"Ouija Board, Ouija Board"
collectors appendix

 

UK 7" [HMV POP1622]
The UK 7" comes in a rigid glossy sleeve opening from the side, with a semi-circle cut-out portion on the back for better grip on the record (view front and back artwork from the menu on the left). The record has a solid centre and vintage pink His Master's Voice labels with black text and logos. A His Masters Voice logo is found at the top, publishing and label credits on the left, "45 R.P.M." graphics, catalogue number and production credits on the right, and title at the bottom.
POP 1622 A-1U-1-1 / POP 1622 B-1U-1-1

UK 7", mispressed [HMV POP1622]
This is just like the 7" described above, but Morrissey's name on the front of the sleeve is printed in white. The rest of the packaging is as described above.
POP 1622 A-1U-1-1 / POP 1622 B-1U-1-1

UK 12" [HMV 12POP1622]
The front artwork of the 12" format is a bit different to that of the 7" as it shows a slight close-up on the usual Morrissey image (see left). The back is similar, the only difference being the positions of the His Master's Voice logo, the catalogue number and the barcode (see left). The record is slipped inside a black poly-lined paper inner bag. It has pink vintage His Master's Voice labels with black text: His Masters Voice logo at the top; publishing info and catalogue number on the left; "45 R.P.M." graphics, catalogue number and label credits on the right; titles, songwriting and production credits at the bottom.
12 POP 1622 A-1U-1-1 / 12 POP 1622 B-1U-1-1

UK CD5 [HMV CDPOP1622]
The cd-single comes in a thin jewel case. The front artwork shows a bit more of the usual silver Morrissey image than on the front of the vinyl formats (view left). The spine is silver with Morrissey's name, "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" and the catalogue number in black. The back is also silver, it features the UK and Euro catalogue numbers in black, the barcode in a white box, Morrissey's name in the same font and colour as on the front, and a His Master's Voice logo in black. The inner backside of the insert is silver with black track listing and credits, and a vertical black wrought-iron leaves motif across it (view left). The disc is burnt yellow with black text. The wrought-iron leaves motif is repeated on the left and right sides of it. Morrissey's name is printed at the top in the same font as on the front, with the UK and Euro catalogue numbers above it and the title track beneath. The rest of the track listing, with songwriting, production and label credits, are in the bottom half, between a compact disc logo on the left and a His Master's Voice logo on the right.

UK CSS [HMV TCPOP1622]
This is the first of a series of Morrissey cassette singles to feature only two tracks and to be released in a card slipcase. The front shows a cropped version of the usual silver Morrissey image (view left). The back is all silver with black track listing, credits and His Master's Voice logo (view left). The spines are silver with black catalogue number and Dolby logo at the top, black His Master's Voice logo at the bottom, Morrissey's name in yellow and "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" in black. The cassette itself is made of clear plastic with pale grey text printed directly onto it. It features a His Master's Voice logo in the top right corner.

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UK 7" jukebox [HMV POP1622]
This item is just like the stock 7" described above but at the centre is a large hole for jukebox play. The record does not usually come in a picture sleeve unless it was paired with one a posteriori. Some copies may exist with the jukebox titles tag (if so, description of tag needed).
POP 1622 A-1U-1-1 / POP 1622 B-1U-1-1

UK 12" promo [HMV 12POPDJ1622]
Each one of Morrissey's first six solo singles was promoted with the help of a 12" in a glossy record bag, each title of a different colour. The sleeve for the promo 12" of single #5, "Ouija Board, Ouija Board", is yellow (view left). It has Morrissey's name at the top in white, in the same font used on the commercial single. Below his name is a white His Master's Voice logo. One side is die-cut to expose the a-side label. The other side is all yellow with no text, just a cut-out opening at the top to facilitate access to the record. The labels are yellow with a grey 'A' or 'B' taking up the whole space. Each side's track listing is printed in black in the top half and the promo's catalogue number in the lower half in a smaller font.
12 POP 1622 A-1U-1-1 / 12 POP 1622 B-1U-1-1

UK 7" promo [HMV POP1622]
Promotion of this single was also done via stock copies of the 7" format sent to media or retail with a Capitol Parlophone plugger sticker on the front of the sleeve. The sticker gives the names and contact information for pluggers Steve Hayes, Miranda Leckie and Peter Evans and is date-stamped "13 NOV 1989".

