US
March 1966- Label and catalog number
- Columbia CS 9246
- Format
- LP, Album, Stereo · Santa Maria Pressing
- Runout / matrix
o XSM112384-1C S D9Side A runout
o XSM112385-1D S D3Side B runout
XSM 112384Side A label
XSM 112385Side B label
Vinyl pressings
Mean As Hell! (Ballads From The True West)
by Johnny Cash · 1966
22 pressings4 countriesCountryFolkWorld& Country
Mean As Hell! was first pressed on vinyl in 1966. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
How to spot a first pressing of Mean As Hell!
15 pressings came out in 1966, the album's first year, in 3 countries. Compare the label and catalog number on your copy, then the codes etched or stamped in the runout groove (the dead wax around the label): they are the surest sign of an early pressing.
US
March 1966- Label and catalog number
- Columbia CS 9246
- Format
- LP, Album, Stereo · Santa Maria Pressing
- Runout / matrix
o XSM112384-1C S Ƨ A 1Side A runout
o XSM112385-1C S Ƨ A 1Side B runout
XSM 112384Side A label
XSM 112385Side B label
US
March 1966- Label and catalog number
- Columbia CS 9246
- Format
- LP, Album, Stereo · Pitman pressing
- Runout / matrix
c XSM112384-1A 2 P A 3A side runout
c XSM112385-1A 2 P B 3B side runout
XSM 112384A side label
XSM 112385B side label
US
March 1966- Label and catalog number
- Columbia CS 9246
- Format
- LP, Album, Stereo
- Runout / matrix
XSM 112384-1CSide A runout, variant 1
XSM 112385-1CSide B runout, variant 1
o XSM 112384-1C A6Side A runout, variant 2
o XSM 112385-1C A2Side B runout, variant 2
US
March 1966- Label and catalog number
- Columbia CS 9246
- Format
- LP, Album, Stereo · Terre Haute Pressing
- Runout / matrix
T o XSM 112384-1B- D||Side A runout
T XSM 112385-1B- D||||Side B runout
XSM 112384Side A label
XSM 112385Side B label
US
March 1966- Label and catalog number
- Columbia CS 9246
- Format
- LP, Album, Stereo · Pitman Pressing
- Runout / matrix
XSM112384-1E P A111 3Side A runout
0 XSM112385-1D P C3Side B runout
XSM 112384Side A label
XSM 112385Side B label
Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.
All 22 vinyl pressings
By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.
1960s18 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Australia | CBS BP233309First yearLP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1966 | Canada | Columbia CL 2446First yearLP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1966 | Canada | Columbia CS 9246First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1966 | Taiwan | 中聲 CSJ-340-ALP, Unofficial Release · Unofficial | LP, Unofficial Release · Unofficial |
| 1966 | Taiwan | Chung Hwa Records CH-3121LP, Unofficial Release, Stereo · Unofficial | LP, Unofficial Release, Stereo · Unofficial |
| 1966 | US | Columbia CL 2446First yearLP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1966 | US | Columbia CL 2446First yearLP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1966 | US | Columbia CL 2446First yearLP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1966 | US | Columbia CL 2446First yearLP, Promo, Mono · Promo, Mono | LP, Promo, Mono · Promo, Mono |
| 1966 | US | Columbia CS 9246First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1966 | US | Columbia CS 9246First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1966 | US | Columbia CS 9246First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1966 | US | Columbia CS 9246First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1966 | US | Columbia CS 9246First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1966 | US | Columbia CS 9246First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
1970s1 pressing
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Taiwan | 中聲 CSJ 340LP, Unofficial Release · Unofficial | LP, Unofficial Release · Unofficial |
Year unknown3 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | US | Columbia CS 9246LP, Album, Repress, Stereo | LP, Album, Repress, Stereo |
| ? | US | Columbia CS 9246LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| ? | US | Columbia CS 9246LP, Album, Repress, Stereo | LP, Album, Repress, Stereo |
Tracklist
- A1The Shifting, Whispering Sands, Part 12:53
- A2I Ride An Old Paint2:56
- A3The Road To Kaintuck2:42
- A4A Letter From Home2:32
- A5Mean As Hell3:07
- A625 Minutes To Go3:11
- B1Mister Garfield3:46
- B2The Blizzard3:50
- B3The Streets Of Laredo3:39
- B4Sweet Betsy From Pike3:14
- B5Stampede2:57
- B6Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie2:57
Questions
How many vinyl pressings of Mean As Hell! are there?
22 vinyl pressings of Mean As Hell! are listed here, from 4 countries, released between 1966 and 1972.
When was Mean As Hell! first released on vinyl?
The earliest pressings are from 1966, in US, Australia, Canada. One of them is Columbia CS 9246, released March 1966.
How do I tell if my copy of Mean As Hell! is a first pressing?
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use CS 9246, CL 2446, BP233309) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, o XSM112384-1C S D9 and o XSM112385-1D S D3. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.
How much is Mean As Hell! on vinyl worth?
It depends on which pressing you have and on the condition of the record and its sleeve. Early pressings from the album's home country in near mint condition are usually worth the most; common later reissues are worth far less. Scan your copy with VinylLens to see its value for every grade.
