DON'T PASS ME BY
2-LP set
Company: Contra Band Music
Matrix Number: various (see description below)
Release date: Spring, 1972
Country: USA
side A
1. NOTHING IS EASY (Jethro Tull) (only on records from the master CBM-2A)
2. DIG IT (incomplete) 4:51
3. THE BEATLES THIRD CHRISTMAS RECORD
4. PANTOMIME: EVERYWHERE IT'S CHRISTMAS
side B
side B of BEATLES COMPLETE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
side C
1. THE SAINTS 3:09
2. GLAD ALL OVER 1:50
3. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND 2:46
4. SLOW DOWN 2:33
5. DON'T EVER CHANGE 2:05
6. A SHOT OF RHYTHM AND BLUES 2:16
7. SURE TO FALL (IN LOVE WITH YOU) 2:20
side D
8. MY BONNIE 2:00
9. I GOT A WOMAN (incomplete) 2:32
10. NOTHING SHAKIN' (BUT THE LEAVES ON THE TREES) 2:51
11. LONESOME TEARS IN MY EYES 2:32
12. SO HOW COME (NO ONE LOVES ME) 1:50
13. I'M GONNA SIT RIGHT DOWN AND CRY (OVER YOU) 1:59
14. CRYING WAITING HOPING 2:08
15. TO KNOW HER IS TO LOVE HER (incomplete) 2:44
16. THE HONEYMOON SONG 1:38
source:
side A:
1. Jethro Tull (this track is only present on the copies pressed from the master CBM2A)
2. from SILVER ALBUM
3-4, side B: from BEATLES COMPLETE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
side C-D:
1,8: officially released versions
2 to 7, 9 to 16: from YELLOW MATTER CUSTARD
sound quality: VG, mono
RELEASES
This is one of the most reissued and repackaged records in the entire CBM discography. It was initially released as a 2-LP set, but after March 1973 each of the two LPs was released also as a single album with its own sleeve. Two masters were cut for side A of record 1: CBM-2A (which mistakenly included the Jethro Tull track) and CBM2A2 (which omitted Nothing is Easy). The second record was pressed from masters CBM2-C1/CBM2-D1; various stampers, sometimes with other numbers added, were derived from these original masters, in various combinations. We show here all the variations that we have seen; a few more might exist.
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The producer of CBM at first used a pressing plant in Norfolk, VA, whose product was pressed in relatively thin, flexible vinyl of good quality, and the pressing marks visible on the label area are 2 rings, one at 7 mm from the spindle hole, the second, distinctly shallower, at 32 mm. In October 1973 the produce moved to Charlotte, NC, and the plant had poorer, thicker vinyl, and often recycled wax was used. These records have either two rings at 12 + 32 mm from the spindle hole in the label area, or a single ring at 31 mm.
To better understand these releases, and to help date other issues that we may not have seen, here's a list of the different combinations of the various stampers used:
stampers for record 1 side A
A. CBM-2A (including the Jethro Tull track as track 1)
B. CBM2A2
C. CBM-2A 3316 A (written specular)
D. 3316-A2
stampers for record 1 side B
A. CBM-2B
B. CBM-2B 3316 B (written specular)
C. 3316-B2
The masters 3316-A2 / 3316-B2 include all the 7 Christmas records.
stampers for record 2 side C
A. CBM2-C1
B. CBM2-C1 RI3316C
C. CBM2-C1 RI (scratched) 3316C
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stampers for record 2 side D
A. CBM2-D1
B. CBM2-D1 RI 3316D
C. CBM2-D1 RI (scratched) 3316D
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1. Spring to mid 1972 (photo below the title). The first version of DON’T PASS ME BY had an insert cover on a white jacket that showed a mimeographed track listing. The stencils for the mimeograph had to be re-typed for each batch of pressings, thus leading to several differences in the typing - each version has typing mistakes. The insert was printed in light blue ink on paper of good quality. Several different reissues were released, and it is impossible to determine the sequence. These are the ones we have seen:
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Stampers: disc 1: B/A, disc 2: A/A.
This may be the first release, since labels specifically designed for the CBM2A/CBM2B/CBM2C/CBM2D sides were printed.
Some copies (perhaps the earliest issues) came with a Day-Glo sticker saying "THE LAST GREAT BOOTLEG NEVER BEFORE RELEASED." It's possible that the sticker was originally placed on the LPs' shrink wrap and has consequently been lost, while in other instances it was placed on the cover itself.
1a. Day-glo sticker and mimeograph
1b. Same sticker as 1a. This is a new mimeograph with the songs' authors added at the bottom.
1c. Another new mimeograph, once again printed in blue ink.
