"Our Frank"
collectors appendix

 

UK 7" [HMV POP1625]
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.", catalogue number and production credits on the right, and title at the bottom.
POP 1625 POP 1265 A-1-1-1 / POP 1625 POP 1265 B-1-1-4

UK 12" [HMV 12POP1625]
The front artwork of the 12" format is very slightly different to that of the 7", mainly in the position of the text and the angle of the image (see left). The back is very similar but many tiny changes were made to some of the elements found there (such as the catalogue number) and to their respective size (see left). The back of the 12" sleeve mentions extra track "Tony The Pony" but features only the lyrics to "Our Frank" (the back of the 7" sleeve also shows the lyrics to b-side "Journalists Who Lie"). The His Master's Voice logo in the bottom right corner appears in black instead of grey/tan. The record is slipped inside a black poly-lined paper inner sleeve. It has pink vintage His Master's Voice labels with black text: His Masters Voice logo at the top; publishing info, catalogue number and label copyright on the left; "45 R.P.M.", catalogue number and production credits on the right; titles and songwriting credits at the bottom.
12POP 1625 A-1-1-2 / 12POP 1625 B-1-1-2

UK CD5 [HMV CDPOP1625]
The cd-single comes in a thin jewel case. The front artwork shows a different cropping of the usual Morrissey image than on the front of the vinyl formats (view left). The spine is white with Morrissey's name and "Our Frank" on the left and the catalogue number on the right, all in black. The back flap is also white, it features the UK and Euro catalogue numbers in black, the barcode in a box, Morrissey's name in the same font and colour as on the front, and a black His Master's Voice logo. The insert's reverse was very loosely adapted from the 7" and 12" back artwork (view left). It is white with black text except for the song titles which are in a bigger grey/tan font. Track listing including songwriting and publishing credits are at the top, followed by the lyrics to the title track, musical and packaging credits, a His Master's Voice logo and a line of EMI copyright. The disc is black with pale grey text and made to look like the labels of the vinyl formats: a His Masters Voice logo at the top; publishing info, label credits and catalogue number on the left; "CD" graphics in the style of the vinyl's "45 RPM", production credits and label code on the right; titles and songwriting credits at the bottom; legal warning around the edge.

UK CSS [HMV TCPOP1625]
The cassette-single is a traditional one in plastic case with J-card insert. The front shows the usual image of Morrissey at the top, with the leftover space at the bottom all white except for Morrissey's name in grey (view left). The spine is white and shows Morrissey's name and "Our Frank" in the same grey font as on the front, with the catalogue number at the top and a His Master's Voice logo at the bottom, both in black. The back flap is also white and rather minimal. The only content there is a barcode in a box with the Euro catalogue number on its left, both in black. The insert has two extra panels, both white with mostly black text except for the two song titles which appear in a bigger grey font. The first panel gives the track listing including songwriting and publishing credits, above musical and packaging credits and two lines of EMI credits. The catalogue number is found in the top right corner. The second panel features the lyrics to both "Our Frank" and b-side "Journalists Who Lie". 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 POP1625]
This item is just like the stock 7" described above but at the centre is a large hole for jukebox play. The record is sometimes found in a stock picture sleeve and sometimes in a generic record bag.
POP 1625 POP 1265 A-1-1-1 / POP 1625 POP 1265 B-1-1-1

UK 7" promo [HMV POPDJ1625]
Just like "Piccadilly Palare" and the three upcoming Morrissey singles, "Our Frank" was mainly promoted with the help of a promo 7" with retro "A" labels inside a mock 1960s His Master's Voice sleeve. The sleeve and a-side label for this single are displayed in the image gallery (view left). The b-side label is similar to the a-side one, black with yellow text featuring old-fashioned notes such as "non-breakable", "demonstration record", "recording first published 1991" as well as the release date beneath the hole, but it does not have the tall red "A" across it. Some copies come with two promo stickers on the sleeve: the first one a Capitol Parlophone sticker with contact information for plugger Helena Pennant Jones and the other one announcing the upcoming release of the "Kill Uncle" album.
POP 1625 POP 1265 A-1-1-1 / POP 1625 POP 1265 B-1-1-1

UK CD5 promo [HMV CDPOP1625]
The release of "Our Frank" was also promoted, albeit in a more limited way, with the help of stock copies of the cd-single with two promo stickers on the back of the case. One sticker is white with the promo warning "Manufacturers Property Not For Sale" in red. The other sticker is a large white one with six lines of release information printed onto it in black. The sticker announces the release date as "11.2", states that this is the first Morrissey single with songwriting partner Mark Nevin and announces the upcoming release of the "Kill Uncle" album.