UK 7" promo [HMV POP1622]
Stock copies with a white sticker on the back of the sleeve stating "Manufacturer's Property Not For Sale" in red have made it into the collectors world. It is unclear whether or not these items are official label promos.

UK video promo [Chop Em Out]
The one-track promo video sent to media ahead of the release of this single comes in a black hardshell case with paper insert in the display window. This generic insert is white with grey text. Its front shows a Chop Em Out Optimedia logo at the top and contact info at the bottom. The following information was printed in the middle section on the front as well as on the sticker label on the top of the videocassette: "Morrissey", "Ouija Board, Ouija Board", "Parlophone Records", "VHS PAL 625 LINE", "02.11.89". A white Capitol Parlophone sticker on the spine gives release information and plugger contact info. Two variations of the latter sticker have been found to exist. One has "Capitol Parlophone" in big letters at the bottom while the other variation has "Regional Promotions" in its place, with logos for EMI, Capitol and Parlophone in the middle.

UK promo poster 51cm x 76cm (20" x 30")
View here (better image needed).

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UK 7" test pressing [HMV POP1622]
The test pressing for the 7" has pale blue paper labels. The a-side label has "PM POP 1622 A/B-1U" in handwriting and is date-stamped "17 OCT 1989". The record comes in a black die-cut paper record bag.
POP 1622 A-1U-1-1 / POP 1622 B-1U-1-1

UK 12" test pressing [HMV 12POP1622]
Information needed.

UK in-house cassette [Abbey Road]
Some lucky collectors have managed to get their hands on an Abbey Road cassette which originally served in-house purposes. The cassette comes with a white insert featuring a grey and yellow Abbey Road logo on the front on top of which is printed "Morrisey" [sic] and the three-song track listing, each title followed by its length and either 7"A, 7"/12"B or 12"B. The spine is white with a black and yellow Abbey Road logo at the bottom and Morrissey's name again misspelled. The Abbey Road logo is repeated on the back alongside the Abbey Road address. The FX46 cassette is made of black plastic and has purple/blue (unrelated) text printed onto it. A white sticker label on side A (and perhaps also on side B) also identified the artist as "Morrisey" [sic].

UK 12" acetate [CBS Studios]
The 12" acetate has music on both sides. Its labels have CBS Studios logo and address at the top. The leftover space beneath that was filled in handwriting with the following information: the side letter, "Morrissey", "3/10/89" and that side's track listing including song length. The acetate is circulated in a plain white card sleeve with "3.10.89", Morrissey's name and 'Ouija Board, Ouija Board 12" A/B' handwritten on the front in black marker.

UK 12" labels proof
A Cromalin colour proof sheet of the 12" labels has made it into the hands of collectors. As expected, it shows the two labels one above the other on a white sheet, with colour bars on the left side and cutting marks around them.

 

Australia 7" [EMI Australia EMI 2331]
Some copies of the Australian 7" were sold inside a picture sleeve, but others came in a generic yellow EMI paper die-cut record bag showing logos of various EMI subsidiaries such as Parlophone, Capitol or His Master's Voice. The picture sleeve opens from the top and shows the usual artwork on the front. The back is closer to grey than silver. It differs from the back of the UK sleeve by the correction of the catalogue number in the top right corner, the replacement of the barcode in the bottom left corner with a EMI logo and a EMI Music Group Australasia credit, and the deletion of the sleeve manufacturing credit in the bottom right corner. The labels are beige with black text, a red EMI logo at the bottom and red legal credits around the top edge.

