The story of Abkco Records is best told by the owner of the label, Allen Klein. In a 1970 affadavit
[High
Court of Justice 1970 M. No. 6315, Chancery Division, Group B, between James Paul McCartney,
Plaintiff, and John Ono Lennon, George Harrison, Richard Starkey, and Apple Corps Limited,
Defendants], Klein said the following (reproduced here as an except):
"3. I was born on 18th December 1931. In 1956 I graduated in Accountancy from Upsala College,
East
Orange, New Jersey, U.S.A. Prior to my graduation and for some time thereafter I worked for various
firms
as an accounting clerk, particularly in relation to audits of record companies. In the middle of 1957, I
started my own business as a specialised accountant providing this type of service. My business was
originally in the form of a partnership with my wife in the name Allen Klein & Co. (later, in 1965,
incorporated as Allen Klein & Co., Inc.). Originally, I was rendering audit services to artists but, by about
1960, I had moved into the field of business management for recording artists and was beginning to
negotiate contracts on their behalf either with record companies or music publishers. In 1964 I did my
first
deal for an English Artist.
"4. I turn now to deal with the general attacks made on my commercial integrity. I will first mention
Cameo-Parkway Records Inc. ("Cameo-Parkway"). In July 1967 I acquired a controlling interest in this
corporation, which carried on the business of the manufacture and distribution of gramophone records.
At
this time Cameo-Parkway was listed and dealt in on the American Stock Exchange. Following my
acquisition, the price of the stock of Cameo-Parkway rose considerably. Two of the press cuttings in
Exhibit "M.L.2" to the Affidavit of Martin Lampard sworn on 31st December 1970, refer to an action
brought against Cameo-Parkway and others by Lucarelli Enterprises Inc. There is now produced and
shown to me marked "A.K.1" a true copy of an endorsement setting out the decision of the United States
District Judge dismissing the complaint on the grounds that it shows no claim against any of the
Defendants, of whom I was one.
"5. In the same exhibit, "M.L.2", reference is made to the delisting of the stock of Cameo-Parkway. There
is now produced and shown to me marked "A.K.2" a bundle comprising true copies of official press
statements issued by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("the S.E.C.") on 23rd
February 1968 and 9th September 1968 stating the decision, first to suspend exchange and
over-the-counter trading in Cameo-Parkway stock and subsequently to permit the resumption of
over-the-counter trading. The bundle also includes the official orders made and a letter from the
American
Stock Exchange to my Attorneys dated 12th August 1968 which conveniently summarise the grounds on
which delisting was recommended. These grounds were:-
"(a) That Cameo-Parkway had reported losses for the past 3 fiscal years ended 30th June 1967 (all
being
periods before I became interested in the company); and
"(b) That the combined assets of Cameo-Parkway and my company, amounting in total to approximately
$1 million did not meet the requirements of the Exchange in the case of transactions which I understand
are known in England as "reverse takeovers".
"6. Since it has been suggested that the suspension and delisting of the stock is an indication of a lack of
commercial integrity on my part, I stress that there is no allegation in the documents issued by the S.E.C.
or the American Stock Exchange of any dishonest or improper conduct on my part in relation to either of
these companies. Indeed, the delsiting was a serious possibility at the outset of my Cameo-Parkway
purchase and there was included in the contract for purchase a provision which enabled me to rescind
the
contract if delisting took place. I had made a public commitment to transfer the assets of my private
company to Cameo-Parkway, and I thought it wrong in these circumstances to excercise my right to
rescind the contract.
"7. On 16th September 1968 a special meeting of the stockholders of Cameo-Parkway approved the
acquisition by Cameo-Parkway of the assets and liabilities of Allen Klein & Co.,Inc. In this connection
there
is now produced and shown to me marked "A.K.3" the proxy statement which was issued by
Cameo-Parkway prior to such meeting.
"8. In February 1969, the name of Cameo-Parkway was changed to ABKCO Industries Inc. ("ABKCO"). I
am the President and Director of ABKCO and, in so far as it may be necessary, I am authorised to make
this Affidavit on its behalf."
