Vinyl pressings
by Randy Newman · 1979
Born Again was first pressed on vinyl in 1979. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.
27 pressings came out in 1979, the album's first year, in 14 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.
HS-1-3346 RE-1 JW2#1 0Runout side A, variant 1
HS-2-3346 RE-1-JW1#1 0Runout side B, variant 1
HS-1-3346 RE-1-JW1#1 0Runout side A, variant 2
HS-2-3346 RE-1-JW1#4 0 "Baa"Runout side B, variant 2
HS-1-3346RE-1 WW2#4 ─◁Side A runout, variant 1
HS-2-3346RE-1-WW2 ─◁ "Baa"Side B runout, variant 1
HS-1-3346RE-1 WW2# ̶4̶ 5 • ─◁Side A runout, variant 2
HS-1-3346RE-1 WW2#8 • ─◁ "Baa"Side B runout, variant 2
HS-1-3346RE-1-LW4 1 ✲A side etched runout, 1 ✲ stamped; variant 1
HS-2-3346RE-1-LW4 1 ✲ "Baa"B side etched runout, 1 ✲ stamped; variant 1
HS-1-3346 RE1-LW3• 3 ✲A side etched runout, 3 ✲ stamped; variant 2
HS-2-3346-RE1-LW4• 1 ✲ "Baa"B side etched runout, 1 ✲ stamped; variant 2
S-11 K56663 A1 STRAWBERRY E.G..Side A etching
S-8 K56663 B1 E.G.. STRAWBERRYSide B etching
OR MX190579 HS3346-1Side 1
OR MX190580 HS3346-2Side 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Australia | Warner Bros. Records HS 3346First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Austria | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 663 / Warner Bros. Records HS 3346First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Canada | Warner Bros. Records XHS 3346First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | France | Warner Bros. Records 56 663First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | France | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 663 / Warner Bros. Records HS 3346First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | France | Warner Bros. Records 56 663 / Warner Bros. Records HS 3346First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1979 | France | Warner Bros. Records 56 663First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Germany | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 663First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1979 | Germany | Warner Bros. Records 30063 2LP, Album, Club Edition · Club edition | LP, Album, Club Edition · Club edition |
| 1979 | Germany | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 663First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Germany | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 663 / Warner Bros. Records HS 3346First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Greece | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 663First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Israel | Warner Bros. Records BAN 56663First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Italy | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 663First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1979 | Japan | Warner Bros. Records P-10712WFirst yearLP, Album, Promo, Stereo · Promo | LP, Album, Promo, Stereo · Promo |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Germany | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 663LP, Album, Repress, Stereo | LP, Album, Repress, Stereo |
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Europe | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 663LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| ? | Europe | Warner Bros. Records WB 56 663 / Warner Bros. Records HS 3346LP, Album | LP, Album |
| ? | Germany | Warner Bros. Records 30053 2LP, Album, Club Edition · Club edition | LP, Album, Club Edition · Club edition |
33 vinyl pressings of Born Again are listed here, from 15 countries, released between 1979 and 1980.
The earliest pressings are from 1979, in US, UK, Australia, Austria and more. One of them is Warner Bros. Records HS 3346, released August 1979.
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use HS 3346, K 56663, WB 56 663, XHS 3346) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, HS-1-3346 RE-1 JW2#1 0 and HS-2-3346 RE-1-JW1#1 0. 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.
