Audio: 1978 - "Masterpieces"

All the songs listed in the Official Rarities section are cross-referenced by song title in these alphabetical pages.
A-E F-J K-O P-S T-Z

Up ] 1978 "Changing Of The Guards" ] 1978 "The Last Waltz" ] [ 1978 "Masterpieces" ] 1978 "Street-Legal" ]

Because of the length of the 1978 page, this sub-page contains all the entries for this release.

If you have any entries to add to the list or additions/corrections to existing entries, please let me know! Please note I cannot value your Dylan rarities - see the Mission page for reasons why. Contact the dealers on my Trading page for assistance!

Revised: 12 April, 2008


Titles in red are not available on a currently released Bob Dylan CD (for these see bobdylan.com )

Key to symbols used:
Links to other World Wide Web pages -
Links to email addresses -
Links to bobdylan.com for song lyrics -
Performances currently available on commercial CD are marked by (these are the ones that count as obscurities rather than as rarities)


"Masterpieces" - 3LP set, CBS S3BP 220502 (Australia/New Zealand), CBS/Sony 57AP-875/6/7 (Japan), Mar 1978:


CBS/Sony 57AP-875/6/7 (Japan) - front with obi, scan by Seiji Murata

The Japanese 3LP set came with a "Fan Certificate", a booklet and a poster and was reportedly in better sound quality than the Australian release! Masterpieces was first released on CD in 1987 as a 2 CD 35-song set - all these tracks listed were included although Rita May was faded (see below). The full compilation was re-released as a remastered 3 CD 39-song set in 1991. Shawn Chambers informs me this set was also released in Taiwan as three separate albums: Incredible Sound KS 5066. KS 5067 and KS 5068 - these are definitely questionable releases.

Dr. George Christos also informs me Masterpieces was once given away by an Australian beer company with a purchase of 24 cans of beer!

R-0145-3 Mixed Up Confusion, 1962 - not Bob's first single R-0007 (see 1962), but the alternate mono take without the first harmonica solo from the Japanese promo LP Mr. D's Collection # 1 (see 1974) and promo EP, Mr. D's Collection  #2 (see 1977). This is Side 3, track 1.

This occurrence reportedly runs slightly slow, see 1974 for more details. Ian Woodward also tells me that he remembers being told at the time that "in addition to the speed difference, the Masterpieces version was taken from just one of the two stereo channels rather than being a combination of the two stereo channels and that explained the odd sound".  The version of this take of Mixed Up Confusion that appeared on the original release of Biograph (R-0748, see 1985) is an edited version of this one (2:22 as opposed to 2:30) and in genuine stereo.

For details of the four released alternate takes of this song, see 1962. Many thanks to Les Kokay for all his information about these alternate takes, and for permission to reproduce his findings and to Jean-Pol Hiernaux and Larry Crum for further information.

R-0054-6 Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues, Jun 1966 - live at Liverpool, May 1966, B-side of 7" I Want You single, mono as originally recorded (see 1966)
This is Side 3, track 4. This live version, never released on a regular Columbia album, is also on the Japanese promo LP Mr. D's Collection #1 (see 1974), the Japanese promo EP Mr. D's Collection #2 (see 1977), the Japanese Mr. D's Collection #3 promo CD (see 1993), and the Capitol/EMI boxed set The Band: A Musical History (see 2005). Sadly, it does not appear on the B-side of a withdrawn CBS Spanish EP (see 1972), because the record was mispressed with It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry from Highway 61 Revisited instead!

R-0072-3 Spanish Is The Loving Tongue, Jun 1971 - B-side of 1971 Watching The River Flow single (see 1971), not version R-0096 from 1973 Dylan album (see 1973), still in mono confirmed by Larry Crum and Seiji Murata. This is Side 3, track 5.

R-0084-9 George Jackson, "Big Band" version, Nov 1971 from single, see 1971. This track is distorted on the CD versions of this compilation, so the version on the 1993 Japanese limited release CD Mr. D's Collection #3 (see 1993) is the best available.

