Label Scan
Number - Release Date - Artist - Songs
The changeover from the black label to the blue-and gold label took place during April, 1968, at the Monarch Record Manufacturing pressing plant in Los Angeles. The Midwest Pressing Plant in Chicago used the black labels for some time after that, resulting in singles such as "Sky Pilot," released in May, to exist as original pressings with either label. Earlier singles were also repressed with the blue and gold label, so many of the records on this list from 1968 can be found with either label.
The round "Saturation Sound" logo appearing on both examples at left was not always on the stereo single labels. Indeed, the "SS" was omitted from the catalog numbers on some releases at some pressing plants, such as in the example at top left, but they still played stereo.
After "Sky Pilot," MGM discontinued stereo singles until Eric Burdon & War's "Spill The Wine" in April, 1970. By that time, the "SS" designation was gone, and the labels just said "STEREO."
K 13910 SS - 3/68 - Jerry Lanning - How To Handle A Woman/The End Of The World
K 13916 SS - 3/68 - Erroll Garner - Watermelon Man/Gaslight [see note 1]
K 13922 SS - 3/68 - Hank Williams, Jr. - The Old Ryman/I Wonder Where You Are Tonight
K 13923 SS - 3/68 - Connie Francis - Why Say Goodbye/Addio, Mi' Amore (Goodbye My Love)
K 13924 SS - 4/68 - Johnny Tillotson - Why So Lonely/I Haven't Begun To Love You Yet
K 13926 SS - 4/68 - Alan Lorber - Massachusetts/Congress Alley
K 13927 SS - 4/68 - Kim Weston - This Is America/Lift Ev'ry Voice And Sing
K 13928 SS - 4/68 - Kim Weston - The Impossible Dream (The Quest)/When Johnny Comes Marching Home
K 13929 SS - 4/68 - Chamaeleon Church - Camilla Is Changing/Your Golden Love
K 13931 SS - 3/68 - Bill Medley - I Can't Make It Alone/One Day Girl
K 13932 SS - 4/68 - Andre Popp - Why Say Goodbye/Tililoy
K 13934 SS - 4/68 - Herman's Hermits - Sleepy Joe/Just One Girl [see note 3]
K 13939 SS - 5/68 - Eric Burdon & the Animals - Sky Pilot (Part One)/Sky Pilot (Part Two) [see note 4]
K 14118 - 4/70 - Eric Burdon & War - Spill The Wine/Magic Mountain [see note 5]
MGM Notes:
1. Although both the yellow promo copies and the commercial copies (either the black label or the later blue and gold label) of the Erroll Garner single K 13916 SS all have the "SS" designation, and were advertised to be stereo in Billboard, they all play mono on both sides. That same ad claimed K 13910 SS to be stereo, but we have not checked a copy of that one for stereo.
2. 13911-14, 13917-21, 13925, 13930, 13933, and 13935-38 were all mono-only singles.
3. Black label copies of K 13934, Herman's Hermits "Sleepy Joe," do not have the "SS" in the catalog number or have the SS logo, but all copies play rechanneled "stereo".
4. The "Sky Pilot" single is known with both labels. Both the black label and blue/gold labels of 13939 have both mono copies (with no "SS" as part of the record number) and stereo copies with the "SS." The stereo promo copy has part 1 on side 1, and the full version on side 2.
5. "Spill the Wine" was pressed in both mono and stereo, although all labels say stereo.
Colossus started out as an independent label owned by Jerry Ross, but he soon sold the label to MGM.
Although the first few singles were mono, starting with C 105, Colossus put out stereo singles when stereo masters were available. Several of the missing numbers were Shocking Blue singles, including "Venus" [Colossus C 108], for which they didn't have stereo masters from Holland.
CS 107 - 12/69 - Tee Set - Ma Belle Amie/Angels Coming In The Holy Night
CS 110 - 1/70 - Italian Asphalt & Pavement Co. (I.A.P. Co.) - Check Yourself/The Sky's The Limit
CS 114 - 4/70 - Tee Set - If You Do Believe In Love/Charmaine
CS-115 - 4/70 - Virgil Henry - I Can't Believe You're Really Leaving/You Ain't Sayin' Nothin' New
CS 117 - 5/70 - George Baker Selection - Dear Ann/Fly
CS 118 - 6/70 - Kannibal Komix - Little Little/Neurotic Reaction
CS 122 - 7/70 - Festivals - You're Gonna Make It/So In Love
CS 123 - 8/70 - Shocking Blue - Never Marry A Railroad Man/Hear My Song
CS-124 - 8/70 - George Baker Selection - I Wanna Love You/Impressions
CS 130 - 11/70 - Mob - I Dig Everything About You/Love Has A Hold On Me
CS 131 - 12/70 - Maypole - Show Me The Way/Johnny
CS-132 - 12/70 - Jerry Ross Symposium - Oh To Have Been/Montego Love Theme (Romeo & Juliet '70)
CS 134 - 12/70 - Mob - Give It To Me/I'd Like To See More Of You
Forward was a Los Angeles-based label that issued about twenty singles in 1969 and 1970. They were distributed by MGM starting in May, 1970. We found no stereo singles, either commercial or promotional, for this label. Most of their releases seemed to be promo only.