To sum up, Cameo-Parkway was renamed Abkco, and as such, still exists today. The fact that no
Cameo-
Parkway material has been released on CD by Abkco is one of the longest-running mysteries of the CD
era. Abkco did, however, issue several albums of Cameo-Parkway reissues in the early 1970s. In
addition
to owning the Cameo-Parkway masters, Abkco also controls the early Rolling Stones albums, some of
Mickie Most's productions, and much of Sam Cooke's early work. In the early 1990s, they also joined
with
Phil Spector in issuing a series of CDs based on Spector's master holdings.
The Abkco label was light blue
with
dark blue print, with the Abkco logo (a stylized lower case "a") at the top.
We would appreciate any additions or corrections to this discography. Just send them to us via e-mail. Both Sides Now Publications is
an information web page. We are not a catalog, nor can we provide the records listed below. We have
no
association with Abkco Records. Should you want
to contact Abkco, or should you be interested in acquiring albums listed in this discography (which are all
out of print), we suggest you see our Frequently Asked
Questions page and follow the instructions found there. Abkco has issued many CDs, some of
which
are still in print, and these are covered on the CD section of the
discography. This story and discography are copyright
2003 by Mike Callahan; all rights reserved. Excerpts from the Klein Affadavit were read in open court
and
are in the public domain.
Cover
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Number - Title - Artist - [Release Date] (Chart) Contents
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Abkco AB 4200 Series:
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AB 4217 - Mark, Don And Terry 1966-67 - Terry Knight & Pack [1972] (2-LP set)
Satisfaction/Dimestore Debutante/The Shut In/I've Been Told/Numbers//Got Love/Lady Jane/Sleep
Talking/Love Goddess Of Sunset Strip/Dirty Lady//I (Who Have Nothing)/Lizabeth Peach/Forever And A
Day/He's A Bad Boy/Mister You're A Better Man Than I//Love Love Love/This Precious Time/Lovin
Kind/Come With Me/A Change On The Way/One Monkey Don't Stop No Show
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AB 4218 -
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AB 4219 - Chubby Checker's Greatest Hits - Chubby Checker [1972] (2-LP set) All
tracks
are mono. The Class/The Twist/Birdland/Pony Time/The Fly/Slow Twistin'/Twist It Up/Hey Bobba
Needle/Loddy Lo/Hooka Tooka/Do The Freddy/Let's Twist Again/Limbo Rock/Lazy Ellie Molly/Dancin'
Party/Twist & Shout/Hucklebuck/Let's Limbo Some More/Shake Rattle & Roll/At The Hop
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AB 4220 -
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AB 4221 -
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AB 4222 - Rock-O-Rama - Various Artists [1972] (2-LP set) All tracks are mono. The
Twist - Chubby Checker/So Much In Love - Tymes/He's A Rebel - Orlons/Wild One - Bobby
Rydell/Gravy - Dee Dee Sharp/96 Tears - ? & The Mysterians/Butterfly - Charlie Grace/Mashed Potato
Time - Dee Dee Sharp/Let's Twist Again - Chubby Checker/I (Who Have Nothing) - Terry Knight & The
Pack/You Can't Sit Down - Dovells/Volare - Bobby Rydell/South Street - Orlons/Wonderful Wonderful -
Tymes/Midnight Hour - ? & The Mysterians/Wa Watusi - Orlons/Silhouettes - Rays/Bristol Stomp -
Dovells/Slow Twistin' - Chubby Checker/Kissin' Time - Bobby Rydell
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AB 4223 - Rock-O-Rama, Volume 2 - Various Artists [1972] (2-LP set) All tracks are
mono. Wildwood Days - Bobby Rydell/Hully Gully Baby - Dovells/Goodnight My Love - Tymes/Don't
Hang Up - Orlons/He's So Fine - Dee Dee Sharp/Pony Time - Chubby Checker/Monster Mash -
Zacherle/Baby Work Out - Dovells/The 81 - Candy & The Kisses/Fabulous - Charlie Grace/Not Me -
