My personal favorite flexi ever is Monty Python’s “Tiny Black Round Thing” from NME. Has some unique material as well as their “Election Night Special” from the Live at Drury Lane LP.
As President of Motörhead’s ‘Motorheadbangers’ Fan Club, I went to Lyntone Flexi discs in 1984. Lemmy, Phil Campbell, Wurzel and Phil Taylor recorded a short message for my ‘Better Late Than Never Fan Club Flexi’ which was mailed out to members. eBay had a copy recently for £150! It was an experience to get this ambition fulfilled for Motörhead, but the idea came as I knew the Beatles fan club had done them, and it was an achievement.
Salvatore Adamo was really big here in Latin America back in the day (and still is, for the older generation) with his Spanish language renditions of his original hits recorded in Italian and/or French. He also recorded in Dutch, English, German, Japanese and Turkish throughout his career. He definitely is quite an icon for the boomer generation around here, I think 👏👏
I was just old enough to join the Beatles fan club in the USA in 1967, so I have the original flexi discs from '67,'68,'69. They are great recordings of them joking around, and singing some funny ditties. I love it. Wonder how rare they are and how much they are worth. ...Frank Taormina,Lodi,CA. Fan since 1964.
This was a great video. I always loved the Christmas flexis and I played my Beatles Christmas messages every Christmas Eve from the time I was 12. I have all the original UK flexis with their inserts, but I want to upgrade my 1963 one and also finally track down the From Then To You LP. I've got the original US LP, but I want that UK one too. Thanks Andrew for another great video!
His Capital Radio Breakfast show I used to listen to as a kid in the 1970s was one of the best radio shows ever he also did the “voice” for the Charley the Cat character in the 1970s Public Information Films
@@Parlogram He also did a few jingles for the set up of BBC Radio Solent local radio station down here in Bournemouth in the early 1970s using Beatle tracks most notably Yellow Submarine
Jugoton released 16 flexis in 1967 and 1968 for the Džuboks magazine. "Hello Goodbye" was the only flexi by the Beatles. All their releases (singles and albums) from 1967 to 1970 (and later reissues and compilations) appeared on regular vinyl format, even the two fanclub records (from 1967 and 1969) were released on vinyl. Here's the translation of the Yugoslav flexi cover: For the first time in your Džuboks (Jukebox) collection The Beatles! With the hit that stays on the top of world charts Hello Goodbye The most beautiful gift from your magazine The Beatles! ----------- The Beatles 6 hits from the famous group on two standard records (SPP 8151 and 8152) Magical Mystery Tour.........Blue Jay Way with printed original lyrics Jugoton Records - the name for quality
@@Parlogram Yugoslavia was a not so strict country when it comes to music. And some singles and eps they have are pretty hard to find. I have a Dean Martin EP exclusive for Yugoslavia. They mostly released compilation albums like Love Songs and 20 Greatest Hits but also official albums like The Beatles or Help. They didn't butcher them like Capitol did. If you pick a Yugoslavian copy of The Beatles, there's a big chance for a clean, not distorted Good Night as I have in my collection. I like the sound of the copies very much, so I recommend you to pick a copy! Love Songs is for me the greatest pick.
Great video. Here in the U.S., I remember finding flexi-discs either attached to or printed on to cereal boxes back in the '60's. I remember finding anything from cartoon characters or music groups providing a single song on each disc. How times have changed. Thanks Andrew.
Great video Andrew! I was very happy when Apple released the Beatles Christmas records in 2017. I haven’t had much experience with Flexi discs apart from the the free one I received when I purchased Mark Lewisohn’s The Beatles Live book in the 1980s which has one of their first radio interviews from 1962. Thanks very much!
Thank you Andrew. I've got a 1982 US Capitol records flexidisc titled The Beatles 1962-1965 that includes "All My Lovin'" and "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away". The plastic portion is deep red and it's attached (post-it style) to a black and white photo that looks to be from the Help era. The back cover shows 25 Beatle album covers available on Capitol at that time, and has a blurb on the bottom saying "Compliments of:" and then showing the logos for Musicland record stores and Capitol records. I'm sure there must be a 1966-1970 equivalent that I wish I had. Somewhere in my house I've got a rolled up poster from about the same era that shows every available US Beatles album (including Reel Music) and every US album by the individual Beatles. The corners are a bit tattered from being tacked up to the wall, but I still want to get it framed someday.
Ahh, I decided to Google it and found that there are three Musicland promo flexidiscs in the set. The blue one has Magical Mystery Tour and Here Comes The Sun, and a white one has Rocky Racoon and Why Don't We Do It In The Road. They all have the same back cover although they're not all from Musicland. Google turned up a lot of info about them. Now I know...
I don’t like to say “wow” a lot but…WOW! You blew my mind with those postcards! I have a few “Hip Pocket Discs.” They’re fairly common over here in the states. Great for their novelty value and little else. Thanks for another superb outing, sir.
I own one single flexi disc, Its a "Sounds of the Space age" disc from national Geographic I found in a thrift store one time. It has everything from the Sputnik 1 Beeps all the way to Neil Armstrong landing on the moon.
Another nostalgic and fact-packed enjoyable and informative video Andrew. I never had any Beatles Flexi discs because I was too young. I had some nursery rhyme Flexi discs. I remember folding one in half then still playing it. We could do crazy things in those days.
Wow...what a memory flexi discs bring back. I received my very first portable record player for Christmas when I was 4 or 5, which would have been '69 or '70. It was turquoise in color, with a yellow lid that lifted up. Inside the lid were 5 or 6 psychedelic lights that would flash different colors to the music. That awesome record player came with a blue flexidisc as a "sample" & it was Santana's "Oye Como Va"! Unfortunately, being the youngster I was, I never appreciated that flexi disc & still kick myself today for not keeping it! My good friend has been educating me about Beatles Flexi Discs & I'm just in awe! Loved this video you put together & I really enjoyed it, especially that Polish postcard set!! Holy Moly...what a prize that is!! Thanks for your videos, they're a joy to watch & listen to!
Fascinating video!!! I really adore the Polish postcards. I've always wanted to own the original Christmas Flexi's. So many bootlegs in the States. I've noticed a lot of underground punk bands have been issuing Flexi's lately here in the States. I've always enjoyed Flexi's. I always pick them up if the content is by a band I like. Thank you for this wonderful video!!
