THE NEVER RELEASED MARY JANE
Company: Contra Band Music
Matrix Number: 3585 A / 3585 B
release date: November, 1972
Country: USA
SIDE A
1. WHAT'S THE NEW MARY JANE (incomplete) 2:38
2. John intro SHOUT! 2:10
3. GEORGE INTERVIEW 1:14
4. PEOPLE SAY (incomplete) 2:49
5. YOU KNOW MY NAME (LOOK UP THE NUMBER) 4:15
SIDE B
6. Brian Matthew intro TOP OF THE POPS THEME :25
7. Brian Matthew intro LONG TALL SALLY 2:08
8. chat & intro A HARD DAY'S NIGHT 2:51
9. chat & Brian Matthew intro THINGS WE SAID TODAY 2:34
10. Brian Matthew comment TOP OF THE POPS THEME (w/ B. Matthew comment) :27
11. I'M WALKING 2:17
12. SIE LIEBT DICH (incomplete) 2:27
Sound Quality: mono (variable – see individual tracks)
Source:
1: unreleased Plastic Ono Band single, Dec 5, 1969 (G - slow)
2: Associated Rediffusion TV "Around The Beatles'', May 6, 1964 (G - slow)
3: by Ed Rudy, Feb., 1964 (F)
4, 11: by "John & Paul'', 1965, no Beatle involvement (F)
5: officially released version (VG)
6 to 10: BBC Radio Overseas Service "Top of the Pops'', 1964 (VG)
12. officially released version, German version (VG - slow)
COMMENTARY
When this album was released, it represented the first chance to hear "What's the New Mary Jane," one of the two songs known to have been left off the "White Album'' LP (they were mentioned in the "Beatles Book'' n. 64). Unfortunately, the track is only in fair quality, runs slow and only has one of the two stereo channels reproduced. Originally scheduled for release as a Plastic Ono Band single in December, 1969, "Mary Jane" would resurface later in much better quality and in more complete form. The line-up of THE NEVER RELEASED MARY JANE has also two bogus Beatles outtakes (tracks 4 and 11) and the Top of the Pops session, which had already appeared on LIVE AT NASSAU COLLESEUM and is heard in inferior quality here.
RELEASES
1. November, 1972 (photo below the title). Purple insert, yellow or blue label with track lists and the indication "A J.C. Cumquat production" (some copies featured the label for side b on both sides). As typical for the early CBM releases, the vinyl was of good quality. Two different labels were used for side A, one with "cumquat prod" in one line, as picutred above, and one with "cumquat production" written in two lines.
2. December, 1972 to early 1973. When the company run out of the printed labels, they used all the available generic labels, even labels that were originally meant for other titles. Illustrated here are labels for DON'T PASS ME BY (Side A, left), labels for a Moody Blues release (side A, center) and other generic labels, even with the side indication C/D (right). This issue had the same purple insert as the first release.
1973. Starting in February, 1973 the insert was printed in blue ink, always in full size and directly glued to the jacket. Several labels were used. In July-August, 1973 the records were released in a folder-type sleeve, and the labels had a colored bar; in September, 1973 the generic labels were yellow. All the records until September, 1973 were pressed at the same plant as the first release, using good quality vinyl.
1974-1975. This one used a new pressing plant, and consequently has noticeably decreased sound quality. The insert was always printed blue, full size, but the printing quality was poor. The records had various labels depending on which month the record was pressed, including blank labels.
Late 1975. The spin-off label King Kong released a cheap version of the album with a smaller size insert, and yellow labels with small red Godzilla.
INTEREST. This record is historically interesting since it featured a previously unheard song. The first pressing is quite scarce (***), and in general the copies with purple insert are valuable (**/***). The other releases are progressively less interesting (**/*)
A 7" RELEASE
The title track was coupled with L.S. Bumble Bee (from the CBM L.S. BUMBLE BEE) on a 7" very rare single pressed in 300 copies on red vinyl with black specks. It was released in November 1976 by Lou Cohan, the producer of Hoffman Avenue Records, with b/w printed sleeve, printed label, matrix FF-101 A / FF 101 B.
THE GREAT LIVE CONCERT COPY
1976. The company Great Live Concert made a copy of the Contra Band record on matrix 93 A / 93 B, with an insert simply titled "MARY JANE" and light blue labels with the company name written with Italics font. Some copies came with white labels with simple 1/2 side indication, identical to those used by Dittolino Records.
INTEREST. Useless. *