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CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System) was the European arm of the American Columbia Records label.
The CBS name was adopted for European releases to avoid confusion with EMI's Columbia imprint
which had nothign to do with the American label. CBS releases were handled in Europe by Philips up to
the mid-60s.
CBS titles were licensed to Pye Records for the Irish market up until June 1972, when CBS Records
opened an Irish office in Dublin (Grafton Street).
David Duke was general manager, Jackie Hayden head of promotion.
CBS Ireland imported records directly from England for distribution in Ireland. CBS Ireland
also developed it's own local repertoire, but (most) Irish CBS releases were pressed in England.
There are exceptions, of course.
Besides CBS owned labels (this changes over time, of course, but
examples include CBS, Epic and Harmomy), CBS Ireland also acted as agent
at different times for foreign labels such as Atlantic,
Direction, Douglas, Elektra, Monument, Reprise, Rolling
Stones, Warner Bros, etc.
CBS Releases of local origin were assigned catalogue numbers in the main CBS series,
so it's not usually possible to identify an Irish only releases by catalogue number only, or indeed
by country of manufacture as most Irish market only releases were manufactured in the UK.
I've listed some releases by Irish atists below but it's far from complete.
Some local releases of note have custom catalogue numbers, such as EIR 1
(listed below -- I've seen EIR 2 so it exists but I've forgotten what it was...).
Catalogue System
The system is more complicated than it at first seems. The following is a broad outline.
In 1961 CBS releases were being distributed by Philips in the AAG XXX series. According to various (online) sources,
CBS ended this distribution deal in 1966 and launched the CBS 1000 series (beginning with 1001).
Variations of this 4 digit numbering system were in use up until 1986, by which time CBS
had released tens of thousands of singles. When the numbering system reached 9999,
it was reset to 1000 and a new prefix added (e.g. "CBS A 1000" and "S 1000"). However, the reality is
more complicated with variatons for licensed product (A&M, Tamla Motown, Epic, etc, depending
on country of issue) and dating a single can in fact be quite difficult without taking several factors into account.
The CBSA series ran from 1981-86 approx. 12-inch singles were distinguished by a further prefix, e.g. CBSA 12 1000.
In 1986 a six digit system was adopted, the 650000 series. This included a trailing format number,
making 7 digits in all. The format numbers were 1=12" single, 2=5" CD single,
3=3" CD single, 4=cassingle, 7=7" single. In all of the above series, Epic releases used the prefix EPC
instead of CBS, Philadelphia International used PIR and during the period in the 1970s when A&M Records
was distributed by CBS, the prefix used was AMS. All these numbering systems were used in Ireland, of course.
Singles