My Beatles Christmas Album has NOT FOR SALE printed on it. I've had it since around 1980 when my mother found it in a garage sale in NJ. In the 1990's, my favorite CD store that sold rare bootlegs of just about everything had the album on CD, reproduced perfectly down to the NOT FOR SALE on the label. Both are still in my collection.
On August 16th, 1977 Elvis "The King of Rock and Roll" Presley. Then... on August 16, 2018... Aretha "The Queen of Soul" Franklin. 😞 That's my birthday. 8-16-58.
I've got a bootleg CD of the album compilation of the Christmas flexis which I picked up in the late 90's. I always wondered why the booklet as such was two different covers on either side. Thanks for clearing up that mystery.
In the early '70's, a cereal manufacturer (Post Cereal) created their own flexidiscs to be attached as part of the cardboard boxes of their cereals for kids. On the back of the box, there would be a flexidisc as part of the cardboard back of the box. To get the flexidisc and play it on a record player, you had to cut out around where the flexidisc was located. Once you did that, you could take the disc and play it on a record player. The flexidiscs were made up of artists like Bobby Sherman, The Archies, The Monkees, even the Jackson Five and Kiss had a flexidisc on the back of cereal boxes.
My first single that I bought with my own pocket money was actually a flexi-disk featuring Chris Barber and Ottilie Patterson from a Magarine/Butter promotion back in the early 1960s.
Hi Andrew Great video again! By the way,Dino,Desi and Billy from that Polish postcard,were an American vocal duo from the mid 60's and were actually Dino (Crooner Dean Martin's son Dean),Desi (Arnaz Junior,who was comedianne Lucille Ball's and Desi Arnaz's son) and their friend Billy Hinsche (who later worked with the Beach Boys) Cheers Ian
Once again Andrew you have moved me with your production. Absolutely brilliant and first class again. Such an evocative period and items with the pictures and bright colours. I remember getting a flexi free with i believe Lookin magazine. It was of Take That when they very very first appeared nationally in probably 1990 or 1991 because i was born in 1981 and i was still in primary school and they formed in 1990 ive just seen on google. I wasnt a fan LOL so a girl I liked asked if she could have it and I very kindly gave it to her,and she still wouldnt be my girlfriend LOL. But thank you again Andrew,fast becoming one of my very very favourite UA-cam channels. You were ALWAYS up there but with last handful of videos you really have gone into the topper most of the popper most for me brother.
I have a Beatles Flexi disc, it’s part of the Beatles Live book by Mark Lewishon from 1988. The disc content is an interview with the band conducted in Port Sunlight, Wirral at their first gig with Ringo
I got really excited when I thought the X-Ray Disc was a Flexi for the first Faust album. Alas it was not. I remember a friend in the late 70s having some Polish Flexi Postcards and loved the T-Rex one he had. Interesting that one of the Beatles Christmas Flexi's provided the Beatles material sampled on the lead track on the single The Beatles Play The Residents And The Residents Play The Beatles issued by The Residents.
My first introduction to flexis were the free Readers’ Digest promos that came through the door with regularity in the sixties and seventies. My favourite was Humphrey Littleton advertising a jazz box set over extracts of selected tracks. There was a Beatles one of course, advertising the singles box set that RD put out in the later seventies, but I had to wait until I bought a copy on eBay for that one.
Another wonderful video!!! I’ve always liked flexies, I think they’re cool! And thank you so much for talking about the polish postcards! There’re really interesting. Looking forward to the let it be special!!! :)
One of my favroite flexidiscs when I was a kid was something we got at McDonalds, I think (might have come in the mail or in the newspaper), which was basically just the Big Mac jingle (two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions and a sesame-seed bun) played over and over again. What an ear-worm.
In the USA, cereal box records appeared in the 1960s and 70s featuring The Archies, The Monkees, The Jackson 5ive and Bobby Sherman, among others. There were also many featuring the various cereal mascots. I own flexis of The Muppets, The Partridge Family, Barbie, Time magazine, and even one of Jack Benny selling insurance.
Believe it or not I discovered the Beatles from Flexidisc! Back then (I want to say every Sunday?) there was a TVprogram about newspapers and publications kind of thing and the theme music was “paperback writer“ and my brothers and I loved this song but we didn’t know who it was by! …eventually we were put out of our misery by a free Flexidisc narrated by none other than Bob Monkhouse (!) that came in the mail from the readers digest advertising a set of Beatles compilation records to buy over a period of time but they were far too costly for us back then Anyhoo , in little 4 or 5 second snatches we finally heard some Beatles songs including paperback writer -phew! There was a circle printed off-centre on the “label“ where you were expected to place a coin to weigh down the disk and stop it from slipping and needless to say we eventually wore-out our paltry bit of polythene until we finally got our hands on the real thing! ah memories…!
I have one Beatles flexy it appears to be Hungarian. It's a postcard a little larger then what you showed. It has the song "I Should Have Known Better'. It has a picture of a camp site. OK after study this thing it's not the Beatles but a band called Atlantis egyuttes singing a Beatles song (lol), OK never mind. Loved the video as always.
Very cool presentation! As a kid, there were certain cereal boxes that featured cardboard records on the back of the cereal boxes. The ones we had were by Bobby Sherman and the Jackson 5. Did the UK have these?
I was about to write you about this! The postcard records you show instantly reminded me of the Jackson 5 cereal box disc I had as a very young kiddo. Thanks for the fun video!
While working at Sam Goody's we got in three Beatle flexi-discs. They were square, clear plastic (three different colors) and attached to a hard paper backing on the top. On the backing was one picture (each) of the Beatles which you could see through the plastic record. Something makes me think there may have been two songs per flexi. I will have to dig it out.
Another great video. I have a copy of the 1966 flexi for Christmas, no cover but it's nice to have. I have a flexi from Cliff Richard which came from Boyfriend magazine it was a clear disc with Cliff sounding very young. I believe it came from 1959-60
Very interesting, we found the sleeve of the 1969 Christmas flexi a few weeks ago with no disc inside and I was wondering about the history of it. We also bought a collection of those Polish postcard discs a while ago too and I did not realise they came with pop songs on, I thought they would be nursery rhymes and stuff.
