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Discontinuous research on Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band since June 1994.
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Safe As Milk

Song list:
Sure 'Nuff 'N Yes I Do
Zig Zag Wanderer
Call On Me
Dropout Boogie
I'm Glad
Electricity
Yellow Brick Road
Abba Zaba
Plastic Factory
Where There's Woman
Grown So Ugly
Autumn's Child

This album is one of the few albums that sounds much like the period that it came from. It's easiest to listen to if you remember the music of that period. It only hints at the later innovations that would come in the band's music, but it's not a bad pick. Not necessarily a good starting point if you don't like music of that era.

Back of Safe As Milk

1968 UK Original on Pye (Blue) NPL 28110 Mono - the original UK release was in February 1968 - why was it only in Mono?
1969 UK Re-issue by Pye on Marble Arch MAL 1117 Mono (10 track) - a Budget reissue came out in March 1969 with ``I'm Glad'' and Grown So Ugly'' missing.
1970 UK Re-issue as Dropout Boogie on Buddah (Black) 2349 002 - reissued on the budget 99 label in July 1970 - here is where the repackaging/renaming of SAM started - I guess the wierd title Safe As Milk was viewed as a problem by the record companies.
- first pressing with only 10 tracks as the Marble Arch MAL 1117 issue - different matrix number - this was the version sold in the shops in the first weeks - the cover listed all 12 tracks and caused endless confusion.
- standard 12 track version - cover as above
1985 UK Re-issue on WEA 252 260-1
1969(?) German Release on Buddah (Purple) 6.23171 AF - cover has TELDEC >> TELEFUNKEN-DECCA << Schallplatten-GmbH., Heussweg 25, 2000 Hamburg 19 (Western Germany) - Buddah 623171 is a 1969 12 track Stereo UK Issue of SAM - is this the same?
1970(?) German Release as Plastic Factory on Buddah (Rainbow) 2318 014 with Chicken Coop cover - rename and redone cover which is actually quite attractive - I guess the photo represented the new title and not the possible environmental concern of the original Safe As Milk name.
1970 French Release on Buddah (Rainbow) 921024 in Super Group Series 921024 with the Cannes Beach Publicity Shot from the 1968 MIDEM Pop Festival on the cover. Gerry Pratt's copy was signed by a friendly Donald Vliet and Mark Boston for Gerry's brother Mick in ballpoint on the back on Thursday 30th March 1972 after the concert at the DeMontfort Hall, Leicester, UK:-
```
II Mick
 Everbodys
   Colored
   or you wouldnt
   be able
   to see em
   Don Van Vliet

 To Mick
   I run on lazer beans
   love
     Rockette
     Morton
```
19?? Dutch release on Buddah (Rainbow) HBDS 5001 - cover as US with Vervaardigd in licentie door N.V.Bovema on back bottom right. Note that number is the same as US original release with H (=Holland?) added.
1976 German Re-issue as GOLD ROCK on Buddah 201.719 (Rainbow)- front cover features a 1972 photo - probably off the German TV ``BEAT CLUB'' appearence - and Gold Rock title in photo of embroidery work on gold satin. Back has notes in German covering period upto 1975 and says Im Vertrieb der METRONOME RECORDS Gmbh, Hammerbrookstrasse 73, 2000 Hamburg 1 * Made in W.-Germany
1967 US Original on Buddah (Red) - the US release was in September 1967 - the inner has weird artwork and photos, including Ry Cooder in profile, and ``MAY THE BABY JESUS SHUT YOUR MOUTH AND OPEN YOU MIND'' and CAUTION: ELECTRICITY MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO HEALTH. - one of the copies Gerry had is S/S with original 4" x 15" Bumper Sticker folded inside with Safe As Milk in Red/Green writing on white and baby's head in pink.
- Mono on Buddah (Red) BDM 1001
- Stereo on Buddah (Red) BDS 5001 - this is down as (E) in the US Goldmine Album Price Guide - ie Electronically Re-chanelled Stereo!! - what? - see Cooder quote.
1970 US Re-issue on Buddah BDS 5063 - this was the famous Buddah reissue with the Langdon Winner quote about the forgotten classic of rock 'n roll history from his ``I'm not even here I just stick around for my friends - The Odyssey of Captain Beefheart'' article in Issue 58 of Rolling Stone featured prominently on the front. Radio plugs were broadcast featuring this quote. This is the version pictured at top.
- 1970 US Re-issue on Buddah (Rainbow) BDS 5063 - I assume the Rainbow Buddah issue was the original 1970 label.
- 1970 or later US Re-issue on Buddah (Purple) BDS 5063 - same number but Purple Buddah label.
1984 US Re-issue on Buddah BDS 69005

Safe As Milk/Mirror Man combinations

1977 UK Re-issue as Beefheart File of SAM/MM on Pye FILD 008 - Two inner sleeves contain "rare" photos and informative article by Connor McKnight
- first sleeve has real slot on front
- later sleeve front cover has Internal Memo artwork and no slot
1983 UK Re-issue as Music In Sea Minor of selected tracks from SAM/MM on a 10" Album with Cannes Beach publicity shot cover on Buddah PRT DOW 15
1984 UK Re-issue as Top Secret of selected tracks from SAM/MM on 12" Picture Disc Design PIXLP4 - has Knebworth photo and Clear Spot period top-hat publicity shot.
1984 UK Re-issue as Top Secret of selected tracks from SAM/MM on Breakaway BWY 66
19?? Dutch Release as Abba Zaba of selected tracks from SAM/MM on MASTERS MA 0015784
- White label - promo?
- Red label - assume this is the standard issue
1988 UK Re-issue of SAM/MM by Castle Communication on That's Original series TFOLP 11 (double)
CD Issues:
198X Safe as Milk on Castle Classics(UK) CLACD 234
1991 Zig Zag Wanderer on Collection (UK) ORO146 - an all time low re-issue being just Safe as Milk with total track reordering (starts with Autumn's Child!) and has a Knebworth photo on the front!
198X Safe as Milk on Repertoire Records(Germany) RR 4035-C
The text of an article printed in this release is available.
1992 Safe as Milk on Buddah/Karma Sutra(Canada) BKS 5001 New York, N.Y.10001 - CD says MASTERED BY NIMBUS
198X The Best Beefheart (Safe as Milk/Mirror Man selection) on Pair Records by Buddah (EEC) CDB 019
198X Captain Beefheart At His Best (Safe as Milk with sinister track reordering) on The Special Music Company/Pair Records (USA) SCD-4922. Also has really lousy short liner notes.

Cassette Tapes

1989 US THE BEST BEEFHEART cassette on Pair PDK-2-1232 - has Safe As Milk tracks one side and three tracks off Mirror Man as equivalent CD.

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