Vinyl pressings
by Mongo Santamaria · 1963
Watermelon Man! was first pressed on vinyl in 1963. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
6 pressings came out in 1963, the album's first year, in 4 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.
̶ ̶̷̶B̶̷̶M̶̷̶6̶̷̶0̶̷̶1̶̷̶A̶̷̶-̶̷̶X̶̷̶1̶̷̶ BM 6120 A1Side A, etched with strike out
̷ ̷̶̷ ̷̶̷̷̷̶̷B̷̶̷̷̷̶̷M̷̶̷̷̷̶̷6̷̶̷̷̷̶̷0̷̶̷̷̷̶̷1̷̶̷̷̷̶̷B̷̶̷-̷̶̷̷̷̶̷X̷̶̷̷̷̶̷1̷̶̷̷̷̶̷ BM 6121 B1Side B, etched with strike out
BS 96120 ASide A, variant 1
BS 96120 BSide B, variant 1
BS 96120 A USPAT#RE23.946 GBPAT#713.418 CDKSide A, variant 2
BS 96120 B USPAT#RE23.946 GBPAT#713.418 CDKSide B, variant 2
Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.
By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Australia | Riverside Records BS 96120First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1963 | Australia | Riverside Records BM 6120First yearLP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1963 | Canada | Battle BM 6120First yearLP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1963 | US | Battle BM 6120First yearLP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1963 | US | Battle BS 96120First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1963 | Venezuela | Philips 96120First yearLP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1967 | US | Battle BS 96120LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Europe | Vinyl Lovers 6785506LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Stereo · Limited | LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Stereo · Limited |
| 2018 | UK | Cornbread Records CRNBR16054LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Europe | WaxTime 772343LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Stereo · Limited | LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Stereo · Limited |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Japan | Riverside Records SR-7064LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| ? | US | Battle BM 6120LP, Album | LP, Album |
12 vinyl pressings of Watermelon Man! are listed here, from 7 countries, released between 1963 and 2023.
The earliest pressings are from 1963, in US, Australia, Canada, Venezuela. One of them is Battle BM 6120.
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use BM 6120, BS 96120, 96120) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, ̶ ̶̷̶B̶̷̶M̶̷̶6̶̷̶0̶̷̶1̶̷̶A̶̷̶-̶̷̶X̶̷̶1̶̷̶ BM 6120 A1 and ̷ ̷̶̷ ̷̶̷̷̷̶̷B̷̶̷̷̷̶̷M̷̶̷̷̷̶̷6̷̶̷̷̷̶̷0̷̶̷̷̷̶̷1̷̶̷̷̷̶̷B̷̶̷-̷̶̷̷̷̶̷X̷̶̷̷̷̶̷1̷̶̷̷̷̶̷ BM 6121 B1. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.
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.
