MERCURY
RECORDS
Mercury was started in 1945 by Irving
Green, Berle Adams and Arthur Talmadge. In Britain its records were
licensed to Bruswick initially, and to Oriole from 1952; Oriole introduced an
actual Mercury label in 1954. Mercury moved to Nixa / Pye in 1956,
and scored a string of successes from 1956-60 with Vocal group The
Platters. The labels kept the 'flowing script' logo, but turned from
black to blue. EMI took over manufacture and distribution in
late 1958, at which point the logo shrank and was enclosed in a pair of
ellipses. During both the Pye and EMI periods EPs had basically the
same labels as the singles did, although in the EMI years there was a
red-labelled Olympian series, which was dedicated to Classical music, and a
blue-labelled 'Emarcy' series for Jazz. When Mercury was bought by
Philips in late 1963 the colour and logo remained unchanged, but the Philips
'grid' appeared and there were changes in the various legends and
typefaces. In December 1968 the logo was simplified slightly: the
'Records' was dropped, along with one of the ellipses. As a member of the
Philips family Mercury became part of Phonogram in the early '70s, along with
its parent. The '70s and '80s brought more Chart hits, with the likes
of Rod Stewart, the Bachman Turner Overdrive, 10 c.c., the Steve Miller Band,
and Rush registering in the Rock field, while artists such as James & Bobby
Purify, the Ohio Players and Don Covay scored in the Soul / Disco
area. Mercury continues to release records today (2006) as part
of the Universal Music group. Singles in
the early '70s had paper labels, which were often 'dinked' at the factory and
provided with triangular 'spiders'. From 1973 injection-moulded labels
were used, in a variety of colours. Silver appears to have been the first
colour used but it was soon replaced by fawn. Metallic silver-blue came
into use in 1978, and replaced the fawn in 1979. Very occasionally singles
came in other colours, such as purple, red white and lime
green. Sometimes the same single can be found in more than one
colour, or with both paper and injection-moulded labels. The paper label
from 1978 seems to be a Pye contract pressing, while the EP with the white paper
label was a product of Phonodisc's Special Products division and was made for
Yardley's. Late 1950s sleeves were red-and-cream. The
tartan variety dates from the early '60s; mid '60s ones were pink and white,
which evolved into red-and-white. Initially the red-and-white sleeves
were printed sideways-on - the opening on the one shown is at the right-hand
side. Early '70s company sleeves were soon replaced by standard
Phonogram Group ones. The white demo dates from the 1950s and EMI;
later EMI demos had a solid red 'A' across them. Early Philips demos had
'Sample Record' on them either in the form of a sticker or a crude yellow
hand-stamp; later ones had the usual family 'Hollow red A on white label'
design. Oriole Mercurys seem to have had the same numbers as their American
counterparts; after the move to Pye a 7MT-100 series was used for singles, EPs
being numbered in the MEP-9000s. These numbers changed to the
AMT-1000s for singles and ZEP-10000s for Popular EPs at the time of the switch
to EMI; Stereo EPs had their own SEZ-19000 series, while Classical ones were
numbered in the XEP-900s and Jazz ones in the YEP-9500s. The Pop numbers changed
to the MF-800s for singles and the 10000-MCEs when Philips took Mercury
over. From 1970, when Phonodisc scrapped lettered prefixes and
replaced them with numbered ones, Mercury singles were given a 6052-000 series;
this lasted until 1974, after which time several different series were used
alongside one another, notably 6167-000, 6008-000 and
6007-000. Presumably the different prefixes indicated the place of
origin of the record - certainly 6167s appear to be American, while 6007s and
6008s are mainly British. Some releases were considered important
enough to be given their own catalogue numbers, with appropriate prefixes - for
example, DUSTY-1 was a Dusty Springfield single. The discography
below, which has many gaps, most of the gaps are due to the fact that those
numbers were not used for British releases. The discography list
overseas releases to complete the series. Thanks to
Robert Lyons For The Info.