202048 The Creatures - Turn Out The Light / It Must Be Love [March 1966] 202350 The Creatures - String Along / The Night Is Warm [1966] 2112 Stellas - Wooly Bully / Fortune Teller [1965] German only release 2666 The Creatures - Looking at Tomorrow / Someone Needs You [1967] 2939 Milo O'Shea - Jarveyin' / [1967] CBS 1001-9999 [1966-7?] with or without the 'S' prefix 3524 The Pattersons - Drill Ye Tarriers Drill / The Hills of Connemara [1968] 3625 Roly Daniels & The Nevada - Loser In The Race / Let Me Love You [1968] 3749 The Pattersons - I Don't Want To Be A Memory / The World Will Never Turn Again [1968] 3754 Roly Daniels - Love Is A Symphony / Another Teardrop Falls [11/1968] 4032 The Pattersons - Montego Bay / My Friend The Sea [1969] 4128 Sean Dunphy & The Hoedowners - She's Mine / Lonely Woods Of Upton 4247 The Dreams - Baby I'm Your Man / Softly, Softly [1969] 4297 Roly Daniels - Angel, She Was Love / Poor Boy From Kentucky [20 June 1969] 4301 Andwellas Dream - Sunday / Midday Sun [27 June 1969] 4304 The Quare Fellas - Three Lovely Lassies / The Little Ball of Yarn [1969] 4356 John MacNally (AKA McNally) - Mary in the Morning [1969] 4469 Andwellas Dream - Mr.Man / Felix [29 August 1969] 4570 The Pattersons - An Cailin Deas / Don't Answer Me [1969] 4634 Andwellas Dream - Mr.Sunshine / Shades of Grey [14 November 1969] 4642 The Pattersons - World Of Love / Diddle Di Dum [1969] 4733 Noel Kelehan Orchestra - O'Donnell Abu / Irish Blue [1969] 4748 Roly Daniels - Take A Letter Maria (Greaves) / Run Diane [Jan 1970] 4784 John McNally (AKA MacNally) - Jean/Little Altar Boy [1970] 4785 The Freshmen - And God Created Woman 4796 Tommy Makem - Four Green Fields 4842 The Freshmen - Halfway To Where / Time Hasn't Changed Her [6 March 1970] 4844 Magnet - Something To Remember Me By / Everything [1970] 4893 Skid Row - Sandy's Gone (Part 1) / Sandy's Gone (Part 1) [26 March 1970] 5034 John MacNally (AKA McNally) - I Don't Want You To Go [1970] 5083 The Pattersons - I Can Fly / An Cailin Deas [3 July 1970] 5143 John McNally (AKA MacNally) - Picking Up Pebbles 5168 The Freshmen - Banquet For The World / Time Hasn't Changed Her [11 Sep 1970] 7065 The Real McCoy - I'll Give You Things / Baby, Go Home [12 Mar 1971] 7181 Skid Row - Night Of The Warm Witch / Mr.De-Luxe [30 April 1971] 7241 The Freshmen - One Bad Thing / Everywhere There Is Love [28 May 1971] 7694 The Freshmen - Swannee River / Take The Time It Takes [1971] 7782 David McWilliams - Maggie's Coming Home / Margie [1972] 8079 The Freshmen - Le Linda / My Home Town [1972] 9221 Cahir O'Doherty - Salute To Elvis EP 12" [1976] S CBS 1000 [197?-81] with or without the 'S' prefix 4839 The Times - Sexy Lady / Saturday Love [1976] German release only 5026 Dublin City Ramblers - Right, All Right / Sailing Home [197?] custom picture label 5079 Billy Brown - Cinderella / Got To Get Out Of The Woods [1977] 5191 Reform - Keep Music Live / Tell Him So [1977] 5192 The Branagan Brothers - Glitter and Gleam [1977] 5193 Rubbish (Shay Healy) - Hey, Big Culchie / Fairy Story 5354 Radiators from Space - Television Screen / Love Detective [1977] (PS) 5491 Butler Dempsey - All Aboard / The Bike Song [1977?] 5527 Radiators from Space - Sunday World / (Why Can't I Be A) Teenager In Love [1077] (PS) 5534 Geraldine (Branagan) - Romano / Just A Word Away [1977] 5736 The Branagan Brothers - San Sebastian / Love Of My Life [1977] 5757 The Times - Do Me Good / If It’s Love you Want [1977] 5920 Geraldine (Branagan) - Wonderful / Party Time [1977-78] on RAK in UK 6326 Reform - You Gotta Get Up / Brainwashed [1978] 6357 Trinity - Let There Be Sunshine / Killing Me Softly With His Song / There Was A Girl [1978?] 