R-0130-5 Rita May - Desire out-take, Jul 1975, released on singles Nov 1976/Jan 1977, lyrics on bobdylan.com (see 1976/1977)

R-0480 Tomorrow Is A Long Time - live performance from New York Town Hall, 12 Apr 1963 with fade out (the version on Greatest Hits Vol.2 (USA)/More Greatest Hits (UK) is segued into When I Paint My Masterpiece)

All the rarities were on Side 3 of the set, which also included Positively 4th Street and Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?, the last of which was then available nowhere else except as the original 7" mono single. This is Side 3, track 3, shown on the Japanese release as mono.

Kenneth Robson's Australian copy has slightly different labels from Stuart Moore's - the copyright text at the bottom of the label is different. The New Zealand release of CBS S3 BP 220502 had the same sleeve as the Australian Masterpieces but the records, which had a different label design, were manufactured in New Zealand. The. matrix number (found on side two only) was 3580-700.

Thanks to Seiji Murata, Sean Chambers, Stuart Moore, Ronald Born and Kenneth Robson for information and scans.


CBS/Sony 57AP-875/6/7 (Japan) - Side 3 scan by Seiji Murata (the side with rarities, tracks 1, 3,4,5 shown as mono)

CBS/Sony 57AP-875/6/7 (Japan) - booklet front scan by Seiji Murata

"Bob Dylan Fan Certificate" included with CBS/Sony 57AP-875/6/7 (Japan) - scan by Seiji Murata, No. 01172 "This certifies that the possessor of this certificate is a true devotee of Bob Dylan and his music"
fan certificate.jpg (33311 bytes)
"Bob Dylan Fan Certificate" included with CBS/Sony 57AP-875/6/7 (Japan) - scan by Shawn Chambers, No. 12374


CBS S3BP 220502 (Australia) - front scan by Stuart Moore

MasterpiecesAusBack.jpg (16383 bytes)
CBS S3BP 220502 (Australia) - rear scan by Stuart Moore
MasterpiecesAusInner1.jpg (17951 bytes)
CBS S3BP 220502 (Australia) - inner sleeve scan by Stuart Moore
MasterpiecesAusInner2.jpg (25626 bytes)
CBS S3BP 220502 (Australia) - inner sleeve scan by Stuart Moore
MasterpiecesAusInner3.jpg (19015 bytes)
CBS S3BP 220502 (Australia) - inner sleeve scan by Stuart Moore
MasterpiecesAusInner4.jpg (12569 bytes)
CBS S3BP 220502 (Australia) - inner sleeve scan by Stuart Moore
MasterpiecesAusSide1.jpg (21380 bytes)
CBS S3BP 220502 (Australia) - side 1 scan by Stuart Moore

CBS S3BP 220502 (Australia) - alternate side 1 scan by Kenneth Robson
MasterpiecesAusSide2.jpg (19855 bytes)
CBS S3BP 220502 (Australia) - side 2 scan by Stuart Moore
MasterpiecesAusSide3.jpg (19060 bytes)
CBS S3BP 220502 (Australia) - side 3 scan by Stuart Moore (this is the side with the rarities, here marked "STEREO")
MasterpiecesAusSide4.jpg (19845 bytes)
CBS S3BP 220502 (Australia) - side 4 scan by Stuart Moore
MasterpiecesAusSide5.jpg (20158 bytes)
CBS S3BP 220502 (Australia) - side 5 scan by Stuart Moore
MasterpiecesAusSide6.jpg (20440 bytes)
CBS S3BP 220502 (Australia) - side 6 scan by Stuart Moore

CBS S3 BP 220502 (New Zealand) - Side 1 scan by Ronald Born

CBS S3 BP 220502 (New Zealand) - Side 2 scan by Ronald Born

CBS S3 BP 220502 (New Zealand) - Side 3 scan by Ronald Born (this is again the side with the rarities, here also marked "STEREO")

CBS S3 BP 220502 (New Zealand) - Side 4 scan by Ronald Born

CBS S3 BP 220502 (New Zealand) - Side 5 scan by Ronald Born

CBS S3 BP 220502 (New Zealand) - Side 6 scan by Ronald Born

"Masterpieces" - 2 cassette set, CBS 3PC 502 (Australia), 1978:
This 2 cassette set comes in a double-width case. Thanks to Stuart Moore for information and scans. The now rather battered cassettes have off-white labels with the CBS logo. The rarities are on Side 2 of cassette 1.


