Argo Label Enquiry

[Denbo]

I have this quite common record on Argo by Paul Gayten / Oscar Wills

 

There are two label designs for Argo on a 45 that I'm aware of. One is a split label design, silver top and black bottom, with Argo written horizontally across the top in black, as follows;

Nervous Boogie - Paul Gayten / Flatfoot Sam - Oscar Wills

The other label design is all black with Argo written vertically to the left, also as follows;

Nervous Boogie - Paul Gayten / Flatfoot Sam - Oscar Wills

 

However, I have a label design that is a split label design, black top and silver bottom, with Argo written horizontally across the top in silver but this time as follows;

Nervous Boogie - Paul Gayten / Flat Footsam - Paul Gayten

Notice how Flatfoot Sam is spelt and the fact that it's by Paul Gayten and not Oscar Wills. Oh, and that the split label design colours are 'upside down'.

 

Can anybody offer an explanation for the anomaly?

[Robbk]

The oldest Argo design was silver top with ship, and black bottom.  Then, it reversed to black top with ship, and silver bottom.  Then it went to all black.  It was called Marterry before it was Argo.

[Denbo]

The oldest Argo design was silver top with ship, and black bottom.  Then, it reversed to black top with ship, and silver bottom.  Then it went to all black.  It was called Marterry before it was Argo.

Thanks Rob, that was very helpful.

Any explanation for this bit of the enquiry?

Nervous Boogie - Paul Gayten / Flat Footsam - Paul Gayten.

ie Flat Footsam instead of Flatfoot Sam.

And that it's credited to Paul Gayten and not Oscar Wills.

[Robbk]

I have the original Argo 5277 in mid 1956.  It has the black top with ship design.  It has Oscar Wills singing "Flatfoot Sam" on the A side, and Paul Gayten's band playing "Nervous Boogie" on the B side.  The Oscar Wills A side ("Flatfoot Sam") was also released on Checker (870) some months later by T.V. Slim (Oscar Wills' stage name).   I have seen your misprint issue before.  It is just a misprinting, is it not? -with the "Flat Footsam" side as the vocal by Oscar Wills/T.V. Slim?  Or is it just an instrumental by Paul Gayten's band?  The all black issue is an oldie re-issue from 1958.

[Denbo]

I have the original Argo 5277 in mid 1956.  It has the black top with ship design.  It has Oscar Wills singing "Flatfoot Sam" on the A side, and Paul Gayten's band playing "Nervous Boogie" on the B side.  The Oscar Wills A side ("Flatfoot Sam") was also released on Checker (870) some months later by T.V. Slim (Oscar Wills' stage name).   I have seen your misprint issue before.  It is just a misprinting, is it not? -with the "Flat Footsam" side as the vocal by Oscar Wills/T.V. Slim?  Or is it just an instrumental by Paul Gayten's band?  The all black issue is an oldie re-issue from 1958.

So the black top silver bottom is the original release, not the other way round?

I figured the all black copy was a later reissue.

My black top silver bottom copy of Flat Footsam is a vocal, like the others, but where the others show Oscar Wills, mine does not, it shows Paul Gayten instead.

[Robbk]

So the black top silver bottom is the original release, not the other way round?

I figured the all black copy was a later reissue.

My black top silver bottom copy of Flat Footsam is a vocal, like the others, but where the others show Oscar Wills, mine does not, it shows Paul Gayten instead.

You misunderstood my posts above.  The ALL-black pressing is a (2nd) re-issue from 1958.  The original, was the black top with ship, from 1956.  The Checker T.V. Slim was the 1st re-issue in 1957.  The silver top/black bottom was the first Argo label design, but that design ended before Argo 5277 (before ANY issue of "Flatfoot Sam).

 

As I stated above, your pressing is a mislabeling (possibly the first original press run, but possibly only on a run in a different plant).  But, BOTH correctly-labeled and mis-labeled black top and silver bottom press runs were on the original sales and radio play run in 1956.