Bobby Bland - Duke anomaly

[Mal C]

Just picked up a nice clean copy of Bobby Bland - Drifting Blues, knew I already had it so was going to sell it, however on checking the release I discovered I had the same Duke 45 (432) but with a different flip. So as follows:

Bobby Bland - Drifting Blues / If You Could Read My Mind / Duke 432

and

Bobby Bland - Drifting Blues / A Piece of Gold / Duke 432

anybody ever see this, or others on the Duke label? be interested to know why this happens?

mal

 

Edited November 6, 2015 by Mal C

[Mal C]

Here are the two variations so you can see it...

[Mal C]

and the identical side

 

[Mike Lofthouse]

On 11/6/2015, 6:23:08, Mal C said:

Here are the two variations so you can see it...

Hi Mal - I have both of these 45's too.  Can only assume that the second one was quickly withdrawn because 433 - the next release - also had 'A Piece Of Gold' on the flip.  Although the A side of 433 was the previously released 'Honey Child' (Duke 375 from '64).   It does mean Bobby had FIVE releases in '68 - he usually had three or four per year but by '68 I don't think Duke knew what to do with him - his personal life and career were quickly going down the pan!

There is another Duke release with two different b sides- Duke 160 -'I Learned My Lesson' - one with 'Lead Us On' the other with 'I Don't Believe' both from 1956.  I have the second one 'I Don't Believe' - need the 'Lead Us On' variation badly!

Out of interest can you confirm that 336 was actually released? 'Don't Cry No More' b/w 'Hoew Does A Cheating Woman Feel'  - I have once seen it listed as unreleased and 'Don't Cry No More' came out later in '61 with St James Infirmary' on the flip.

So along with 160 and 336 I also need 369, 105 and 115 to complete my BB Duke collection!!!

 

 

[Robbk]

On 11/11/2015, 10:29:51, Mike Lofthouse said:

Hi Mal - I have both of these 45's too.  Can only assume that the second one was quickly withdrawn because 433 - the next release - also had 'A Piece Of Gold' on the flip.  Although the A side of 433 was the previously released 'Honey Child' (Duke 375 from '64).   It does mean Bobby had FIVE releases in '68 - he usually had three or four per year but by '68 I don't think Duke knew what to do with him - his personal life and career were quickly going down the pan!

There is another Duke release with two different b sides- Duke 160 -'I Learned My Lesson' - one with 'Lead Us On' the other with 'I Don't Believe' both from 1956.  I have the second one 'I Don't Believe' - need the 'Lead Us On' variation badly!

Out of interest can you confirm that 336 was actually released? 'Don't Cry No More' b/w 'How Does A Cheating Woman Feel'  - I have once seen it listed as unreleased and 'Don't Cry No More' came out later in '61 with St James Infirmary' on the flip.

So along with 160 and 336 I also need 369, 105 and 115 to complete my BB Duke collection!!!

 

 

I have been looking through literally millions of US 45s since 1953 (more than a million between 1958 and 1972 - when I could have seen that record).  And, yet, I have never seen one, nor heard of one, and I have always seen it listed as unreleased.  Apparently, it was slated for release, but then pulled back.  Then "Don't Cry No More" was released as the flip of Duke 340, with "St. James Infirmary" as the "A" Side.  I think that Don Robey was so enthusiastic about the latter's chances of becoming a big hit, that he junked Bland's non-hit-worthy release, and hurriedly got the new pairing of recordings ready for a quick release.

[Mike Lofthouse]

11 hours ago, RobbK said:

I have been looking through literally millions of US 45s since 1953 (more than a million between 1958 and 1972 - when I could have seen that record).  And, yet, I have never seen one, nor heard of one, and I have always seen it listed as unreleased.  Apparently, it was slated for release, but then pulled back.  Then "Don't Cry No More" was released as the flip of Duke 340, with "St. James Infirmary" as the "A" Side.  I think that Don Robey was so enthusiastic about the latter's chances of becoming a big hit, that he junked Bland's non-hit-worthy release, and hurriedly got the new pairing of recordings ready for a quick release.

Thanks Robb - that's confirmation enough for me - I'll stop looking!

[Guest Vinyldigs]

I have a copy of Bobby Bland 336 unreleased for sale if anyone is interested. 

[Tsugu70]

Just to my curiosity: is "Lead Us On" different song than "Lead Me On" or just misspelled title ?

Edited April 26, 2017 by tsugu70

[Mace]

So, following speculation regards the history, and a recent end price of $292 for the Bobby Bland 45 on Duke 336, I've recently listed a copy of this 45 on a 10 day ebay auction, to establish if that value is fair and reasonable.....starts at $9.99 and chucked in a free Duke 45 Adaptor.....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/142394323585?ssPageName=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

 

[Mike Lofthouse]

Mal - re your original question - the explanation from Cashbox, the sequence of release must be as follows - 

Duke	432	Driftin' Blues	A Piece Of Gold
Duke	432	Driftin' Blues	If You Could Read My Mind
Duke	433	A Piece Of Gold	Honey Child