (late 1980s release) |
Many Dylan
albums have been released in Greece with Greek sleeves and Dutch records. But
sometimes also with Greek records and Dutch sleeves. Or Greek sleeves and Greek
records. I do not see any system in these releases – except perhaps that the
Greek sleeve/Dutch record combination was more common in the 1960s than later
and that Dutch sleeve/Greek record is more common in recent years….. Finally – regarding the orange/yellow “sunburst” labels – some pressings have Greek lettering ("MADE IN GREECE" in Greek) at the bottom of the labels and some do not. And for some albums – but not all - both versions are existing. My conclusion is the following: Do not try to find any logical system regarding the Greek Dylan albums and do not think, that all versions – cf. above – are existing for all albums." |
 CBS 86067 (NL for Greece) - Dutch sleeve with Greek CBS "Nice Price" sticker, scan by Ger Hemel (mid-1980s release) |
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 CBS 86067 (Greece) - Side 1 scan by Ger Hemel (mid-1980s release without Greek text at bottom) |
CBS S 62429 (Greece) - detail of rear, scan by Lars M. Banke (mid-1970s release
- printer code "MT 4960")
CBS 66012 (Greece) - detail of inside of gatefold sleeve, scan by Manuel García Jara (mid-1970s
release - printer codes "MT 4968/69")
Several mid-1970s Diski CBS Greek releases had a printer code "MT 49xx" on the rear sleeve at bottom right (for Blonde On Blonde it was at bottom right on the inside of the gatefold sleeve). In this series of releases Bob Dylan was "MT 4957", The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan was "MT 4958", The Times They Are A-Changin' was "MT 4959", Another Side Of Bob Dylan was "MT 4960", Subterranean Homesick Blues [Bringing It All Back Home] was "MT 4961", Highway 61 Revisited was "MT 4962", Blonde On Blonde for some reason was "MT 4968/69" and John Wesley Harding was "MT 4963". John Wesley Harding appears to be the last album sleeve with an "MT" code.
CBS 62847 (Greece) - detail of rear, scan by
Hans Seegers (1976 release variant 1)
CBS 62847 (Greece) - detail of rear, scan by
Lars M. Banke (1976 release variant 2 with extra Greek text)
The 1976 release of Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits was the version with the 1967 UK front sleeve and tracklist, and there is no "MT" printer code on either of the sleeve variants shown.
SCANDINAVIA
Scandinavian 7” singles were all made at the PolyGram pressing plant in Oslo, Norway, while the sleeves were printed in the individual countries. Danish sleeves are plain white on the reverse and are of the pocket type open at the top. Norwegian sleeves are also of the pocket type, but this time the opening is on the left. The reverses are again plain white. In contrast, Swedish sleeves consist of a single sheet folded at the bottom with the same design on both sides once it's folded. As far as I know, no Dylan LPs were ever released in Scandinavia, albums were imported from the UK or Holland. However, there are many examples on this site of US and Canadian releases sold there with the "Columbia" logos obscured by stickers or marker pen (in Europe as detailed above the Columbia name was owned by EMI in most countries but by RCA in Spain).
DENMARK
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CBS Denmark only released 7" singles, albums and EPs were imported from the UK, Holland or West Germany. Unlike Norway, Denmark didn't have a Wigwam/Copper Kettle single in 1970, but a stereo single made in Holland was exported to Denmark in 1973. |
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 CBS 1883 (Denmark) - front scan by Magne Karlstad (1965) |
 "There is only One Dylan" - 1966 Danish promo poster, picture from Heritage Auctions web-site |
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 CBS 2700 (Denmark) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1966) |
 CBS 202 053 (Denmark) - front scan by Magne Karlstad (1966) |
 CBS 202.307 (Denmark) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1966) |
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 CBS S 5122 (NL for Denmark) - alternate front scan by Ger Hemel (1973, stereo) |
Lars M. Banke adds regarding the sleeve of the 1973 Danish single: "The text means "The theme from TV's "Focus"". The story behind the single is that "Wigwam" was used as the signature tune or theme for a programme titled "Focus" broadcast by the Danish national television channel. And as there was only one national Danish channel when the single was released, there was no need to mention which channel on the sleeve - just "TV"." There are two alternate front sleeves for this single, one is smooth, the other is darker and rough.
 CBS 40-62193 (Denmark) - outside of cassette insert, picture from www.discogs.com |
The insert for this unique Danish cassette release looks the same as that of the early 1970s UK release, but the cassette was made in Denmark and also has the "NCB" logo of the Nordic copyright organisation. The cassette is off-white with pale buff CBS paper labels. Lars M. Banke has no knowledge of any other Danish cassette releases! |
 CBS 40-62193 (Denmark) - cassette Side 1 picture from www.discogs.com |
 CBS 40-62193 (Denmark) - detail of cassette Side 1, picture from www.discogs.com ("NCB", "Made in Denmark") |
NORWAY
 CBS 201 751 (Norway) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1965) |
Even though CBS 202 053, Queen Jane Approximately/One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later) was pressed in Oslo, Norway, and sold in Denmark and Sweden, I haven't found an example of a Norwegian sleeve. |
 CBS 1.781 (Norway) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1965) |
 CBS 1.893 (Norway) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1965) |
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 CBS 1883 (Norway) - front scan by Olav Langum (1966) |
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 CBS 2360 (Norway) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1966) |
 CBS 2700 (Norway) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1966) |
 CBS 202.307 (Norway) - front scan by Magne Karlstad (1966, handwritten catalogue number "2307" above CBS logo) |
 CBS 202.307 (Norway) - front scan by Olav Langum (1966, printed catalogue number "2.307" below CBS logo) |
 CBS 202.307 (Norway) - front scan by Magne Karlstad (1966, second design misprinted) |
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 CBS 2476 (Norway) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1968) |
 CBS 4219 (Norway) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1969, first variant - red) |
 CBS 4219 (Norway) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1969, second variant - brown) |
 CBS 4434 (Norway) - front scan by Peter Denzler (1969) |
 CBS 4611 (Norway) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1969) |
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 CBS 7688 (Norway) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1972) |
CBS 3323 was also sold in Denmark and Sweden. As far as I know, CBS 2476 was sold in Norway only. The 1969 Norwegian singles CBS 4219/CBS 4434/CBS 4611 were also sold in Denmark and Sweden, as was CBS 5122 (1970). The 1972 Norwegian single CBS 7688 was also sold in Denmark, Sweden had a separate release, see below.
 Polydor 516 242-2 (Norway) - front scan by Peter Oudejans (1993) |
This 1993 CD compilation
The Country Collection
exclusive to Norway
includes a Dylan rarity Heartland
(Bob Dylan/Willie Nelson) - Bob duets with Willie Nelson on this co-written song
from Willie's 1993 Columbia album Across The Borderline. Both
The Country Collection and Across The Borderline are listed
in
1993. There was also a Norwegian promo cassette of MTV Unplugged
in 1995, and these are the only Dylan releases from Norway I know about that
are not singles. Åge Aleksandersen released an album of Norwegian language cover versions called Fredløs: Dylan På Norsk [Outlaw: Dylan In Norwegian] in 1997. |
 Columbia 478374 4 (Norway) - promo cassette Side 1 photo from eBay (1995) |
 Kirkelig Kulturverksted FXCD 183 (Norway) - front of digipak, scan by Jack from Canada (1997) |
SWEDEN
 CBS 201 751 (Sweden) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1965, unfolded example) |
CBS 2700 listed above for Denmark and Norway was not released in Sweden for some reason. 1960s CBS Scandinavian singles were pressed at the PolyGram plant in Oslo, Norway, and distributed throughout Scandinavia in locally printed sleeves. However, the Dylan 1970s singles above were pressed in Sweden at a different plant, and all have "MADE IN SWEDEN" at the bottom of the record labels. They all have Dutch sleeves. Michael Bällstav has found a copy of CBS 1900 in a different sleeve, plain white on the rear. The owner thinks the sleeve is Swedish because it is similar to the other Swedish orange top designs, even though Swedish sleeves were normally the same front and rear. Magne Karlstad thinks it is possibly a test print, the regular CBS 1900 release has an unusual yellow-green top which may be a misprint. |
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Columbia COL 498540 2 (Sweden) - front with sticker (my
copy, 2000)
This Sweden-only 2CD 32-track collection commemorated Dylan's Royal Swedish Academy of Music Polar Music Prize in 2000.
FINLAND
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As far as I know, no Dylan records were ever made in
Finland. they were always imported from other Scandinavian countries, the UK or
Holland. I have one example of a Canadian album bought in Finland with all
instances of "Columbia" obscured and a promo CD made in Austria with a sticker
from Teosto, the Finnish music copyright organisation. This unauthorised public domain release of Bob's first album has the thirteen tracks reordered, with Song To Woody as track 1 (see left). As far as I know, this is the only official or unofficial release of a Bob Dylan album in Finland. |
 VLMedia VLCD 1370 (Finland) - front scan by Lars M. Banke |
ICELAND
 Skifan PCD0305 (Iceland) - front scan by Hans Seegers (2003) |
As far as I know, no Dylan records were ever made
in Iceland. they were always imported from other Scandinavian countries. "Rokkland" is the name of a rock show on Icelandic radio, and these are the third and fourth in a series of compilations by Icelandic label Skifan of songs played on the show, both with Dylan tracks. Thanks to Hans Seegers and Peter Oudejans for information and scans. |
 Skifan PCD0407 (Iceland) - front scan by Peter Oudejans (2004) |
USSR (up to 1991)
RUSSIAN FEDERATION (after 1991)
 Warner-Reprise 4670001545143 (Russia) - front with obi, scan by Manuel García Jara |
This official Russian release has a Japanese-style obi with text in Cyrillic. There are many other Russian releases, but the others are all unofficial. More official releases will be added when available. Thanks to Manuel García Jara for information and scan. |
CZECHOSLOVAKIA (up to 1992)/CZECH REPUBLIC (after 1992)
The national flag of the Czech Republic is the same as the former national
flag of Czechoslovakia.
 CBS/Supraphon 1113 4398 (Czechoslovakia) - front (1987, my copy) |
These albums are all I have from this
country - there must be more, especially regular Dylan albums! During
Communist rule Dylan releases in the former Czechoslovakia were manufactured
by Czech state company Supraphon on behalf of CBS Records. Later they were
made by Bonton (which took over Supraphon in 1989 after the fall of the Iron
Curtain, and was later bought by Sony Music in 2003) and there is one
release from Globus International. The 1968 mono and stereo albums Songy Boba Dylana [Songs Of Bob Dylan] were record club editions that were also released in 1968 as just Bob Dylan with a new title and artwork. The 1966 Dutch album Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits was released in Czechoslovakia by Supraphon in 1987. The 1970 Supraphon mono/stereo boxed sets Dvorana Slávy: Country & Western [Hall Of Fame: Country & Western] contain Girl From The North Country, the duet with Johnny Cash from Nashville Skyline. Again, there must be more Various Artists releases with Dylan tracks. |
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 CBS/Supraphon 1 13 0434 (Czechoslovakia) - front picture from eBay (1968, stereo version) |
 CBS/Supraphon SUA 15994 (Czechoslovakia) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1968, mono version) |
 CBS/Supraphon SUA ST 55 994 (Czechoslovakia) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1968, stereo version) |
 Globus International 21 065-1 312/21 066-1 312 (Czechoslovakia) - front scan by Lukáš Berný (1991) |
 CBS/Supraphon 013 0841/42 (Czechoslovakia) - front of box, scan by Manuel García Jara (1970, mono version) |
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CBS/Supraphon 013 0841/42 (Czechoslovakia) - front of box, scan by Manuel García Jara (1970 stereo version) |
 CBS/Supraphon Gramofonovy Klub 1 13 2217 (Czechoslovakia) - front (my 1977 copy) |
 Supraphon 1113 2526 (Czechoslovakia) - scan by Wim van der Mark (1979) |
 CBS 467188 1/Bonton 710023-1331 (Czechoslovakia) - front scan by Lukáš Berný (1990) |
 WEA/Supraphon 11 1040-1 (Czechoslovakia) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1990) |
 Polydor 475 027-5 (Czech Republic for Europe) - front photocopy by Paul Shenton (2015) |
The 2015 Polydor release of Eric Clapton's 1976 album No Reason To Cry, containing Bob performing on his composition Sign Language, is the only release I currently have from the now Czech Republic. The 1979 Supraphon album Eric Clapton is the same 1976 album with a new title and artwork.
SLOVAKIA (after 1992)
I know of no Slovak releases from 1992 onwards.
POLAND
Polish releases from the 1980s onwards will be added here.
YUGOSLAVIA (up to 1992)
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The Concert For Bangla Desh in 1972 was the first album with Dylan content to be released in the former Yugoslavia (although it was the US release, not made in Yugoslavia), and Welcome The Rock People, also 1972, was the first CBS release with Dylan content. Dylan in 1974 was the first Dylan album to be released in Yugoslavia. CBS Yugoslavian releases were made in Yugoslavia by Suzy Records of Zagreb (now Croatia) for CBS Records up to Down In The Groove in 1988. Suzy Records also released Planet Waves and Before The Flood in conjunction with Asylum Records and The Last Waltz by The Band for Warner Bros. |
 Suzy Records ad circa 1974, scan by Dag Braathem |
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 CBS/Suzy 62911 (Yugoslavia) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1982) |
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The release sequence of Yugoslav albums is determined by the "ULS" number, the authorisation given by the Government (similar to "Depósito Legal" on Spanish record labels). Dylan from 1974 has "ULS-84", Planet Waves has "ULS-98", Before The Flood has "ULS-141", The Basement Tapes has "ULS-198" and Desire has "ULS-222". For some reason Blood On The Tracks was not released in Yugoslavia.