I love the Private Eye flexis from the late sixties. If memory serves, the one from 1968 has a hilarious offshore radio parody, Wonderful Radio Gnome. That was probably the inspiration for Gong.
Flexi discs, that took me back to my teenage years. Somewhere up the loft I have an Alice Cooper flexi promoting Billion Dollar Babies, must dig it out sometime and give it a play. Keep up the good work, really enjoy your channel 👍
We got our " drama," flexy discs in news paper,so free of charge. At time education was important,so best actors made those with grammar,so when we listened it was good praktice for proper speech. Now days " clever pupils," have " Google," pfui. Good video Young Master Andrew. P.S.one of first Beatles fan clubs,and big one was in Yugoslavia,their members got those for sure. Before many others in the World.😎 I have post card CD,with hits from 1980's.
Perhaps oddly, the first flexi-disc I remember was from the sadly short-lived British comic Oink!, which was published from 1986 to 1988. The first proper issue - a promo issue having been presented as a free gift with Buster comic - came with a two-sided flexi. The two songs were: The Oink Song, a bizarre ditty about irritating parents and siblings and teachers and that, with an infectious chorus of "poo-poo, tinkle-tinkle, parp-parp, oink!" (I wish I was making that up, but I'm not). The second side was a weird parody of Grandmaster Flash's The Message, which exorted the listener - "don't eat pigs 'cause they're made of ham, eat that nasty butcher man"! This was for kids as well!
I would dearly love to have Capitol/E.M.I./Apple release a compilation of all of the fan club,and,Christmas flexis,sometime,in the future,as impossible as they are to find,in whatever condition they might be in,if you can find them,at all.
In late 80s Melodia produced lots of Beatles on flexi discs , even experts from John Lennon's Imagine album . Had them all in my collection but sold all my flexi collection last year . But anyway it was really fun collecting all those artefacts ) thank you for this video
Many other promotional flexi-discs were also produced (some with paper labels, often thicker than the actual flexis themselves). Along with many 'Reader's Digest' sampler ones. These are rather unique as they feature introductions and unique edits/mixes of the tracks. It's worth remembering that these previews for the actual released sets were probably never made available elsewhere. (Number One and Smash Hits magazines also had free flexis occasionally, with unique material not available on any other format; they also had promotional tapes and later CD's of course).
Great video. The beatles christmasmessages came also on nice 7 inch pic disc in a white.map back in 1983 i believe wich i have. Only 1000 pressed. But I like my original flexis more.wich have the original mailing envelops too.
These Beatles Christmas flexidisc records werr included on their “Beatles’ Christmas Album” released in 1970 on the Apple label only in the US, not on Capitol. I also have some flexidiscs in my room, not a lot of them. I remember the McDonald’s Menu Song when it was released on a flexidisc record in 1988 where McDonald’s did a promotional campaign where you sing along with the words and win a million dollars, but no one had won back in 1988. I used to have a flexidisc which was beat up was the 50th Anniversary of Yankee Stadium back in 1973 with Mel Allen from “This Week In Baseball” as the narrator about the history of Yankee Stadium and the New York Yankees itself. There was another flexidiscs that was put out by Quaker back in the 1980’s called “Great Moments of Rock & Roll”, a series of 3 or 4 flexidiscs records. It gives you the story and facts about music, and towards the end of the record, a narrator says that you’re not an instant winner. What a disappointment. Flexidisc started way back in the 1930’s where they put out the “Hit Of The Week” series, and it was pressed on a cardboard, not shellac, and it was on 78 RPM. “Hit Of The Week” features early jazz songs by many artists and bands of the time. Towards the end of the song, an announcement says that the “Hit Of The Week” series will be available on newsstands each and every week. That was back in the 1930’s. In addition to the flexidiscs, there were cardboard records which can be found in cereal boxes back in the 1950’s including stuff from the original “Mickey Mouse Club”, plus many of the artists that were on cardboard records like the Archies, Jackson Five, the Osmonds, and others, and it was appeared in cereal boxes. That was from the early 1970’s.
I actually got a 1967 flexi direct from Freda Kelly in 1976 I think it was. It is or appears to be in absolute mint condition. I doubt it, but if it was the one from which the From Then .. LP was produced ... Amazing!
Thank you again for a wonderful video. It is obvious that you put a lot of thought and work into these musical meditations. Very much appreciated. I've only a few of these beasties, from Trouser Press Magazine and The Bob Magazine. My most prized is a promo received from a mail order when I bought some Beatles records. It was by the band Plastics, "Diamond Head" on beautiful gold colored plastic with a very nice picture sleeve.
Another interesting one, Andrew. I love the demo version of Haircut 100's 'Nobody's Fool' on the Flexipop disc, with Nick Heyward singing and playing all the parts himself.
About the sound postcards I have some too because they are common on flea markets and costs mostly A dollar. From beatles stuff I have ,,A Hard Days Night", and There are bigger postcards that can fit 2 songs and they dont have unique picture on it, just different color variants. I have Eleanor Rigby/Yellow Submarine, Michelle/Girl, Glass Onion/Birthday. I know these postcards were made until 80s (I know the Lennon's song ,,Just Like Starting Over" was released on music postcard).
I remember Flexipop! Wow... blast from the past there. I'd love to get the 2017 set, though I don't know if it's still available or affordable anymore. Thanks again for another fascinating video, Andrew.
I’m a little surprised you didn’t mention their first attempt at the 1965 disc. During the “Think For Yourself” vocal overdub sessions, George Martin recorded John, Paul, and George generally bantering and joking around in between takes, hoping that some of their banter would be suitable for the Christmas disc. The tape, which has circulated amongst bootleggers and can be found on UA-cam was never used for this purpose (it’s hard to separate their rambling about BO and Rocky Marciano and in-jokes and stuff into something coherent - ask Peter Jackson to do that job!) but a snippet of them running through their harmonies was used in “Yellow Submarine.”
I'm confused 😅 which original UK's are 45rpm and which 33rpm? Also these postcard discs are just mind blowing. Don't think I'd go for them even if I could afford it, but I'd really really love to see and touch them in person 🤣 Great video as always Andrew. Thanks!