CBS 3PC 502 (Australia) - cassette 1 front scan by Stuart Moore

CBS 3PC 502 (Australia) - cassette 1 front insert scan by Stuart Moore

CBS 3PC 502 (Australia) - cassette 1, Side 1, scan by Stuart Moore (Side 1)

CBS 3PC 502 (Australia) - cassette 1, Side 2, scan by Stuart Moore (Side 2)

CBS 3PC 502 (Australia) - cassette 2 front scan by Stuart Moore

CBS 3PC 502 (Australia) - cassette 2 front insert scan by Stuart Moore

CBS 3PC 502 (Australia) - cassette 2, Side 1, scan by Stuart Moore (Side 3)

CBS 3PC 502 (Australia) - cassette 2, Side 2, scan by Stuart Moore (Side 4)

"Masterpieces" - 2CD set, CBS 462448 2 (Australia), 1987:
This version in a double-width jewel case was replaced in 1991 by a 3CD version (462448 9, see below) which duplicated the original 1978 3LP set - both the 2CD and 3CD versions are now out of print. The front picture of the 2CD set is a crop of the original album cover.

Mstr2CD1.JPG (51571 bytes)
CBS 462448 2 (Australia) - booklet cover (Paul Read's copy)

R-0481 Rita May - faded version of Desire out-take R-0130, Jul 1975, released on singles Nov 1976/Jan 1977 (see above), lyrics on bobdylan.com

Thanks to Paul Read for the loan of the inserts

Mstr2CD2.JPG (33038 bytes)
CBS 462448 2 (Australia) - front jewel case insert

Mstr2CD3.JPG (39272 bytes)
CBS 462448 2 (Australia) - rear jewel case insert


"Masterpieces" - 3CD set, Columbia 462448 9 (Australia), 1991:
This version, also in a double-width jewel case, replaced the 1987 2CD version (462448 2, see above).

Mstr3CD1-3.JPG (34163 bytes)
Columbia 462448 9 (Australia), 1991 release - front jewel case insert (my copy)
This set originally had the same cover picture as the 3LP set, but was re-released (year?) with a different picture from the booklet as the cover. On the first release the front picture is different from the 1987 2CD set as it restores the full album picture with light blue borders and has light blue spines and "3 CD SET" text. The rear insert is different from that of the 1987 2CD set in that the tracklisting is differently positioned and it has light blue spines, the barcode is also moved. The re-release is in the "Dylan Originals" series and has a "Specially Remastered" sticker - however, it doesn't appear to be any different from the 1991 release apart from the cover!

Thanks to Paul Read for the loan of the CD inserts for the re-release.

Mstr3CD2-3.JPG (29850 bytes)
Columbia 462448 9 (Australia), re-release - front jewel case insert: new designs but using artwork from previous booklet (Paul Read's copy)
Mstr3CD1-4.JPG (35773 bytes)
Columbia 462448 9 (Australia), 1991 release - rear jewel case insert
Mstr3CD2-4.JPG (37335 bytes)
Columbia 462448 9 (Australia), re-release - rear jewel case insert (Paul Read's copy)

Mstr3CD1-1.JPG (80010 bytes)
Columbia 462448 9 (Australia), 1991 release - outside of booklet (my copy)

Mstr3CD1-2.JPG (82018 bytes)
Columbia 462448 9 (Australia), 1991 release - inside of booklet (note picture later used as cover)

Mstr3CD2-1.JPG (78656 bytes)
Columbia 462448 9 (Australia), re-release - outside of booklet (Paul Read's copy)

Mstr3CD2-2.JPG (85527 bytes)
Columbia 462448 9 (Australia), re-release - inside of booklet (note centre picture swap - picture from LP and earlier CD releases)


Columbia 462448 9 (Australia), 1991 release - CD1 scan by Jack from Canada


Columbia 462448 9 (Australia), 1991 release - CD2 scan by Jack from Canada


Columbia 462448 9 (Australia), 1991 release - CD3 scan by Jack from Canada

All the rarities are on CD2.

Thanks to Jack from Canada for the CD scans.


Up ] 1978 "Changing Of The Guards" ] 1978 "The Last Waltz" ] [ 1978 "Masterpieces" ] 1978 "Street-Legal" ]

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