Bob Dylan and The Band - The Basement Tapes
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This page is part of a list of original releases by release date of international commercially-released regular stereo Dylan albums. They do not contain rarities or obscurities and are not eligible for the Searching For A Gem list. Nevertheless, their interest value or scarcity means they're worth listing here - as far as I know some are not included on any other Internet site. Promo releases of regular albums are now listed here and no longer in the former yearly Promo sections. This page is still incomplete - more entries required. For releases of this album in CBS/Columbia multi-packs, see International Album Releases (Regular) - Multi-Packs. |
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If you have any entries to add to the list or additions/corrections to
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Revised 09 January, 2012.
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Original US stereo 2LP set, Columbia C2 33682, 26 Jun 1975 After the success of Blood On The Tracks, Bob authorised the belated release of tracks from the 1967 home recording sessions with The Band in the basement of Big Pink. The photographs on the outside and inside of the gatefold sleeve were taken by Reid Miles in the basement of the YMCA in Los Angeles, CA, in 1975. Apart from Bob, The Band and various people depicting characters from the songs, guests include Neil Young and David Blue. The newspaper seller is the legendary Jimmy Berman from New York, the subject of Allen Ginsberg's Jimmy Berman Rag (R-0158, see 1974). Ringo Starr was thought to be on the cover wearing a Royal Air Force uniform, but Rod MacBeath in his article "Looking Up Dylan's Sleeves Part 3" in "The Telegraph" issue 52 (Summer 1995), says it is actually Richard Manuel. |
Out-takes from this album have been officially released as follows:
Biograph (1985): The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo) - original version, not the live 1969 Isle Of Wight Festival performance released on Self Portrait
The Bootleg Series Vols. 1-3 (1991): I Shall Be Released - original version, not the second version with Happy Traum released on Greatest Hits Vol. 2; Santa-Fé (previously unreleased)
Vinyl and Tape Releases
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - promo and commercial stereo 2LP sets, Columbia C2 33682 (USA), 26 Jun 1975:
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" -stereo 2LP set, Columbia C2X 33682 (Canada), 26 Jun 1975:
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - stereo 2LP set, CBS 88147 (UK), Jul 1975:
Manuel Garcia Jara has a copy with the same sleeve as mine with the earlier style of plain orange CBS labels. This is extremely rare, only a small number of copies can have been made before the label style was changed. My copy was bought on the day of release, and that has orange/yellow labels! His gatefold sleeve has the same sticker as David Burgess' copy, but was printed in England while mine was printed in Holland (see below). This copy has no CBS logo at top left front of the gatefold sleeve.
My UK records with orange/yellow labels have two serial numbers: CBS S 88147 on the left, and S
80917/S 80918 on the right above the US serial number C2 33682. The matrix
numbers are:
Record 1, Side 1 - CBS-S-88147-A1 80917-A1 (Side 1)
Record 1, Side 2 - CBS-S-88147-B1 80917-B1 (Side 4)
Record 2, Side 1 - CBS-S-88147-C1 80918-A1 (Side 2)
Record 2, Side 2 - CBS-S-88147-D1 80918-B1 (Side 3)
The gatefold sleeve of my copy was printed by Shorewood Packaging in Holland. I have scanned the details from the sleeve included below because they are exactly the same as on the sleeve used for the Dutch 1975 and late 1980s releases shown below. Graham Sullivan has a copy of the album where the printer is given on the rear sleeve as "Interpak II by Shorewood Packaging Co Ltd England" as Manuel Garcia Jara's copy with plain orange labels. This copy has orange/yellow CBS record labels with a different text layout than mine although the inside layout is the same as my copy. Hans Seegers believes this copy was made in England for the Spanish market (see below). Thanks to Éamonn Ó Catháin for scans of the Irish release - the sleeve is the same as my UK release but the records themselves were made in Ireland. Thanks to Manuel Garcia Jara, David Burgess and Graham O'Sullivan for information and scans.
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - stereo 2LP set, CBS 88147 (NL), 1975, reissued late 1980s:
1975 matrix numbers (all handwritten) are: Side 1 - 88147 - A II, Side 2 - 88147 - B II, Side 3 - 88147 - C II, Side 4 - 88147 - D II.
The 1980s records have red 1980s style CBS labels without the star next to the side numbers. Matrix numbers are: Side 1 - 88147 - A IV (handwritten), Side 2 - 01 88147 20 4B1 (stamped), Side 3 - 01 88147 20 2C1 (stamped), Side 4 - 01 88147 20 4D1 (stamped).
Thanks to Patrick Helfrich for information and scans of the 1980s copy.
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - stereo two compact cassette release, 40 CBS 80917 (Italy), 1975:
The cassette illustrated is Vol. 1 only - scans of Vol. 2 required! The insert is a single folded card and the cassette is made of light brown plastic with orange CBS labels and black text. The insert and the cassette were made in Italy and are both dated 1975.
Thanks to Nol Grint for information and scans.