6434 Twink - Oh Lonesome Me / Best Of My LOve [1978] 6488 Geraldine (Branagan) - Sunday School To Broadway / Reaching Out To Hold You [1978] 6510 Brendan Grace - The Jogging Song / Mrs Kelly's Sweetshop [1978] 6816 Shaun Davey - The Pride Of The Herd / The Night Flight [1978] (PS) some copies with promo outer folder 7190 Cathal Dunne - Happy Man / Sweet Woman of Mine [2/1979] (Eurovision 1979) 7411 Paul Egan - Gig For Julie / Diamonds In The Night [1979] 7729 Bob Lynch - Poor Old Dublin Town / Whiskey In The Jar [1979] briefly a member of The Dubliners in 1964 7794 Tweed - Man On The Road / No Restrictions [1979] 7877 Reform - Tail of the Dog / It's For You [1979] 7905 Kelley - Papa You're Welcome / How Great Thou Art [1979] 7951 U2 - U2 3 EP 7"/12" [9/1979] 8306 U2 - Another Day / Twilight (demo) [2/1980] 8313 Brendan Grace - Intergalactic Teleportation Queen / Bottler Tables [1980] 8614 Tweed - Painted Lady / Dance With The Devil [1980] 8687 U2 - 11 O'Clock Tick Tock / Touch [5/1980] 8783 Peter Beckett [UK] - Stepping Stones / After You’re Gone [1980] national song contest runnerup 8905 U2 - A Day Without Me / Things To Make And Do [8/1980] 9065 U2 - I Will Follow / Boy-Girl (live) [10/1980] CBSA 1001-7320 [1981-86] with or without the A prefix 1012 Lee Lynch - Paddy's On The Move Again / Darling Thank You [1980] 1252 Operating Theatre - Austrian / Positive Disintegration [1981] (PS) 1253 Reform - Show of Hands / Man of the World [1981] 1376 U2 - Fire / J.Swallo [6/1981] 1389 Tweed - Too Hot To Handle / Horse's Collar [1981] 1710 The Crack - Go Away / Listen [10/1981] (PS) 1718 U2 - Gloria / I Will Follow (live) [10/1981] 2161 Danny, Julie & Starband - You And Me / You And Me (instrumental) [1982] 2214 U2 - A Celebration / Trash, Trampoline and the Party Girl [9/1982] 2263 Heads - Goodbye To Loneliness / She's My Baby [1982] National Song Contest entrant, both sides by Siobhan Kennedy/Kevin Keating 2498 Operating Theatre - Blue Light and Alpha Waves / Ramp Walk [1982] (PS) 2918 The Crack - In My Life / Suprise, Suprise [1982] 2919 Autobop - Secrets / Advertising [14 January 1983] (PS) 4465 Linda Martin - Terminal 3 / Feels Like I'm Walking In My Sleep [1984] (PS) (Eurovision 1984) 4716 Sandy Kelly - Dancing Your Memory Away / Picture Of Me Without You [1984?] 4938 Linda Martin - Body Works / What Became Of Love [1984] 6145 Sandy Kelly - Baby Don't Go / On My Mind [1985] (PS) 6289 Paul Ashford - Jenny / One In Every Town // Lickin' You / Never Too Late 12" [7/1965] (12 6289) 6422 Gina, Dale Haze & the Champions - Playing With Fire / Playing With Fire (instrumental) [6/1985] (PS) 6453 Sandy Kelly - One Night A Week Lover / Reasons [7/1985] 6536 Gregory Gray - Books To Read Twice / Unfinished Symphony [1985] 6632 Gina, Dale Haze & the Champions - Don't Talk / Morning Has Come [1985] 6782 Gregory Gray - Strawberries / Johnny Purify [1985] (also 12" TX6782) 7006 Gina, Dale Haze & the Champions - I Wanna Live / I'm So Sorry [1986?] 7085 Gregory Gray - Sensual / Johnny Purify [1986] 7147 Dublin City Ramblers - Dublin Rambler / Go Thoughts On Golden Wings [1986] 650301-7 Jim Lockhart - Theme From Glenroe / Thuas Ag Gort A Charnain [1986] (PS) ???? Sandy Kelly - Paradise Tonight / You're The First Time I Thought About Leaving [1985] (PS) Custom Numbers (45) EGOR 1 The Incredible E.G. O'Reilly - The Birth Of Maudie / An Chúileann [1989] (PS) EIR 1 v/a - Falling Asunder / Rock Review Part II EP [1976] EIR 2 Stone Free - Rockin-Down Woodstock / Down Woodstock Way [1978] GONE 1 Cry Before Dawn - Gone Forever / Darkest Night [1987] GONE 2 Cry Before Dawn - Gone Forever / Silly Dreams [1988] GONE 3 Cry Before Dawn - Witness For The World EP [1989] GONE 4 Cry Before Dawn - Last of the Sun [1989] SEED 1 Cry Before Dawn - The Seed That's Been Sown / Back To Basics [1987] SMILEY 1 Smiley Bolger - Da Half Mad Irishman EP 12" [1980] (PS) WEX 1 Cry Before Dawn - Girl In The Ghetto / Tender Years [1987] XPS 227 Cry Before Dawn - Stateside Europe EP [1987] promoAlbums