Nice Video, very informative. I purchased the Limited Edition Vinyl Box Set 5 years ago. Never played it, but have a PBTHAL vinyl rip of said box set. Flac > Wave, I prefer my vinyl ripped to digital for my listening pleasure. Thanks
Excellent video as usual! Thank you for doing this one, the history of their Flexi discs has always been interesting. Do we know how many copies of the UK and USA Christmas compilation LPs were pressed?
BBC Radio 2 (I think) did a documentary in the Christmas flexi's in the early 80s with Andy Pebbles (I think), which I recorded on a C90 Tape...and I still have.
Dino, Desi & Billy consisted of Dino Martin, Dean Martin’s son; Desi Arnaz Jr, son of Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy); and their friend Billy. This explains their success…
Lovely video and most informal as always, many thanks! However a bit depressing to find that my 1963 Xmas flexi may be the second issue with brown print. I did know that there were more flexis around than covers of that issue (I have a 1963 flexi that has never been in a picture sleeve), but I didn't know that Lyntone eventually printed up a second run of covers. Very interesting. Another thing, I knew a Polish guy who told me that he actually bought an import UK pressing of the Help! LP in 1965, over the counter and everything. So the Polish authorities can't have been too restrictive about Western music?
I agree; the Musicland promos were probably the most popular Beatle flexis in the States. They are bound on one edge to a card photo of the band and I think a full set is highly desirable.
Does anyone remember the “MAD Flexi disc” came free with Mad comic that somehow had three separate grooves Concentrically so that when you placed the needle on the ‘record’ it may or may not sound the same as the last time you played it?!
Surprising you're not familiar with Dino, Desi, and Billy. It's the sons of Dean Martin and Desi Arnaz/Lucille Ball, plus Billy Hinsche who was Carl Wilson's brother-in-law and a long -time backup musician for the Beach Boys.
I always wondered something about the Beatles 1969 Christmas record. At the very beginning, it seems like the guys are together, as opposed to solo for the rest of the disc. Anyone know where and when that opening bit was recorded?
Whoa, that book of flexis is really cool. what key words do you think I'd have to search to find it? I want to try and purchase a copy of it, a very cool oddity
Please consider doing Albums by Buddy Holly and The Crickets...it would be interesting and they influenced so many bands like the Beatles, The Rolling Stone, The Hollies, and The Who. Please consider it...thank you
I have a Reader’s Digest “free audition” flexidisc for the Beatles Box introduced by a Michael Reid. You’re probably aware of it. Sonically better than those Polish postcards but some jarring musical edits in order to sell the thing to casual listeners
You totally forgot the flexi-disc that Capitol Records made for the Beatles red-white-and-blue albums I had all three of them and sold them for a substantial amount
You have now done a video on Beatles flexidiscs and another on the World Records box set? Good stuff, but why is there still no mentioning of the box set flexi? Why are you keeping this essential part of the Beatles history a secret? Someone somewhere has to know. I don't know.
14:10 Wow, Antoine how cool is that! He was revolutionary in France. The country was still very conservative when he appeared in 1966 as a very long haired beatnik singing about how the pill should be sold in supermarkets, mocking Johnny Hallyday (who should be caged in a zoo in one of his lyrics), anti war or pro-choice protest songs. And even an obvious drug song with hallucinogenic lyrics ("La fumée dans les yeux"). Again, in 1966, it was shocking and unheard of here. If you look at pictures of French May 68 students, they were all short haired and "square" looking! Some people were after him, threw stones at him etc. Very interesting guy I only have respect for. I've never met him, but he's said to be a very nice person too. ua-cam.com/video/b5FEOvjOVvQ/v-deo.html
If someone i didn't like had a flexidisk i would eat it and they would never know because they would see the colored vinyl in my mouth and assume it is candy
![Дон ДОН, Алаудинов и СБЕЖАВШИЕ из под Курска ахматовцы 😁 [Пародия]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dEfCf5IK26Q/mqdefault.jpg)
Those Polish postcards are really really cool
I love that there's a whole little book to keep em in
My personal favorite flexi ever is Monty Python’s “Tiny Black Round Thing” from NME. Has some unique material as well as their “Election Night Special” from the Live at Drury Lane LP.
6:31 I'm very happy we now have the lyrics to "Please Don't Bring Your Banjo Back"!
As President of Motörhead’s ‘Motorheadbangers’ Fan Club, I went to Lyntone Flexi discs in 1984. Lemmy, Phil Campbell, Wurzel and Phil Taylor recorded a short message for my ‘Better Late Than Never Fan Club Flexi’ which was mailed out to members. eBay had a copy recently for £150! It was an experience to get this ambition fulfilled for Motörhead, but the idea came as I knew the Beatles fan club had done them, and it was an achievement.
Great story, Alan. Thanks for sharing it.
I would really love to watch you showing the Beatles brazilian discography, there are some rare and valuable pearls in it!
Great suggestion, thanks!
Salvatore Adamo was really big here in Latin America back in the day (and still is, for the older generation) with his Spanish language renditions of his original hits recorded in Italian and/or French. He also recorded in Dutch, English, German, Japanese and Turkish throughout his career. He definitely is quite an icon for the boomer generation around here, I think 👏👏
Thanks for the information, Victor!
I was just old enough to join the Beatles fan club in the USA in 1967, so I have the original flexi discs from '67,'68,'69. They are great recordings of them joking around, and singing some funny ditties. I love it. Wonder how rare they are and how much they are worth. ...Frank Taormina,Lodi,CA. Fan since 1964.
This was a great video. I always loved the Christmas flexis and I played my Beatles Christmas messages every Christmas Eve from the time I was 12. I have all the original UK flexis with their inserts, but I want to upgrade my 1963 one and also finally track down the From Then To You LP. I've got the original US LP, but I want that UK one too. Thanks Andrew for another great video!
Thanks, John. Glad you enjoyed it.
Kenny Everett was really cool, I loved his work on the last couple of Beatles Christmas discs. Loved his TV show too
Agreed, Chris. His radio work was outstanding too.