UK promo video [In Phase]
The release of "Our Frank" was also promoted with the help of this one-track promo video sent to the relevent media. The videocassette has generic white In Phase labels on top and spine, with green and grey In Phase logo and Morrissey's name and "Our Frank" printed in black. The cassette comes in a generic card slipcase.

UK promo video [Capitol]
This alternate one-track promo video is time-coded and presumably served more limited promotional purposes. It has a red Capitol sticker on its front spine with Morrissey's name and "Our Frank" in handwriting, between contact information for Parlophone/Capitol plugger Samantha Wright and a Capitol/Parlophone logo. There is no top label. The cassette comes in a generic white card slipcase.

UK various artists sampler cd [Capitol/Parlophone/EMI; CDISM 1]
The release of this single was also promoted with the inclusion of "Our Frank" on a 16-track Capitol/Parlophone sampler subtitled "The Incredible Sound Machine", featuring material by other EMI artists such as EMF, Queen, Poison, Blur, Talk Talk, Heart, the Pet Shop Boys, etc. The disc, which has a vermilion red surface, is slipped inside a clear PVC bag and packaged into a 6" x 6" white glossy card box with small red sticker that says "Sales Meeting Edition". A white tri-fold insert contains track details and informations about new releases from the featured artists.

UK promo poster
This subway size poster is presumed to be official and from the UK, although it may be neither. The existence of a promo poster featuring label identification (usually in the form of a logo; attesting to legitimacy) has never been reported. The slightly different subway-size poster inside a slim white border, without Morrissey's name at the top and with "Our Frank" taking the whole width at the bottom is a definite fan-made creation.

UK advert 40cm x 28cm [16" x 11"]
View here.

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UK 7" test pressing [HMV POP1625]
Information needed.

UK 12" test pressing [HMV 12POP1625]
Information needed.

 

Australia 7" [EMI Australia 2546-7]
This item has never been seen inside a picture sleeve. It is usually found in a generic red EMI paper die-cut record bag showing at the top logos of various EMI subsidiaries such as Parlophone, Capitol or His Master's Voice. It has also been spotted in various other generic sleeves, but this is assumed to have been the result of a mix-up. The labels are beige with black text, with a red EMI logo at the bottom and red legal credits around the top edge.

Australia CSS [EMI Australia 2546-4]
The Australian cassette comes in a card slipcase. Its front artwork was based on that of the UK cassette, but Morrissey's name appears in black instead of grey, and in the middle of the bottom white section instead of its top (view left). The contents on the back reflect the usual back artwork contents, but the song titles appear in a bold black font instead of the bigger grey font like everywhere else. Below the track listing, which includes songwriting and publishing credits, are found various credits (personnel , artwork, production and EMI Australasia). The spines are also white with black text. Morrissey's name and "Our Frank" are found on each side, in one case between the catalogue number and a His Master's Voice logo, in the other between an EMI logo and the catalogue number. The cassette is made of completely transparent plastic, its reels are blue and text is printed in blue directly onto it. The track listing is at the top on each side, a sideways EMI logo on the left, the catalogue number on the right and Dolby plus XDR logos at the bottom.

 

EEC 7" [EMI 006 20 4155-7]
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 glossy paper and opens from the side. The front shows the expected 7" variation of the artwork (view left). The back looks like the back of the UK 7". The catalogue numbers around the barcode were replaced with the EEC catalogue number and a French price code. The song titles are printed in grey instead of tan/grey. The His Master's Voice logo in the bottom right corner is black instead of grey and has an extra red EMI logo to its left. The England printing and manufacturing credit was deleted from the end of the EMI copyright line at the bottom. The record has a large hole at its centre. Instead of replicating the pink labels of the UK 7", EMI went for pale grey labels with black text. The content remained relatively the same. A His Master's Voice logo is found at the top, "45 RPM" and production credits on the right, and a BIEM/GEMA box on the left, below a label code and above the European catalogue number and copyright info. The titles and songwriting credits are in the bottom half. Legal credits in English and in German, ending with "Made In EEC", are printed along the outer edge.

