Ask “Mr. Music”
Jerry Osborne



FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 30, 2017

DEAR JERRY: I have Gordon Lightfoot's "Sit Down Young Stranger" album, which includes his breakout hit, "If You Could Read My Mind." At a yard sale I was surprised to find the "same" album (cover, playlist order, songs, etc.) with the title "If You Could Read My Mind." I suppose once that song broke, they figured it was a no-brainer to redistribute "Sit Down Young Stranger" with the hit song title. What is the value difference in the collectible world between the two releases?
—Bell Kamden, Cherry Hill, N.J.

DEAR BELL: Here is the U.S. "Sit Down Young Stranger"/"If You Could Read My Mind" chronology, with a description and value for each:

First issue title is "Sit Down Young Stranger" (Reprise RS 6392), released in April 1970.
The distinction here is neither the title nor the cover, it's the label. At the top you will see the "W7/:r" logo (Warner Bros. Seven Arts/Reprise), alongside a riverboat, printed on orange stock. Everything below that line, including song titles, credits, etc., is black print on a solid beige background.
Value: $100 to $150

A few months later, the Capitol Record Club manufactured and sold "Sit Down Young Stranger" (Reprise ST-93328). via mail order.
The label has only the ":r" logo, and the riverboat at the top, but the entire label is beige.
Value: $30 to $50

In November 1970, Reprise released the single of "If You Could Read My Mind," backed with "Poor Little Allison" (Reprise 0974).
First pressings show both sides as "From the Reprise Album Sit Down Young Stranger."
Value: $5 to $10

Coinciding with their hit single, the second issue of the LP was retitled "If You Could Read My Mind." But Reprise didn't want to confuse buyers, especially their distributors, so a black-and-white transitional sticker was affixed to the front cover reading "Gordon Lightfoot - Sit Down Young Stranger." Their merchandising department was covering all the possibilities. As with the Capitol Record Club release, this beige label has ":r" and the riverboat logos.
Value: $40 to $60.

By January 1971, all new singles of "If You Could Read My Mind"/"Poor Little Allison" stated "From the Reprise Album If You Could Read My Mind."
Value: $3 to $5

The third issue LP is also titled "If You Could Read My Mind" (Reprise RS 6392), but sans the conversion sticker. Label is beige, just as the second issue.
Value: $8 to $10

IZ ZAT SO? Here are a few high ticket albums that, for various reasons, had their first issues either altered or replaced:

The Beatles - "Yesterday and Today" (Capitol T/ST-2553) 1966
Cover pictures the Beatles wearing white smocks. Scattered on and around them are chunks of raw meat and bones, plus a few pieces of broken toy dolls. Monaural first state copies (T-2553) are in the $5,000 to $7,500 range. Stereos (ST-2553) are at least twice as rare. Value: $10,000 to $15,000
The Beatles - "Yesterday and Today" (Capitol T/ST-2553) 1966
Cover pictures John, George, and Ringo standing behind an open trunk, and Paul is sitting inside that trunk. Monaural copies (T-2553) are in the $300 to $400 range, and stereos (ST-2553) half as much. Value: $150 to $200

David Bowie - "The Man Who Sold the World" (Mercury 61325) 1971
Cover has a color head shot of Bowie. Value: $300 to $400
David Bowie - "The Man Who Sold the World" (Mercury 61325) 1972
Cover has a black-and-white photo of Bowie in concert. Value: $8 to $12

James Brown and the Famous Flames - "Think!" (King 683) 1960
Cover pictures a baby. Value: $600 to $800
James Brown and His Famous Flames - "Think" (King 683) 1961
Slight artist and title (no exclamation point) changes. Cover has 15 identical pictures of James Brown. Value: $50 to $100

The Chantels - "We Are the Chantels" (End 301) 1958
Cover pictures the five group members. Value: $1,000 to $2,000
The Chantels - "The Chantels" (End 301) 1959
Slight title change. Cover pictures a girl and boy (models) playing a juke box. Value: $40 to $60

Alice Cooper - "School's Out" (Warner Bros. BS-2623) 1972
Has paper panties wrapped around the record. Value: $300 to $500
Alice Cooper - "School's Out" (Warner Bros. BS-2623) 1972
Without paper panties. Value: $5 to $10

Bob Dylan - "Blonde on Blonde" (Columbia C2L-41) 1966
Two discs. Cover opens to display two panels of nine candid photos of Dylan and others, including Claudia Cardinale. Value: $500 to $750
Bob Dylan - "Blonde on Blonde" (Columbia C2L-41) 1968
Two discs. Cover opens to display two panels of seven candid photos, with one of Dylan replacing Cardinale. Value: $40 to $60

The Five Keys - "The Five Keys on Stage" (Capitol T-828) 1957
Cover photo is of the group, with one member holding his right thumb in a phallic-like position. Whether it was intentional is not known. Value: $400 to $600
The Five Keys - "The Five Keys on Stage" (Capitol T-828) 1957
Using an airbrush technique, the questionable digit is removed from the picture. Value: $100 to $200

Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Street Survivors" (MCA 3029) 1977
Cover pictures the group standing among flames. Just three days after the album was released, the band's chartered airplane crashed, killing the pilot, co-pilot, the assistant road manager, and three band members: Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and Cassie Gaines. Value: $200 to $400
Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Street Survivors" (MCA 3029) 1977
Same photo but the flames were extinguished. Value: $5 to $10

The Rolling Stones - "big hits high tide and green grass" (London NP-1) 1966
Full title is printed on one line on cover, in lower case italics. Artist credit is the same, but on a second line: "the rolling stones." Value: $5,000 to $7,500
THE ROLLING STONES - "BIG HITS (HIGH TIDE AND GREEN GRASS)" (London NP-1) 1966
Title and band credit is on five lines, and all upper case. Value: $200 to $400

The Supremes "Meet the Supremes" (Motown MT-606) 1963
Cover pictures each member sitting on a stool. Value: $750 to $1,000
The Supremes "Meet the Supremes" (Motown MT-606) 1963
Cover has a photo of each girl from the waist up. Value: $50 to $100

Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton "Together Always" (RCA Victor LSP-4761) 1972
Cover pictures Porter and Dolly in a forest. Value: $400 to $800
Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton "Together Always" (RCA Victor LSP-4761) 1972
Cover has head and shoulder image of both singers, with blue background. $8 to $12


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