US
March 1959- Label and catalog number
- Decca DL 78854
- Format
- LP, Album, Stereo
- Runout / matrix
7 6918 1 11 11A2Variant 1, side A
7 6919 1 111 11 5A2Variant 1, side B
7 6918 1 /\1Variant 2, side A
7 6919 1 11Variant 2, side B
Vinyl pressings
Porgy And Bess
by Sammy Davis Jr. · 1959
23 pressings11 countriesVocalPopStage & Screen
Porgy And Bess was first pressed on vinyl in 1959. 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 Porgy And Bess
9 pressings came out in 1959, the album's first year, in 5 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
1959- Label and catalog number
- Decca DL 8854
- Format
- LP, Album, Mono · Gloversville Pressing
- Runout / matrix
MG6918T1 IPSide 1 runout, stamped
MG6919T1 IPSide 2 runout, stamped
US
1959- Label and catalog number
- Decca DL 78854
- Format
- LP, Album, Promo, Stereo
US
1959- Label and catalog number
- Decca DL 8854
- Format
- LP, Album, Promo, Mono
- Runout / matrix
MG6918T1 IPSide 1 runout, stamped
MG6919T1 IPSide 2 runout, stamped
UK
September 1959- Label and catalog number
- Brunswick LAT 8308
- Format
- LP
UK
September 1959- Label and catalog number
- Brunswick STA 3017
- Format
- LP, Stereo
- Runout / matrix
7-6918-1M C 1Side A stamped
7-6919-1M K 1Side B stamped
Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.
All 23 vinyl pressings
By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.
1950s11 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Argentina | Decca 78854First yearLP, Album | LP, Album |
| 1959 | Australia | Festival Records FST-11010TLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1959 | Canada | Decca DL 78854First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1959 | Japan | Decca SDL-19First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1959 | New Zealand | Festival Records FST-11010TLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| 1959 | US | Decca DL 8854First yearLP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| 1959 | US | Decca DL 78854First yearLP, Album, Promo, Stereo · Promo | LP, Album, Promo, Stereo · Promo |
| 1959 | US | Decca DL 8854First yearLP, Album, Promo, Mono · Promo, Mono | LP, Album, Promo, Mono · Promo, Mono |
| 1959 | US | Decca DL 78854First yearLP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| 1959 | UK | Brunswick LAT 8308First yearLP | LP |
| 1959 | UK | Brunswick STA 3017First yearLP, Stereo | LP, Stereo |
1960s1 pressing
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Germany | Brunswick 87 028 / Brunswick LPBM 87 028 HI-FILP, Stereo | LP, Stereo |
1970s2 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Spain | Coral S-21.218LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| 1974 | Japan | MCA Coral MCL-1046 (COPS 1917) (MG7-6919)LP, Stereo | LP, Stereo |
1980s1 pressing
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Japan | Decca VIM-5590LP, Reissue | LP, Reissue |
Year unknown8 pressings
| Year | Country | Label and catalog number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Australia | Calendar Records SR66-977 / Calendar Records SR66-9,77LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo | LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo |
| ? | Australia | MCA Records DL 78854LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| ? | France | Brunswick LBPM 87 028LP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| ? | Germany | MCA Coral 52.047 / MCA Coral 0052.047LP, Album, Reissue | LP, Album, Reissue |
| ? | Germany | Brunswick SLPBM 267 008 / Brunswick 267 008LP, Album, Stereo | LP, Album, Stereo |
| ? | New Zealand | Festival Records FL-7094LP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| ? | New Zealand | Festival Records FL-7094LP, Album, Mono · Mono | LP, Album, Mono · Mono |
| ? | South Africa | Brunswick LAT 8308 / Brunswick LAT. 8308LP, Album | LP, Album |
Tracklist
- A1Summertime
- A2A Woman Is A Sometime Thing
- A3My Man's Gone Now
- A4I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'
- A5Bess, You Is My Woman
- B1It Ain't Necessarily So
- B2I Loves You Porgy
- B3There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
- B4Oh Bess, Oh Where's My Bess
- B5Oh Lawd, I'm On My Way
Questions
How many vinyl pressings of Porgy And Bess are there?
23 vinyl pressings of Porgy And Bess are listed here, from 11 countries, released between 1959 and 1981.
When was Porgy And Bess first released on vinyl?
The earliest pressings are from 1959, in US, UK, Argentina, Canada and more. One of them is Decca DL 78854, released March 1959.
How do I tell if my copy of Porgy And Bess is a first pressing?
Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use DL 78854, DL 8854, LAT 8308, STA 3017) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, 7 6918 1 11 11A2 and 7 6919 1 111 11 5A2. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.
How much is Porgy And Bess 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.