His Capital Radio Breakfast show I used to listen to as a kid in the 1970s was one of the best radio shows ever he also did the “voice” for the Charley the Cat character in the 1970s Public Information Films
@@Parlogram He also did a few jingles for the set up of BBC Radio Solent local radio station down here in Bournemouth in the early 1970s using Beatle tracks most notably Yellow Submarine
So there are 4 Beatles record producers; George Martin, Phil Spector, Kenny Everett, and Jeff Lynn
@@jimmynicollikesapickle1124 Yes he was very close to the band being a fellow scouser.
Jugoton released 16 flexis in 1967 and 1968 for the Džuboks magazine. "Hello Goodbye" was the only flexi by the Beatles. All their releases (singles and albums) from 1967 to 1970 (and later reissues and compilations) appeared on regular vinyl format, even the two fanclub records (from 1967 and 1969) were released on vinyl.
Here's the translation of the Yugoslav flexi cover:
For the first time in your Džuboks (Jukebox) collection
The Beatles!
With the hit that stays on the top of world charts
Hello Goodbye
The most beautiful gift from your magazine
The Beatles!
-----------
The Beatles
6 hits from the famous group on two standard records (SPP 8151 and 8152)
Magical Mystery Tour.........Blue Jay Way
with printed original lyrics
Jugoton Records - the name for quality
Great information, thank you!
@@Parlogram The Beatles Yugoslav (from Zagreb) Xmas discs and inserts are unique and very hard to find.
@@Parlogram Yugoslavia was a not so strict country when it comes to music. And some singles and eps they have are pretty hard to find. I have a Dean Martin EP exclusive for Yugoslavia. They mostly released compilation albums like Love Songs and 20 Greatest Hits but also official albums like The Beatles or Help. They didn't butcher them like Capitol did. If you pick a Yugoslavian copy of The Beatles, there's a big chance for a clean, not distorted Good Night as I have in my collection. I like the sound of the copies very much, so I recommend you to pick a copy! Love Songs is for me the greatest pick.
Fascinating stuff. Very entertaining, as ever. Thanks a lot!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very interesting video, especially the Polish postcards.
Thanks Dewey. Glad you liked it!
Everyone needs to watch good ole freda. It’s an excellent documentary about the Beatles fan club security Freda Kelly.
Great video. Here in the U.S., I remember finding flexi-discs either attached to or printed on to cereal boxes back in the '60's. I remember finding anything from cartoon characters or music groups providing a single song on each disc. How times have changed. Thanks Andrew.
Thanks for watching, Scott. glad you enjoyed it!
Great video Andrew! I was very happy when Apple released the Beatles Christmas records in 2017. I haven’t had much experience with Flexi discs apart from the the free one I received when I purchased Mark Lewisohn’s The Beatles Live book in the 1980s which has one of their first radio interviews from 1962. Thanks very much!
Thanks Bill. That is a great book!
Thank you Andrew. I've got a 1982 US Capitol records flexidisc titled The Beatles 1962-1965 that includes "All My Lovin'" and "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away". The plastic portion is deep red and it's attached (post-it style) to a black and white photo that looks to be from the Help era. The back cover shows 25 Beatle album covers available on Capitol at that time, and has a blurb on the bottom saying "Compliments of:" and then showing the logos for Musicland record stores and Capitol records. I'm sure there must be a 1966-1970 equivalent that I wish I had.
Somewhere in my house I've got a rolled up poster from about the same era that shows every available US Beatles album (including Reel Music) and every US album by the individual Beatles. The corners are a bit tattered from being tacked up to the wall, but I still want to get it framed someday.
Ahh, I decided to Google it and found that there are three Musicland promo flexidiscs in the set. The blue one has Magical Mystery Tour and Here Comes The Sun, and a white one has Rocky Racoon and Why Don't We Do It In The Road. They all have the same back cover although they're not all from Musicland. Google turned up a lot of info about them. Now I know...
I don’t like to say “wow” a lot but…WOW! You blew my mind with those postcards!
I have a few “Hip Pocket Discs.” They’re fairly common over here in the states. Great for their novelty value and little else.
Thanks for another superb outing, sir.
Thank you, Sir. Glad you enjoyed it
I second that Polish postcard wow!
I own one single flexi disc, Its a "Sounds of the Space age" disc from national Geographic I found in a thrift store one time. It has everything from the Sputnik 1 Beeps all the way to Neil Armstrong landing on the moon.
That sounds pretty cool mate
I have that too. The first one they did was for Winston Churchill's funeral.
Another nostalgic and fact-packed enjoyable and informative video Andrew. I never had any Beatles Flexi discs because I was too young. I had some nursery rhyme Flexi discs. I remember folding one in half then still playing it. We could do crazy things in those days.
Glad you enjoyed it, Kevin.
Wow...what a memory flexi discs bring back. I received my very first portable record player for Christmas when I was 4 or 5, which would have been '69 or '70. It was turquoise in color, with a yellow lid that lifted up. Inside the lid were 5 or 6 psychedelic lights that would flash different colors to the music. That awesome record player came with a blue flexidisc as a "sample" & it was Santana's "Oye Como Va"! Unfortunately, being the youngster I was, I never appreciated that flexi disc & still kick myself today for not keeping it!
My good friend has been educating me about Beatles Flexi Discs & I'm just in awe! Loved this video you put together & I really enjoyed it, especially that Polish postcard set!! Holy Moly...what a prize that is!! Thanks for your videos, they're a joy to watch & listen to!
Good times, Tammy. Thanks for watching!
Fascinating video!!! I really adore the Polish postcards. I've always wanted to own the original Christmas Flexi's. So many bootlegs in the States. I've noticed a lot of underground punk bands have been issuing Flexi's lately here in the States. I've always enjoyed Flexi's. I always pick them up if the content is by a band I like. Thank you for this wonderful video!!
Thank you, Raymond. Glad you enjoyed it!
My Beatles Christmas Album has NOT FOR SALE printed on it. I've had it since around 1980 when my mother found it in a garage sale in NJ. In the 1990's, my favorite CD store that sold rare bootlegs of just about everything had the album on CD, reproduced perfectly down to the NOT FOR SALE on the label. Both are still in my collection.
Absolutely fascinating stuff, I mean postcards! Who knew?
Here we go again......brilliant!!!
On August 16th, 1977 Elvis "The King of Rock and Roll" Presley.