The records were initially pressed by Jugoton of Zagreb (now Croatia), which was a chain of record stores as well as a record company. Record labels from before 1976 have the logo of the "SAKOJ" Yugoslavian copyright organisation. The artists' organisation "SAKOJ" (Union of Composers of Yugoslavia) became "SOKOJ" (Federation of Organisations of Composers of Yugoslavia) in 1976, which appears on the labels of Dylan releases after that date. Records from the late 1970s were pressed by Helidon of Ljubljana (now Slovenia). Oh Mercy in 1989 and Under The Red Sky in 1990 were made by RTVL of Ljubljana, but these records were again pressed by Jugoton. No Dylan records have been released since 1990 in Yugoslavia or any of the countries which make up the former Yugoslavia.
 RTB LP 5642 (Yugoslavia) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (first release - no star) |
The front sleeves of Yugoslavian LP releases were reprinted with silver or gold stars after the albums achieved "silver" or "gold" sales status. The stars have text "SREBRNA [SILVER]" or "ZLATNA [GOLD]" and are printed, not stickers. |
 RSO 2394 172/RTB LP 5642 (Yugoslavia) - front scan by Dick Teunis (first late 1970s release - silver star) |
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According to one web-site "Silver" meant 25,000 copies sold in Yugoslavia and "Gold" meant 50,000 copies, although other sources say "Gold" meant only 25,000 copies. The only two Yugoslav Dylan sleeves I have with stars so far are Street-Legal and Desire.
MIDDLE EAST
TURKEY
Vinyl Releases
 Warner Bros/Melodi Plâk 7E-1003 (Turkey) - LP front scan by Manuel García Jara (1974) |
Only three Dylan vinyl LP records were genuine: Planet Waves, Before The Flood (both made by Melodi Plak for Warner Bros under licence from Warner Bros Germany) and Desire, made by Plaksan for CBS, plus two Warner Bros singles. Some other records were released in Turkey in the late 1970s but they are not official releases: Slow Train Coming made by Max, and More Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits as a single album, made by Sprint (an Italian company with branches in Turkey and Spain, specialising in Italian artists, and in legal but not official records of international artists). |
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 Melodi Plâk/Warner Bros 74603 (Turkey) - A-side scan by Hans Seegers (1974) |
 Warner Bros/Melodi Plâk AS 63000 (Turkey) - LP front scan by Manuel García Jara (1974) |
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 Sprint Records 67239 (Turkey) - LP front scan by Michel Pomarede (unofficial) |
 Max LP. 8013 (Turkey) - LP front scan by Hans Seegers (unofficial) |
Cassette Releases
 CBS 86313 (Turkey) - outside of cassette insert, scan by Lars M. Banke (1985, possibly unofficial) |
However, from the late 1980s to 2001 Dylan albums were officially released in Turkey in cassette tape format. The first two cassette releases shown here were therefore probably unofficial. | ||||
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 Columbia COL 472710 4 (Turkey) - cassette front scan by Lars M. Banke (1993) |
 Columbia COL 478374 4 (Turkey) - cassette front scan by Lars M. Banke (1995) |
 Columbia COL 486936 4 (Turkey) - cassette front scan by Lars M. Banke (1997) |
 Columbia/Legacy 491485-4 (Turkey) - outside of cassette insert, scan by Dag Braathen (1998) |
 Columbia 504364 4 (Turkey) - outside of cassette insert, scan by Dag Braathen (2001) |
IRAN up to 1979
IRAN after 1979
 CBS 40-62847 (Iran) - outside of cassette insert scan by Manuel García Jara |
This mid-1970s release, from before the Iranian Revolution in 1979, is
the only official Iranian CBS release I have so far. The insert is the same
as the 1974 Dutch release with the same catalogue number, while the cassette
has Iranian (Farsi) text, and was probably made in Iran. There are several
unofficial Iranian releases listed in
Questionable Releases, all dating from
before 1979. There have been no Dylan releases in Iran since 1979. |
 CBS 40-62847 (Iran) - cassette Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara |
ISRAEL
 CBS 1.833 (Israel) - A-side scan by Hans Seegers (1965) |
Although most Dylan albums were released in Israel,
there were surprisingly only two Dylan 7" singles - Like A Rolling
Stone/Gates Of Eden in 1965, and Lay, Lady, Lay/Peggy Day in 1969. The 1965
single did not have a picture sleeve. Also of interest from Israel is a fake monochrome "promo" sleeve of Desire, with text in Hebrew, see Questionable Recordings. In fact the record was genuine but the sleeve was a fake, produced in Germany in the 1990s. Promo copies issued by CBS in Israel were just the regular albums with promo stickers as shown. |
 CBS 4434 (Israel) - front with promo stamp, scan by Hans Seegers (1969) |
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 CBS 86003 (Israel) - genuine promo sleeve front with sticker, scan by Manuel García Jara |
LEBANON
 Asylum/SLD 53.1003 (Lebanon) - front scan by Arie de Reus |
These albums are incredibly rare - Planet Waves and Before The Flood were the only Lebanese Dylan releases because Columbia/CBS had no pressing plant there. The albums were manufactured in Lebanon by SLD (Société Libanaise du Disque S.A.L.) of Beirut on behalf of Asylum Records. |
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SAUDI ARABIA
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The only Saudi releases I have received so far are compact cassettes. These stereo cassettes are official releases from Saudi Arabia on the Megastar label and were made by Modern Electronics Establishment, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, licensed by Columbia/Sony Music. They were for sale in GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council) countries only - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (see below) and the Sultanate of Oman. Note the "Megastar" and Arabic text on the leader tape! |
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 Megastar/Sony Music 185311 (Saudi Arabia, 1995) - front of insert, scan by Tom Willems |
Detail of inside of
official Megastar cassette inserts, scan by Manuel García Jara
Megastar cassette leader
tape scan by Manuel García Jara
 IMD-831 (Saudi Arabia, 1975) - outside of cassette insert, scan by Tom Willems (unofficial) |
These Footprint and IMD cassettes are unauthorised but were legal in Saudi Arabia at the time of release. They are all listed here. Despite the title Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. I on the front of the insert and the cassette sides, IMD-6011 is actually Record 1 of the 1971 double album Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II. It has the correct picture on the front! |
 Footprint S-118B (Saudi Arabia, 1975) - outside of cassette insert, can by Ger Hemel |
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 IMD-6011 (Saudi Arabia, mid-1970s) - outside of cassette insert, scan by Ger Hemel (unofficial) |
 IMD-6324 (Saudi Arabia, 1976) - outside of cassette insert, photocopy by Paul Shenton (unofficial) |
 Footprint S-3102A (Saudi Arabia, 1978) - cassette insert scan by Dag Braathen (unofficial) |
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 IMD-6395 (Saudi Arabia, 1978) - outside of cassette insert, photocopy by Paul Shenton (unofficial) |
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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
 H.E.C. HEC 5151 (Abu Dhabi) - outside of cassette insert, photocopy by Paul Shenton |
This pirated cassette from Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, is an unauthorised release of the 1975 CBS/Sony Japan compilation, see International Compilations (Dylan-only) 1970s. I don't have any official releases from this country! |
INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT
INDIA
Singles:
 "It Ain't Me, Babe" - CBS test pressing (India), 1966 - scan by Hans Seegers (mono) |
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 CBS 4-44826 (India) - A-side scan by Manuel García Jara (mono) |
 CBS 4-44926 (India) - A-side scan by Peter Denzler (mono) |
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 CBS 4-44926 (India) - A-side in alternate generic sleeve, scan by Manuel García Jara |
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 Asylum AS 11033 (India) - A-side photo from eBay (1974) |
The two CBS mono test pressings date from 1966. As far as I know, no single was released commercially in India in 1966.
The 7" singles with unique black CBS labels with silver text were manufactured and distributed in India for CBS Records by The Gramophone Company of India Limited, Dum Dum, India, part of the EMI group (bought by Universal in 2012). All five commercial singles shown have the equivalent US catalogue number. Both the red/white and turquoise/black Gramophone Company sleeves were used for the 1969 Lay, Lady, Lay single. The purple/white sleeve from "Symphony Salon" of Bombay was used for the 1970 Wigwam single, the buff CBS sleeve was used for the George Jackson single. The 1974 Asylum single was also made in India by The Gramophone Company of India, Ltd.
Albums:
 CBS KC-9463 (India) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1967 release - US tracklist) |
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 CBS 10080/UK AL 62847 (India) - front (1983 release - UK tracklist) |
 CBS 10138 (India) - front scan by Arie de Reus |
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 Columbia/Sony Music 471243/4CX 00070 (India) - cassette front scan by Ger Hemel (Dutch tracklist) |
 Columbia/Sony/Pan Music 4CX 00119 (India) - cassette insert scan by Manuel García Jara |
 Columbia COL 486936 4 (India) - cassette front scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Columbia/Sony Music 491485 4 (India) - cassette front scan by Paul van Oost |
 Columbia/Sony Music 88697 65156 2 (India) - front scan by Keith Schweiger |
 Front of box, scan by Fred Muller (2007 Sony Music India 3CD release) |
 Sony Music 88697 43893 2 (India) - front with sticker, scan by Jens Winter |
 Columbia/Sony Music 88725457602 (India) - front scan by Jens Winter |
The 1967-71 albums shown here were manufactured and distributed in India for CBS Records by the Gramophone Company of India Limited, Dum Dum, India, part of the EMI group, as was Planet Waves for the Asylum label.
The 1980s albums were made by CBS Gramophone Records & Tapes (India) Ltd. in Bombay [Mumbai]. The 1992 Good As I Been To You cassette was manufactured and marketed by Pan Music of Bombay on behalf of Columbia/Sony.
The 1997 Time Out of Mind cassette release and the subsequent releases were made by Sony Music India. The 2007 3CD set Definitive Collection contains Blonde On Blonde (CGK 00841), The Times They Are A-Changin' (CK 08905) and Desire (CK 33893).
PAKISTAN
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This unique single with the US catalogue number and black labels with silver text was manufactured by the Gramophone Company of Pakistan Ltd., another part of the EMI group, and comes in a green/white generic sleeve. |
 CBS 4-44926 (Pakistan) - A-side in generic sleeve, scan by Manuel García Jara (1969) |
 CBS 4-44926 (Pakistan) - detail of generic sleeve, scan by Manuel García Jara (1969) |
FAR EAST
JAPAN
Thanks to Hans Seegers for all the exclusive CBS Japanese releases, etc.! Hans reminds collectors that the obi is an essential part of a Japanese rarity, especially since they are easy to lose. It is therefore best not to buy a Japanese album that is without its obi, unless you are desperate for the material, or the price is very low.
Japanese year numbers are confusing to Westerners as Wil
Gielen explained in 2008 about a 1965 Japanese promo LP: The white labels
have a very small date ("40 - 12") hand-stamped on each side - the “40” is the
Japanese year "Showa 40" (40th year of the reign of the Emperor Showa - Hirohito)
which corresponds to 1965 in the Western calendar. The "12" on the label is
for December. It's interesting that even now Japan uses its own system for
calendar years, and each ends when the Emperor dies, and starts again when the
new Emperor is announced. The current Emperor was crowned in 1988 and so that
was "Year Zero" for his era (the Heisei era), and now we are in year "Heisei 20"
(2008). This is used on newspapers, official documents, application forms,
birthdays etc (but not on CD release dates) more often than our Western 2008
year. It's very confusing for non-Japanese, because you need also to know the
era and the year to identify the correct year."
A 1977 Japanese release dated "52-12-31" meant 31 Dec 1977 as 1977 was Showa Era
Year 52 and a 1979 Japanese release was dated "54-1-12", Showa Era 54, so the date is
12 Jan 1979.
Thanks to Sheiji Murata for details of the year date codes used on Japanese LP and CD releases from 1984 up to Aug 1991. The code is in the form "Y-MM-DD", where "Y" is a letter from the name "NIHON RECORD KYOUKAI" (Japan Records Association). The sequence is N-I-H-O-(N)-R-E-C-(O)-(R)-D: "N"=1984, "I"=1985, "H"=1986, "O"=1987, "R"=1988, "E"=1989, "C"=1990, "D"=1991 (up to Aug). Therefore on Before The Flood the code "H-11-1" means "1 Nov 1986", on Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits, "O-8-26" means 28 Aug 1987, on Highway 61 Revisited "C-6-1" means 1 Jun 1990, etc.
Japan introduced sales tax in 1989. Before that an obi showed one price only and CBS/Sony catalogue numbers indicated the price, e.g. "25DP" meant ¥2,500. After the introduction of sales tax the obi showed both the price before and including tax and new systems of catalogue numbers were used.
Japanese Mono Singles (CBS):
 CBS LL-764-C (Japan) - front of folded insert, scan by Hans Seegers (mono) |
CBS LL-764-C (mono) was the first Bob Dylan single to be released in Japan, in Jun 1965. Only the eight "LL" singles shown here were released there in mono. They were released by CBS/Nippon Columbia Japan, before it was taken over by Sony Music in 1968. |
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 CBS LL-764-C (Japan) - detail of A-side, scan by Hans Seegers ("MADE BY NIPPON COLUMBIA CO. LTD. JAPAN") |
 CBS LL-821-C (Japan) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (mono) |
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 CBS LL-919-C (Japan) - front scan by Hans Seegers (mono) |
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Bob's first Japanese single, CBS LL-764-C, released in 1965, was re-released in 2020 as Sony Music SIKP-1002 (see below).