A FULL
DISCOGRAPHY OF MERCURY 6052 000 SERIES 1970-1974 CAN BE
FOUND HERE
A FULL DISCOGRAPHY
OF MERCURY 6167 000 SERIES 1974-1980 CAN BE
FOUND HERE
| 77 |
Graham Bonnet |
Goodnight And
Goodmorning |
MERCURY |
6001 |
110 |
| 78 |
Graham Bonnet |
Rock Island Line / Soul Seeker |
MERCURY |
6001 |
111 |
| 78 |
Graham Bonnet |
Warm Ride / 10/12 Observation |
MERCURY |
6001 |
112 |
| 78 |
Not Traced |
|
MERCURY |
6001 |
113 |
| 78 |
Atom |
Standing
Room Only |
MERCURY |
6001 |
114 |
| 78 |
Graham Bonnet |
Only You Can Lift Me |
MERCURY |
6001 |
115 |
| 78 |
Demis
Roussos |
L.O.V. E. Got A Hold Of Me / Hey
Friend |
MERCURY |
6001 |
116 |
| 78 |
Graham Bonnet |
Can't Complain (Single) |
MERCURY |
6001 |
117 |
| 78 |
Graham Bonnet |
Only
You Can Lift Me |
MERCURY |
6001 |
118 |
| 78 |
The Runaways |
Mama Weer All Crazee Now |
MERCURY |
6001 |
119 |
| 78 |
Demis
Roussos |
Chantez Enfants Du Monde / Tu N'as Pas Le
Droit |
MERCURY |
6001 |
120 |
| 79 |
Van Morrison |
Bright Side Of The Road |
MERCURY |
6001 |
121 |
| 79 |
Van Morrison |
Full Force Gale |
MERCURY |
6001 |
122 |
| 79 |
Van Morrison |
Full Force Gale |
MERCURY |
6001 |
123 |
A FULL
DISCOGRAPHY OF PHONOGRAM LABELS 6005 000 SERIES 1977-1983 CAN BE
FOUND HERE
A FULL DISCOGRAPHY OF MERCURY 6007 000 SERIES
1976-1980 CAN BE FOUND HERE
A FULL
DISCOGRAPHY OF MERCURY 6008 000 SERIES 1974-1980 CAN BE
FOUND HERE
A FULL
DISCOGRAPHY OF MERCURY 6011 000 SERIES 1970-1978 CAN BE
FOUND HERE
| 70 |
De De Lind |
Mille Anni (7",
Mono) |
MERCURY |
6027 |
001 |
| 70 |
Pilade E I Calibro 45* |
Tacatà / L'Universo |
MERCURY |
6027 |
002 |
| 71 |
De De Lind |
Signore, Dove Va / Torneremo Ancora |
MERCURY |
6027 |
003 |
| 74 |
Gruppo 2001 |
Addio Primo Amore / Carla |
MERCURY |
6027 |
004 |
| 74 |
Fugain et le Big Bazar |
Estate insieme/Les Gentil, Les
Mechants |
MERCURY |
6027 |
005 |
| 74 |
Not Traced |
|
MERCURY |
6027 |
006 |
| 74 |
Suan |
Canto Di Ringraziamento / Pazzia |
MERCURY |
6027 |
007 |
| 75 |
Gruppo 2001 |
Per Un Momento / Nella Sua Mente Sono Lui |
MERCURY |
6027 |
008 |
| 75 |
Gruppo 2001 |
Navigando / Il mio paese |
MERCURY |
6027 |
009 |
| 79 |
Nuggets |
New York (Harlem Session) (Uk
Release) |
MERCURY |
6027 |
010 |
| 76 |
Steve Miller
Band |
Take The Money And Run |
MERCURY |
6078 |
800 |
| 76 |
Steve Miller Band |
Take The Money And Run / Rock 'N' Me |
MERCURY |
6078 |
801 |
| 76 |
Steve Miller Band |
Fly Like An Eagle / Mercury Blues |
MERCURY |
6078 |
802 |
| 76 |
Steve Miller Band |
Rock 'N' Me |
MERCURY |
6078 |
803 |
| 76 |
Steve Miller Band |
Rock 'N' Me |
MERCURY |
6078 |
804 |
| 76 |
Steve Miller Band |
Rock 'N' Me / Serenade |
MERCURY |
6078 |
805 |
| 76 |
Steve Miller Band |
Rock 'N' Me |
MERCURY |
6078 |
806 |
| 76 |
Steve Miller Band |
Rock N' Me / Fly Like An Eagle |
MERCURY |
6078 |
807 |
| 76 |
Steve Miller Band |
Serenade |
MERCURY |
6078 |
808 |
| 77 |
Steve Miller Band |
Fly Like
An Eagle |
MERCURY |
6078 |
809 |
| 77 |
Steve Miller Band |
Fly Like An Eagle |
MERCURY |
6078 |
810 |
| 77 |
Steve Miller Band |
Jet Airliner |
MERCURY |
6078 |
811 |
| 77 |
Steve Miller Band |
Jungle
Love |
MERCURY |
6078 |
812 |
| 77 |
Steve Miller Band |
Swingtown |
MERCURY |
6078 |
813 |
| 77 |
Not Issued |
|
MERCURY |
6078 |
814 |
| 77 |
Steve Miller Band |
The Joker / The Stake |
MERCURY |
6078 |
815 |
| 77 |
Steve Miller Band |
Winter Time / Jet Airliner |
MERCURY |
6078 |
816 |
| 76 |
Not Traced |
|
MERCURY |
6160 |
001 |
| 76 |
Not Traced |
|
MERCURY |
6160 |
002 |
| 76 |
