Audio: International Album Releases (Regular)

Infidels (1983)

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.

Empire Burlesque (1985)

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Original US stereo LP release, Columbia FC 39944, 30 Nov 1984

This album was recorded live with a band including Mick Taylor and guest Carlos Santana at St James Park, Newcastle, England, 5 Jul 1984, Wembley Stadium, London, 7 Jul 1984, and Slane Castle, Dublin, Ireland, 8 Jul 1984.

The performance pictures were taken by Guido Harari at the Arena di Verona, Verona, Italy, on 28 and 29 May 1984.  You can see the arches of the Arena on the right of the rear sleeve. The picture on the rear of the inner sleeve, again by Guido Harari, was taken at the press conference at the Villa Cortine, Sirmione, Italy, also on 29 May 1984. The picture on the bottom left of the rear inner sleeve should be of Carlos Santana, but it's actually of Alphonse Johnson, Santana's bass player. (Thanks to Rod MacBeath for information.)

This album is notable for the performance of Tangled Up In Blue with completely different lyrics from the 1974 versions.

Columbia FC 39944 (USA) - front with stickers, scan by Gerd Rundel

Columbia FC 39944 (USA) - rear sleeve with promo stamp, scan by Stuart Moore

Columbia FC 39944 (USA) - detail of rear sleeve with promo stamp, scan by Stuart Moore

Columbia FC 39944 (USA) - Side 1 scan by David Plentus

Thanks to Gerd Rundel for information and scans.

Columbia FC 39944 (Canada) - Side 1 scan by Gerd Rundel

Columbia FC 39944 (Canada) - detail of Side 1, scan by Gerd Rundel

The front sleeve has "Bob Dylan" over the album title, omitted on US sleeves. The sleeve was made in England by Shorewood Packaging Company. The copy signed by Bob in silver pen is from Fraser's Autograph's (no connection!).

The front of the picture inner sleeve has flaps folded over the back, so that there is a black edge on both sides of the rear of the inner sleeve.

The record itself was made in England and has orange/yellow CBS labels with stamped matrix numbers: Side 1 - CBS 26334 A2, Side 2 - CBS 26334 B2.

CBS 26334 (UK) - front signed by Bob, scan  from Fraser's Autographs

CBS 26334 (UK) - rear

CBS 26334 (UK) - front of inner sleeve

CBS 26334 (UK) - rear of inner sleeve

CBS 26334 (UK) - Side 1

CBS 26334 (UK) - detail of Side 1

CBS 26334 (UK) - Side 2

CBS 40-26334 (UK) - inside of cassette insert, scan by Nol Grint

This release is essentially the same as my UK copy with "Bob Dylan" over the album title on the front sleeve, and the same picture inner sleeve, but without the black folded edges on the rear. The record itself has orange/yellow CBS labels with stamped matrix numbers: Side 1 - 01-26334-4A-1, Side 2 - 01-26334-2B-1. Nol Grint has two copies of this album, one the same as Gerd's but with a gold promo stamp on the rear sleeve with text "FOR PROMOTION ONLY/ NOT FOR SALE/ CBS RECORDS, SWEDEN". The second is the same but for the text "cassette" and a cassette symbol on the rear sleeve below the "58" in a circle.

Thanks to Gerd Rundel and Nol Grint for information and scans.

CBS 26334 (NL) - rear scan by Gerd Rundel

CBS 26334 (NL) - detail of rear, scan by Gerd Rundel

CBS 26334 (NL) - detail of rear with CBS Sweden promo stamp, scan by Nol Grint

CBS 26334 (NL) - inner sleeve rear scan by Gerd Rundel

Both the sleeve and the record were made in Greece. The copy shown is a promo, with an embossed stamp on the rear sleeve and a promo insert, both in Greek. The record has orange/yellow CBS labels with stamped matrix numbers: Side 1 - 01-26334-A, Side 2 - 01-26334-B. Both sides also have " HP-GREECE  TML-M" stamped in the dead wax.

Thanks to Hans Seegers for the information and to Gerd Rundel for further information and scans.

CBS 26334 (Greece) - rear with promo stamp, scan by Gerd Rundel

This album was made by Suzy Records in Yugoslavia for CBS. The front sleeve again has "Bob Dylan" over the album title, omitted on US sleeves. The record has the same catalogue number as the UK release and orange/yellow CBS labels.

Thanks to Manfred Endtner and Grzegorz J for information and scans.

The front sleeve again has "Bob Dylan" above the album title. This record has red CBS/Sony labels, a 4-page lyric insert in English and Japanese plus a double-sided insert in English and a grey obi with black text and price ¥2,800. The front has the date "N-12-21" (21 Dec 1984) in the top right hand corner. See International Album Releases (Regular Albums) for an explanation of Japanese year date codes used from 1984 to Aug 1991. The promo copy shown has a sticker on the front sleeve and Japanese characters indicating a promo on the commercial record labels.