Japanese Stereo Singles and EPs (CBS):
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The later CBS "LSS" EPs released by CBS/Nippon Columbia in the "Stereo Seven" series were in stereo, as was the "Mascot 7" single. |
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Japanese Stereo Singles and EPs (CBS/Sony):
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 CBS/Sony SONG 80132 (Japan) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
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 CBS/Sony SCBSA 82116 (Japan) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
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 CBS/Sony SOPB 257 (Japan) - front of test pressing insert, scan by Hans Seegers |
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 CBS/Sony SOPD 52 (Japan) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS/Sony SOPD 53 (Japan) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
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 CBS/Sony SOPD 58 (Japan) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS/Sony SOPD 59 (Japan) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
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 Asylum P-1293Y (Japan) - front scan by Wil Gielen |
 Asylum P-1315Y (Japan) - front of insert, scan by Wil Gielen |
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 CBS/Sony SOPB 360 (Japan) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS/Sony 08EP 17 (Japan) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
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 CBS/Sony 06SP 241 (Japan) - front of insert, scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS/Sony YAPA 26 (Japan) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
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 CBS/Sony 12AP 3021 (Japan) - 12" single front with obi, scan by Wil Gielen |
 CBS/Sony 07SP 901 (Japan) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
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 Sony Records International SBCI 80001 (Japan) - front scan by Toyohiko Tejima (CD single) |
 Sony Music SICP-4760 (Japan) - front with obi, scan by Sonny Boy McFitzson (CD single) |
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 Sony Music SIKP-1002 (Japan) - front with sticker, scan by Sonny Boy McFitzson (7" mono vinyl single) |
CBS/Sony singles and EPs, all stereo, were released from 1968.
CBS/Sony SOPD 51-63 were stereo EPs all released in 1974 to promote the re-release of all Bob's albums in Japan. The three Asylum singles are also from 1974. SOPB 307 was the first Dylan single back on the CBS/Sony label in 1975. Mr. D's Collection #2 from 1976 was a limited edition EP with rarities!
Sony Music SIKP-1 from 2019 was the first Japanese vinyl single since the 1980s! The sleeve of 2020's mono SIKP-1002 is a reproduction of the Bob's first Japanese single, CBS LL-764-C, released in 1965 (see above).
Japanese Releases of Regular Dylan Albums:
 CBS YS-611-C (Japan) - front with obi, scan by Hans Seegers (Bob Dylan with reordered tracks) |
No mono Bob Dylan albums were released in Japan. Bob Dylan Vols. 1 and 2 were exclusive compilations, see below. |
 CBS YS-641-C (Japan) - front with obi, scan by Hans Seegers (The Times They Are A-Changin') |
 CBS YS-672-C (Japan) - front scan by Hans Seegers (Record 1 of Blonde On Blonde - this copy is missing its obi) |
 CBS YS-748-C (Japan) - front scan by Hans Seegers (Record 2 of Blonde On Blonde - this copy is missing its obi) |
 CBS YS-948-C (Japan) - front with obi, picture from www.discogs.com (1968 release) |
Bob Dylan Vol. 3 (CBS YS-611-C) was the 1962 Bob Dylan album with the tracks reordered, Bob Dylan Vol. 4 (CBS YS-641-C) was the 1964 The Times They Are A-Changin' album, while Bob Dylan Vols. 5 and 6 are the two records of Blonde On Blonde. John Wesley Harding (CBS YS-948-C) was the last Japanese CBS release before Sony took over the company, and is the only Japanese CBS release that uses the regular front sleeve! I have not listed the CBS/Sony onwards stereo releases of Bob's regular albums, but all are very high quality pressings with beautiful obis and exclusive Japanese booklets.
Vinyl Dylan Compilations Exclusive to Japan:
 CBS YS-537-C (Japan) - front with obi, scan by Hans Seegers/David Olmsted |
The first 1960s releases in Japan came from CBS before the company was bought by Sony in 1968. All but one of Bob’s albums before then were released in Japan in a different format from that of other worldwide releases! Bob Dylan from 1965, in the "College Folk Series" and Bob's first in Japan, uses the Times They Are A-Changin' sleeve but has no songs from that album! Bob Dylan Vol. 2 from 1966, also in the CBS Japan "College Folk Series", uses the sleeve of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan this time, but like the 1965 Bob Dylan! CBS Japan release which used the sleeve of The Times They Are A-Changin' has no songs from that album! The two disc compilation The Bob Dylan Story (CBS YS-696~7-C) was released between the two discs of Blonde On Blonde, as can be seen from the catalogue numbers! CBS/Sony SONX 60044, which dates from 1969 not 1967, has the same front sleeve as the US Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits release, but a different rear sleeve and track list, and comes in a gatefold sleeve. Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits was released from 1976 onwards with the US tracklist. Also shown are a series of exclusive boxed sets from the 1970s. Mr. D's Collection #1 from 1974 and Masterpieces from 1978 both contain rarities! | ||||
 CBS YS-585-C (Japan) - front with obi, scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS YS-696~7-C (Japan) - front with obi, scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS/Sony SONX 60044 (Japan) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS/Sony SOPB 55117~18 (Japan) - front with corner obi, scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS/Sony SOPB 55153~54 (Japan) - box front with obi scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS/Sony SOPH 41~42 (Japan) - box front with obi, scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS/Sony SOPH 83~84 (Japan) - box front with obi, scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS/Sony SOPI 11~13 (Japan) - box front with obi, scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS/Sony SOPN 25 (Japan) - front with obi, scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS/Sony YBPC 2 (Japan) - front scan by Lars M. Banke |
 CBS/Sony SOPQ 11 (Japan) - front with obi, scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS/Sony SOPO 59 (Japan) - front with obi, scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS/Sony SOPW 57~58 (Japan) - front with obi, scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS/Sony 29AP 35 (Japan) - front with obi, scan from Esprit International |
 CBS/Sony 34KP 181 (Japan) - front of cassette insert, scan by Wil Gielen |
 CBS/Sony 40AP 465~466 (Japan) - front with obi, scan by Wil Gielen (first release) |
 CBS/Sony 40AP 465~466 (Japan) - front with obi, scan by Hans Seegers (second release) |
 CBS/Sony 57AP-875~77 (Japan) - 3LP front with obi, scan by Seiji Murata |
CD Dylan Compilations Exclusive to Japan:
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Sony in Japan has also released several Dylan compilations on CD exclusive to Japan, including Dylan Ga Rock and Mr. D's Collection #3 in 1993, both with rarities. Many have exclusive artwork by Japanese cartoonist and long-time Dylan fan Jun Miura. Bob Dylan Live 1961-2000: Thirty-Nine Years Of Great Concert Performances from 2001 is an exclusive collection of live tracks including many rarities. Sony Music SICP 31623~4 is being released to coincide with Bob's Spring 2023 tour of Japan. The Japanese title is Ryuukoukashuu [流行歌集] meaning Collection Of His Hits. |
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 Sony Records SRCS 2305 (Japan) - front with obi, scan by Sonny Boy McFitzson |
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 Sony Music SICP 31227 (Japan) - front with obi and sticker, scan by Jack from Canada |
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 Sony Music SICP 31361~2 (Japan) - front with obi and tour sticker, scan by Sonny Boy McFitzson (revised design) |
 Sony Music SICP 31623~4 (Japan) - front scan by Sonny Boy McFitzson |
Vinyl Various Artists Compilations Exclusive to Japan (Nippon Columbia and CBS):
 Nippon Columbia YS 320 (Japan, 1964) - front scan by Manuel García Jara |
These stereo compilations date from before Sony took over CBS in 1968. I haven't listed Various Artists compilations from CBS/Sony or Sony Music from after 1968 because there are far too many. |
 CBS YS-527-C (Japan, 1965) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
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 CBS YS-579-C (Japan, 1966) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS YS-608-C (Japan, 1966) - front with obi, picture from eBay |
 CBS YS-665-C (Japan, 1966) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS XS-8-C (Japan, 1966) - front with obi, scan by Hans Seegers |
 Nippon Columbia PH-3019~20 (Japan, 1966) - front of gatefold sleeve, scan by Manuel García Jara |
 CBS YS-707-C (Japan, 1966) - front with obi, picture from www.jauce.com |
Japanese Promo and Commercial Cassettes (CBS/Sony, Sony Records, SME Records):
 CBS/Sony SONK-53122 (Japan) - front of cassette scan by Lars M. Banke (ca.1970) |
These are the only CBS/Sony Japanese commercial cassette releases with Bob Dylan I have scans of so far, although the company released cassette versions of Dylan albums and some other albums with Dylan contributions from the 1970s up until 1990. Thanks to Derek Barker of "Isis" magazine for confirming that there were 1974 Asylum Japan stereo cassette releases of Planet Waves (Asylum YSA-1225Y) and Before The Flood (Asylum YSA-1001Y). Scans are required of Before The Flood! |
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 CBS/Sony 40KP 334-5 (Japan) - front of slipcase, photo from Sonny Boy McFitzson (1978) |
 CBS/Sony 25KP 690 (Japan) - front photo found by Sonny Boy McFitzson (1981) |
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 CBS/Sony 25KP 1014 (Japan) - cassette front scan by Wil Gielen (commercial copy, 1983) |
 CBS/Sony 28KP 1194 (Japan) - front photo found by Sonny Boy McFitzson (1984) |
 CBS/Sony 28AP 1255 (Japan) - front photo found by Sonny Boy McFitzson (1985) |
 CBS/Sony 28KP 1220 (Japan) - front scan by Wil Gielen (1985) |
 CBS/Sony 28KP 1414 (Japan) - front photo found by Sonny Boy McFitzson (1986) |
 CBS/Sony 25KP 5219 (Japan) - front photo found by Sonny Boy McFitzson (1988) |
Other CBS/Sony Japan cassette releases known for
which scans are required are:
The
Freewheelin' Bob Dylan 25KP 242, 1976
The
Times They Are A-Changin' 25KP 243, 1976
Highway 61 Revisited 25KP 244, 1976
Desire 25KP 246, 1976 (25KP 245?)
Hard Rain 25KP 247, 1976
Slow Train Coming 25KP 475, 1979
Saved 25KP 581, 1980
These six Sony Records/SME Records Japan promo cassettes date from 1997 to 2001, and as far as I know there were no corresponding commercial cassette releases.
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 Sony Records SRCS 8758 (Japan) - insert for promo cassette 1, scan by Wil Gielen (1998) |
 Sony Records SRCS 8759 (Japan) - insert for promo cassette 2, scan by Wil Gielen (1998) |
 SME Records SRCS 2305 (Japan) - promo cassette insert, scan by Wil Gielen (2000) |
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 SME Records SRCS 2438 (Japan) - promo cassette insert, scan by Wil Gielen (2001) |
Japanese Singles Collection/60 Dylan
 Sony Music SICP-31361~2 (Japan) - Amazon Japan poster scan by Colin Hindson (2020) |
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 Original 1857 artwork by Hiroshige Utagawa, picture from Fine Art America |
 "60 Dylan" postcard 3, picture frpm Otonano Portal web-site (2022) |
 Original 1858 artwork by Hiroshige Utagawa, picture from www.ukiyo-e.org |
The front design for The Japanese Singles Collection (Sony Music Japan, 2020) is based on artwork by Japanese Ukiyo-e artist Hokusai, namely his "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji" and "The Great Wave off Kanagawa". The picture also incorporates the image of Bob and Suze Rotolo from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan with traditional Japanese Sugegasa straw hats!
In 2022 Sony Music Japan issued 60th Anniversary postcards commemorating Bob's debut on Columbia Records. The "60 Dylan" pictures are based on works by another Ukiyo-e artist Hiroshige Utagawa (spot the image of Bob and Suze in each picture). The Japanese script says "60 years since his debut album was released" (19 Mar 1962 in the USA, although not until 1966 in Japan). The first Utagawa picture is called "Sudden Shower over Shin-Ohashi Bridge and Atake" and dates from 1857. The second picture is called "Otsuki fields in Kai Province" and dates from 1858.
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| Four Ukiyo-e postcards were given away in 2022 with new Sony Music Japan stereo copies of Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits (white vinyl), Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II (blue vinyl) and Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Volume 3 (red vinyl). Photos by Nicolas Cornet. | |||
CDs Imported Into Japan
 Columbia CK 8786 (USA for Japan) - front with obi and stickers, scan by Wil Gielen (Shinseido copy) |
 Columbia CK 8786 (USA for Japan) - front with obi and stickers, scan by Wil Gielen (rental copy |
 Columbia CK 8905 (USA for Japan) - front with obi and sticker, scan by Wil Gielen |
 Columbia CK 8993 (USA for Japan) - front with obi and sticker, scan by Wil Gielen |
 Columbia CK 9128 (USA for Japan) - front with obi and sticker, scan by Wil Gielen |
 Columbia CGK 841 (USA for Japan) - front with obi and stickers, scan by Wil Gielen |
 Columbia CK 9604 (USA for Japan) - front with obi, scan by Wil Gielen |
 Columbia CK 9825 (USA for Japan) - front with obi, scan by Wil Gielen |
 Columbia CK 33893 (USA for Japan) - front with obi and sticker, scan by Wil Gielen |
 PolyGram 824 822-2 (USA for Japan) - front with obi, scan by Wil Gielen |
 Columbia CK 66783 (USA for Japan) - front with obi and sticker, scan by Keith Schweiger |
 Omagatoki SC 2134/Elektra 7599-61464-2 (Germany for Japan) - front with obi, scan by Peter Oudejans |
All but one of these albums were imported into Japan from the USA and sold with an obi, mostly by the Shinseido record store chain. The obi was added by the store to these import US copies (which were much cheaper than Japanese releases) to provide buyers with information in Japanese.