Not Traced |
|
MERCURY |
6160 |
003 |
| 76 |
Not Traced |
|
MERCURY |
6160 |
004 |
| 76 |
Walker Brothers |
Sun Ain´T Gonna Shine Anymore |
MERCURY |
6160 |
005 |
| 76 |
Stewart Rod |
Maggie May |
MERCURY |
6160 |
006 |
| 77 |
Stewart Rod |
Mandoline Wind |
MERCURY |
6160 |
007 |
| 77 |
New Your Dolls |
Jet Boy |
MERCURY |
6160 |
008 |
| 75 |
The Platters |
My Dream / To Each His
Own |
MERCURY |
6168 |
101 |
| 78 |
Frankie Avalon |
Beauty School Dropout |
MERCURY |
6168 |
102 |
| 78 |
Crown Heights
Affair |
Galaxy Of
Love |
MERCURY |
6168 |
801 |
| 78 |
Not Traced |
|
MERCURY |
6168 |
802 |
| 78 |
Crown Heights Affair |
I'M Gonna Love You Forever |
MERCURY |
6168 |
803 |
| 79 |
Crown Heights Affair |
Dance Lady Dance |
MERCURY |
6168 |
804 |
A FULL
DISCOGRAPHY OF PHONOGRAM LABELS 6198 000 SERIES 1973-1982 CAN BE
FOUND HERE
| 79 |
Robin Beck |
Sweet Talk |
MERCURY |
BECK |
7 |
| 79 |
Kurtis Blow |
Christmas Rappin / Do It
Yourself Rappin (Instrumental) |
MERCURY |
BLOW |
7 |
| 80 |
Kurtis
Blow |
The Breaks / The Breaks (Instrumental) |
MERCURY |
BLOW |
8 |
| 80 |
Kurtis
Blow |
Throughout Your Years (Part 1) |
MERCURY |
BLOW |
9 |
| 78 |
Dusty
Springfield |
A Love Like Yours (Don't Come
Knocking Every Day) |
MERCURY |
DUSTY |
1 |
| 78 |
Dusty Springfield |
That's The Kind Of Love I've Got For You |
MERCURY |
DUSTY |
002 |
| 79 |
Dusty Springfield |
I’m
Coming Home Again |
MERCURY |
DUSTY |
003 |
| 79 |
Dusty Springfield |
Baby Blue |
MERCURY |
DUSTY |
4 |
| 80 |
Dusty Springfield |
Your Love Still Brings Me To My Knees |
MERCURY |
DUSTY |
5 |
| 77 |
Carl
Perkins |
The E.P. Express / Big Bad
Blues |
MERCURY |
ELV |
15 |
| 77 |
Lol Creme / Kevin
Godley |
5 O'Clock In The
Morning |
MERCURY |
GOD |
001 |
| 77 |
Lol Creme / Kevin
Godley |
Excerpts From Consequences
(Double pack) |
MERCURY |
SAMP |
17 |
| 79 |
Sandy McLelland And The
Backline |
Hot Nights In Paris |
MERCURY |
HOT |
1 |
| 79 |
Kool & The
Gang |
Ladies Night |
MERCURY |
KOOL |
7 |
| 79 |
Kool & The Gang |
Too Hot |
DE-LITE |
KOOL |
8 |
| 80 |
Kool & The Gang |
Hangin' Out / Got You Into My Life |
DE-LITE |
KOOL |
9 |
| 80 |
Kool & The Gang |
Celebration / Morning Star |
DE-LITE |
KOOL |
10 |
| 80 |
Kool & The Gang |
Jones Vs
Jones |
DE-LITE |
KOOL |
11 |
| 78 |
Clifford T.
Ward |
Someone I
Know |
MERCURY |
LUV |
1 |
| 79 |
Lindisfarne |
Easy And Free |
MERCURY |
NEWS |
1 |
| 76 |
Ohio Players |
Who'd She Coo |
MERCURY |
PLAY |
001 |
| 79 |
Bernie Lyon |
Eleanor Rigby |
MERCURY |
RIGBY |
7 |
| 77 |
Rush |
Closer To The Heart |
MERCURY |
RUSH |
7 |
| 82 |
Rush |
New World Man |
MERCURY |
RUSH |
8 |
| 82 |
Rush |
Subdivisions |
MERCURY |
RUSH |
9 |
| 82 |
Rush |
Countdown / New World Man |
MERCURY |
RUSH |
10 |
| 79 |
Sandy McLelland And The
Backline |
Can We Still Be
Friends |
MERCURY |
SANDY |
001 |
| 79 |
Graham
Gouldman |
Sunburn |
MERCURY |
SUNNY |
1 |
| 78 |
Richard
Myhill |
It Takes Two To
Tango |
MERCURY |
TANGO |
1 |
| 78 |
Richard Myhill |
We've Got Something More |
MERCURY |
TANGO |
2 |
| 78 |
The Upstarts |
Beggin' |
MERCURY |
TANGO |
3 |
| 78 |
Lynda Virtu |
Treat Me Like A Woman |
MERCURY |
TANGO |
4 |
| 78 |
Not Issued |
|
MERCURY |
TANGO |
5 |
| 79 |
Richard Myhill |
While London Dances |
MERCURY |
TANGO |
6 |
| 79 |
Lynda Virtu |
You Are My
Life |
MERCURY |
TANGO |
7 |
| 79 |
Lynda Virtu |
Warm Night |
MERCURY |
TANGO |
8 |
| 79 |
TCOJ |
(I Found) Love On the Disco Floor |
MERCURY |
TANGO |
9 |
| 76 |
Ohio
Players |
Fire / It Aint Skintight |
MERCURY |
DJ |
015 |