Then... on August 16, 2018... Aretha "The Queen of Soul" Franklin. 😞
That's my birthday. 8-16-58.
I've got a bootleg CD of the album compilation of the Christmas flexis which I picked up in the late 90's. I always wondered why the booklet as such was two different covers on either side. Thanks for clearing up that mystery.
A big 2 thumbs up!!! So many memories!
In the early '70's, a cereal manufacturer (Post Cereal) created their own flexidiscs to be attached as part of the cardboard boxes of their cereals for kids. On the back of the box, there would be a flexidisc as part of the cardboard back of the box. To get the flexidisc and play it on a record player, you had to cut out around where the flexidisc was located. Once you did that, you could take the disc and play it on a record player. The flexidiscs were made up of artists like Bobby Sherman, The Archies, The Monkees, even the Jackson Five and Kiss had a flexidisc on the back of cereal boxes.
Fantastic Andrew, lots of new info for me.. Thanks for sharing ;)
Just ordered my first 1964 beatles fan club flexi off ebay, so rewatching this video haha 😄
My first single that I bought with my own pocket money was actually a flexi-disk featuring Chris Barber and Ottilie Patterson from a Magarine/Butter promotion back in the early 1960s.
Hi Andrew Great video again! By the way,Dino,Desi and Billy from that Polish postcard,were an American vocal duo from the mid 60's and were actually Dino (Crooner Dean Martin's son Dean),Desi (Arnaz Junior,who was comedianne Lucille Ball's and Desi Arnaz's son) and their friend Billy Hinsche (who later worked with the Beach Boys) Cheers Ian
Thanks for the info, Ian!
Wow! I’m late for the viewing (because I’m eBaying collection) but how beautiful this episode is!!! I loved Flexi discs!! Great show!! Brilliant!
Once again Andrew you have moved me with your production. Absolutely brilliant and first class again. Such an evocative period and items with the pictures and bright colours. I remember getting a flexi free with i believe Lookin magazine. It was of Take That when they very very first appeared nationally in probably 1990 or 1991 because i was born in 1981 and i was still in primary school and they formed in 1990 ive just seen on google. I wasnt a fan LOL so a girl I liked asked if she could have it and I very kindly gave it to her,and she still wouldnt be my girlfriend LOL. But thank you again Andrew,fast becoming one of my very very favourite UA-cam channels. You were ALWAYS up there but with last handful of videos you really have gone into the topper most of the popper most for me brother.
Great memories, Craig. Thanks again for watching.
I have a Beatles Flexi disc, it’s part of the Beatles Live book by Mark Lewishon from 1988. The disc content is an interview with the band conducted in Port Sunlight, Wirral at their first gig with Ringo
That's a great flexi, Edward. The book's not bad either!
I got really excited when I thought the X-Ray Disc was a Flexi for the first Faust album. Alas it was not. I remember a friend in the late 70s having some Polish Flexi Postcards and loved the T-Rex one he had.
Interesting that one of the Beatles Christmas Flexi's provided the Beatles material sampled on the lead track on the single The Beatles Play The Residents And The Residents Play The Beatles issued by The Residents.
Great video. The horse rider on the Polish postcard reminds me Don Quixote and the cover of The Beach Boys album Surf's Up. Funny.
My first introduction to flexis were the free Readers’ Digest promos that came through the door with regularity in the sixties and seventies. My favourite was Humphrey Littleton advertising a jazz box set over extracts of selected tracks. There was a Beatles one of course, advertising the singles box set that RD put out in the later seventies, but I had to wait until I bought a copy on eBay for that one.
Another wonderful video!!! I’ve always liked flexies, I think they’re cool! And thank you so much for talking about the polish postcards! There’re really interesting.
Looking forward to the let it be special!!! :)
Glad you liked it, Olav!!
One of my favroite flexidiscs when I was a kid was something we got at McDonalds, I think (might have come in the mail or in the newspaper), which was basically just the Big Mac jingle (two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions and a sesame-seed bun) played over and over again. What an ear-worm.
In the USA, cereal box records appeared in the 1960s and 70s featuring The Archies, The Monkees, The Jackson 5ive and Bobby Sherman, among others. There were also many featuring the various cereal mascots. I own flexis of The Muppets, The Partridge Family, Barbie, Time magazine, and even one of Jack Benny selling insurance.
Believe it or not I discovered the Beatles from Flexidisc!
Back then (I want to say every Sunday?) there was a TVprogram about newspapers and publications kind of thing and the theme music was “paperback writer“ and my brothers and I loved this song but we didn’t know who it was by!
…eventually we were put out of our misery by a free Flexidisc narrated by none other than Bob Monkhouse (!) that came in the mail from the readers digest advertising a set of Beatles compilation records to buy over a period of time but they were far too costly for us back then
Anyhoo , in little 4 or 5 second snatches we finally heard some Beatles songs including paperback writer -phew!
There was a circle printed off-centre on the “label“ where you were expected to place a coin to weigh down the disk and stop it from slipping and needless to say we eventually wore-out our paltry bit of polythene until we finally got our hands on the real thing!
ah memories…!
Great story. Great times!
I have one Beatles flexy it appears to be Hungarian. It's a postcard a little larger then what you showed. It has the song "I Should Have Known Better'. It has a picture of a camp site. OK after study this thing it's not the Beatles but a band called Atlantis egyuttes singing a Beatles song (lol), OK never mind. Loved the video as always.
Very cool presentation! As a kid, there were certain cereal boxes that featured cardboard records on the back of the cereal boxes. The ones we had were by Bobby Sherman and the Jackson 5. Did the UK have these?
That must have been so cool, Roger. We didn't have them on cereal boxes in the UK.
I was about to write you about this! The postcard records you show instantly reminded me of the Jackson 5 cereal box disc I had as a very young kiddo. Thanks for the fun video!
There also were several cereal box records by the Monkees (which were reissued a few years ago) and some by the Archies.
While working at Sam Goody's we got in three Beatle flexi-discs. They were square, clear plastic (three different colors) and attached to a hard paper backing on the top. On the backing was one picture (each) of the Beatles which you could see through the plastic record. Something makes me think there may have been two songs per flexi. I will have to dig it out.