Wil Gielen has two copies of the US CD release of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan imported into Japan, one with an obi from the Shinseido record store chain, and one with a different obi from an unknown company. Wil Gielen also has a mid 1990s copy of the US CD release of Blonde On Blonde imported into Japan with an obi from the Tsutaya Records rental store chain.
The copy of Nanci Griffith's Other Voices, Other Rooms (which includes Bob playing on Nanci's version of Boots Of Spanish Leather) sold in Japan is the 1993 Elektra German release with a wrap-around obi made by the Japanese record label Omagatoki (Dusk). Omagatoki was a subsidiary label of the Japanese record store chain Shinseido.
SINGAPORE
MALAYSIA
Hup Hup Records in Malaysia and its associated company Life Records in Singapore and Hong Kong were the first regional licensees for foreign labels such as CBS, MCA and KAPP in South East Asia in the 1960s and 1970s. Records manufactured in Singapore were distributed in Malaysia through Hup Hup Records' own Music City store chain. (In the 1960s/1970s each record company had its own record store chain in Malaysia, Hup Hup had Music City, EMI had Music Scene, Decca had Decca Orient, and Phonogram (Philips, Vertigo, Fontana, etc.) had Musicorner.) Hup Hup Records continued issuing CBS and later CBS/Sony records in Malaysia until the mid 1970s, when they lost the CBS licence to EMI Malaysia/Singapore, who produced CBS/Sony titles with the orange/cream record labels such as The Basement Tapes, but in turn lost their license when CBS Malaysia was set up. CBS Malaysia manufactured cassettes locally but imported LPs, so Bob Dylan records were no longer made in Malaysia or Singapore.
Hans: "Yes, there was already in 1967 a CBS pressing plant in Singapore. The LPs were made in Singapore and they bought the hard covers from the USA. They used the USA labels as an example, but with the CBS logos."
Manuel: "I have a good contact in Singapore: he is owner of a record shop, also on eBay (Poor Cow Vinyls). He says all vinyls released in Malaysia/Singapore till 1975 were made in USA (albums and singles), but record labels and sleeves were made in these countries under license of Columbia. Records made in USA or Canada for export to European countries (Switzerland or Scandinavia) for legal reasons have the Columbia logos hidden by CBS stickers on sleeve and or labels. But records made in USA for export to Malaysia/Singapore have printed from factory three CBS logos on labels and CBS logo printed on the sleeve (see the copy of John Wesley Harding sent by Gerd Rundel: it is actually made for exportation to Malaysia/Singapore). My contact says it is because labels and sleeves were made in these countries imitating the US model. Since 1975, Malaysia and Singapore have their own editions, made by EMI for CBS/Sony: Blood On The Tracks is noticeable in that this album was the last record made in USA for export to Singapore , while Malaysia had its own edition and a few months after EMI did a same edition (blue sleeve) for both countries. The Basement Tapes was the first Dylan album released in Malaysia/Singapore entirely made in those countries, without a version "made in USA".
 CBS/Sony KG 31120 (Singapore/Malaysia) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (late 1970s release) |
 RSO 2394 172 (Hong Kong/Singapore/Malaysia) - front scan by Manuel García Jara |
 RSO 3216 172 (Malaysia) - outside of cassette insert, scan by Manuel García Jara |
 CBS/Sony 25AP 290 (Singapore/Malaysia) - front scan by Gerd Rundel |
 CBS/Sony 25AP 1099 (Singapore/Malaysia) - front scan by Gerd Rundel |
 CBS/Sony 25AP 1610 (Singapore/Malaysia) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1979 release) |
The CBS albums were manufactured for CBS/Sony jointly in Singapore by EMI (Singapore) PTE. and in Malaysia by EMI (Malaysia) SDN. BHD. The RSO album was jointly manufactured by PolyGram Records Ltd. (Hong Kong), PolyGram Records Private Ltd. (Singapore) and PolyGram Records Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia). The RSO tape has a price for West Malaysia (the Malayan Peninsula on the mainland of South East Asia) of $8.50.
INDONESIA
 CBS/King's C 2480989 (Indonesia) - front scan by Tom Willems |
I have excluded obviously unofficial releases from Indonesia! |
 Warner Bros/Wilbury Records 9 26234-4 (Indonesia) - front scan by Tjeerd Timmerman |
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 Columbia 2876-87606-4 (Indonesia) - cassette insert scan by Manuel García Jara |
The cassette release of Oh Mercy was manufactured by King's of Indonesia and uses the CBS logo on both the insert and the cassette itself, which looks like a recordable cassette rather than pre-recorded. It may therefore be unofficial. The cassette release of The Traveling Wilburys Vol. Three was manufactured and sold in Indonesia by PT. Aquarius Musikindo on behalf of Wilbury Records/Warner Bros. I haven't yet been notified of an Indonesian release of The Traveling Wilburys Vol. One. The official release of "Love And Theft" with the American catalogue number was manufactured by PT Sony Music Entertainment Indonesia. As far as I know this is the only worldwide commercial release of Modern Times on cassette. It is an official Sony BMG release and was made in Indonesia.
PHILIPPINES
Mareco Inc. (1965-70, 1974):
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Up to 1970 Dylan records were manufactured in the Philippines by Mareco Inc. on behalf of CBS Records. Mareco were the only Philippines company to release mono Dylan records. The releases are on the CBS label but all have the US Columbia catalogue numbers (both singles and albums). |
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 CBS 4-43477 (Philippines) - commercial A-side scan by Manuel García Jara (mono) |
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 Columbia/CBS KCS 9825 (Philippines) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (stereo) |
 CBS 4-44926 (Philippines) - promo A-side scan by Manuel García Jara (mono) |
 CBS C2X 30050/C 30139-30140 (Philippines) - front scan by Lars M. Banke (stereo) |
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 Columbia/CBS KC 30290 (Philippines) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (stereo) |
The commercial singles have unique green labels. CBS 4-43477 is unusual in that the promo single has Highway 61 Revisited as the A-side, but the commercial single has Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window? as the A-side as expected.
The LP sleeves are based on the US sleeves with Columbia logos (although some have CBS on the rear). The records all have CBS labels. The Best Of '66 Volume One compilation shown has an imported US Columbia sleeve although the record has orange CBS labels.
 Asylum 7E-1003 (Philippines) - front scan by Lars M. Banke |
New Morning was probably the last Philippines Dylan album made for CBS by Mareco. Planet Waves in 1974 was made for Asylum by Mareco, but I have not seen a Philippines release of Before The Flood. |
Blackgold Records Corporation (1970-81):
 CBS/Sony APP-1060/25AP 290 (Philippines) - front scan by Gerd Rundel |
From 1970 to 1981 Dylan records were released in the Philippines by the Blackgold Records Corporation, Manila, under licence from CBS/Sony, Japan. The copies of the 1960s albums shown were reissues, as can be seen from the catalogue numbers, which are shown in order. |
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 CBS/Sony LP-1565-66 (Philippines) - front scan by Hans Seegers |
 CBS/Sony LP-1567/JC 35453 (Philippines) - front photo by Ulf Gyllenspetz |
 CBS/Sony LP-1596 (Philippines) - front scan by Lars M. Banke |
 CBS/Sony LP-1598/SOPL 225 (Philippines) - front scan by Lars M. Banke |
 CBS/Sony LP-1602/62193 (Philippines) - front scan by Marco S from Italy |
Some expected albums like Blood On the Tracks and Desire are missing, and I don't have details of any Blackgold singles.
OctoArts International Inc. (1983-89):
 CBS QCL-22077 (Philippines) - front scan by Arie de Reus (1983) |
From 1983 until 1989 Dylan records were released in the Philippines by OctoArts International Inc., now back on the CBS label, not CBS/Sony. Unique to this country is the addition of the names of four featured tracks to the front sleeve of each new album (with Dylan & The Dead they're listed along the top edge). The 1967 album Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits was reissued in 1983 as CBS QCL-22085. I don't yet have details of OctoArts releases of Down In The Groove or Oh Mercy. |
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 CBS CS-10070 (Philippines) - A-side scan by Manuel García Jara (1985) |
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 CBS/OctoArts QCLHG-22472 (Philippines) - outside of cassette insert, scan by Manuel García Jara (1989 - includes Rainy Day Women #12 & 35) |
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (CHINA)
 Starwin/Sony BMG 97897799628370 (China) - photo by John Kappes |
These are the only official Bob Dylan releases in
China. The Best Of Bob Dylan was released in 2007, distributed by Guangdong (Canton) Starwin Culture Communication Company Ltd. on behalf of Sony BMG. The "SUPER 2+1" release of The Essential Bob Dylan, released to coincide with Bob's first live performance in China in Beijing (Peking) on 6 Apr 2011. It was manufactured and distributed by Starsing Records licensed from Sony Music and bears the Sony Music logo. |
 Sony Music/Starsing Records 49021 (China) - front of slipcase (my copy) |
REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN)
 Haishan Records/Columbia HS 505 (Taiwan) - front scan by Manuel García Jara |
Although there are very many pirated Dylan albums from Taiwan, there were very few official Dylan releases. The two official albums from 1967 were made by Haishan Records of Taiwan on behalf of Columbia Records and are Records 1 and 2 of the 1966 Japanese CBS 2LP compilation The Bob Dylan Story. For several unofficial Taiwanese releases of official Dylan albums, see Questionable Releases. |
 Haishan Records/Columbia HS 506 (Taiwan) - front picture from www.collectorsfrenzy.com |
 Sony Music COL 498361 2 (Taiwan) - front with obi, scan by John Gaylor (2000) |
HONG KONG (up to 1997) HONG KONG
(1997 onwards)
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See above for an RSO album sold in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. Although Malaysian and Singaporean records were also sold there, CBS manufactured some singles in Hong Kong in the 1960s. The record labels have a very different typeface from the ones made in Malaysia or Singapore. The earliest singles released in the early 1960s have the catalogue number "CBS x-xxx" but this catalogue number changed in the mid 1960s to "BA 320xxx" for singles and "BG 325xxx" for EPs. The singles also have the US reference numbers "4-xxxxxx" and "ZSP/JZSP xxxxxx". The LPs shown date from mid-1970s to late 1980s, and the CDs from early 1990s to the present day. |
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 CBS/Sony 40AP 282~3 (Hong Kong) - front of LP gatefold sleeve, scan by Simon Blokker (1976) |
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 CBS/Sony 25AP 1099 (Hong Kong) - front scan by Arie de Reus (1978) |
 CBS/Sony 25AP 1610 (Hong Kong) - front (1979) |
 CBS/Sony 25KP 475 (Hong Kong) - front of cassette, photocopy by Paul Shenton (1979) |
 CBS/Sony 25AP 1890 (Hong Kong) - front scan by Arie de Reus (1980) |
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 CBS/Sony 25AP 2690 (Hong Kong) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1983) |
 CBS/Sony CYA 1047 (Hong Kong) - LP front scan by Arie de Reus (1984) |
 CBS/Sony CYA 1087 (Hong Kong) - LP front scan by Arie de Reus (1985) |
 CBS/Sony CYA 1055 (Hong Kong) - LP front scan by Bill Hester (1985) |
 CBS/Sony CYK 1256 (Hong Kong) - outside of cassette insert, scan by Manuel García Jara (1988) |
 Sony Music SMP 3117.2 (Hong Kong) - CD front (1992) |
 Sony Music CD 115 (Hong Kong) - CD obi scan by Hans Seegers (2000) |
 Sony Music CD 116 (Hong Kong) - CD obi scan by Hans Seegers (2000) |
 Sony Music DH0018A/B (Hong Kong) - CD front photo by Hervé from France (2001) |
 Sony Music 9 787889 296069 (Hong Kong) - CD front scan by Keith Schweiger (2009?) |
 Sony Music 88697 57323 2 (Hong Kong) - CD front with sticker, scan by Jens Winter (2009) |
 Sony Music 9 787883 704812 (Hong Kong) - front of CD slipcase, picture from eBay (2013) |
REPUBLIC OF KOREA (SOUTH KOREA)
 CBS/Sony/Jigu Records KJPL-0045 (South Korea) - front scan by Lars M. Banke (1975) |
There was a 1973 unofficial 7" single (Yegrin D-5) with Can't Help Falling In Love from the 1973 Columbia album Dylan (R-0100, see 1973). |
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 Wilbury Records/Warner Brothers 9 25796-2 (South Korea) - CD front scan by John Gaylor (1988) |
 CBS/Sony/Jigu Records KJPL-0596 (South Korea) - LP front scan by Patrick Helfrich (1988) |
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 Warner Bros/Oasis Records 7599-26324-1 (South Korea) - LP front scan by Patrick Helfrich (1990) |
 Columbia/Jigu Records CPL-1142 (South Korea) - CD front scan by Hans Seegers (1991) |
 Sony/Columbia CK 9463/DPL-5011 (South Korea) - LP front scan by Lars M. Banke |
 Sony/Columbia CK 9463/DPK-5011 (South Korea) - front of CD slipcase, picture from www.discogs.com |
 Han Su Li Records MHLR-1058 (South Korea) - photograph by Ulf Gyllenspetz (1991) |
 Epic/Legacy/Sony Music Soundtrax E2K 215090 (South Korea) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1994) |
 Epic Soundtrax EK 217773 (South Korea) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1996) |
 Columbia COL OPE-2289 498361 2 (South Korea) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (2000) |
 Hollywood Records 806581-226478 (South Korea) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (2001) |
 Reprise 93624 81092 (South Korea) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (2001) |
 Sony Music CP2K 2745/510828 2 (South Korea) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (2002) |
 Sony Music PROM 123 (South Korea) - front scan by Hans Seegers (2002) |
 Epic/Sony Music Soundtrax EK 227840 (South Korea) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (2002) |
 Universal South DW 8832/986 231-5 (South Korea) - front with sticker, scan by Manuel García Jara (2004) |
 Sony Music Soundtrax S810353C (South Korea) - CD front with sticker, scan by Manuel García Jara (2007) |
 Columbia 51055BC/88697438932 (South Korea) - front with sticker, scan by Jens Winter (2009) |
 Columbia S10623C/88697573232 (South Korea) - front with sticker, scan by Jens Winter (2009) |
 Camden Deluxe/Sony Music/Legacy S30762C/88697983862 (South Korea) - front with sticker, scan by Manuel García Jara (2010) |
From the 1970s up to 1991 Jigu Records released records and tapes in South Korea on behalf of CBS/Sony Japan.
