The Beatle's fifth album was primarily the soundtrack to their second film of the same name. Side 2 featured songs that didn't appear in the film and continued where "Beatles For Sale" left off; showing how their composing style was evolving and maturing. Lennon's You've Got to Hide Your Love Away also showing a direct influence from Bob Dylan and folk music. The most famous song on side 2 is Yesterday, a song that today is officially the most covered song in music history, with over 3,000 different recordings. Not bad for a song that originally started as 'Scrambled Eggs'.

By this time EMI had changed their subsidiary labels so that they all started universally with 'The Gramophone Co.' instead of their own choice. There are rumours, however, that there are copies of the "Help" album out there that start with the 'Parlophone' rimtext but there is absolutely no basis for this. However, stranger things have appeared on a Beatles label!

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

Credits:
Label 2 courtesy of Preben Vedsted
Label 3B courtesy of forum member Baard
Label 4A courtesy of Yuri Zgirsky

Stereo 1st Label, Variation A

The original 1st presses used sans serif and the * credit indicator for I Need You was placed to the right of the song title.

Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 1st Label, Variation B

Around late '65 the font changed on the label to Times New Roman. The * credit indicator for I Need You is still placed to the right of the song title.

Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 1st Label, Variation C

In mid 1966 the label typeset was changed back to sans serif and when this happened there were two changes on the stereo labels. Firstly, the side 2 layout is noticably different to the 1st type, with each new song title now starting on a new line. Secondly, the * credit indicator for "I Need You" is now placed to the left of the song title, not to the right. This tracklist layout stayed for future issues of the LP.

Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 2nd Label

In 1969 the legal reasons as to why the 'Sold in UK' statement had to be added to labels was repealed and for a short while Parlophone albums were on the older yellow / black design without this statement. The album title and band name text is now also a little larger than before. It is not yet known whether there are '69 Y/B copies with smaller album title and band name text.

Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 3rd Label, Variation A

Here is the appearance of the 'Black and Silver' label design. This particular variation arrived in late 1969 and stayed until late 1970. 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.

Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 3rd Label, Variation B

This copy bears the same tracklist font and design as label 4B which indicates that this type of font appeared some time around 1970 just before the labels were changed to the 2 box versions. This type of font is very seldom seen on the one box issues so we presume appeared quite late in its life span. An obvious way to verify which variation you have without directly comparing to another one is the shape of the tail on the small 'g' of 'Northern Songs' in particular. This new variation has a 'g' like the font on this webpage but the older versions used a 'g' with a looped tail.

Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 4th Label, Variation A

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...'. The asterisk next to "* 4. I Need You" is now separated by a space. The typeset on this is the same as the 3A pressing, again note the 'g's also. This 'normal' font type was a remnant of the 1960s style and was soon phased out in favour of the thicker font seen in the 4B variant. Both 4A and 4B are equally common.

Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 4th Label, Variation B

In accordance with label 3B, this thicker font variation appeared early on in the two box history and was the format that was kept for subsequent issues into the 1970s. Note the 'g' letters appearing similar to label 3B and all later copies.

Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 5th Label

In late 1973 the label was slightly altered so that the rimtext now started with 'EMI Records...'. The familiar 'Made In Gt Britain" credit at the bottom of the labels have now been moved to be incorporated into the end of the rimtext.

Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 6th Label

In 1979 the rimtext was again slightly altered so that it now started with 'All rights of the producer...'. Importantly, around the 11 'o' clock position in the rimtext the wording is: Unauthorised public performance broadcasting copying and hiring...

Side 1 ..... Side 2 Stereo 7th Label By 1982 the rimtext was slightly altered once more to read: 'Unauthorised copying, hiring, renting, public performance and broadcasting...' This is a minor difference which is rarely documented but helps to date 79-82 and 80s copies.     Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 8th Label

In the very late 80s the label changed one last time; gone are the white Parlophone and EMI logos, to be replaced with a fully silver-print label. Also the encircling rim around the edge of the labels has been removed.

Side 1 ..... Side 2

Stereo 9th Label

Despite looking identical to label 8, this type is the newest and is, at time of writing, the current label design for reissued Parlophone Beatles LPs from 2003 onwards. The only difference is a dish effect underneath the labels impressed into the vinyl itself. This indicates it was pressed in the Netherlands (despite the 'Made In England' text) at the 'Record Industries' plant in Haarlem, Holland.

Side 1 ..... Side 2

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