Australia CSS [EMI Australia TCEMI2331]
The insert of the Australian cassette single shows a cropped version of the usual silver image of Morrissey on the front, with his name and "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" printed in an unrelated yellow font over it (image needed for gallery). The word "Cassingle" is printed in a red stripe at the top and an EMI logo and the catalogue number are printed in black inside a grey stripe at the bottom. The spine and back are white with black text. The spine only shows the catalogue number, Morrissey's name and the title in a plain font, plus a Dolby logo. The back gives the track listing (same for both sides) plus a bit more text. The insert has one extra panel on which is repeated the track listing for both sides, plus some credits. Information on the cassette itself is needed.

 

Austria CD3 [EMI/Electrola CDP 552-20 3615 3]
This is not the rarest item on this page, but it certainly is the most collectible and loved. It is one of only two Morrissey singles released on this short-lived format originally developed for the singles market but soon abandoned. The front shows the usual 12" variation of the artwork with the additional words '3"-Maxi-CD' in the top right (view left). The back shows the track listing including songwriting credits, above production credits, a barcode and various label credits and logos, all in the same shade of burnt yellow as on the front (view left). The disc is silver with black text. Morrissey's name and a EMI Electrola logo are found at the top, the track listing at the bottom, EMI copyright info and label code on the left, EMI/His Master's Voice logo, publishing rights and catalogue number on the right, and EMI legal warning around the edge. Because of its small format, this item was sold inside a clear soft plastic case with a hole at the top for it to be hanged (view left). The case has red text on it: a EMI logo in the top left corner, "3 Inch CD Maxi" in the top right corner, and four "CD Maxi" triangles on each side. Copies still found in this case have become much rarer and collectible than the ones without.

 

Canada 12" [Sire/Reprise 92 14240]
The Canadian 12" shows the usual 12" artwork on the front. The back of the sleeve is modelled on the back of the regular UK 12", but the His Master's Voice logo in the top left corner and the EMI credit in the bottom right corner were dropped while Sire and Reprise logos as well as Sire and WEA Canada credits were added at the bottom. Copies that are still sealed have a white rectangle sticker on the front stating "Specially-Priced Maxi-Single", advertising the musical content. The record is slipped inside a clear anti-static inner sleeve. The labels are the usual yellow Sire ones, with blue Sire logo at the top, black Reprise logo and catalogue number on the left, contents and credits at the bottom, the RPM on the right, and Sire/WEA Canada credits around the bottom edge.

Canada CMS [Sire/Reprise 92 14244]
The first of only two Canadian cassette-singles ever released by Morrissey is particularly appealing to some collectors because of its unique artwork showing an unsaturated variation of the usual artwork, less silver and more black and white (view left). The cropping of the image and the text layout on the front is the same as that of the USA cassette-single. The spine is silver with black text including Sire and Reprise logos at the top, catalogue number as well as CMS and Dolby logos at the bottom. The back is silver with barcode, yellow track listing and production credits, and black WEA Canada credit. The reverse of the insert features the single's full credits, track listing, Sire and Reprise logos and Dolby information, all in black over white. The cassette is made of black plastic and text is printed onto it in grey. The track listing appears at the top and Sire and Reprise logos on the left.

 

EEC 7" [EMI/Electrola 006 20 3615 7]
A 7" edition was made in the EEC for the German, Dutch and French markets, and also perhaps those of Scandinavia and other smaller countries of central Europe. The sleeve is made of thin paper and opens from the top. The front shows the expected 7" variation of the artwork (view left). The back is not very different to the back of the UK 7". The catalogue number in the top right corner was replaced with the Euro one as well as the catalogue numbers for the 12" and cd-single, a French price code and a label code. The sleeve manufacturing credit in the bottom right corner was replaced with a EMI Electrola logo. The record has a large hole at its centre. Instead of replicating the pink labels of the UK, Electrola stuck to the blue ones with black text used on earlier Morrissey singles. A His Master's Voice logo is found at the top, "45 RPM" on the right, and a GEMA box with Stemra underneath on the left, above the European catalogue number. The titles and songwriting credits are in the bottom half. Legal credits in English and German ending with "Made In EEC" are printed along the outer edge.