52206 Gallowglass Céilí Band 62164 Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem – The Boys Won’t Leave the Girls Alone [1963] 62192 Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem – In Person at Carnegie Hall [1963] 62020 Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem – Hearty and Hellish 62596 v/a - The Best Of Beat [1965] German-CBS comp with The Stellas 62674 Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem – Isn’t It Grand Boys [1966] 62775 Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem – Freedom’s Song [1967] 63335 The Pattersons – Travelling People [1968] 63393 Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem – Sing of the Sea [1968] 63516 Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem – A Spontaneous Performance Recording [1961] 63532 The Pattersons - Again [1969] 63590 Quare Fellows - At Home [1969] AKA Jolly Tinkers/Dublin City Ramblers 63624 Sean Dunphy & the Hoedowners - Ireland's Own [1969] UK co-release with Dolphin Records (DOL 1001) 63637 John McNally (AKA MacNally) - Mary In The Morning [1969] 63673 Andwellas Dream - Love and Poetry [1969] 63836 The McLynns - Old Market Street [1970] 63923 Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem – Flowers in the Valley [1970] 63947 Noel Kelehan - The Golden Heritage of Irish Music [1971] 63965 Skid Row - Skid [October 1970] 63997 Quare Fellows - A Fond Tale [1970] 64064 The Pattersons – I Can Fly [1970] 64411 Skid Row - 34 Hours [1971] 65527 Gary Moore Band - Grinding Stone [1973] 69017 Therapy - Almanac [1972] : 53808? Geraldine (Branagan) - Romano LP [1978] 61813 Roger Doyle - Thalia LP [1978] 82044 Great Saturday Night Swindle - s/t [1977] 82220 Roly Daniels - Homemade Country 82312 Des Smyth - Pure Gold [(p) 1976] [1977] 82313 Anne Bushnell - Are You Ready [1977] 82314 Radiators from Space - TV Tube Heart [1977] 82990 Chieftains – Bonaparte’s Retreat [1978] {reissue of Claddagh CC20} 82991 Chieftains - 5 [1978] {reissue of Claddagh CC16} 82987 Chieftains - 3 [1978] {reissue of Claddagh CC10} 82995 Chieftains – The Chieftains Live [1978] {reissue of Claddagh CC21} 82988 Chieftains - 2 82989 Chieftains - 4 83133 Brendan Grace - Amazing Grace LP [1979] 83262 Chieftains - 8 [1978] {reissue of Claddagh CC29} 83668 Reform - One For All [June 1979] 83851 Paul Egan - Island of Dreams [1978] 84081 Chieftains – Boil the Breakfast Early [1980] {reissue of Claddagh CC30} 84268 Bob Lynch - From the Land of Carolan [1980] 84658 U2 - Boy [October 1980] 85369 U2 - October [October 1981] 85680 The Crack - Dawn of the Crack [Feb 1982] ????? Sandy Kelly - Paradise Tonight LP [1985] 26655 Gregory Gray - Think of Swans [1986] 26693 Gina, Dale Haze & the Champions - s/t [1987] 26777 Frank McNamara - Irish Reflections [1985] foc 32699 Gary Moore Band - Grinding Stone (reissue) [1985] 450263-1 Skid Row - s/t (AKA Dublin Gas Co) [1987] 450997-1 Cry Before Dawn - Crimes of Conscience [1987] 463320-1 Cry Before Dawn - Witness For The World [1989] 467449-1 Gary Moore Band - Grinding Stone (reissue) [1990] Custom Numbers (LP) ID 1 City of Cork Male Voice Choir - The Paddy Whiskey Album LP [1985] ID short for Irish Distillers; Issued as part of the Cork 800 celebrations