Orlons/The Cha Cha Cha - Bobby Rydell/Do The Bird - Dee Dee Sharp/Dinner With Drac -
Zacherle/Limbo Rock - Chubby Checker/I Need Somebody - ? & The Msterians/Girl From Woverton
Mountain - Jo Ann Campbell/8 Teen - ? & The Mysterians/12th Of Never - Tymes/Popeye Waddle - Don
Convay
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AB 4224 - Necrophilia - Rolling Stones [Cancelled] Only proof cover art and acetates
exist
for this album. Songs below marked with an asterisk (*) are on the acetate, but not on the track listing on
the jacket. Order of songs is from the acetate. This was basically a collection of outtakes and alternate
versions, as well as unreleased, long-forgotten masters. Many of these same tracks appeared two years
later on the Metamorphosis album. Out Of Time/*Don't Lie To Me/Have You Seen Your Mother,
Baby, Standing In The Shadows/Think/Hear It/Something Just Stick In Your Mind/Aftermath/I'd Much
Rather Be With The Boys/Andrew's Blues//Pay Your Dues/*Let The Good Times Roll/Heart Of
Stone/Each
And Everyday Of The Year/Sleepy City/Try A Little Harder/Blue Turns To Grey/We're Wasting Time
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AB 4225 -
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AB 4226 - The Best of the Animals - Animals [1973] (2-LP set) Reissued as an abridged
one-LP collection in 1987, with the British version of "We Gotta Get Out of This Place," as Abkco AB-
4324.
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AB 4227 - Herman's Hermits XX: Their Greatest Hits - Herman's Hermits [1973] (2-LP
set) Reissued as an abridged one-LP collection in 1987 as Abkco 4227-1.
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AB 4228 - The Best of the Tymes - Tymes [1974]
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4227-1 - Their Greatest Hits - Herman's Hermits [1987] Abridged one-LP reissue of
Abkco
AB 4227. All tracks mono. Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter/No Milk Today/End Of The
World/This Door Swings Both Ways/Just A Little Bit Better/I'm Henry The VIII I Am (say, this sounds
pretty
good; accidents happen)/There's A Kind Of A Hush All Over The World/Silhouettes/I'm Into Something
Good/Can't You Hear My Heartbeat/Dandy/Wonderful World/Hold On (horrible sound)/Listen
People/Leaning On A Lamp Post/A Must To Avoid
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4324-1 - The Best of the Animals - Animals [1987] An abridged
one-LP reissue of Abkco AB 4226, with the British version of "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" replacing
the US version. All tracks mono. House Of The Rising Sun (long version)/I'm Crying/Baby Let Me Take
You Home/Around And Around/Talkin' 'Bout You/Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood/Boom
Boom/Dimples/We Gotta Get Out Of This Place (alternate take)/I'm In Love Again/Bury My Body/Gonna
Send You Back To Walker/Story Of Bo Diddley/It's My Life/Bring It On Home To Me
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Miscellaneous Series:
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ANA-1 - Metamorphosis - Rolling Stones [1975] Out Of Time (Abkco version with
strings)/Don't Lie To Me/Somethings Just Stick In Your Mind/Each And Every Day Of The Year/Heart Of
Stone (Abkco version)/I'd Much Rather Be With The Boys/(Walkin' Thru The) Sleepy City/We're Wastin'
Time/Try A Little Harder/I Don't Know Why/If You Let Me/Jiving Sister Fanny/Downtown
Suzie/Family/Memo From Turner/I'm Going Down
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MPD-1 - Songs of the Rolling Stones - Rolling Stones [1975] Promotional LP featuring
shortened versions of 30 Rolling Stones songs. Issued with two different covers, one with the band in a
field and the other a cover featuring the Rock and Roll Circus. Under My Thumb (1:30)/I'm Free