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EEC 7" test pressing [EMI 006 20 4155 7]
The EEC 7" was pressed in Germany. The record has generic white labels with black printed text: "Unverkauflich Musterplatte" on the left, the side identification on the right and legal credits around the bottom edge. The labels of EEC 7" test pressings of Morrissey singles usually have the catalogue number stamped in blue on them, and sometimes also a release date, but this is not the case with this title. This is found in a stock EEC 7" sleeve although the existence of copies in a generic record bag is not impossible.

 

France 7" promo [EMI 20 4155-7]
The release of "Our Frank" was promoted in France with the help of stock copies of the EEC 7" (the standard pressing sold in France) stamped in the corner of the sleeve with a French promo warning. The stamp is embossed and hexagon-shaped, with the promo warning "Vente Interdite Echantillon Gratuit". Stock copies with a small blue and white promo sticker on the front have also been reported. The promo warning in this case is "Ne Peut Etre Vendu / Echantillon Gratuit".

 

Holland CD5 [EMI 20 4155-2]
The Holland cd-single, which was sold in most of continental Europe, has become particularly appealing to collectors because of the fact that Morrissey's name appears on the front in black instead of white, making it almost invisible over the dark background (view left). The cd is packaged in a slimline jewel case just like the UK cd-single and, except for the above discrepancy, differs from it only by minor details. The spine is identical. The catalogue numbers next to the barcode on the back were replaced with the Euro catalogue numbers and a French price code. Morrissey's name next to these appears in black instead of grey, and in this case this makes it stand out more from the background than the same action did on the front. None of the text was touched on the reverse of the insert, but the song titles were printed in black instead of grey. At first glance the disc looks just like the UK one, but the text appears on it in a more contrasting white instead of grey, and "Made in UK" at the bottom of it was replaced with "Made in Holland".

 

Japan CD5 [Toshiba EMI TOCP-6641]
The Japanese cd comes in a standard jewel case with white tray and features its own unique variation of the usual artwork on the front (view left). The obi is mostly white with a mix of black and purple text. The 4-page booklet opens on a page giving the track listing in English and Japanese, including songwriting, publishing and production credits. The following three pages are used for the lyrics of the single's three songs, one song per page, in English and Japanese side-by-side. The inner side of the back page shows an illustrated black and white discography of the seven other Morrissey albums and singles released in Japan up to and including "Kill Uncle". The back of the booklet is adapted from the usual back artwork. It features the track listing at the top, including songwriting and publishing credits. The lyrics to "Our Frank" are reproduced in the middle and various credits beneath, above a EMI logo and Japanese credit. All the text on this page is black except for the song titles which are printed in a bigger grey font. The back tray inlay looks almost the same as the back of the booklet except at the bottom where more Japanese credits are found, and where the EMI credit was moved to the left. The spines are also white with black text. They both state the catalogue number, Morrissey's name and the title track, but the left spine does it in Japanese and the right one in English. The disc looks like a more subdued version of the UK disc, mostly because The His Master's Voice logo and "CD" at the top were replaced with a small EMI logo. The rest of the text appears at first glance to be the same as on the UK cd, but on close inspection expected changes are found in the catalogue number, publishing company and in the legal warning around the top edge.

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Japan CD5 promo [Toshiba EMI TOCP-6641]
Promo copies are stock ones with a white and red promo sticker on the back tray insert and the words "Sample Not For Sale" stamped in black around the disc's inner ring.

Japan various artists promo cd []
The release of this single was also promoted in Japan with the inclusion of "Our Frank" on a various artists DJ advance/promo compilation. Information needed.

