Spain
Spain got in on the act as soon as 1969, with a run of releases on the Belter label. Belter invented a series of fictional group and singer names to make the records look like they were various artist compilations, an idea shared with certain other European territories.
After a while releases were switched to a local version of the Hallmark label, and these more closely resemble the UK albums. However they sometimes include the odd change, switching cover images, and even swapping a track on each of their volumes 18 and 19.
Singles are also known from this era, and in each case they are couplings of tracks from a specific Top of the Pops album. There is some evidence that these releases introduced the songs to the Spanish market, where the original versions had not yet been issued.
During the "Hallmark" era there seems to be some joint involvement from the Ariola label although we are as yet unclear on this, as well as cassettes issued jointly or wholly by Palobal. (To further complicate things, the Baccarola label are also involved somehow - see volume 15, below.)
Much later on, another label comes into play - Olympo - which was responsible for a revival of interest after perhaps two or three years of dormancy in Spain, although our data is probably incomplete. (Further info on the Spanish discography is continually being sought.)
After a while releases were switched to a local version of the Hallmark label, and these more closely resemble the UK albums. However they sometimes include the odd change, switching cover images, and even swapping a track on each of their volumes 18 and 19.
Singles are also known from this era, and in each case they are couplings of tracks from a specific Top of the Pops album. There is some evidence that these releases introduced the songs to the Spanish market, where the original versions had not yet been issued.
During the "Hallmark" era there seems to be some joint involvement from the Ariola label although we are as yet unclear on this, as well as cassettes issued jointly or wholly by Palobal. (To further complicate things, the Baccarola label are also involved somehow - see volume 15, below.)
Much later on, another label comes into play - Olympo - which was responsible for a revival of interest after perhaps two or three years of dormancy in Spain, although our data is probably incomplete. (Further info on the Spanish discography is continually being sought.)
Belter label
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RCA label
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Hallmark label (with sometime involvement from Ariola/Palobal)
Volume 12
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Volume 14
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Volume 15
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Volume 16
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Volume 18
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Single release
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Volume 19
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Single release
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Sing & Play Simon/Garfunkel
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Sing & Play
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Volume 36
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Volume 38
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Olympo label
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Other
Sing & Play the Beatles [two editions]
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Related releases
Love Story
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This album was also released in Spain, and the example we have is on cassette. It is not clear whether the vinyl was issued there. The album contains three Top of the Pops recordings. (See here) |