(1:25)/Sittin' On A Fence (1:30)/Ride On Baby (1:25)/Salt Of The Earth (1:58)/No Expectations
(2:00)/Wild
Horses (2:50)/Paint It Black (1:58)/Let's Spend The Night Together (1:37)/Midnight Rambler (2:18)/You
Can't Always Get What You Want (1:55)/Stupid Girl (1:45)/One More Try (1:10)/The Last Time
(1:38)/Sing
This All Together (1:07)//Jumpin' Jack Flash (1:28)You Got The Silver (2:00)/All Down The Line (1:40)/(I
Can't Get No) Satisfaction (1:45)/Play With Fire (1:45)/Live With Me (1:43)/Yesterday's Papers
(1:15)/Someting Happened To Me Yesterday (1:00)/Sweet Virginia (1:55)/Blue Turns To Grey (1:12)/Out
Of Time (1:56)/Shine A Light (2:20)/Loving Cup (2:00)/Ruby Tuesday (1:44)/Honky Tonk Women (1:48)
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MPD-2 - Songs of Sam Cooke - Sam Cooke [1975]
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London/Abkco Digitally Remastered Reissue Series:
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6262-1 - More Hot Rocks (Big Hits and Fazed Cookies) - Rolling Stones [1986] Tell Me
(3:47)/Not Fade Away/The Last Time/It's All Over Now/Good Times Bad Times/I'm Free/Out Of Time
(US
version, fades at 3:40)/Lady Jane/Sittin' On A Fence/Have You Seen Your Mother Baby Standing In The
Shadows?/Dandelion/We Love You//She's A Rainbow/2000 Light Years From Home/Child Of The
Moon/No Expectations/Let It Bleed/What To Do/Fortune Teller/Poison Ivy/Come On/Money/Bye Bye
Johnny/I Can't Be Satisfied/Long Long While
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6672-1 - Hot Rocks 1964-1971 - Rolling Stones [1986] Time Is On My Side (different mix
with organ mixed high at start)/Heart Of Stone/Play With Fire/(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction/As Tears Go
By/Get Off My Cloud/Mother's Little Helper/19th Nervous Breakdown/Paint It Black/Under My
Thumb/Ruby Tuesday/Let's Spend The Night Together//Jumping Jack Flash/Street Fighting
Man/Sympathy For The Devil/Honky Tonk Women/Gimme Shelter/Midnight Rambler (live)/You Can't
Always Get What You Want/Brown Sugar/Wild Horses
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7375-1 - England's Newest Hit Makers - Rolling Stones [1986] Not Fade Away/Route
66/I
Just Want To Make Love To You/Honest I Do/Now I've Got A Witness/Little By Little/I'm A King
Bee/Carol/Tell Me (4:03)/Can I Get A Witness/You Can Make It If You Try/Walking The Dog
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7402-1 - 12X5 - Rolling Stones [1986] Around And Around/Confessin' The Blues/Empty
Heart/Time Is On My Side/Good Times Bad Times/It's All Over Now/2120 South Michigan Avenue
(3:37)/Under The Boardwalk/Congradulations/Grown Up Wrong/If You Need Me/Susie Q
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7420-1 - The Rolling Stones Now! - Rolling Stones [1986] Everybody Needs Somebody
To Love/Down Home Girl/You Can't Catch Me/Heart Of Stone/What A Shame/Mona (I Need You
Baby)/Down The Road Apiece/Off The Hook/Pain In My Heart/Oh Baby (We Got A Good Thing
Goin')/Little Red Rooster/Surprise Surprise
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7429-1 - Out of Our Heads - Rolling Stones [1986] Mercy Mercy/Hitch Hike/The Last
Time/That's How Strong My Love Is/Good Times/I'm All Right (live)/(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction/Cry To
Me/The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man/Play With Fire/The Spider And The Fly/One More
Try
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7451-1 - December's Children (And Everyone's) - Rolling Stones [1986] She Said
Yeah/Talkin' 'Bout You/You Better Move On/Look What You've Done/The Singer Not The Song/Route
66
(live)/Get Off My Cloud/I'm Free/As Tears Go By/Gotta Get Away/Blue Turns To Grey/I'm Moving On
(live)
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7476-1 - Aftermath - Rolling Stones [1986] Paint It Black/Stupid Girl/Lady Jane/Under