 

USA CD5 [Sire/Reprise 9 40043-2]
This is the only item on this page to feature completely unique artwork (view front and back from gallery on the left). Even the two other American formats (12" and cassingle described next) feature on the front the same Morrissey image as everywhere else. The packaging is a digipak with white plastic tray. The spine is blue with black text like the back. It shows Morrissey's name and "Our Frank" between the catalogue number and "Sire/Reprise". The reverse of the front panel is all white with a small reproduction of the front image (without text) in the middle on the left side. The disc is silver with black text: Morrissey's name at the top, Sire/Reprise/Time Warner credits on the left, track listing including publishing credits as well as mention of "Kill Uncle" on the right, label logos and catalogue number at the bottom. Copies that are still sealed are expected to have a white rectangular sticker on the front stating "Compact Disc Maxi-Single" and advertising the musical content (confirmation needed).

USA 12" [Sire/Reprise 9 40043-0]
The American 12" features its own slightly different variation on the front artwork (view left). The back was modelled on the back of the UK 12" and not altered too much. The barcode was adapted and does not feature any catalogue number around it. The His Master's Voice logo in the bottom right corner was removed, the EMI credit in the bottom left corner was replaced with Sire and Reprise logos and credit, and a line mentioning the availability of "Our Frank" on the "Kill Uncle" album was added between it and the lyrics. Copies that are still sealed have a white rectangular sticker on the front stating "Specially-Priced Maxi-Single", advertising the musical content and the availability of the single on two other formats. 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, and RPM on the right.

USA CMS [Sire/Reprise 9 40043-4]
The artwork of American cassingles often differ from that of their UK counterparts, but this is not the case for "Our Frank" (see front artwork in gallery). The spine and back are white with mostly black text. Morrissey's name and "Our Frank" appear on the spine in the same grey font as on the spine of the UK cassette, but they are smaller to make space for the American catalogue number to the left and Sire, Reprise and CMS logos to the right. The back shows the barcode at the centre, with the track listing at the top and Sire address at the bottom, above a line advertising the availability of this single on compact disc. The insert has only one extra panel, it parallels the first of the two panels on the insert of the UK cassette, but with three titles listed, additional Sire/Reprise credits, mention of availability of "Our Frank" on "Kill Uncle" and Dolby technology information. The lyrics usually found on the UK's second panel are reproduced here in black over white on the reverse of the insert. Only lyrics to "Our Frank" and "Journalists Who Lie" are found there (no "Tony The Pony"), alongside Sire and Reprise logos and the catalogue number. The cassette is made of white plastic with black text printed directly onto it: Morrissey's name and that side's track listing (including song lengths) at the top, Sire and Reprise logos and catalogue number on the left, side number plus CMS and Dolby logos on the right and, on side 2 only, Sire/Reprise credits at the bottom. Copies that are still sealed have a white rectangular sticker on the front stating "Specially Priced Cassette Maxi-Single", advertising the musical content and the availability of the single on compact disc format.

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USA 12" promo [Sire/Reprise 9 40043-0]
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 various artists promo cd [??]
The release of "Our Frank" was also promoted in the USA with the inclusion of its title track on "Schwartz Brothers Inc Compact Disc Sampler 8", alongside material by 17 other artists such as Fishbone, Marc Cohn, Candy Duffer, Hoodoo Gurus, Simple Minds, the Doobie Brothers, etc. The front artwork has an Egyptian theme, showing hyeroglyphs and two figures holding up a big number '8'. Information on the label/catalogue number and on the rest of the packaging would be appreciated.

USA cd promo [Reprise PRO-CD-4732]
This item was actually pressed as a promo for the "Kill Uncle" album. See "Kill Uncle" collectors appendix for information.

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USA 12" test pressing [Specialty 0-40043]
The American "Our Frank" 12" test pressing has white Specialty Records Corporation labels featuring the company's logo at the top and printed lines below to be filled in with release information. In this particular case the handwritten information is the date ("2-21-91"), label ("Warner Bros"), artist ("Morrissey"), matrix number (A-SR1) and catalogue number ("0-40043"). The title line was not filled in. The record comes in a white paper die-cut record bag (the type ofteen seen used as an inner sleeve). The inclusion of some sort of sheet with release information (track listing, credits) would be expected, but copies reported so far don't include such an item.