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - stereo 2LP set, CBS S 88147 (Spain), 1975 (two releases):
CBS S 88147 (Spain) - first release (orange labels):
Manuel Garcia Jara is proud to provide this very rare Spanish release with orange record labels and promo insert. It disproves assertions on some web-sites that the last Dylan album with orange labels published in Spain was Blood On The Tracks. Apart from the mono release of John Wesley Harding by Discophon, this edition with orange labels and promo insert could be the rarest Dylan album released in Spain! Although this album is not a promotional release as such (it has no promo stamp, sticker or white labels), it was made to send to radio stations and music journalists (similar to Blood on the Tracks with orange labels and insert) .The commercial album below was released simultaneously with orange/yellow labels. The front sleeve has the CBS logo on top left corner. The rear also has a CBS logo. The inner gatefold has the Spanish translation of the text by Greil Marcus, titles in English and credits in Spanish. It also has a printer credit of Offset ALG, Madrid. Although the rear of the gatefold sleeve has Spanish text, text in English below it has been obscured, including "Printed in Holland"!
The most interesting part of this album is the insert printed on pale yellow paper: eight pages written by the Spanish rock journalist Jesús Ordovás, who wrote the first Dylan biography in Spanish. This insert reproduces an article published in the Spanish rock magazine "Disco Express" on 12 Sep 1975. The front of insert is illustrated with images of the sleeve and it has the title "BIOGRAFÍAS DE DISCOS CBS: BOB DYLAN "THE BASEMENT TAPES". The insert is reproduced in full here.
The album is made to be played on an automatic record changer, so Side 1 is paired with Side 4, and Side 2 with Side 3 as the UK and Dutch releases above. The records have matrix numbers: Side 1 - 88147A, Side 2 - 88147C, Side 3 - 88147D, Side 4 - 88147B.

CBS S 88147 (Spain) - detail of rear, scan by
Manuel Garcia Jara (first release)
CBS S 88147 (Spain) - second release (orange/yellow labels):

CBS S 88147 (Spain) - detail of rear, scan by
Manuel Garcia Jara (second release)
It has the same gatefold sleeve except for a round sticker on rear with the text "Album 2 Discos - Precio Especial" [Double Album - Special Price]". Only the rear of the gatefold sleeve is shown, the rest is identical. This version does not have the promotional insert. The record labels are orange/yellow. Record #1 has Sides 1 and 2; Record #2, Sides 3 and 4. Note the misprinted title on Side-4: "This Whell's On Fire". The records have matrix numbers: Side 1 - 88147A, Side 2 - 88147 IV B, Side 3 - 88147 IV C, Side 4 - 88147 IV D.
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - stereo 2LP set, CBS/Sony SOPJ 120-121 (Japan), 26 Jun 1975; CBS/Sony 40AP 287-288 (Japan), 1978:
The gatefold sleeve of both releases is similar to the UK release except for the catalogue number and publishing details (see below). The publishing details on the rear of the 1975 gatefold sleeve look as if they are on a sticker. The 1975 release has a six-page folded insert which includes the lyrics in English and Japanese plus the liner notes by Greil Marcus translated into Japanese.
The arrangement of the tracks on the records is the same as the UK pressing.
The matrix numbers of the first release are:
Record 1,
Side A - SOPJ-120A1 (Side 1)
Record 1,
Side B - SOPJ-120B1 (Side 4)
Record 2, Side A - SOPJ-121A2 (Side 2)
Record 2, Side B - SOPJ-121B2 (Side 3)
The 1978 release has a eight-page folded insert. Both the 1975 and 1978 inserts have pale text that I have darkened to make it more readable.
Thanks to Hans Seegers and Patrick Helfrich for information and scans.