The 1988 South Korean CD release of The Traveling Wilburys Volume One was manufactured by SKC Limited on behalf of Warner Bros/Wilbury Records. The rare 1990 The Traveling Wilburys Volume Three South Korean vinyl LP was distributed by Oasis Records on behalf of Warner Bros/Wilbury Records.
The 1991 LP and CD releases of The Greatest Hits Of The Superstars 11/Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits were manufactured in South Korea by Seoul Records Inc. The 1991 CD release of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan was manufactured in South Korea by SKC Limited.
As far as I know there have been no Dylan releases from North Korea.
AUSTRALASIA
AUSTRALIA
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Most of the earliest Australian and New Zealand record labels have the Allan's logo, Allan's were music publishers in Australia and New Zealand for Bob Dylan records up to 1969. |
 UK 78 rpm record label with Allan's sticker, scan by Stuart Moore |
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 UK 78 rpm record label with Allan's sticker, scan by Stuart Moore |
Early Australian release record 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. A.R.C. changed its name to CBS Records Australia Limited on 17 Oct 1977, and on record labels from after that date the longer bottom edge text includes the CBS copyright information. (Stuart Moore says that the label change may not have occurred till late 1978 or early 1979, Bob Dylan At Budokan from 1978 still does not have a CBS copyright nor does Masterpieces, Slow Train Coming from 1979 does have the CBS copyright.)
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Gold Series CD Releases
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Columbia/Sony Music Australia has been reissuing Bob's albums in their exclusive "Gold Series" on gold CDs from 2018 onwards. |
 Columbia/Sony Music 19075904532 (Australia) - front with "Gold Series" sticker, scan by Stuart Moore |
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 Columbia/Sony Music 19075936032 (Australia) - front with "Gold Series" sticker, scan by Stuart Moore |
 Columbia/Sony Music 19075936362 (Australia) - front with "Gold Series" sticker, scan by Stuart Moore |
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 Columbia/Sony Music 19075904482 (Australia) - front with "Gold Series" sticker, scan by Stuart Moore |
NEW ZEALAND
1960s New Zealand release
New Zealand releases have the text "MADE IN NZ BY A REGISTERED USER OF THE TRADEMARKS". The CBS and Epic record labels were manufactured and distributed in New Zealand by Phonogram (part of the Philips group, now Universal), who were the registered user. Records were pressed at the Phonogram/Polydor plant in Miramar, a suburb of Wellington.
The sleeve of the New Zealand release of Bringing It All Back Home was the only one printed by Coulls Somerville Wilkie (CSW), used for mono and stereo; there was also a later stereo release of this album (1974) but the sleeve was printed by Phonogram. Some other NZ sleeves were printed by Whitcombe & Tombs; in the 1970s both companies merged and became Whitcoulls. Also, some other New Zealand sleeves were printed by Cello-Kraft.
Phoenix C says:
Just wanted to send some more information concerning Bob Dylan and CBS releases here in New Zealand. I had learned quite a bit more on New Zealand pressings since I last emailed, hopefully the new info will help with New Zealand pressings. This is what I know and have seen from a whole year of cataloguing New Zealand pressings of many albums, but I can still be wrong. I have noticed that in 1972, CBS still continued issuing albums (such as Paul Simon's 1972 self-titled album) as fully laminated sleeves with two folded-over flaps such as the 1974 Freewheelin' stereo release, and pressed with "deep-grooved" labels such as the label picture shows (below second left):
 CBS SBP 473931 (New Zealand) - Side 1 photo by Phoenix C (original 1972 release - two folded over flaps) |
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However, CBS changed their pressing practices possibly later in the year. They were still issuing fully laminated sleeves with two folded-over flaps but the labels were now pressed with ridges around the circumference of the label as seen with the later version of Paul Simon's album (above third left).
I believe it remained like this during the remainder of 1972 since Santana's 1972 album and the 1972 Simon & Garfunkel compilation album were released, with similarly-made sleeves and similarly-pressed labels. The cover manufacturing style would change sometime in 1973. It was sometime in 1973 when sleeves were now issued without flaps, although still fully laminated with the way the label was pressed remaining the same until the mid-1980s and the orange label remaining until 1975, with the "sunburst" label style being first used sometime in 1976. I've only ever seen Dylan albums (from his first to Blonde On Blonde) issued in fully laminated sleeves without flaps (such as the one above second right) although I'm not sure about his albums following John Wesley Harding.
Then sometime in 1974 (presumably the year these Dylan stereo versions were being issued), the "marketed by Phonogram" logo started appearing on CBS covers. I agree with the info from the website that these stereo Dylan issues were issued around 1974-1975, although I think 1974 is more correct since I noticed laminated sleeves weren't being made any more from 1975 and onwards (as was with Blood On The Tracks, along with other 1975 CBS albums). These versions of Dylan's album could not have been released in 1973 since CBS sleeves did not feature the "Phonogram" logo on them until 1974, which makes 1974 to be the most verified year. These Dylan albums also had "XSM" catalogue numbers on the label.
CARIBBEAN
BARBADOS up to 1966 BARBADOS
after 1966
Asylum releases:
 A-side scan by Manuel García Jara |
The only official Dylan releases I have so far from Barbados
are both from 1974, made in Barbados by W.I.R.L. (West Indies Records
(Barbados) Limited) under licence from Asylum. There are no Columbia/CBS
releases. On A Night Like This/You Angel You is the standard single from Planet Waves. It looks like a promo because it has no catalogue number and white labels, but may have been sold commercially. It comes in a generic W.I.R.L. sleeve (same both sides). |
 Detail of A-side, scan by Manuel García Jara |
 A-side in generic W.I.R.L. sleeve, scan by Manuel García Jara |
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 Asylum AB-201 (Barbados) - front scan by Gerd Rundel |
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 Asylum AB-201 (Barbados) - detail of rear, scan by Gerd Rundel |
 Asylum AB-201 (Barbados) - Side 2 scan by Gerd Rundel |
 Asylum AB-201 (Barbados) - detail of Side 2, scan by Gerd Rundel |
 Detail of W.I.R.L. sleeve, scan by Manuel García Jara |
Before The Flood comes in a standard Asylum US gatefold sleeve with a sticker saying that the records were made in Barbados. The records have white Asylum labels with "Made in Barbados" stamped on Sides 2 and 4.
A&M release:
 A&M SP-4413 (Barbados) - front scan by Manuel García Jara |
 A&M SP-4413 (Barbados) - rear with "WIRL" sticker, scan by Manuel García Jara |
 A&M SP-4413 (Barbados) - detail of rear with "WIRL" sticker, scan by Manuel García Jara |
 A&M SP-4413 (Barbados) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara (no Dylan) |
 A&M SP-4413 (Barbados) - detail of Side 1, scan by Manuel García Jara |
The only other album I have from Barbados so far is the 1973 A&M release of Chronicles by Booker T and Priscilla Jones, with Bob playing harmonica on The Crippled Crow. (R-0094, see 1973. This album has what look like the US outer and inner sleeves, with only a small sticker on the rear sleeve with the text "WIRL" (West Indies Records Limited as above) and the company logo (same as on the Asylum release sleeve). The record was pressed in Barbados and the A&M record labels have "Made in Barbados" printed in a white panel on both sides.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
 Columbia/CBS OC 40439 (Dominican Republic) - front scan by Lars M. Banke (1986) |
These are the only official releases I
have so far from the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic release of Self Portrait consisted of Record 2 only, housed in a CBS Mexico sleeve (Mexico also had a single LP release). The record itself was manufactured in the Dominican Republic by La Guarachita under license from CBS. Although the Mexican sleeve (not shown) has the CBS logo, the record surprisingly has US-style red Columbia labels, not the expected orange CBS labels. Only a few copies were made and the album was not released commercially. The Knocked Out Loaded record has cream CBS labels with blue and black text and was manufactured and distributed by Mu&icor C.X.A. |
 CBS DTL-27502 (Dominican Republic) - front photo from eBay (1984) |
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 Columbia CLS 5309 (Dominican Republic) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara (1970) |
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 Columbia/CBS OC 40439 (Dominican Republic) - detail of Side 1, scan by Lars M. Banke (1986) |
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JAMAICA
 Columbia 4-44926 (Jamaica) - A-side scan by Hans Seegers (1969) |
The Jamaican singles shown are three of the very few Dylan singles released directly in Jamaica (rather than being imported from the USA). All have the US catalogue number. |
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 Columbia 4-45199 (Jamaica) - A-side scan by Manuel García Jara (1970 test pressing) |
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 Columbia 4-45199 (Jamaica) - A-side scan by Hans Seegers (1970 commercial orange label) |
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 Columbia 4-45199 (Jamaica) - A-side scan by Dag Braathen (1970 commercial yellow label) |
 Columbia PC 32747 (USA for Jamaica) - rear with sticker, scan by Ger Hemel (1973) |
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 Columbia US7-04839 (Jamaica) - 7" single A-side, scan by Manuel García Jara (1985) |
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The 1969/1970 singles were manufactured and distributed by Record Specialists Ltd., Kingston, Jamaica, whose name appears at the top underneath the Columbia logo. Ger Hemel has a US copy of the 1973 Dylan album with a silver sticker on the rear sleeve with text “MADE IN KINGSTON, JAMAICA BY RECORD SPECIALISTS LTD”. This album may not actually have been made in Jamaica, but made in the USA and exported to Jamaica, where the sticker was affixed. Lars M. Banke has a copy of Nashville Skyline with the same silver sticker.
Michael Goodall has a copy of the stereo Highway 61 Revisited Columbia CS 9189 with a "MADE IN JAMAICA, W.I." sticker on the rear sleeve. Again, this album was almost certainly actually made in the USA and exported to Jamaica.
The 1970 Wigwam single exists as a test pressing from Record Specialists Ltd. as well as a promo release with white labels and commercial releases with orange, red and yellow labels!
The 1985 single by USA for Africa has poorly printed black text, most of which looks typewritten. The bottom text says "MFG. UNDER LICENCE BY DYNAMO SOUNDS 15 BELL ROAD KGN JA". "KGN JA" is Kingston, Jamaica.
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
Manuel García Jara's information on Dylan albums in Latin American countries:
Bob Dylan was released only in Brazil but in a later stereo edition in the 1980s by Harmony (a CBS budget label).
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, The Times They Are A-Changin' and Another Side Of Bob Dylan were never released there!
Bringing It All Back Home was released only in Brazil and there only as a mono album, never reissued in stereo.
Highway 61 Revisited was released only in Mexico (mono and stereo), Brazil (originally in mono and later released in stereo in the late 1970s) and Uruguay (mono).
Blonde On Blonde is still unreleased there!
Amazingly Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits was only released in Mexico (mono and stereo) but not in Brazil and it was only released for the first time in Argentina and Uruguay until 1977!
John Wesley Harding was only released in Colombia!
Nashville Skyline had a "massive" release only after the success of the single "Lay Lady Lay" (Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, and it was the first Dylan album released in Argentina and Chile).
Self Portrait was released as a single album (record #2) in Mexico and Peru (the only Dylan album released there) and in its original format only in Brazil.
New Morning was only released in Brazil (mono) and in Uruguay (stereo).
Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II was never released there: some Latin American countries had exclusive compilations (Poeta O Profeta in Argentina and Uruguay, Greatest Hits, two different versions, 1970 and 1975, in Brazil, or Los Más Grandes Éxitos in Venezuela).
Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid was unreleased there at the time and belatedly released in the early 1980s only in Brazil and in Argentina.
Dylan (1973) was released only in Brazil.
Asylum Records had a different way of working and Planet Waves was released in most Latin American countries (Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile) but Before The Flood only in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela and Argentina.
Back to
CBS and back to scarce editions: Blood On The Tracks
was released only in Brazil and Argentina and The Basement
Tapes was never released in any Latin
American country.
After the success of Desire
in the USA, things got better and from 1976 to the mid 1980s each new Dylan
album was released in Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina but not
in Uruguay (with the exception of Street Legal) and
there were even some great surprises (records released in Costa Rica or the
Dominican Republic).
From the mid 1980s, CBS was closing its offices one by one in those countries (like in the rest of the world) although some Dylan albums were still released in Argentina (the last was Under The Red Sky) and Brazil (World Gone Wrong was their last album).
"Disco es cultura [Record is Culture]" is usually printed on records made in Latin American countries: this seems obvious because a record is definitely a cultural item, but in Spain and in these Latin American countries book publishers pay less Government taxes than record companies, so the price of records are more expensive there than in other countries; for this reason "Disco es cultura" is a protest slogan!
Some translations of Dylan song titles into Spanish, especially in Latin American countries, are very eccentric!