1d. This release has no mimeographed track listings on the cover (though the cover of the record we examined might not be original), but has the same insert and stampers as #1. Apparently, CBM ran out of the custom labels for sides A and B and used blank green labels instead.
1e. When CBM ran out of all of their printed labels, blank labels were used, red for disc one (sides A/B) and green for disc two (sides C/D). The mimeographed track listings were modified to indicate the contents of the red or green labels. Some of the records also had a rubber stamp on the jacket saying "ALL ROYALTIES PAID".
1f. These copies had the same blank red and green labels as 1e, but used a new mimeograph and lacked the "royalties paid" rubber stamp.
2. Summer 1972. CBM produced new labels - this time green with side indications, the track listing and the catalogue number RI3316A/B/C/D. Two types of labels were printed, one with a small font for "CBM" and one with the company's name in a larger font. This has the same insert and stampers as #1, B/A, A/A. Occasionally, the red Day-Glo sticker already used for the first releases was added. Some reissues of the copies with the small font have blank red and light pink labels for disc two.
Side A Side B Side C Side D
3. Second half of 1972. When the original light blue insert ran out, CBM made copies in poorer quality using dark blue ink. A group of releases were pressed at this point using the CBM-2A stamper (the stamper including the Jethro Tull track) so the stamper set was A/A, A/A. This version had the same labels as #2, but some copies had blank red (side A) and light grey (side B) labels for the first disc; other copies also had the second disc with blank labels, in various colors.
side A side B side C side D
4. Late 1972. New stampers were now cut for the second disc, with the writing RI 3316C/RI 3316D, barely visible, added to the original CBM2-C1/CBM2-D1 numbers (stampers set: A/A, B/B). This version had the same insert as #3, the same labels as #2 or blank labels.
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5. Late 1972 or early 1973. Inserts were printed in a monochromatic grey color. The first disc came from the CBM-2A/CBM-2B masters, but from new stampers with the numbers 3316A/3316B added, barely readable and written in specular (these numbers were evidently normally carved on the stampers and thus became written in specular on the records). The second disc came from the stampers of reissue #4, but with the letters RI scratched (stampers set: C/B, C/C). It came with plain labels in various colors.
side A side B side C side D
6. 1973. A large number of repressing were distributed throughout 1973, and it seems that the stampers were used quite randomly.
6a. Early 1973. Pink or grey insert, both discs with generic labels with the CBM disc logo, or second disc with blank white (C) / blank red (D) labels. Stampers: first disc B/B second disc A/A).
6b. Early 1973. New generic labels were printed by CBM and were used for a reissue from the old original stampers A/A, A/A. Clearly the company used the available stampers randomly for side A. Grey insert.
7. Summer 1973. Blue insert, generic labels, stampers: B/B, A/C
side A side B side C side D
8. August 1973. Blue insert, stampers set: B/B, A/C. Generic labels.
side A side B side C side D
9. September 1973. This version had grey insert; disc 1 used the yellow labels with A/B side indication, whereas older labels with C/D side indication were used for the second disc. Stampers set: A/A, A/C.
10. December 1973. The new pressing plants were based in Charlotte, NC. Insert grey, stampers set B/B, B/B, generic white label with red "Comet" logo, both with A/B side indications, but disc 1 with two pressing rings, one at 12 mm and one at 32 mm from the spindle hole and disc 2 with a single pressing ring at 31 mm from the hole.
11. Early 1974. A new dark blue, full-size insert with the indication 3316 abcd / two discs was made; it was used with the jacket with the "J. Fish" drawing on the back. The discs had white blank labels and the brownish inner sleeve was used; stampers B/A, B/B. Both discs had a single pressing ring at 31 mm from the spindle hole.
12. Summer 1974. CBM cut new masters for the first record, numbered 3316-A2/3316-B2, that include all the Christmas messages. This one has an insert of smaller size and the discs were pressed from the stampers D/C, B/B. Both discs had the green labels with black pirate and A/B side indications; the pressing ring was at 31 mm from the spindle hole.
13. Early 1975. This version had a small-size blue insert, derived from an older copy, so lacking the 3316 abcd indication; the stampers set was D/C, B/B and the discs had yellow labels with the small red Godzilla drawing and 1/2/3/4 side indications.
14. 1976. This last version had the same insert in smaller size and the discs were pressed from the same stampers as version 13. Both had the red labels with the pirate logo and A/B side indications, but disc 1 had the two pressing rings at 12 and 32 mm, whereas disc 2 had the single pressing ring at 31 mm from the spindle hole.
Each of the two records of DON'T PASS ME BY was also released as a single LP. See COMPLETE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION 1963-69 (first record) and YELLOW MATTER CUSTARD (second record).
INTEREST: Issue 1 (original insert, with mimeograph): ****; other issues: ***/**