EEC 12" [EMI/Electrola 060 20 3615 6]
The front of the EEC 12" shows the usual 12" artwork (view left). The back of the sleeve looks very much like its UK counterpart. The only differences are the following: the UK catalogue number was removed from above the His Master's Voice logo in the top left corner; the Euro catalogue number as well as those for the 7" and cd-single and a label code were added beneath the barcode in the top right corner; the sleeve manufacturing credit in the bottom right corner was replaced with a EMI Electrola logo. The record is slipped inside a white paper inner sleeve. Although the UK labels are pink with black text, the labels here are blue with black text just like those of the earlier Morrissey 12" singles in continental Europe. A His Master's Voice logo is found at the top, "45 RPM" on the right, and a GEMA box with Stemra underneath on the left, above the European catalogue number. The titles and writing credits are in the bottom half. Legal credits in English and German ending with "Made In EEC" are printed along the outer edge.

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promotional flat
This 12" x 12" promotional flat shows the usual 12" artwork on its glossy front and the usual EEC 12" artwork on its non-glossy back.

 

Germany various artists promo video
A various artists promo video compilation distributed by Electrola under the title "Stop Look Listen" features the promotional film for "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" as well as videos by other artists such as Climie Fisher, Bliss, Great White, etc. The compilation is dated December 1989-Jan 9. Information on the packaging is needed.

 

Italy 7" [EMI Italiana 06 2036157]
The Italian 7" comes in a paper sleeve with a rough texture and opens from the side. It features the usual 7" artwork on the front. The back of the sleeve differs only slightly from its UK counterpart. The catalogue number in the top right corner was changed for the Italian one, the manufacturing credit in the bottom right corner was changed for an EMI Italiana credit and a small boxed 'M' was added in the bottom left corner. The record has a large hole at its centre. The labels are blue with black text just like those of the EEC 7" instead of being pink like the UK labels. The differences with the EEC labels are very minor ones: the GEMA/Stemra box was replaced with their Italian counterpart SIAE, the catalogue number was changed, an EMI Italiana credit is found around the outer edge, etc. The layout of the rest of the credits was slightly changed.

Italy 12" [EMI Italiana 14 2036156]
The sleeve of the Italian 12" is made of particularly thin card and opens at the top. It shows the usual 12" variation of the artwork on the front. The back shows only very subtle differences with the back of the UK 12". The catalogue number in the top left corner was changed for the Italian one, a ES logo was added beneath the barcode in the top right corner, the sleeve manufacturing credit in the bottom right corner was changed for a EMI Italiana credit and a very small printing credit was added in the bottom left corner. Because of the sleeve in which this record was distributed, there is no inner sleeve, although many collectors have since added one for safer storage. The labels are blue with black text just like those of the EEC 12" instead of being pink like the UK labels. The differences with the EEC labels are very minor ones: the GEMA/Stemra box was replaced with their Italian counterpart SIAE, the catalogue number was changed, an EMI Italiana credit is found around the outer edge, etc. The layout of the rest of the credits was slightly changed.

 

Japan CD5 [Toshiba EMI TOCP-6145]
The Japanese cd-single comes in a standard jewel case with transparent tray and no back insert, so the disc is visible from the back. The front artwork is basically the same as that of the UK cd-single, but it is slightly cropped to the left and right because this item comes in a standard jewel case while its UK counterpart comes in a slimline jewel case (which needs a wider insert). The catalogue number is found in a small black font in the bottom left corner, behind the obi. The front and spine of the obi are silver with a mix of black, purple and yellow text mostly in Japanese. Its reverse is silver and filled with black text, including a track listing in Japanese at the top, a purple Union Jack and a barcode. The booklet has 8 pages: one featuring the track listing, three featuring what appears to be a biography, and four pages of lyrics in English and Japanese. The reverse of the booklet was modelled on the reverse of the UK cd insert, showing the black foliage motif with track listing and credits on its left, but the His Master's Voice logo and EMI credit in the bottom left were replaced with a EMI logo and Japanese credit, and the catalogue number in the top right corner and the compact disc logo in the bottom right corner were removed. The disc was also modelled on its UK counterpart, something rarely observed in Japan before this release. It is also burnt yellow with black text, but the catalogue numbers at the top were replaced with the Japanese one and the legal warning at the bottom was adapted for Toshiba-EMI, adding a JASRAC logo and replacing the His Master's Voice logo with a EMI one.