MEXICO
All releases in Mexico have song titles translated in Spanish (usually correctly) and were made by Discos CBS, Mexico City, unless otherwise stated. CBS CLS-463764 (Mexico) in 1990, which is actually a reissue of the 1967 compilation Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits, appears to be the last vinyl album released there. Ironically, some US CD releases have discs made in Mexico.
Singles and EPs
 CBS EPC 496 (Mexico, mono) - front of folded card sleeve (my copy, 1965) |
These singles are stereo unless listed as mono. En Una Noche Como Esta [On A Night Like This]/Tú Ángel Tú [You Angel You] was made in Mexico by Gamma S.A. for Asylum Records (Gamma is a Mexican label, well known to Dylan covers collectors). |
 CBS 5770 (Mexico, mono) - A-side scan by Hans Seegers (1965) |
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 CBS EPC 945 (Mexico, mono) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1969) |
 CBS EPC 978 (Mexico, mono) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1969) |
 CBS EPC 1018 (Mexico) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1970) |
 CBS EPC 1028 (Mexico) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1970) |
 Apple 7357 (Mexico, stereo) - B-side with Bob possibly on harmonica, picture from www.discogs.com (1973) |
 CBS 7184 (Mexico, stereo) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1973) |
 CBS 7238 (Mexico) - A-side scan by Hans Seegers (1974) |
 Asylum/Gamma G-1328 (Mexico) - A-side scan by Manuel García Jara (1974) |
 CBS 7447 (Mexico) - A-side scan by Manuel García Jara (1975) |
 CBS 45-7568 (Mexico) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1976) |
 CBS 7631 (Mexico) - A-side scan by Manuel García Jara (1976) |
 CBS 7818 (Mexico) - A-side scan by Manuel García Jara (1976) |
 CBS 8213 (Mexico) - A-side scan by Hans Seegers (1979) |
 CBS 8648 (Mexico) - A-side photo from www.discogs.com (1985) |
 CBS 8669 (Mexico) - A-side scan by Ronald Born (1985) |
 CBS PR-653204 (Mexico) - Side 1 (my copy, 1988, same both sides) |
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Dylan Albums
Ondas Planetarias [Planet Waves] and Antes Del Diluvio [Before The Flood] were made by Gamma S.A. for Asylum Records.
Various Artists and Other Artist Albums
 CBS CL-5139 (Mexico, mono) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1965) |
 CBS DCA 444 (Mexico, mono) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1966) |
 Columbia CLS 5292 (Mexico) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1969) |
 Apple STCX 3385 (Mexico) - front of box, scan by Manuel García Jara (1972) |
 CBS TVCLS 123 (Mexico) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1984) |
 Wilbury Records/Warner Bros LXWB-6787 (Mexico) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1988) |
 Island 2LA.833 (Mexico) - front with sticker, scan found by Wil Gielen (1988) |
 Island/PolyGram LPR 25019 A2 (Mexico) - front scan found by Wil Gielen (1989) |
 Okeh OKL-463771 (Mexico) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1989) |
 Wilbury Records/Warner Bros LPXB-7028 (Mexico) - LP front scan by Manuel García Jara (1990) |
 Columbia/Sony Music Soundtrax CDMI 497738 (Mexico) - scan by Hans Seegers (2000) |
 Sony Music 886919771923 (Mexico) - front picture from www.amazon.com (2012) |
These albums are stereo unless listed as mono.
Fake Mexican Record Sleeves
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Unfortunately Mexico is plagued with rogue sellers on eBay and other auction sites who is getting away with selling genuine Mexican releases by Bob Dylan and other artists with fake picture sleeves! For example are copies of the Mexican Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits in fake promo sleeves. This record dates from the 1980s, but the right-hand sleeve previously turned up with a 1960s record! Another example is a Mexican release of Knocked Out Loaded in a fake promo sleeve with the hilarious title misspelling of "Kwocked Out Loaded"! It's a crock all right! You are advised not to buy anything from these rogue sellers who use many different names but whose offerings are unmistakeable! For fake Portuguese sleeves, see above.
These singles are listed in Questionable Releases (Official Dylan Singles).
ARGENTINA
Confusingly Dylan records were released in Argentina by CBS until Street Legal in 1978, in the period 1978-1982 (from Bob Dylan At Budokan to Shot Of Love) by Columbia, from 1983 to 1988 again by CBS, and from 1989 onwards again by Columbia.
Argentinean record labels have the logos of two copyright organisations:
“COMAR” [Corporación Musical Argentin a] is the “Argentinean Musical Corporation” (Corporación Musical Argentina). It was established in 1936.
"SADAIC" [Sociedad Argentina De Autores y (I) Compositores] is the "Argentinean Society of Authors and Composers", also established in 1936, the result of the merger between the "Asociación Argentina de Autores y Compositores de Música" [Argentinean Association of Authors and Composers of Music] and the "Círculo de Autores y Compositores de Música" [Circle of Authors and Composers of Music].
Argentinean translations of Dylan song titles into Spanish are possibly the most eccentric of all! My favourite is "Amor Submarino [Underwater Love]" for Watered-Down Love from Shot of Love. The title of Infidels was translated incorrectly as Infidelidades [Infidelities] instead of Infieles!
Sergio Mariano Romay found this quote about Argentinean Beatles mono albums which may also apply to Argentinean CBS Dylan mono albums:
"We must also bear in mind that the original MONO editions in Argentina are deceptive. There are no original MONO blends of Abbey Road or Let It Be. What was done in Argentina is something called "fold down mono" which consists of taking the STEREO master and processing it to reach a single channel (MONO). The same was done with records that do have original MONO mixes such as the White Album or Sgt. Pepper that, as Odeon Argentina did not receive the original MONO masters in time, processed the STEREO master as fold down. This makes the MONO Argentina editions a rarity, although it is not the only country where this happened ... there is also the Abbey Road Brazilian MONO, for example."
BOLIVIA
 Promo EP front scan by Manuel García Jara (1971) |
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 Discos CBS 30307 (Bolivia) - A-side scan by Hans Seegers (1979) |
 Sleeve scan by Hans Seegers (1979) |
 Discos CBS 10423 (Bolivia) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1984) |
These very rare Bolivian single/EP releases are all I have so far from this country. The 1979 Bolivian single came in the generic sleeve shown. Bolivian releases were made by Industrias Fonoeléctricas Lyra of La Paz for CBS Records up to the mid 1970s, after which CBS records from Bolivia were made by another company, Heriba Ltda.
Thanks to Manuel García Jara and Hans Seegers for information and scans.
BRAZIL
Mono LP releases:
 CBS 37457 (Brazil) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1966, mono) |
Discos CBS Brazil has been a regular releaser of Dylan records since the mid 1960s. Note the unique 1970 mono releases of Self Portrait and New Morning! From the 1960s until late 1971, CBS only released mono albums in Brazil. All those albums have a 5-number catalogue number that always starts with "37_ _ _" and, obviously, a lower catalogue number implies that this album was released before another with a higher catalogue number. Only six Dylan albums were released by CBS in Brazil in the period 1965-1971 and all of them were mono releases; they are in chronological order: Highway 61 Revisited (37.457, 1966), Bringing It All Back Home (37.490, 1967), Nashville Skyline (37.616, 1969), a compilation exclusive to Brazil Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits (37.653, 1970), Self Portrait (37.680/1, 1970) and New Morning (37.706, 1971). |
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 CBS 37490 (Brazil) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1967, mono) |
 CBS 37616 (Brazil) - front scan by Stuart Moore (1969, mono) |
 CBS 37653 (Brazil) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1970, mono) |
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Stereo LP releases:
 Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid - Discos CBS 159.009 (Brazil, 1982) |
In late 1971 Discos CBS Brazil started to publish stereo albums and then used a 6-number catalogue number. One of the last albums still released in mono was Janis Joplin's Big Brother & The Holding Company (37.762, 1971) and one of the first albums to be released in stereo was Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits (137.778, 1972). Stereo catalogue numbers continued where mono catalogue numbers ended, just adding a "1". So CBS Brazil never released a stereo album with a 5-number catalogue number. | ||||
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 Asylum ASYLP-50.002 (Brazil) - front scan by Arie de Reus (1974 - reissued as CBS/Harmony 148.075, 1982) |
 Asylum ASYLP 50.007/50.008 (Brazil) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1974) |
 CBS 137873 (Brazil) - front photo by Paul Prince (1975) |
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 CBS 230.005 (Brazil) - front with sticker, scan by Manuel García Jara (1976) |
 Columbia 184.025 (Brazil) - front with sticker, scan by Lars M. Banke (1990s re-release) |
 CBS 230.007 (Brazil) - front with sticker, scan by Manuel García Jara (1976 release - there was also a 1982 release on the CBS/Harmony label) |
 Discos CBS 138.084 (Brazil) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1978) |
 Discos CBS 138.140/141 (Brazil) - front with sticker, scan by Manuel García Jara (1979) |
 Discos CBS 138.152 (Brazil) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1979) |
 Discos CBS 137.490 (Brazil) - front scan from an Internet record dealer (fake, 1980s) |
 Discos CBS 138.192 (Brazil) - front with sticker, scan by Manuel García Jara (1980) |
 CBS/Harmony 148.006 (Brazil) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1981 - first Brazilian release of this album!) |
 CBS 138.507 (Brazil), front sleeve - scan by Hans Seegers (1981) |
 Discos CBS 138.570 (Brazil) - front scan by David Plentus (1983) |
 Discos CBS 138.617 (Brazil) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1984) |
 Discos CBS 138.636 (Brazil) - front with stickers, scan by Manuel García Jara (1985) |
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 Discos CBS 138.685 (Brazil) - front scan by Arie de Reus (1986) |
 Discos CBS 231.081 (Brazil) - front scan by Patrick Helfrich (1988) |
 Warner Bros. Records 670.9003 (Brazil) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1988) |
 CBS 177.130/1-463381 (Brazil) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1989) |
 Discos CBS 177.207 (Brazil) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1989) |
 Discos CBS 188.110/1-467188 (Brazil) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1990) |
 Columbia/Legacy 752.003/2-465085 (Brazil) - front photo by Ulf Gyllenspetz (1991) |
 Columbia 188.267/1-472710 (Brazil) - front scan by Anthony Perry (1992) |
 Columbia 1880.330-1-2/1-474000 (Brazil) - front scan by Arie de Reus (1993) |
 Columbia 237.032/1-474857 (Brazil) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1993) |
 Columbia 238.020-021 (Brazil) - front scan by Are de Reus (1995) |
Some albums, originally released in mono, were also released in the 1970s in stereo: they always have the original mono catalogue number starting with "1", e.g: Highway 61 Revisited: 37.457 (mono) and 137.457 (stereo); Bridge Over Troubled Waters (Simon & Garfunkel): 37.665 (mono) and 137.665 (stereo); Mr. Tambourine Man (The Byrds): "37.418" (mono) and "137.418" (stereo). However, the album Bridge Over Troubled Waters with a higher stereo catalogue number (because it was originally released in mono in 1970), was released in stereo (1972) before Highway 61 Revisited (1979); and Mr. Tambourine Man, originally issued in mono in 1965, has the lowest stereo catalogue number but it was not released in stereo until 1985. Highway 61 Revisited was not released in stereo until 1979 but its catalogue number is "137.457", lower than Blood On The Tracks (137.873).
 Discos CBS 138.570 (Brazil) - detail of Side 1, scan by Sergio Romano Romay |
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 Columbia Opus 412.050 (Brazil) - detail of Side 1 (my copy, 1983 - Like A Rolling Stone is "60559063") |
 Columbia/Sony Music 1-981.799 (Brazil) - Side 1 scan by Sergio Mariano Romay (1993) |
 Columbia/Sony Music 1-981.799 (Brazil) - detail of Side 1 scan by Sergio Mariano Romay (1993 - Like A Rolling Stone is again "60559063") |
The Discos CBS record labels of each album have a C.G.C. (tax) number for Discos CBS in a rectangle to the right of the centre hole. "C.G.C." means in Portuguese "Cadastro Geral de Contribuinte [General Taxpayer Registration]". Additionally, each song title listed on a Brazilian record label has a copyright code after it in brackets. As can be seen, Like A Rolling Stone is code "60559063" and the same number appears on all Brazilian record labels.
Surprisingly CBS Brazil never had its own pressing plant there until the late 1970s. All Dylan records until Blood On The Tracks were manufactured for CBS by RCA Electronica Ltda. CBS never had its own pressing plant in Brazil until late 1979 or early 1980s. From the 1960s until 1975, CBS records were manufactured by RCA Electronica Ltda. The last Dylan album made by this company was Blood On The Tracks. After RCA, there were several local companies:
1975-1977. Discos Copacabana (based in São Bernardo do Campo) . The first edition of Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. I in 1975 was the first (of three) Dylan albums manufactured by this Brazilian label. Records made by them for other companies have on the labels only "Som Indústria E Comercio S.A.". This company also made the first edition of Desire and Hard Rain.
1977. Gravaçôes Eléctricas S.A. (São Paulo). It was the manufacturer of the second edition of Desire and also the second edition of Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. 1.
1978. INA Nacional Discos Ltda. (São Paulo) It was property of WEA Brazil. This company made Street Legal only.
1978-1979. Tapecar Gravaçôes S.A. (Rio de Janeiro) Pressing plant owned by the label Tapecar Discos. This company made the first edition of Bob Dylan At Budokan (still with orange labels) and the stereo edition of Highway 61 Revisited.
1979. Gravaçôes Eléctricas Ltda. again. This time they just made Slow Train Coming.
Saved (1980) was the first Dylan album made by CBS in its own pressing plant in Rio de Janeiro!
