Fab 4 Collectibles | The Very Best Quality in Authentic Autographs, Original Records & Memorabilia | Decca Records "My Bonnie" 45 Single

"MY BONNIE" B/W "THE SAINTS"
TONY SHERIDAN AND THE BEAT BROTHERS
DECCA RECORDS 31382
RELEASED: APRIL 1962

GLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK PRESSING

CONDITION: M- (UNPLAYED)
ITEM#: S721
PRICE: -------

DESCRIPTION
(ACTUAL SCANS)

IN JUNE 1961, A BRITISH SINGER NAMED TONY SHERIDAN RECORDED "MY BONNIE", "THE SAINTS" AND A FEW OTHERS FOR POLYDOR RECORDS IN GERMANY . TONY HAD BEEN ON THE SCENE, PLAYING IN CLUBS IN HAMBURG WITH A NEW BRITISH GROUP, THE BEATLES, AS HIS BACK UP GROUP. IN OCTOBER OF 1961, A 45 OF "MY BONNIE" B/W "THE SAINTS" WAS RELEASED IN GERMANY ON POLYDOR UNDER THE NAME "TONY SHERIDAN AND THE BEAT BROTHERS."

THE RECORD SOLD MODERATELY WELL IN GERMANY AND ON OCTOBER 28TH RAY JONES WALKED INTO BRIAN EPSTEIN’S NEMS RECORD SHOP IN LONDON ASKING FOR A COPY OF THE RECORD. EPSTEIN THEN FOUND OUT WHO THE GROUP WAS AND ORDERED THE SINGLE AND SOLD MORE THAN 100 COPIES OF IT. AS HISTORY WOULD HAVE IT, BY THE END OF THE YEAR BRIAN EPSTEIN WAS MANAGING THE GROUP… AND THE REST IS HISTORY.

ON JANUARY 5TH 1962 , "MY BONNIE" WAS RELEASED ON POLYDOR RECORDS IN ENGLAND BUT THIS TIME WITH THE NAME CORRECTLY LISTED AS "TONY SHERIDAN AND THE BEATLES". A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE RECORD ATTRACTED THE INTEREST OF DECCA RECORDS IN THE UNITED STATES. DECCA WOULD HAVE THE FIRST OPTION OF RELEASING ANY GERMAN POLYDOR RECORDS IN THEIR "DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON" SERIES, OF WHICH THIS WAS ONE. CONSEQUENTLY, IN APRIL OF 1962, PINK LABEL PROMOTIONAL COPIES OF THE DECCA 45 WERE PRESSED AND DISTRIBUTED TO RADIO STATIONS AND REVIEWERS. ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT WELL RECEIVED, A SMALL NUMBER OF COMMERCIAL (STORE) COPIES WERE ALSO PRESSED UP AND RELEASED IN APRIL 1962 AS "TONY SHERIDAN AND THE BEAT BROTHERS".

THIS IS THE VERY FIRST RECORD WITH PERFORMANCES BY THE BEATLES RELEASED IN THE UNITED STATES - BUT IDENTIFIED ON THE LABEL AS "THE BEAT BROTHERS". DUE TO NEAR NON-EXISTENT AIRPLAY AND SALES, DECCA MANUFACTURED A VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF STOCK COPIES AND IS NOW THE SCARCEST AMERICAN "BEATLES" RECORD. IT WAS ASSUMED THAT MOST COPIES WERE RETURNED AND DESTROYED. TODAY, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT APPROXIMATELY 20 COPIES OF THE COMMERCIAL ISSUE OF "MY BONNIE" ON DECCA STILL EXIST. MOST OF THOSE THAT HAVE SURFACED, ARE FOUND IN HORRENDOUS CONDITION.

THE CONDITION OF THIS MEGA-RARE PIECE GRADES A STUPENDOUS WORLD CLASS MINT MINUS UNPLAYED STATUS WITH A GLORIOUS SHIMMERING LUSTER THAT REMAINS THROUGHOUT THE VINYL. THERE IS NO DULLING AT ALL - A BRILLIANT AND SHINY SHEEN IS EVIDENT TO THE GROOVES ALL THE WAY THROUGH. THE RUN-OUT AREAS ON BOTH SIDES ARE VERY SMOOTH, CLEAN AND OBVIOUS THIS RECORD WAS VERY WELL-CARED AND STORED OVER THE YEARS. THE LABELS ARE EQUALLY GORGEOUS WITH DEEP RICH, BOLD COLORS THROUGHOUT. THIS RECORD IS MOST CONFIDENTLY ONE OF THE BEST DECCA "MY BONNIE" IN EXISTENCE. A MOST FASCINATING ADDED ATTRACTION HERE HAS The B-SIDE label date-stamped "APR 11 1962", MOST LIKELY EXECUTED AT THE FACTORY DESIGNATING IT ONE OF THE EARLIEST PRESSINGS OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE.

THE SINGLES WERE PRESSED BY DECCA'S FACTORIES IN GLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK (IDENTIFIED BY A "1" IN THE TRAIL OFF AREA) AND PICKNEYVILLE, ILLINOIS (IDENTIFIED BY A "2" IN THE TRAIL OFF AREA). THIS STUNNING EXAMPLE BEING OFFERED HERE IS THE GLOVERSVILLE PRESSING
(DEC 31382.01A, SPIZER). FURTHERMORE, THE GLOVERSVILLE PRESSING IS ALSO IDENTIFIED BY THE RECORD NUMBER, FILE NUMBER AND RUNNING TIME OVERPRINTED IN SILVER IN THE LOWER BLACK SECTION. (NOTE: THE OTHER PRESSING FROM PICKNEYVILLE HAS LABELS WITH THE RECORD NUMBER, FILE NUMBER AND RUNNING TIME OVERPRINTED IN SILVER IN THE COLOR BAR AREA).

THE RECORD IS ACCOMPANIED BY ITS OWN AND ORIGINAL DECCA GENERIC SLEEVE.

THIS RECORD IS A MOST SERIOUS, SUBSTANTIAL AND VITAL CORNERSTONE ADDITION TO A BEATLES COLLECTION. AN HISTORIC AND INCREDIBLE BEATLES RECORD RARITY.