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Japan CD5 promo [Toshiba EMI TOCP-6145]
Promo cds are stock ones with a white and red promo sticker on the front insert. The disc's inner ring is marked with the words "SAMPLE NOT FOR SALE".

Japan various artists promo CD [Toshiba EMI SPCD-1120]
The release of this single in Japan was also promoted with the inclusion of the title track on a various artists promo 18-track compilation titled "?? ?? UK". The front artwork shows a Union Jack and the covers of 10 albums or singles being promoted via this release, including the artwork to Morrissey's "November Spawned A Monster" single (because the title track to the latter single is also featured). "Special DJ Copy" is printed beneath the title, "Toshiba EMI" at the bottom and the catalogue number in the top right corner. Information on the rest of the packaging is needed. Other artists featured include Marc Almond, Sinead O'Connor, Tears For Fears, etc.

 

USA CD5 [Sire/Reprise 9 21424-2]
This was the first Morrissey single to be released on cd format in the USA. The front artwork is basically the same as the usual 12" artwork, but the catalogue number is printed in black in the bottom right corner (view left). The insert is a simple paper square with nothing on the reverse. Unlike other formats and editions from other countries, the back here is filled with content: the track listing, full credits, barcode, Sire and Reprise logos, legal warning, etc (view left). The disc is silver with black text: Morrissey's name at the top, Sire/Reprise/Warner credits on the left, track listing on the right, production credits, label logos and catalogue number at the bottom. Copies that are still sealed have a white rectangular sticker on the front stating "Compact Disc Maxi-Single" and advertising the musical content.

USA 12" [Sire/Reprise 9 21424-0]
The American 12" shows the same artwork on the front as all other editions of the same format. The back does not differ much from its UK counterpart: the His Master's Voice logo in the top left corner and the EMI credits in the bottom right corner were removed and Sire and Reprise logos and credits were added at the bottom. Copies that are still sealed have a white rectangular sticker on the front stating "Specially-Priced Maxi-Single" and advertising the musical content. The record is slipped inside a clear anti-static inner sleeve. The labels are the usual yellow Sire ones, with blue Sire logo at the top, black Reprise logo and catalogue number on the left, RPM on the right and contents and credits at the bottom.

USA CMS [Sire/Reprise 9 21424-4]
Instead of the following the UK for the cassette-single artwork, Sire/Reprise used a cropped version of the 12" artwork (view left). The spine is silver with black text including Sire and Reprise logos at the top, catalogue number as well as CMS and Dolby logos at the bottom. The back is silver with barcode, yellow track listing and production credits, and black Sire credit. The reverse of the insert features the single's full credits, track listing, Sire and Reprise logos and Dolby information, all in black over white. The cassette itself is made of white plastic with black text printed onto it. The track listing is at the top and Sire and Reprise logos are on the left. It is expected that, just like the 12" and cd formats, the seal may have had a white rectangular sticker on the front advertising the contents and the fact that this is a "Specially Priced" item (confirmation needed).

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USA 12" promo [Sire/Reprise 9 21424-0]
This single was mainly promoted via stock copies of the 12" format stamped with a promo warning in gold ink on the front of the sleeve. The white rectangular sticker advertising the single's contents which is usually found on the seal of the stock 12" was affixed directly onto the sleeve of the promo because promos were never sealed.

USA video promo [Warner Bros]
The video for "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" was included on a Warner Bros promo video compilation, alongside material by Depeche Mode, the B-52s, the Jesus And Mary Chain, John Wesley Harding, Erasure, Tommy Page, Nasa, kd Lang, the DamnYankees, Randy Crawford, Def Con 4, etc. Information on the catalogue number, date and packaging is needed.

USA video promo [Telegenics 85a]
The video for "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" was included on the 85A issue of promo video series Telegenics, alongside videos by other artists. Information on the packaging is needed.