Another great video. I have a copy of the 1966 flexi for Christmas, no cover but it's nice to have. I have a flexi from Cliff Richard which came from Boyfriend magazine it was a clear disc with Cliff sounding very young. I believe it came from 1959-60
Very interesting, we found the sleeve of the 1969 Christmas flexi a few weeks ago with no disc inside and I was wondering about the history of it. We also bought a collection of those Polish postcard discs a while ago too and I did not realise they came with pop songs on, I thought they would be nursery rhymes and stuff.
I just found the 4th Christmas flexi in the picture sleeve and tucked inside was the 3rd one as a bonus all for £2
I love the Private Eye flexis from the late sixties. If memory serves, the one from 1968 has a hilarious offshore radio parody, Wonderful Radio Gnome. That was probably the inspiration for Gong.
Flexi discs, that took me back to my teenage years. Somewhere up the loft I have an Alice Cooper flexi promoting Billion Dollar Babies, must dig it out sometime and give it a play.
Keep up the good work, really enjoy your channel 👍
Hope you find it, Tony. Thanks for watching!
@@Parlogram I’ll let you know😉
@@Tony-ug1mv did you find it?
@@AdamLB Not as yet, but I’ll keep looking 😃
"Christmastime is here again" was included in the "Free As a Bird" EP CD.
We got our " drama," flexy discs in news paper,so free of charge. At time education was important,so best actors made those with grammar,so when we listened it was good praktice for proper speech. Now days " clever pupils," have " Google," pfui. Good video Young Master Andrew. P.S.one of first Beatles fan clubs,and big one was in Yugoslavia,their members got those for sure. Before many others in the World.😎 I have post card CD,with hits from 1980's.
Perhaps oddly, the first flexi-disc I remember was from the sadly short-lived British comic Oink!, which was published from 1986 to 1988. The first proper issue - a promo issue having been presented as a free gift with Buster comic - came with a two-sided flexi. The two songs were: The Oink Song, a bizarre ditty about irritating parents and siblings and teachers and that, with an infectious chorus of "poo-poo, tinkle-tinkle, parp-parp, oink!" (I wish I was making that up, but I'm not). The second side was a weird parody of Grandmaster Flash's The Message, which exorted the listener - "don't eat pigs 'cause they're made of ham, eat that nasty butcher man"! This was for kids as well!
great episode!!! i just found some old flexi 78s made from durium
I would dearly love to have Capitol/E.M.I./Apple release a compilation of all of the fan club,and,Christmas flexis,sometime,in the future,as impossible as they are to find,in whatever condition they might be in,if you can find them,at all.
In late 80s Melodia produced lots of Beatles on flexi discs , even experts from John Lennon's Imagine album . Had them all in my collection but sold all my flexi collection last year . But anyway it was really fun collecting all those artefacts ) thank you for this video
Many other promotional flexi-discs were also produced (some with paper labels, often thicker than the actual flexis themselves). Along with many 'Reader's Digest' sampler ones. These are rather unique as they feature introductions and unique edits/mixes of the tracks. It's worth remembering that these previews for the actual released sets were probably never made available elsewhere. (Number One and Smash Hits magazines also had free flexis occasionally, with unique material not available on any other format; they also had promotional tapes and later CD's of course).
Great video. The beatles christmasmessages came also on nice 7 inch pic disc in a white.map back in 1983 i believe wich i have. Only 1000 pressed. But I like my original flexis more.wich have the original mailing envelops too.
I have all the Yugoslavian flexis - they were issued with the magazine džuboks :)
These Beatles Christmas flexidisc records werr included on their “Beatles’ Christmas Album” released in 1970 on the Apple label only in the US, not on Capitol.
I also have some flexidiscs in my room, not a lot of them. I remember the McDonald’s Menu Song when it was released on a flexidisc record in 1988 where McDonald’s did a promotional campaign where you sing along with the words and win a million dollars, but no one had won back in 1988. I used to have a flexidisc which was beat up was the 50th Anniversary of Yankee Stadium back in 1973 with Mel Allen from “This Week In Baseball” as the narrator about the history of Yankee Stadium and the New York Yankees itself. There was another flexidiscs that was put out by Quaker back in the 1980’s called “Great Moments of Rock & Roll”, a series of 3 or 4 flexidiscs records. It gives you the story and facts about music, and towards the end of the record, a narrator says that you’re not an instant winner. What a disappointment.
Flexidisc started way back in the 1930’s where they put out the “Hit Of The Week” series, and it was pressed on a cardboard, not shellac, and it was on 78 RPM. “Hit Of The Week” features early jazz songs by many artists and bands of the time. Towards the end of the song, an announcement says that the “Hit Of The Week” series will be available on newsstands each and every week. That was back in the 1930’s.
In addition to the flexidiscs, there were cardboard records which can be found in cereal boxes back in the 1950’s including stuff from the original “Mickey Mouse Club”, plus many of the artists that were on cardboard records like the Archies, Jackson Five, the Osmonds, and others, and it was appeared in cereal boxes. That was from the early 1970’s.
I actually got a 1967 flexi direct from Freda Kelly in 1976 I think it was. It is or appears to be in absolute mint condition. I doubt it, but if it was the one from which the From Then .. LP was produced ... Amazing!
Thank you again for a wonderful video. It is obvious that you put a lot of thought and work into these musical meditations. Very much appreciated.
I've only a few of these beasties, from Trouser Press Magazine and The Bob Magazine. My most prized is a promo received from a mail order when I bought some Beatles records. It was by the band Plastics, "Diamond Head" on beautiful gold colored plastic with a very nice picture sleeve.
Many thanks, Lee!
Another interesting one, Andrew. I love the demo version of Haircut 100's 'Nobody's Fool' on the Flexipop disc, with Nick Heyward singing and playing all the parts himself.
Never heard it.Sounds like it could be interesting huge fan of Nick's work.
About the sound postcards I have some too because they are common on flea markets and costs mostly A dollar. From beatles stuff I have ,,A Hard Days Night", and There are bigger postcards that can fit 2 songs and they dont have unique picture on it, just different color variants. I have Eleanor Rigby/Yellow Submarine, Michelle/Girl, Glass Onion/Birthday. I know these postcards were made until 80s (I know the Lennon's song ,,Just Like Starting Over" was released on music postcard).