Thanks to Ulf Gyllenspetz and Wil Gielen for information and photos.

CBS/Sony 28AP 2967 (Japan) - detail of front, scan by Wil Gielen (promo and commercial releases)

CBS/Sony 28AP 2967 (Japan) - rear photo by Ulf Gyllenspetz (commercial release with obi)

CBS/Sony 28AP 2967 (Japan) - Side 1 scan by Wil Gielen (promo release)

CBS/Sony 28AP 2967 (Japan) - detail of Side 1, scan by Wil Gielen (promo release)

CBS/Sony 28AP 2967 (Japan) - Side 2 scan by Wil Gielen (promo release)

This release is essentially the same as my UK copy with "Bob Dylan" over the album title on the front sleeve, and the same picture inner sleeve, but without the black folded edges on the rear. The commercial release has orange/yellow CBS labels. The promo copy shown has white CBS promo labels and a gold promo stamp embossed on the rear sleeve.

Thanks to Stuart Moore for information and scans.

CBS SBP 238041 (Australia) - rear scan by Stuart Moore (commercial release)

CBS SBP 238041 (Australia) - detail of rear with promo stamp, scan by Stuart Moore

CBS SBP 238041 (Australia) - Side 1 scan by Stuart Moore (promo release)

CBS SBP 238041 (Australia) - Side 1 scan by Stuart Moore (commercial release)

Thanks to Bill Hester for information and scans.

CBS SBP 238041 (New Zealand) - rear scan by Bill Hester

CBS SBP 238041 (New Zealand) - detail of rear, scan by Bill Hester

The front sleeve is made of heavy card (unofficial sleeves are very flimsy) and has "Bob Dylan" over the album title and top right and CBS copyright text at bottom right. There is a double-sided 12" insert with lyrics in English on one side and pictures from the US inner sleeve in monochrome on the other. There is Chinese text on the rear sleeve and rear of the insert. The record has red Columbia labels with the logo in a ring round the circumference, and also the Himalaya logo. The labels have "PRINTED IN U.S.A.", although this may not be correct. The record of the copy shown has matrix numbers: Side 1 - PAL 39944 IM, Side 2 - PBL 39944 IAA.

Thanks to Manuel Garcia Jara for information and scans.

This rare release has a unique sleeve with “featuring: Carlos Santana, Ian McLagen, Mick Taylor” printed on front. It was manufactured in the Philippines for CBS by OctoArts International Inc. The record has orange/yellow CBS labels with handwritten matrix numbers: Side 1 - QCL-22158-A  PAL  39944-1K, Side 2 - QCL-22158-B  PBL  39944-1K.

Thanks to Gerd Rundel for information and scans.

CBS QCL-22158/FC 39944 (Philippines) - detail of rear, scan by Gerd Rundel

CBS QCL-22158/FC 39944 (Philippines) - Side 1 scan by Gerd Rundel

CBS QCL-22158/FC 39944 (Philippines) - detail of Side 1, scan by Gerd Rundel

Thanks to Arie de Reus and Manuel Garcia Jara for information and scans.

The front sleeve of this release again has "Bob Dylan" above the album title, and the rear sleeve has the song titles in English and Portuguese, with Portuguese text.  The sticker on the rear sleeve probably relates to the shop where it was originally sold. The record has orange/yellow Discos CBS labels with the song titles in English and Portuguese plus Brazilian copyright numbers.

Thanks to Hans Seegers for scans and information.

Discos CBS 138.617 (Brazil) - Side 1 scan by Hans Seegers

The front sleeve of this release again has "Bob Dylan" above the album title, and also has an information panel plus a white panel with the words "HECHO EN MEXICO" [MADE IN MEXICO] at the bottom right.

CBS CLS-5823 (Mexico) - Side 1

This rare record has orange/yellow CBS labels that are unusual in that the album title is underlined on both labels. The sleeve and record were made in Colombia. Gerd Rundel's copy has handwritten matrix numbers: Side A - Col. 141794-A, Side B - Col. 141794-B.

Thanks to Hans Seegers for information and to Gerd Rundel for further information and scans.

CBS/Sony 32DP 196 (Japan) - outside of booklet, scan by Sheiji Murat

Thanks to Jack from Canada for information and scans.

The Columbia release is still on sale. The front insert is an 8-page stapled booklet.

Thanks to Hervé from France for scans of the CBS release. The CD of this first European release was made in Japan before CBS opened a European pressing plant in Austria. It has the Dutch "BIEM/STEMRA" copyright logo.

Columbia 467841 2 (Austria for Europe) - outside of front insert unfolded (my copy)

CBS CDCBS 26334 (Europe) - detail of CD, scan by Hervé from France

Columbia 467841 2 (Austria for Europe) - centre of front insert

Columbia 467841 2 (Austria for Europe) - rear insert