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As stated above, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, The Times They Are A-Changin', Another Side Of Bob Dylan, Blonde On Blonde and John Wesley Harding were not released in Brazil, The Basement Tapes was also omitted. Two Brazilian releases are of special merit:
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Compilation Albums (Dylan-only):
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CBS 37653 (Brazil) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1970, mono) |
 CBS 137.904 (Brazil) - front photo by Sergio Magnacca (1975) |
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 Discos CBS 138.750/1 (Brazil) - front (my copy, 1987) |
Discos CBS 279.001/1-463088 (Brazil) - front with sticker (my copy, 1988) |
 Columbia 5099708606923 (Brazil) - slipcase front (2003) |
All these Brazilian releases are exclusive to the country - the Greatest Hits album with the cover of Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II is a single album with a unique tracklist. The list shown here may not be complete.
Compilation Albums (Various Artists):
 Apple/CBS 137759/61 (Brazil) - front of box, scan by Manuel García Jara (1972) |
Some of these releases are also exclusive to Brazil.
Again, the list shown here may not be complete, as only albums from the
1970s and 1980s are shown. The 1978 Warner Bros release of the Band's The Last Waltz was made by Gravaçôes Eléctricas S.A. (São Paulo), the manufacturer of the second edition of Desire and also the second edition of Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. 1. |
 Discos CBS 137.872 (Brazil) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1975) |
 CBS PE-009/010 (Brazil) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1975) |
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 Warner Bros 36.066/7/8 (Brazil) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1978) |
 Backstreet/MCA 202.450 (NL) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1980) |
 Discos CBS 400001 (Brazil) - front scan by Hans Seegers 1981) |
 WEA 6WP.1006 (Brazil) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1989) |
 WEA 6WP.1046 (Brazil) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1989) |
 Elektra Musician 670.9067 (Brazil) - LP front scan by Izidio Agostinho Filho (1989) |
Single Releases:
CD Releases:
 Columbia 2-032470 (Brazil) - front scan by Keith Schweiger (1990s) |
Brazil was one of the few countries outside North America and Europe that issued its own Dylan Columbia/Sony Music CD releases. This list is nowhere near complete. |
 Columbia 746.006/2-032308 (Brazil) - front scan by Keith Schweiger (1990s) |
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 Columbia 2-478374 (Brazil) - CD front (my copy, 1995) |
 Columbia 758.381/2-486936 (Brazil) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1997) |
 Columbia 746.221/2-460953 (Brazil) - front scan by Keith Schweiger (2000s) |
 Discos CBS 2-460907 (Brazil) - slipcase front (my copy, 2001) |
 XXI Vinteum/Columbia 110053/2-498361 (Brazil) - front (my copy, 2000) |
 Columbia 2-036067 (Brazil) - front of slipcase (my copy, 2002) |
 Columbia 2-491485 (Brazil) - front of slipcase (my copy, 2002) |
 Columbia 2-504364 (Brazil) - front (my copy, 2002) |
 Columbia/Sony Music Soundtrax 2 512556 (Brazil) - front with sticker, scan by Alexandre Froemming (2003) |
 Camden 88697538692 (Brazil) - front (my copy, 2009) |
 Columbia/Legacy/Sony Music 88697 84742 2 (Brazil) - front scan by Izidio Filho (2011) |
 Columbia/Sony Music 88725457602 (Brazil) - front with sticker, scan by Alexandre Froemming (2012) |
CHILE
There were only three Dylan vinyl albums and two singles released in Chile, and all are very rare.
Philips for CBS Records (1969):
 CBS 121.012 (Chile, 1969) - front scan by Hans Seegers (stereo) |
The 1969 release of Nashville Skyline was manufactured and distributed in Chile for CBS by Philips (later PolyGram and now part of Universal). There was apparently also a mono release in Chile (stereo to mono reduction), CBS 111.012. |
Asfona for Asylum Records (1975):
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The 1975 release of Planet Waves was manufactured and distributed by Asfona M.R. of Santiago, Chile, on behalf of Asylum Records. ("Asfona" means "National Phonographic Association".) There was also a Chilean promo single with En Una Noche Como Esta [On A Night Like This] by Bob Dylan and The Band on one side and Lo Mejor De Mi Amor [The Best Of My Love] by The Eagles on the other side released by Asfona in 1975. |
 Asylum/Asfona promo single (Chile, 1975) - A-side scan by Manuel García Jara |
EMI Odeón for CBS Records (1971, 1976):
 CBS/EMI Odeón 11028 (Chile, 1971) - A-side photo from eBay |
The 1976 Chilean release of Hard Rain was made by EMI Odeón for CBS Records, as was the 1971 Lay, Lady, Lay single. |
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CBS Records Chile Ltda (1986):
 CBS KJJC-0628 (Chile, 1986) - outside of cassette insert, scan by Gerd Rundel |
These rare 1986 cassette releases of Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits and Knocked Out Loaded were made by CBS Records Chile Ltda. |
 CBS KNJC-0677 (Chile, 1986) - outside of cassette insert, scan by Manuel García Jara |
COLOMBIA
 CBS CL 4128 (Colombia) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1968, mono) |
Only John Wesley Harding and possibly Nashville Skyline were released by CBS in the 1960s. The Colombian release of Planet Waves was manufactured by Codiscos S.A. of Medellin, Colombia, for Elektra Records. Then the next CBS release was Desire in 1976. From 1976 till 1986 all Dylan albums, with some exceptions, were punctually released in Colombia by CBS. The very rare Colombian edition of The Traveling Wilburys Volume One was made in Medellín, Colombia, by Sonolux S.A. on behalf of WEA Records. |
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 CBS 14568 (Colombia) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1976) |
 CBS 43306 (Colombia) - A-side scan by Mark Bahlen (1976) |
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 Columbia 14-1380 (Colombia) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1980) |
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 CBS 141794 (Colombia) - front scan by Gerd Rundel (1984) |
 CBS 114-1731 (Colombia) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1984) |
 CBS 141824 (Colombia) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1985) |
 CBS 421285 (Colombia) - insert front scan by Manuel García Jara (1985) |
 WEA 23(1031)00083 (Colombia) - front with sticker, scan by Manuel García Jara (1988) |
COSTA RICA
 CBS DCA 444 (Costa Rica) - front picture found by Sergio Mariano Romay (1966) |
These very rare releases from 1966 to 1992 were made in Costa Rica by Indica S.A. (Industria de Discos Centroamericano) and distributed throughout Central America. |
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 CBS 11916 (Costa Rica) - A-side scan by Manuel García Jara (1978) |
 CBS 11916 (Costa Rica) - A-side in special Indica sleeve, scan by Manuel García Jara (1978) |
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 Columbia 71000993-A (Costa Rica) - A-side scan by Hans Seegers (1992) |
ECUADOR
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This 1985 Ecuadorian single of We Are The World by USA for Africa is one of only two Dylan singles ever released in Ecuador (I know of no Dylan albums)! The other was Hurricane from Desire in 1977, not yet shown. They came in transparent plastic sleeves. The records were released by IFESA (Industria Fonografica Ecuatoriana S.A.) on behalf of CBS Records. |
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PARAGUAY
 Apple S7 BT-68 (Brazil for Paraguay) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1973) |
Paraguay is the only country in South America where no Dylan release was ever pressed or released. In fact, there was never a pressing plant in this country. Only some records, exported from Argentina or Brazil, were distributed there. If Dylan really played on Miss O'Dell, the B-side of this George Harrison single, this single could be the only record with Dylan involvement released in Paraguay. Both the sleeve and the record itself were made in Brazil by Odeon (part of EMI) and therefore it is identical to the release sold in Brazil except for the text at the bottom of the rear sleeve. |
PERU
 CBS CSC-5644 (Peru) - outside of cassette insert, scan by Gerd Rundel (1970s) |
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 Epic SE 3306 (Peru) - front scan by Lars M Banke (1970 promo release variant 2) |
 Epic SE 3306 (Peru) - front photo by Paul Prince (1970 commercial release) |
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 Warner Bros 0003146.7 (Peru) - front photo from eBay (1978) |
 CBS Discos CSR 1351 (Peru) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1985) |
 CBS SE 8659 (Peru) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1986) with Neighbourhood Bully |
 Discos Hispanos/EMI (no catalogue number) (Peru) - front scan by Manuel García Jara, with Sun City (1986) |
 Island AN-ISL 0303400.2 (Peru) - front scan found by Wil Gielen with Bob (1988) |
 Virrey CPR-008 (Peru) - A-side scan by Hans Seegers (1988) contains Traveling Wilburys) |
These are the only Peruvian releases with Bob I have so far.
The very rare 1970s Peruvian cassette release of Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits was distributed for CBS by Discos Independientes S.A,, Lima. Only Record 2 of Self Portrait was released in Peru.
The very rare 1972 Venezuelan George Jackson single was also sold in Peru.
The 1978 Peruvian release of The Last Waltz by The Band and Guests plus a 1989 promo EP containing a Traveling Wilbury track were released by Virrey Records on behalf of Warner Brothers.
 CBS/Columbia SE-76003 (Peru) - front plus Side 1, photo found by François Guillez |
 CBS/Columbia SE-76003 (Peru) - rear photo found by François Guillez |
 CBS/Columbia SE-76003 (Peru) - Side 1 with promo stamp, photo found by François Guillez |
 CBS/Columbia Peru - front of 1970s promo sleeve - scan by Manuel García Jara |
 CBS/Columbia Peru - rear of 1970s promo sleeve - scan by Manuel García Jara |
Desire was never released in Peru. François Guillez has found what purports to be a promo copy in a red/white sleeve. The record has stained white labels with an unreadable promo stamp on Side 1. It may be a genuine copy of Desire from some other country with a fake label but I am sure the sleeve is entirely fake.
Manuel García Jara says: "CBS Peru used the same promotional sleeve in the 1970s and 1980s. I've got Peruvian promo copies of Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd), released in 1975, and Born In The USA (Bruce Springsteen) from 1984 and the promo sleeve always remained the same. The front has a big CBS/Columbia logo and the text "PROMOCIONAL / PROHIBIDA SU VENTA" at bottom right, without any mention of artist or album title; the rear always is blank with the stamped text "PROMOCIÓN". The catalogue number SE-76003 (first European editions were CBS 86003) does not belong to Peruvian CBS albums. In the 1970s and 1980s the genuine catalogue number was "SE" plus a four-digit code (not a five-digit code), starting with "8.", My Peruvian copy of Wish You Were Here, released in 1975, is SE-8.385, Animals (Pink Floyd, 1978) is SE-8.398. Peruvian promo editions come with the commercial vinyl with stamped promo text, never a white label."
URUGUAY
Uruguay albums and singles were released by Sondor S.A., Montevideo, on behalf of Columbia.
VENEZUELA
7" singles:
 CBS 15005 (Venezuela) - A-side scan by Hans Seegers (1970) |
The rare Wigwam single has orange CBS labels and comes in a sleeve exclusive to Venezuela. The A-side is mistitled "WIGWAN" instead of "Wigwam". |
 CBS 15005 (Venezuela) - sleeve scan by Hans Seegers (1970) |
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 Apple AP.1829 (Venezuela) - B-side scan by Manuel García Jara (1973) |
The other two rare Venezuelan singles have picture sleeves. The George Jackson single was also sold in Peru. Bob is rumoured to have played harmonica on Miss O'Dell, the B-side of the 1973 Apple George Harrison single. It didn't have a picture sleeve.
Regular Dylan Albums and Compilations:
 CBS CS-10.18 (Venezuela) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1972), exclusive to Venezuela |
 Asylum/Polydor LP-130.001 (Venezuela) - front photo from eBay (1974) |
 Asylum/Polydor LP-130.002 (Venezuela) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1974) |
 CBS/Columbia CS 10.245 (Venezuela) - front scan by Gerd Rundel (1976) |
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 CBS CS-10-547 (Venezuela) - front scan by Gerd Rundel (1986) |
Many Dylan albums were not released in Venezuela, these are the only albums I have so far. The two Asylum releases were made by Polydor S.A., Caracas, and have consecutive catalogue numbers, so were released at the same time.
Albums with Dylan:
 CBS CL-2370 (Venezuela) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1966) with Like A Rolling Stone |
These are all the other artists or
various artist albums including Bob listed so far from Venezuela. Also released in Venezuela was Traveling Wilburys Volumen 1 (Wilbury/Sonografica 35 006L), 1988, scans to be added. |
 CBS CL-2543 (Venezuela) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1970) with I Want You |
 Apple STCX 3385 (Venezuela) - front of gatefold sleeve, scan by Manuel García Jara (1972 3LP set) |
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 CBS CS-10.343 (Venezuela) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1979 3 single LPs release - CS-10.343-345) |
 CBS CS-10.149 (Venezuela) - front picture from barraezo.blogspot.co.uk/ (1973) with Lay, Lady, Lay |
 CBS CS-10.210 (Venezuela)- front scan by Hans Seegers (1976) with George Jackson |
 RSO MC-8013 (Venezuela)- outside of cassette insert, scan by Manuel García Jara (1976) with Bob on Sign Language |
 Warner Bros/Grabaciones Mundiales GM 200.2379-3 (Venezuela) - front of gatefold sleeve, scan by Manuel García Jara (1978) |
 CBS CS-10-475 (Venezuela) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1984) with Neighbourhood Bully |
Thanks to Hans Seegers, Manuel García Jara, Gerd Rundel and Hans-Juergen Zollerg for information and scans.
