Arthur Lyman LP Question

I have two Lyman LPs that have me scratching my head.

One is "Yellow Bird" and the other is "Percussion Spectacular!"

And they are TOTALLY IDENTICAL.

Same cover art, same back, same tracklisting, same LP# (L-1004), both stereo. The only difference is the title on the front and back.

Anyone know the story on this?

I don't know the ACTUAL details of this specific example, but I do know that it was fairly common for record labels to repackage and reissue older releases to try to squeeze some more cash out of them, or lure in a different crowd of people who might not have noticed it the first time (new cover + new title = new audience... never mind the music).

Yes, I have these two versions of the LP too - it is a quite spectacular cover photo of erupting lava.

My guess is that 'Percussion Spectacular! came out first, and then they found themselves with the song 'Yellow Bird' becoming a hit single, the only top 40 single of Arthur Lyman's career. (it peaked at #4 on the singles chart in 1961)

Because at this time Arthur Lyman already had a dozen LPs released - and at least 3 of those LPs already featured erupting or flowing lava on the cover, they probably renamed the entire LP 'Yellow Bird' so people would buy the correct LP.

My copy of 'Percussion Spectacular' actually has a yellow sticker - shaped like a silhouette of a flying bird - on front, with the words 'Includes Hit Version of Yellow Bird' on it. With the rise in demand for the song and LP, they probably decided it would be cheaper in the long run to simply rename the LP for future pressings, rather than keep on adding yellow stickers to the covers.

So, in order of appearance ...

1. plain 'Percussion Spectacular' cover
2. 'Percussion Spectacular' with yellow bird sticker
3. renamed 'Yellow Bird' LP (and no sticker)

Vern

That sounds really sensible.
Also there was a truck load of albums with Percussion This! Percussion That! and Percussion Something Incredibly Stereo! kind of names. So Spectacular Percussion was a generic title for an album around that time and I can see how the record company threw it away for the new one connecting the album to the charted single.

KK

hey kawentzmann....did you ask for a
congatiki/mensters cd a coupla months ago..
i wanna send you one but can't find an
address....we do a form of moody/tribal/
soundtrackish percussion music...for lack
of a better description.

Thanks for the tips, folks.

Back in the mid 80's I was at a huge , outdoor party/bbq that a friend of mine was throwing in CT . Very mixed crowd , but there were a lot of bikers and heavy metal fans in attendance . Anyway , another buddy Dave , and I , had recently discovered exotica and I'd found a mint copy of Percussion Spectacular which I brought along to the party . There was a big stereo system set up with PA size speakers . Well , when one heavy rock album had finished , bold and semi-drunk moi slapped on Arthur Lyman . To make a long story short , I almost got my lights knocked out by some Hell's Angel type dude ! Thank God they didn't scratch my record when they removed it from the turntable !

Arthur Lyman has a few albums that have the same music with Different covers and/or different names.

"Yellow Bird" and "Percussion Spectacular"

"I wish you love" and "Love for Sale"

"At the Crescendo" and "Cast your fate to the wind"

"Paradise" and "Pearly Shells"

"Taboo 2" has the same name but 2 different covers. (one with Shrunken head and the other with a Volcano)

I recently went thru and recorded all my Martin Denny and Arthur Lyman albums onto my computer and burned them to disc. Still missing some of the more obscure ones, but its kinda cool to have so many on cd.

Erich