Big Hits High Tide Green Grass
Mono TXL101
Stereo TXS101
Issued in UK on November 4th 1966.
This was their first compilation
elpee issued in UK and it was to be the best one available in the
shops up to 1975 when Rolled Gold was issued.
Throught The Past Darkley had come
out 1969 but that had a lot of weak songs on it so Big Hits remained a big
seller for nine years. This one is interesting to collect
because larg
quantities were manufactured over the years which also means lots of versions
available
A detail to be noticed with Big Hits is that this is the first elpee in the Decca family that gets the new catalog numbering
TXL for Mono instead of the usual
LK. The colour of the label is also different, light blue insted of red
TXS for Stereo instead of the
usual SKL. The label colour was green insted of blue
Vinyl versions
Ring pressing or Grooved label
The deep pressed ring in the vinyl
under the label is in use until the summer of 1968. The version with the ring is
somethimens called "grooved label".
I have so far only seen Stereo elpees with
both grooved and non grooved vinyls. Mono elpees seams to be existing only as
grooved vinyl.
The manufacturing of Mono elpees had drastically gone down
already by autum of 1968 so it may very well be that no Monos have been made of
Big Hits 1968 or later.
Cover versions
There are a number of different covers existing due to the large number of produced elpees
First cover
The following details can be noted on the first cover version:
- Laminated cover
- Single thick cardboard front
cover
-
No indication on Mono or Stereo
on the back cover,
only on the spine
- A sixpage booklet attached to
the inside of the cover
This cover was used 1966 to 1969 with non boxed Mono and Stereo elpees
Second cover
The following details can be noted on the second cover version:
- Laminated cover
- Single thick cardboard front
cover
-
Mono / Stereo hole on the back cover
- A sixpage booklet attached to
the inside of the cover
This cover was probably made from 1969 to 1971.
This cover can also be found with non boxed and boxed elpees. All boxed ones are with the green label.
Third cover
The following details can be noted on the third cover version:
- Laminated cover
- Double cardboard front
cover
-
Mono / Stereo hole on the back cover
- No booklet attached to
the inside of the cover
The difference in between the
second and third cover is that the third one has this jacket for an elpee in the
front cover.
I cannot put a manufacturing date
on the cover but I have it together with a boxed greyish blue label. The colour
of the label was probably changed in 1972.
Laminated covers was dropped from
manufacturing 1974 so this would be dated 1972 to 1974.
A detail to notice is
that the hole on the back cover is still there. The manufacturing of Mon elpees
ended by 1970.
Fourth cover
The following details can be noted on the fourth cover version:
- Standard cover missing the lamination
- Double cardboard front
cover
- TXS101 printed on the back
- No booklet attached to
the inside of the cover during mid 70's
- Late 70's the booklet pictures
was addad as an insert
This cover was in use from c 1974 until the end of the Decca story. It is only found with greyish blue boxed labels.
Label Versions
Here are some of the label version combinations known to exist:
Mono TXL101 non boxed
Grooved label, original, used from 1966 to 1968
Stereo TXS101 non boxed
Grooved label, original, used from 1966 to 1968
Non grooved label, used from 1968 to 1969
Stereo TXS101 boxed
The boxed green label used probably during 1970 to 1972
The greyish blue label used from c 1972 to the end of Decca production c 1980
The
greyish blue label used from c 1972 to the end of Decca production c
1980
Slightly different design than
the one above, the location of "Electronically Re-...." is in a
different place