AFRICA
EGYPT
 IBM Records 8579 (Egypt) - cassette insert scan by Jason Draper |
This cassette release was legal
in Egypt, but not in the West. It contains Maggie's Farm and One Too Many
Mornings, the first two tracks from Hard Rain, at the end of Side 1
and Side 2 respectively. Jason Draper's contact in Egypt says: "None of Dylan's records were pressed on vinyl here because CBS/Columbia were blacklisted in all of the Middle East! This tape would be considered as an illegal or pirate release in the West, but here it's a normal thing, because there was NO control on copyrights. When cassettes surfaced a lot in the early 1970s, 100s of unknown local labels stormed the market with cheap prices and medium quality tapes. This Bob Dylan tape is an early 1980s release and a medium quality Asian product on the "IBM" label. The Hard Rain tracks were added on at the end of the sides to make up the space." Thanks to Jason Draper for information and scan. |
 Outside of El Dawlia cassette insert, scan by Lars M. Banke |
This cassette version of Knocked Out Loaded
was released by El Dawlia in Egypt and shown as under license from CBS
Records International. It has no catalogue number and the inside of the
cassette insert is plain white. It has a "CBS" logo on the insert and the
"Epic" logo on both sides of the cassette. On Side 1 They Killed Him is
misspelled as "They Kinlled Him" and Precious Memories is misspelled as "Predious
Memories" on both the insert and the cassette label! Thanks to Lars M. Banke for information and scan. |
ALGERIA
 Editions CADIC CA 1913 (Algeria) - front of cassette insert, scan by Lars M. Banke |
This very rare release is the only one I know of from Algeria. It was
released by Editions CADIC of Algiers. Thanks to Lars M. Banke for information and scans. |
TUNISIA
 Reprise CD 0321 01/VSST 321 (Tunisia) - front scan by Peter Oudejans |
This very rare release with a Dylan track is the only one I know of from
Tunisia. Thanks to Peter Oudejans for information and scan. |
SOUTH AFRICA (1961-93)
SOUTH AFRICA (1994 onwards)
 CBS SSC.667 (South Africa) - A-side scan by Victoria Stafford (1966) |
South African releases were made by The Gramophone Record Company (part of EMI) and printed by Interpak while Rhodesian albums were made also by The Gramophone Record Company but printed in Rhodesia by Belmont Printers of Bulawayo. In 1983, Infidels was made in South Africa by the same company but the sleeve was printed by Artone Press, while in Rhodesia it was printed by Belmont Printers. In 1986 Knocked Out Loaded was made in South Africa by Gallo/GRC (GRC=Gramophone Record Company) and printed by Artone Press, with orange/yellow CBS labels. |
This is the chronological list of Dylan mono albums released in South Africa:
1965 - Bringing It All Back Home (CBS ALD 6801), The Times They Are A-Changin' (CBS ALD 6814), The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (CBS ALD 6816), Bob Dylan (CBS ALD 6818)
1966 - Highway 61 Revisited (CBS ALD 6913), Blonde On Blonde (CBS ALD 6953-4)
1967 - Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits (CBS ALD 8035)
1968 - John Wesley Harding (CBS ALD 8124)
SOUTHERN RHODESIA (up to 1964) RHODESIA
(1965-79)
As far as I know, there were no Dylan releases in Southern Rhodesia before 1964.
Singles:
Albums:
 CBS ALD 6801 (South Africa/Southern Rhodesia) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1965) |
CBS had a pressing plant in Southern Rhodesia at that time, although the four 1960s album sleeves shown were printed in South Africa by Record Pac. |
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 CBS ASF 1837 (Rhodesia) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1975 release) |
 CBS ASF 1837 (Rhodesia) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (late 1970s release) |
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 CBS DNW 2402 (Rhodesia/Zimbabwe) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (four releases, 1979 onwards) |
Rhodesian sleeves from the 1960s are virtually identical to the South African sleeves except for the text "Made in S. Rhodesia" on a sticker; the Rhodesian sleeves of this period were also printed also by Record Pac or Interpak. From the late 1960s and the early 1970s Rhodesian sleeves were printed by a different company, Belmont Printers of Bulawayo: however, on some sleeves the Interpak logo is missing (Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits, Nashville Skyline), or almost deleted (Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II) but the expected Belmont code "4-A" was not present. Blood On The Tracks is the earliest record so far found where this code is present. Belmont used codes starting with "4" on sleeves they printed for CBS Records, on sleeves they printed for other record companies they used different codes, e.g. "1" for PolyGram and "6" for Virgin.
There was a 1970 Rhodesian release of New Morning but I don't have it listed yet. I have no details of a Rhodesian release of 1973's Dylan. The promo Elektra/Teal Rhodesian release of Planet Waves is the only worldwide occurrence of this "negative" sleeve. The commercial release of the album was made by Warner Bros for Elektra Records and had a conventional sleeve. The South African Asylum release of Before The Flood by Bob Dylan and The Band was also sold in Rhodesia with different record labels, unusually for Rhodesia in two different designs. There were four different releases of Slow Train Coming in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, the first two with orange/yellow CBS labels, the next two with white labels.
CBS Rhodesia used orange record labels almost identical to the South African labels from the 1960s until late 1976. From late 1976 until late 1980, CBS Rhodesia used white labels with blue text and the CBS logo in a box for commercial records, as can be seen for the original and second Rhodesian releases of Blood On The Tracks.. The sleeves had the codes of Belmont Printers of Bulawayo printed on the rear.
ZIMBABWE (1980 onwards)
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Apart from re-releases of Slow Train Coming above, these are the only Dylan releases I have for Zimbabwe after 1980. Several Zimbabwe albums illustrated here have record store stickers on the rear sleeve from "MUSIC", Old Mutual Arcade, Abercorn Street - there were Abercorn Streets in Salisbury (now Harare) and Bulawayo, but Old Mutual Arcade was in Harare. The Duke of Abercorn was an associate of Cecil Rhodes in colonial times. The town of Abercorn in what is now Zambia has been renamed Mbala. |
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 Sony/ZMC McCOL 5300 (Zimbabwe) - front of cassette insert, scan by Manuel García Jara (1997) |
CBS ASF 3114 (Zimbabwe) - detail of rear, scan by Lars M. Banke ("GALLO/GRC"/"4A"/"Belmont
Printers")
 CBS ASF 3340 (Zimbabwe) - detail of rear, scan by Gerd Rundel ("Zimbabwe Music Corporation" and "Belmont Printers") |
Zimbabwean albums
were initially made by the Gramophone Record Company, part of EMI,
on behalf of CBS Records. In 1986 Knocked Out Loaded was made by Gallo/GRC
(GRC=Gramophone Record Company) as the South African releases.
Down In The Groove from 1988,
Oh
Mercy from 1989 and Under The Red Sky from 1990 were manufactured and marketed by
the Zimbabwe Music Corporation (Z.M.C.). All Zimbabwean sleeves from 1980-90
were printed by Belmont Printers of Bulawayo with code "4..." on the rear.
Dylan And The Dead was not released in Zimbabwe. Also shown are two promo albums in Z.M.C. sleeves. The copy of Oh Mercy has a promo stamp on the Side 1 record label. |
 CBS ASF 3114 (Zimbabwe) - front scan by Lars M. Banke (promo copy in ZMC sleeve) |
 CBS ASF 3297 (Zimbabwe) - front scan by Lars M. Banke (promo copy in ZMC sleeve) |
Rhodesia/Zimbabwe Record Labels
 CBS ASF 1837 (Rhodesia) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara (1975 release - orange) |
After Zimbabwean independence from late 1980 to 1986, CBS record labels were orange/yellow with a yellow logo above "CBS" at the top of the label. From 1986 until the end of the vinyl era, Zimbabwean CBS records have white/marble labels with text in different colours (blue, green, red) and the CBS logo is just the word "CBS" in red or blue. The last Zimbabwe album I have details of is Under The Red Sky in 1990 where the record labels are white with blue text and blue "CBS". |
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 CBS COL 40001 (Zimbabwe) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara (1981 release - orange/yellow) |
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 CBS ASF 3114 (Zimbabwe) - Side 1 scan by Lars M. Banke (1986 release - orange/yellow) |
 CBS ASF 1674 (Zimbabwe) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara (first release - white with blue text and red "CBS") |
 CBS COL 40074 (Zimbabwe) - Side 1 scan by Lars M. Banke (white with blue text and red "CBS") |
 CBS ASFT.1644/5 (Zimbabwe) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara (first release - white with green text and red "CBS") |
 CBS ASFT.1644/5 (Zimbabwe) - Side 1 scan by Gerd Rundel (second release - white with red text and red "CBS") |
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ZAMBIA (1964 onwards)
 CBS DNW 2402 (Zambia?) - front scan by Lars M. Banke |
This release of Slow Train Coming with a very flimsy sleeve was sold on eBay as being from Zambia (formerly Northern Rhodesia). Lars M. Banke is suspicious and thinks it may actually be from Zimbabwe. If it is really from Zambia it's the only Zambian Dylan release I know of. |
MOZAMBIQUE (Colonial) MOZAMBIQUE
(1974-75) MOZAMBIQUE (1975 onwards)
 CBS ASFT 1522/23 (Mozambique) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1970) |
The former Portuguese colony of Mozambique, which became independent in 1975, is one of only two countries to have joined the Commonwealth of ex-British colonies (the other is Rwanda). Bob's jaunty song Mozambique from Desire in 1976 was written at a time when the country was embroiled in a particularly brutal civil war! That album was not released there... |
 CBS ASF 1674 (Mozambique) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1972) |
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 "Mozambique" (UK feature film, 1965) |
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 CBS ASF 1717 (Mozambique) - front scan by Hans Seegers (1972) |
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These are the only Dylan releases I have for Mozambique and all but the 1976 re-release of Planet Waves date from 1970-74 before independence. The Times They Are A-Changin', The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited, Self Portrait and New Morning were produced and distributed in Mozambique by Companhia Ultramarina de Comércio, LDA, of Lourenço Marques (now Maputo). The 1974 release of Planet Waves was manufactured for Elektra Records by Teal Discos LDA, Lourenço Marques, and the record had Elektra labels. The 1976 release of Planet Waves was again manufactured by Teal Discos LDA, but now the city was called Maputo, and the record had Warner Bros labels.
The 1974 Elektra single of On A Night Like This and You Angel You from Planet Waves was also manufactured in Mozambique for Asylum Records by Teal Discos LDA.
ANGOLA (Colonial)
ANGOLA (1975 onwards)
 CBS 4611 (Angola) - A-side scan by François Guillez (1969 acetate) |
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 Atlantic/Discos Teal ATS 597 (Angola) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1973, Dylan cover on B-side) |
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 Elektra/Discos Teal Roda EKC 6036 (Angola) - front scan by Ger Hemel |
The former Portuguese colony of Angola also became independent in 1975. These are the only Dylan or Dylan-related releases I have for Angola and all date from 1969-74 before independence. The incredibly rare Dylan single of Lay, Lady,Lay, probably the rarest Bob Dylan single of all, was made for CBS Records by Valentin de Carvalho CI-SARL of Luanda, Angola, and has The Sounds Of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel as the A-side. It is the only known Angolan Dylan single release, see 1972. There was a 1969 mono acetate of Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You/Country Pie from Nashville Skyline but I don't believe this was ever released commercially. The Roberta Flack Atlantic single has her cover of Just Like A Woman on the B-side and was manufactured for Atlantic Records by Teal Discos Roda LDA, Luanda. The Melanie Buddah Records single has her cover of Lay, Lady, Lay on the B-side and was manufactured for Buddah Records by Valentin de Carvalho CI-SARL, Luanda, who made the Lay, Lady, Lay Dylan single. The George Harrison single, where Bob possibly plays harmonica on the B-side Miss O'Dell was also made in Angola by Valentin de Carvalho CI-SARL.
The equally incredibly rare Planet Waves album was made by Discos Teal Roda in Angola for Elektra Records. The record has World Record Co labels with catalogue number EKC 6036 as for the other African releases. As far as I know, this was the only Dylan album released in Angola.
KENYA (Colonial)
KENYA (Dec 1963 onwards)
 CBS SBPG 62847 (Kenya) - front scan by Manuel García Jara (1970 release) |
These incredibly rare Greatest Hits albums from 1968
and 1970 come from the former
British colony which became independent in 1963 and are the only Dylan album releases from that country. The 1968 release uses the first version of the UK front sleeve with the white "STEREO"/arrows logo at top centre (not shown). The 1968 record was made in Kenya by EMI for CBS records and has orange CBS labels. The 1970 sleeve was printed by the Majestic Printing Works Ltd., Nairobi. The rear sleeve has two folded-over flaps. The 1970 record was also made in Kenya (manufacturer not stated, but probably still EMI) and has darker orange CBS labels dated 1970. |
 S-CBS 6499 (Kenya) - A-side scan by Manuel García Jara (1978) |
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 CBS SBPG 62847 (Kenya) - rear scan by Manuel García Jara (1970 release) |
 CBS S 62847 (Kenya) - detail of rear, scan by Manuel García Jara (1970 release - printed in Nairobi) |
 CBS SBPG 62847 (Kenya) - Side 1 scan by Hans Seegers (1968 release) |
 CBS Sbpg 62847 (Kenya) - detail of Side 1 scan by Hans Seegers (1968 release - made in Kenya by EMI) |
 CBS S 62847 (Kenya) - Side 1 scan by Manuel García Jara (1970 release) |
 CBS S 62847 (Kenya) - detail of Side 1, scan by Manuel García Jara (1970 release - made in Kenya) |
The 1978 Kenyan single of Baby Stop Crying/New Pony can be found with a PolyGram sleeve. Many records from different companies released in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika/Tanzania) and later in Kenya were made in the pressing plant of PolyGram in Nairobi, Kenya. There must be more Kenyan singles!
Thanks to Hans Seegers and Manuel García Jara for information and scans.
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