"here's a man coming home from the pub" ~Andrew from parlogram
I remember Flexipop! Wow... blast from the past there. I'd love to get the 2017 set, though I don't know if it's still available or affordable anymore. Thanks again for another fascinating video, Andrew.
The 2017 box is available on Discogs.
@@Parlogram It is! Thanks for pointing that out. Cool.
I’m a little surprised you didn’t mention their first attempt at the 1965 disc. During the “Think For Yourself” vocal overdub sessions, George Martin recorded John, Paul, and George generally bantering and joking around in between takes, hoping that some of their banter would be suitable for the Christmas disc. The tape, which has circulated amongst bootleggers and can be found on UA-cam was never used for this purpose (it’s hard to separate their rambling about BO and Rocky Marciano and in-jokes and stuff into something coherent - ask Peter Jackson to do that job!) but a snippet of them running through their harmonies was used in “Yellow Submarine.”
Paperback writer, on a postcard.
I kind of found that amusing.
I'm confused 😅 which original UK's are 45rpm and which 33rpm? Also these postcard discs are just mind blowing.
Don't think I'd go for them even if I could afford it, but I'd really really love to see and touch them in person 🤣
Great video as always Andrew. Thanks!
Nice Video, very informative. I purchased the Limited Edition Vinyl Box Set 5 years ago. Never played it, but have a PBTHAL vinyl rip of said box set. Flac > Wave, I prefer my vinyl ripped to digital for my listening pleasure. Thanks
Thanks for watching!
Excellent video as usual! Thank you for doing this one, the history of their Flexi discs has always been interesting.
Do we know how many copies of the UK and USA Christmas compilation LPs were pressed?
Hello from Poland again!:)
Hello there!
BBC Radio 2 (I think) did a documentary in the Christmas flexi's in the early 80s with Andy Pebbles (I think), which I recorded on a C90 Tape...and I still have.
Dino, Desi & Billy consisted of Dino Martin, Dean Martin’s son; Desi Arnaz Jr, son of Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy); and their friend Billy. This explains their success…
Lovely video and most informal as always, many thanks! However a bit depressing to find that my 1963 Xmas flexi may be the second issue with brown print. I did know that there were more flexis around than covers of that issue (I have a 1963 flexi that has never been in a picture sleeve), but I didn't know that Lyntone eventually printed up a second run of covers. Very interesting. Another thing, I knew a Polish guy who told me that he actually bought an import UK pressing of the Help! LP in 1965, over the counter and everything. So the Polish authorities can't have been too restrictive about Western music?
Thanks for sharing. Informative video. Shawn R., Mo-Mutt Music/Sacred & Secular (and longtime Beatles fan)
Thanks for watching!
is that flexidisc edit of "hey jude" anywhere on youtube or elsewhere? an official trimming of that song sounds pretty intriguing
Too bad you didn’t mention the EvaTone/Capitol Records red, white and blue promos for Musicland, Sam Goodies and Discount Records here in the US.
I agree; the Musicland promos were probably the most popular Beatle flexis in the States. They are bound on one edge to a card photo of the band and I think a full set is highly desirable.
@@mcarp555 I bought my set 10 years ago at a good price. I plan on framing them as a set.
Does anyone remember the “MAD Flexi disc” came free with Mad comic that somehow had three separate grooves Concentrically so that when you placed the needle on the ‘record’ it may or may not sound the same as the last time you played it?!
Fantastico!
Surprising you're not familiar with Dino, Desi, and Billy. It's the sons of Dean Martin and Desi Arnaz/Lucille Ball, plus Billy Hinsche who was Carl Wilson's brother-in-law and a long -time backup musician for the Beach Boys.
The only way I'm going to listen to the latest hits is on postcard records from now on.
I always wondered something about the Beatles 1969 Christmas record. At the very beginning, it seems like the guys are together, as opposed to solo for the rest of the disc. Anyone know where and when that opening bit was recorded?
Whoa, that book of flexis is really cool. what key words do you think I'd have to search to find it? I want to try and purchase a copy of it, a very cool oddity
A-ha! I found them on your website!
Please consider doing Albums by Buddy Holly and The Crickets...it would be interesting and they influenced so many bands like the Beatles, The Rolling Stone, The Hollies, and The Who. Please consider it...thank you
When will UMe reissue the Beatles postcard bookset?
I have a Reader’s Digest “free audition” flexidisc for the Beatles Box introduced by a Michael Reid. You’re probably aware of it. Sonically better than those Polish postcards but some jarring musical edits in order to sell the thing to casual listeners
I’d love to share a picture of the label but ne’er mind
You totally forgot the flexi-disc that Capitol Records made for the Beatles red-white-and-blue albums I had all three of them and sold them for a substantial amount
Show🤜🤛✌✌✌✌
You’re just lovely
You have now done a video on Beatles flexidiscs and another on the World Records box set? Good stuff, but why is there still no mentioning of the box set flexi? Why are you keeping this essential part of the Beatles history a secret?
Someone somewhere has to know.
I don't know.
Is there any way to “safely” play the Christmas flexis on today’s equipment? Or are they best as a “look but don’t play” item?
Modern equipment is able to play them safely without damaging them.
Then there were the ones on the back of cereal boxes, starting in the late 60s. They featured mostly what would be called bubblegum music.
What source was used for the recent Apple box set
The original discs!
14:10 Wow, Antoine how cool is that! He was revolutionary in France. The country was still very conservative when he appeared in 1966 as a very long haired beatnik singing about how the pill should be sold in supermarkets, mocking Johnny Hallyday (who should be caged in a zoo in one of his lyrics), anti war or pro-choice protest songs. And even an obvious drug song with hallucinogenic lyrics ("La fumée dans les yeux"). Again, in 1966, it was shocking and unheard of here. If you look at pictures of French May 68 students, they were all short haired and "square" looking! Some people were after him, threw stones at him etc. Very interesting guy I only have respect for. I've never met him, but he's said to be a very nice person too. ua-cam.com/video/b5FEOvjOVvQ/v-deo.html
but Toh-ya-ahh)
If someone i didn't like had a flexidisk i would eat it and they would never know because they would see the colored vinyl in my mouth and assume it is candy