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - stereo 2LP set, CBS S2BP 220171 (CBS SBP 234709/234710) (Australia), Jul 1975:
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - stereo cassette, CBS 2PC 171 (Australia), 1975:
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - stereo 2LP set, CBS SBP 474334 (New Zealand), Jul 1975:
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - stereo 2LP set, CBS/Suzy 88147 (Yugoslavia), 1982:
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - stereo 180gm 2LP set, Mobile Fidelity LMF 382 (USA), Dec 2011:
CD Releases
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - 2CD set release, Columbia C2K 33682 (USA/Canada), late 1980s/Columbia WC2K 33682 (USA/Canada), mid-1990s:
![]() Columbia C2K 33682 (USA) - front scan by Gil Lamont |
This original CD release came in a double-width jewel case. CD1 is CK
33683. CD2 is CK 33684. The first copies came in a "long box", for a picture
of the spine, see here. The insert is a 12-page booklet replicating the
original liner notes, with the foldout photo from the LP reproduced only in
black and white. The first Canadian release has the Columbia name at the top right corner on the rear insert instead of the logo. Moise Potié's mid-1990s Canadian copy has catalogue number WC2K 33682 and only a six-page booklet. The rear insert design is significantly different, including the addition of a price code. Thanks to Gil Lamont, Jack from Canada and Moise Potié for information and scans. |
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![]() Columbia C2K 33682 (USA) - long box front, scan by Hans Seegers |
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![]() Columbia C2K 33682 (USA) - rear scan by Gil Lamont |
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![]() Columbia C2K 33682 (USA) - long box rear, scan by Hans Seegers |
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![]() Columbia WC2K 33682 (Canada) - front insert scan by Moise Potié |
![]() Columbia WC2K 33682 (Canada) - rear insert scan by Moise Potié (1990s release) |
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Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - 2CD set releases, CBS/Sony 48DP 1110-11 (Japan), 21 Dec 1987; Sony Records SRCS 6257-58 (Japan), 2 Dec 1992:
![]() CBS/Sony 48DP 1110-11 (Japan) - front with obi and promo sticker, scan by Wil Gielen (promo release) |
The first CD release is in a double-width jewel case and has a white obi with black and red text n the "CBS CD Rock Classics 100" series with price ¥4,511. It has a 44-page booklet. The rear insert has a date of "O-12-21" (21 Dec 1987). "O" means 1987, for explanation of the date code used for Japanese CD releases up to Aug 1991, see International Album Releases (Regular). The promo copy shown is still sealed - the CDs will have the Japanese characters for "SAMPLE" in their centres. The second release is in an experimental 2CD jewel case of a design that was used for only a short period before the more common slimline 2CD jewel case was introduced. The case is thicker than a single CD jewel case but slimmer than a double-width case. It has a black, white and red obi in the "Nice Price Line 23" series with price ¥3,000. It has a date of "92-12-2" (2 Dec 1992) and a 36-page booklet. Thanks to Hans Seegers and Wil Gielen for information and scans. |
![]() CBS/Sony 48DP 1110-11 (Japan) - front promo sticker scan by Wil Gielen (promo release) |
![]() CBS/Sony 48DP 1110-11 (Japan) - obi scan by Hans Seegers (commercial release) |
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![]() CBS/Sony 48DP 1110-11 (Japan) - front insert scan by Hans Seegers (commercial release) |
![]() CBS/Sony 48DP 1110-11 (Japan) - rear insert scan by Hans Seegers (commercial release) |
![]() CBS/Sony 48DP 1110-11 (Japan) - rear with obi and promo sticker, scan by Wil Gielen (promo release) |
![]() CBS/Sony 48DP 1110-11 (Japan) - rear promo sticker and date code, scan by Wil Gielen (promo release) |
![]() CBS/Sony 48DP 1110 (Japan) - CD1 scan by Hans Seegers (commercial release) |
![]() Sony Records SRCS 6257-58 (Japan) - obi scan by Hans Seegers |
![]() Sony Records SRCS 6257-58 (Japan) - front insert scan by Hans Seegers |
![]() Sony Records SRCS 6257-58 (Japan) - rear insert scan by Hans Seegers |
![]() Sony Records SRCS 6257 (Japan) - CD1 scan by Hans Seegers |
![]() Sony Records SRCS 6258 (Japan) - CD2 scan by Hans Seegers |
![]() CBS/Sony 48DP 1111 (Japan) - CD2 scan by Hans Seegers (commercial release) |
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Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - 2CD set release, CBS 466137 2 (Austria for Europe), Oct/Nov 1988; Columbia 466173 2 (Austria for Europe), mid 1990s:
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - remastered 2CD set release, Digipak release: Sony Music 88697082292 (Austria for Europe), 30 Mar 2009; Jewel case release: Sony Music 88697347082 (Austria for Europe), 30 Mar 2009:
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - remastered 2CD set release, Sony Music SICP 2010-1 (Japan), 27 May 2009:
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - Blu-spec 2CD set release, Sony Music SICP 20227-8 (Japan), 30 Sep 2009:
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - remastered 2CD set release, Columbia/Sony Music 88697 70339 2/6-7 (NL), 22 Apr 2010:
![]() Columbia/Sony Music 88697 70339 2/6 (NL) - front of card sleeve, scan by Nol Grint (disc 1) |
This remastered 2CD set release in card sleeves is part of the 10CD boxed
set The Bob Dylan 70s Collection made by
Sony Music in Austria for the Dutch newspaper "De Volkskrant", see
International Album Releases
(Multi-Packs) 2010s. Thanks to Nol Grint for information and scans. |
![]() Columbia/Sony Music 88697 70339 2/7 (NL) - front of card sleeve, scan by Nol Grint (disc 2) |
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![]() Columbia/Sony Music 88697 70339 2/6 (NL) - rear of card sleeve, scan by Nol Grint (disc 1) |
![]() Columbia/Sony Music 88697 70339 2/6 (NL) - CD scan by Nol Grint (disc 1) |
![]() Columbia/Sony Music 88697 70339 2/7 (NL) - rear of card sleeve, scan by Nol Grint (disc 2) |
![]() Columbia/Sony Music 88697 70339 2/7 (NL) - CD scan by Nol Grint (disc 2) |
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![]() Columbia/Sony Music 88697 70339 2 (NL) - rear of box, scan by Nol Grint |
Bob Dylan/The Band - "The Basement Tapes" - hybrid SA-CD release, Mobile Fidelity CMFSA 2082 (USA), Dec 2011:

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