Heritage was a Jerry Ross label started in 1961. After issuing nine singles between 1961 and 1962, the label went into a hiatus until May, 1968. They then began issuing mono/stereo promos for some releases immediately, and went to occasional stereo commercial singles in 1970. Interestingly, some of the mono/stereo promos were rechanneled on the stereo side.
HE 801 - 5/68 - Cherry People - And Suddenly (M/S)
HE 807 - 10/68 - Cherry People - Gotta Get Back (To The Good Life) (M/S)
HE 809 - 2/69 - Cherry People - Feelings (M/S)
HE 811 - 3/69 - Duprees - Two Different Worlds (M/S)
HE 812 - 4/69 - Bill Deal & The Rhondels - I've Been Hurt (M/E) [see note 1]
HE 813 - 4/69 - Freddy Dame & The Fables - (Kissin' Me, Huggin' Me) You Knew Just What To Do (M/S)
HE 814 - 6/69 - Shannon - Abergavenny (M/E) [see note 1]
HE 815 - 7/69 - Cherry People - Light Of Love (M/S)
HE 816 - 7/69 - Gene Bua - Goodbye My Old Gal (M/S)
HE 819 - 11/69 - Shannon - Jesamine (M/S)
HE 824 - 6/70 - Bill Deal & The Rhondels - Hey Bulldog (M/S)
Commercial stereo singles:
HES-821 - 2/70 - Bill Deal & The Rhondels - Nothing Succeeds Like Success/Swingin' Tight
HES-824 - 6/70 - Bill Deal & The Rhondels - Hey Bulldog/I'm Gonna Make You Love Me
Heritage Notes:
1. Stereo side is rechanneled.
L&R Records, founded by Joey Levine and Artie Resnick (with Howard Berkman) was distributed by MGM. It had the MGM lion in a small circle on the label. They issued both the Bobby Bloom single "Montego Bay," which reached top 10, and a followup album called The Bobby Bloom Album, which contained both sides of the single. L&R had previously been known as Earth Records when they started in July, 1969, but they were sued by Motown over copyright infringement with Motown's Rare Earth label. They then switched to a label name using the initials of two of the owners.
The version of "Montego Bay" on the album runs about 2:53, which is the time on the label of the single. The released single only runs 2:26, however. This was accomplished by splicing off the record a few instrumental bars after Bloom says "kids playing in the streets," and repeating the instrumental bars while fading out. The album version continues with more vocals and a pause, after which Bloom goes to "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" from Oklahoma! before ending cold with some guitar strums.
As far as stereo goes, none of the copies of "Montego Bay" from the various pressing plants seems to be marked "Stereo", but most copies seem to play in stereo, albeit without much separation. There are copies reported to be mono, also.
Lionel was distributed by MGM, and began issuing stereo singles in 1972.
Spring was distributed by MGM and then later by Polydor. We found only one stereo single, but both promo copies and commercial copies were stereo.
SK703 SS - 5/68 - Smubbs - It Can't Be Too Late/Her Love
Together was an independent label distributed by MGM. It operated in 1969 and was a label that had Curt Boettcher and his group Saggitarius, among others. We found no stereo singles, either commercial or promotional, for this label.
Verve began as an independent jazz label, but by 1968 was owned by MGM. They began issuing stereo singles about when MGM did, in March, 1968, and stopped shortly thereafter, as did MGM.
VK-10590-SS - 3/68 - Susan Carter - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood/San Francisco Woman
VK-10593 SS - 4/68 - Willie Bobo & The Spanish Blues Band - Tweedlee Dee/Move On Over
Promotional stereo single:
VK-10597 SS - 5/68 - Porgy & The Monarchs - Love Chain/Magic Music Makers [see note 1]
Verve Notes:
1. Commercial single is not marked stereo, but has the same master number, so may also be stereo.
Verve Forecast was a division of Verve, distributed by MGM. They put out a couple of stereo singles in 1968 at the same time MGM and Verve did, and stopped just as quickly.
KF 5082 SS - 3/68 - Appletree Theatre - What A Way To Go/Lotus Flower [see note 1]
KF 5085 SS - 5/68 - Fabulous Farquahr - My Island/Teddy Bear Days [see notes 1, 2]
Verve Forecast Notes:
1. Promo single is also stereo.
2. Some commercial singles are not marked stereo (i.e., no SS suffix).