My
Thumb/Doncha Bother Me/Think/Flight 505/High And Dry/It's Not Easy/I Am Waiting/Going Home
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7493-1 - Got Live If You Want It - Rolling Stones [1986] Al tracks live, or at least all have
audience noise. "Fortune Teller" seems to be a studio track with audience overdubs. Under My
Thumb/Get Off My Cloud/Lady Jane/Not Fade Away/I've Been Loving You Too Long/Fortune Teller/The
Last Time/19th Nervous Breakdown/Time Is On My Side/I'm Alright/Have You Seen Your Mother Baby
Standing In The Shadow?/(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
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7499-1 - Between the Buttons - Rolling Stones [1986] Let's Spend The Night
Together/Yesterday's Papers/Ruby Tuesday/Connection/She Smiled Sweetly/Cool Calm & Collected/All
Sold Out/My Obsession/Who's Been Sleeping Here/Complicated/Miss Amanda Jones/Something
Happened To Me Yesterday
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7509-1 - Flowers - Rolling Stones [1986] Ruby Tuesday/Have You Seen Your Mother
Baby Standing In The Shadow?/Let's Spend The Night Together/Lady Jane/Out Of Time (fades at
3:40)/My Girl/Backstreet Girl/Please Go Home/Mother's Little Helper/Take It Or Leave It/Ride On
Baby/Sittin' On A Fence
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7539-1 - Beggars Banquet - Rolling Stones [1986] Features the original cover for the
album. Sympathy For The Devil/No Expectations/Dear Doctor/Parachute Woman/Jig-Saw Puzzle/Street
Fighting Man/Prodigal Son/Stray Cat Blues/Factory Girl/Salt Of The Earth
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7547-1 - Marianne Faithfull's Greatest Hits - Marianne Faithfull [1988] Reissue of
London
PS 547 with additional tracks. As Tears Go By/Counting/This Little Bird/Summer Nights/Something
Better/Come Stay With Me/Monday, Monday/With You in Mind/Yesterday/Go Away from My
World/Tomorrow's Calling/In My Time of Sorrow/Is This What I Get for Loving You?/I Have a Love/Some
Other Spring/Sister Morphine
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8001-1 - Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass) - Rolling Stones [1986] (I Can't Get No)
Satisfaction/The Last Time/As Tears Go By/Time Is On My Side (alternate version with prominent guitar
intro)/It's All Over Now/Tell Me (3:47)/19th Nervous Breakdown/Heart Of Stone/Get Off My Cloud/Not
Fade Away/Good Times Bad Times/Play With Fire
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8002-1 - Their Satanic Majesty's Request - Rolling Stones [1986] Sing This All
Together/Citadel/In Another Land/2000 Man/Sing This All Together (See What Happens)/She's A
Rainbow/The Lantern/Gomper/2000 Light Years From Home/On With The Show
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8003-1 - Through the Past Darkly - Rolling Stones [1986] Paint It Black/Ruby
Tuesday/She's A Rainbow/Jumpin' Jack Flash/Mother's Little Helper/Let's Spend The Night
Together/Honky Tonk Women/Dandelion/2000 Light Years From Home/Have You Seen Your Mother
Baby Standing In The Shadow?/Street Fighting Man
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8004-1 - Let It Bleed - Rolling Stones [1986] Gimme Shelter/Love In Vain/Country
Honk/Live With Me/Let It Bleed/Midnight Rambler/You Got The Silver/Monkey Man/You Can't Always
Get
What You Want
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8005-1 - Get Your Ya-Ya's Out - Rolling Stones [1986] Jumpin' Jack Flash/Carol/Stray
Cat
Blues/Love In Vain/Midnight Rambler/Sympathy For The Devil/Live With Me/Little Queenie/Honky Tonk
Women/Street Fighting Man
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1218-1 - The Singles Collection: The London Years - Rolling Stones [1989] (4-LP set)
Come On/I Want To Be Loved/I Wanna Be Your Man/Stoned/Not Fade Away/Little By Little/It's All Over
