This album was also issued under the title "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" Same catalogue number, same content and track order, and in the same year, 1969.
"How Sweet It Is" which dates from around 1966, was likely added to this album as a filler.
Issue date of 21st November 1969 as per the notes in this 1990s CD reissue. According to Discogs this was also issued with the title "These Eyes" ... I think that must be referring to the UK release on Tamla-Motown STML 11140.
Actually, by the time of this release, RCA's matrix number block protocol had changed drastically (not as many numbers used since the end of production of mono LP's). The numbering system in 1969 was assigned thus:
X3## / X4## / X5##
0000's - New York (up to 1800's by year's end)
2200's - Chicago (up to 5500's by year's end)
6500's - Nashville (up to 7999)
8000's - Hollywood (up to 9400's by year's end)
Only one of the label's studios used an X#4# sequence, and that was Nashville, by later in the year:
6500's (up to c.7500's by year's end)
So it wasn't like in the years up to 1967.
And Phil, I note you did public(read: community) radio in Adelaide, which station were you at? I too am a former community radio presenter so we have that in common, as does Record Collector, as I believe. We could use the PMs to compare notes between the three of us.
Oh, and the closest I've come to the music industry is a couple of stints on public radio here in Adelaide, so no stories from RCA or any other record factory, sadly! And RC, my imagination has failed me re your funny thought about the label (it's late), so please enlighten me!
Most definitely Fogerty! I hope that he has severely chastised anyone who put "Fogarty" on his albums - it's spelled right on my Aussie copy of CENTERFIELD, and on my US copy of JOHN FOGERTY (Asylum LP).
That's funny, Phil. I always thought Fogerty was correct, but I'd seen his name spelt as Fogarty on several CCR albums and on his Centrefield album. And note I spelt CENTRE, the correct spelling in Centrefield!
And Phil, you may think those RCA Matrix prefixes are straightforward because(I'm guessing) you might've worked at RCA. But to me they're a wee bit unnecessarily overcomplicated.
The HS ones don't really mean anything to me - I'm sure that someone, somewhere has analysed Motown matrices in depth - but the RCA ones are quite straightforward, using the info from the Discogs page:
X = the year 1969
4 = mastered from a tape (5 would be used if mastered from a supplied lacquer)
R = 12" LP
S = stereo
and the 4 coming before the second alpha means that it was mastered in the first half of the year; if it had been mastered in the second half of the year, it would have been XR4S, i.e. the 4 (or 5) would follow the second alpha. But the album wasn't released until November 1969, so there seems to have been quite a delay between mastering and release.
Phil, as I said, it was quite faint, I could barely make it out and even now I have my doubts as to if it was "A4" But I will give you the matrix numbers if you want them, they are as follows:
Side A; HS-1642-4 X4RS-3693
Side B; HS-1643-4 X4RS-3694
Okay, I've waited another couple of minutes before adding this one! Not really sure about the A4, as I usually don't pay a lot of attention to that sort of thing. Stamper number would be my guess (probably wrong).
Gee Phil, No sooner had I posted my comment, yours was already there! YOU DO WORK FAST! And I can attest to "How Sweet It Is" being the same version. I have it elsewhere on other compilation albums.
As stated in notes, this album was also issued with track A1 as its title cut. I'd seen it at the same shop where I bought this copy, but didn't buy the alternately-titled issue(wasn't any point in doing that). PhilMH, I saw stamped in the deadwax(run-out area) something which vaguely looked like "A4", though I couldn't quite make it out properly. What would you think it means?
Quite a few tracks on here that are repeated from earlier albums: "Cleo's Mood" and "Hot Cha" from SHOTGUN, "How Sweet It Is", "Ame Cherie" and "San-Ho-Zay" from ROAD RUNNER, and "Sweet Soul" from HOME COOKIN'. As far as I remember, they are the same versions. Surely, the way that Motown had everyone constantly recording, there were more unissued tracks?