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CBS Records

last updated 16 April 2009

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. Jackie Hayden was 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.

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
In 1961 CBS releases were being distributed by Philips in the AAG XXX series. In 1966 CBS ended this distribution deal and launched the CBS 1000 series (beginning with 1001). When this reached 9999, it was reset and a prefix 'A' added, i.e. CBSA 1000 was the next release. This happened in 1981. 12-inch singles were distinguished by a further prefix, e.g. CBSA 12 1000. The CBSA series ran for 5 years approx.
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
S 3625	The Nevada - Loser In The Race / Let Me Love You (1968)
S 3754	Roly Daniels - Love Is A Symphony / Another Teardrop Falls (11/1968)
S 4032	Pattersons - ?? / My Friend The Sea (1969) 
S 4297	The Nevada - Angel, She Was Love / Poor Boy From Kentucky (1969)
S 4748	The Nevada - Taker A Letter Maria / Run Diane (1/1970)
S 4748	Roly Daniels - Take A Letter Maria (Greaves) / Run Diane (1970)
S 4842	Freshmen - Halfway To Where / Time Hasn't Changed Her (1970)
S 5168	Freshmen - Banquet For The World / Time Hasn't Changed Her (1970)
S 5757	The Times - Do Me Good / If It’s Love you Want (1977)
S 7241	Freshmen - One Bad Thing / Everywhere There Is Love (1971)
S 7694	Freshmen - Swannee River / Take The Time It Takes (1972)
S 8079	Freshmen - Le Linda / My Home Town (1972)

A 5026	Dublin City Ramblers - Right, All Right / Sailing Home (197?) custom picture label
   5920	Geraldine - Wonderful / Party Time (1977)
   6434	Twink - Oh Lonesome Me / Best Of My LOve (1978)
   6145	Sandy Kelly - Baby Don't Go / On My Mind (1985)
   6453	Sandy Kelly - One Night A Week Lover / Reasons (7/1985)
   ????	Gina, Dale Haze & The Champions - Playing With Fire (6/1985)

custom numbers
EIR 1	v/a - Falling Asunder / Rock Review Part II EP (1976)
EIR 2	Stone Free - Rockin-Down Woodstock / Down Woodstock Way (1978)

SMILEY	Smiley Bolger - Da Half Mad Irishman EP 12" (19??) (PS)


Albums
------
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
62674	Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem – Isn’t It Grand Boys (1966)
62775	Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem – Freedom’s Song (1967)
63335	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	Pattersons - Again (1969)
63590	Quare Fellows (1969)
63923	Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem – Flowers in the Valley (1970)
64064	Pattersons – I Can Fly (1970)
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 (LP)
82989	Chieftains 4 (LP)
83262	Chieftains 8 (1978 reissue of Claddagh CC29)
84081	Chieftains – Boil the Breakfast Early (1980 reissue of Claddagh CC30)
84268	Bob Lynch - From the Land of Carolan (1980)
?????	Sandy Kelly - Paradise Tonight LP (1985)



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