Now/Good Times Bad Times/Tell Me (3:47)/I Just Wanna Make Love To You/Time Is On My
Side/Congradulations/Little Red Rooster/Off The Hook/Heart of Stone/What A Shame/The Last
Time/Play
With Fire/Satisfaction/Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man/The Spider And The Fly/Get Off My
Cloud/I'm Free/The Singer Not The Song/As Tears Go By/Gotta Get Away/19th Nervous
Breakdown/Sad
Day/Paint It Black/Stupid Girl/Long Long While/Mother's Little Helper/Lady Jane/Have You Seen Your
Mother Baby, Standing In The Shadow?/Who's Driving Your Plane/Let's Spend The Night
Together/Ruby
Tuesday/We Love You/Dandelion/She's A Rainbow/2000 Light Years/In Another Land/The
Lantern/Jumpin' Jack Flash/Child Of The Moon/Street Fighting Man/No Expectations/Surprise
Surprise/Honky Tonk Women/You Can't Always Get What You Want (no choir at start)/Memo From
Turner/Brown Sugar/Wild Horses/I Don't Know Why/Try A Little/Out Of Time (Abkco version)/Jiving
Sister
Fanny/Sympathy For The Devil
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Abkco/RCA Special Products:
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DVL2-0268 - Greatest Hits - Rolling Stones [1977] (2-LP set) Not
Fade Away/Tell Me/It's All Over Now/Good Times Bad Times/Time Is On My Side/Heart Of
Stone/The Last Time/Play With Fire/Satisfaction//Get Off My Cloud/I'm Free/As Tears Go
By/19th Nervous Breakdown/Mother's Little Helper/Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby,
Standing In The Shadow?/Paint It Black//Lady Jane/Let's Spend The Night
Together/Ruby Tuesday/Dandelion/We Love You/She's A Rainbow/2000 Light Years From
Home//Jumpin' Jack Flash/Child Of The Moon/Street Fighting Man/Honky Tonk Women/You
Can't Always Get What You Want/Wild Horses/Brown Sugar
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Abkco Canada:
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TA-1077 - 30 Greatest Hits - Rolling Stones [1977] (2-LP set) Disc 1: Not
Fade Away/Tell Me/It's All Over Now/Good Times Bad Times/Time Is On My Side/Heart Of
Stone/The Last Time/Play With Fire/Satisfaction//Get Off My Cloud/I'm Free/As Tears Go
By/19th Nervous Breakdown/Mother's Little Helper/Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby,
Standing In The Shadow?/Paint It Black; Disc 2: Lady Jane/Let's Spend The Night
Together/Ruby Tuesday/Dandelion/We Love You/She's A Rainbow/2000 Light Years From
Home//Jumpin' Jack Flash/Child Of The Moon/Street Fighting Man/Honky Tonk Women/You
Can't Always Get What You Want/Wild Horses/Brown Sugar
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TA-1089 - Greatest Hits, Volume II - Rolling Stones [1977] This is disc 2 of TA-1077,
above. Lady Jane/Let's Spend The
Night Together/Ruby Tuesday/Dandelion/We Love You/She's A Rainbow/2000 Light Years From
Home/Jumpin' Jack Flash/Child Of The Moon/Street Fighting Man/Honky Tonk Women/You Can't
Always
Get What You Want/Wild Horses/Brown Sugar
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Abkco/RCA Special Products Singapore:
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DXL2-3042 - 29 Greatest Hits - Rolling Stones [1977] (2-LP set) Similar to the US RCA
set, minus "Get Off My Cloud," for unknown reasons. Not Fade Away/Tell Me/Its All Over Now/Good
Times Bad Times/Heart Of Stone/Time Is On My Side/The Last Time/Play With Fire/Satisfaction//Lady
Jane/Let's Spend The Night Together/Ruby Tuesday/Dandelion/We Love You/She's A Rainbow/2000
Light Years From Home//I'm Free/As Tears Go By/19th Nervous Breakdown/Mother's Little Helper/Have
You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow?/Paint It Black//Jumpin' Jack Flash/Child Of The
Moon/Street Fighting Man/Honky Tonk Women/You Can't Always Get What You Want/Wild
Horses/Brown Sugar
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Abkco Label Album Discography
