By the time "Beatles For Sale" came around the group were worn out by the constant touring and manipulating. The very title "Beatles For Sale" ironically reflects this. Even though the songs were rushed, a number of covers were brought back out of the woodwork to fill up the space they didn't have time to write for and while is seen by many to be their weakest album, the content was still groundbreaking; showing that the group had progressed from 'love you' beat to more sophisticated lyrics and chord structures.

The album stayed at the top of the charts for 7 weeks (returning back in February for one more week) and stayed in the charts for a total of 46 weeks!

Even though the LP was rush released, the only mistake that seems to have appeared on labels happened in the late 60's on what we've listed as the 2nd label.

If you have a label or font variation - no matter how small - that we haven't documented here, please contact us!

Credits:
Label 4A courtesy of forum member Paul. Thanks to Simon Stretton for bringing this one to our attention.
Label 7 courtest of forum member Will Cambell.

Stereo 1st Label

These 1st labels came about in late '64, a few months before EMI changed their labels so that all companies (HMV, Columbia etc) had their rimtext starting with 'Gramophone'. The original copies still had the rimtext starting with 'Parlophone'.

Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 2nd Label, Variation A

By now the change came in and the rimtext started with 'The Gramophone Co.' and "Recording First Published 1964" was changed to 1964.

Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 2nd Label, Variation B

This is where errors started to creep in. For some reason, the labels around this time developed a stutter, and the credits for Eight Days a Week were mis-spelled as 'Northern Ssongs' with an added S. If that wasn't bad enough, the same mistake occured on the song title for I'm a Loser, spelling Loser as 'Losser'.

Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 3rd Label

In 1969 the legal reasons as to why EMI had to add the 'Sold in UK' statement to their labels were overturned meaning that the text could be removed.

Side 1 ..... Side 2 Stereo 4th Label, Variation A A very rare variation of which only 2 or 3 examples have surfaced. These labels have no '33 1/3' text or 'STEREO' on either side. Logically they are likely to be the earliest form of the one box labels as they are identical in these respects to the 1969 yellow and black issue above, possibly a label misprint moreso than a variation though. The distinguishing mark that clearly dates it as an early Black and Silver is only one EMI boxed logo at the bottom of each side of the label. Also of note is the rimtext now runs around the top of the label rather than around the bottom.     Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 4th Label, Variation B

Here is the more common variant of the 1969 one box label with the addition of '33 1/3' and 'STEREO' text. Otherwise identical to 4A.

Side 1 ..... Side 2 Stereo 4th Label, Variation C As above, but a period appears after the cat. no. "PCS. 3062" and the credit "World Music" for the final track of side 1 has been misspelled "Worlld". It is not known if copies exist *with* this spelling error but *without* the period in the cat. no. or vice versa.     Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 5th Label

In late 1970 a second EMI logo was added to the label at the top. This is known as the 'Two Box EMI' type label. To begin with, the rimtext continued to start with 'The Gramophone Co. Ltd...'

Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 6th Label

In late 1973 the label was slightly altered so that the rimtext now began with 'EMI Records...'

Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 7th Label

In 1979 the rimtext was again slightly altered so that it now started with 'All rights of the producer...'. Around the 11 'o' clock position in the rimtext the wording is: Unauthorised public performance, broadcasting, copying and hiring... Importantly, this is the first occurrence of track 7, side 1, having a new layout. Instead of following previous versions' title of "Kansas City" it is now credited as a medley and the song "Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey" is now explicitly mentioned on the label. The general track layout is also now a little more centralised on side 1 although side 2 is left untouched.

Side 1 ..... Side 2 Stereo 8th Label In 1982 the rimtext still started with 'All rights of the producer...', but importantly, around the 11 'o' clock position in the rimtext the wording now reads: Unauthorised copying, hiring, renting, public performance and broadcasting... This was the last variation of the LP before EMI stopped production of the stereo pressing of "Beatles for Sale" to make the album only available in mono for both vinyl and CD.     Side 1 ..... Side 2