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Why didn’t the American OH FATHER 7” vinyl single come with a picture sleeve?


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1 hour ago, Aiwa08 said:

My biggest problem with "Dear Jessie" is that I feel like it was something made by Warner, and hurt the "Like A Prayer" era in Europe. I always thought that Madonna had nothing to do with this release. "Oh, Father" would had worked better in Europe. But that is my opinion.

Chances are that was probably the trade off from the label for getting Oh Father released as a single.

WB: "We'll give you Oh Father in the US and France if we get to do Dear Jessie in the rest of Europe for X-Mas"

M: "Ok but I can't make another video, I'm busy prepping the tour, and besides, I don't want to do some cutesy children's video."

WB: "That's fine. We've got an alternative (animated video). Can you approve the single art?"

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1 hour ago, Aiwa08 said:

My biggest problem with "Dear Jessie" is that I feel like it was something made by Warner, and hurt the "Like A Prayer" era in Europe. I always thought that Madonna had nothing to do with this release. "Oh, Father" would had worked better in Europe. But that is my opinion.

The "Dear Jessie" release seems very odd and off key with the rest of the album campaign even now. I know it was a Top 5 hit in the UK but the video is terrible and the artwork (while cute), a choice. It truly seems a cash in move from Warner UK for Christmas 1989 more than anything (it worked, though).

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9 hours ago, Let'sGetUnconsciousHoney said:

I have the French 7" picture sleeve. I like it so much more than the artwork for the cassette single, but unfortunately it's the same picture as Keep it together

Yes that's because Oh Father was released in France at the same time Keep It Together was released in the USA so they used a more up to date image from the 16 December 1989 Herb Ritts shoot in San Pedro etc 

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1 hour ago, MPowered said:

I think WB wanted Spanish Eyes (which was added as b-side to Oh Father) or Keep It Together instead. Those are the most logical options...maybe Till Death Do Us Part but I doubt WB were pushing for that.

I think Spanish Eyes came out as a promo 7" in Spain around the time of Express Yourself - they did the same with La Isla Bonita circa July 1986 with a Papa Don't Preach video image on the cover 

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2 hours ago, Tyrone25 said:

I think Spanish Eyes came out as a promo 7" in Spain around the time of Express Yourself - they did the same with La Isla Bonita circa July 1986 with a Papa Don't Preach video image on the cover 

No, no. "Spanish Eyes" was released as promotional single in 1990 almost at the same time of "Keep It Together". "Express Yourself" was a huge hit in Spain in the summer of 1989 so Wea Spain didn't need another single. Even Cherish sold well in Spain.  I think that it was the "flop" of "Dear Jessie" the reason why Wea released "Spanish Eyes" weeks later (many radio stations played the song from the album before to be an official spanish single).

---

PS: A little story with "Like a Prayer" album: In my town, in 1989, for many people a "CD" was something strange, rare. So a record store gave some CDs to the local radio stations to promote the new format.  "Like A Prayer" was one of this "promotional" CDs. So usually the radio stations of my town played different songs from those CDs consecutively (three or four different tracks after the lunch time) while they promoted the quality of the CDs discs available to buy on that record store. I hated that because they played the album versions instead the single versions (and after "The Immaculate Collection" they never aired the original 7'' vinyls again).

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Here in Australia we got all 6 singles with Keep It Together being released on 12" as part of the Vogue /Keep It Together double A side

In early 1990 we also got a world exclusive Picture CD for the LAP album, this was printed in Germany for the Australian market, commissioned by Warner Music Australia - one small print run to inspire the album sales after Oh Father and Dear Jessie didn't chart so well - the picture CD was based on the Dear Jessie UK picture CD and is worth $600-900 these days 

s-l1600.jpg

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2 hours ago, Aiwa08 said:

No, no. "Spanish Eyes" was released as promotional single in 1990 almost at the same time of "Keep It Together". "Express Yourself" was a huge hit in Spain in the summer of 1989 so Wea Spain didn't need another single. Even Cherish sold well in Spain.  I think that it was the "flop" of "Dear Jessie" the reason why Wea released "Spanish Eyes" weeks later (many radio stations played the song from the album before to be an official spanish single).

---

PS: A little story with "Like a Prayer" album: In my town, in 1989, for many people a "CD" was something strange, rare. So a record store gave some CDs to the local radio stations to promote the new format.  "Like A Prayer" was one of this "promotional" CDs. So usually the radio stations of my town played different songs from those CDs consecutively (three or four different tracks after the lunch time) while they promoted the quality of the CDs discs available to buy on that record store. I hated that because they played the album versions instead the single versions (and after "The Immaculate Collection" they never aired the original 7'' vinyls again).

Thanks! That's good information, I've heard a few stories but yours makes sense 

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The 45 did come in a picture sleeve in my market. I was 13 at the time, and my budget made me have to choose between the 45 and cassette single, which I chose the latter, which I still have. 
Since it wasn’t a “hit”, it disappeared quickly from the shelves, but I clearly remember it being available with a picture cover, because I was also confused that the b side was “Pray For Spanish Eyes” instead of the LP listing of “Spanish Eyes”.  I remember pulling the 45 out of the sleeve to double check on the label. 

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24 minutes ago, RebelHeartbreak said:

The 45 did come in a picture sleeve in my market. I was 13 at the time, and my budget made me have to choose between the 45 and cassette single, which I chose the latter, which I still have. 
Since it wasn’t a “hit”, it disappeared quickly from the shelves, but I clearly remember it being available with a picture cover, because I was also confused that the b side was “Pray For Spanish Eyes” instead of the LP listing of “Spanish Eyes”.  I remember pulling the 45 out of the sleeve to double check on the label. 

The only edition that had a picture sleeve anywhere in the world as a 7" was the 1990 7" single from France 

You can view all the worldwide releases here: https://www.discogs.com/Madonna-Oh-Father/master/34769

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17 hours ago, Tyrone25 said:

The only edition that had a picture sleeve anywhere in the world as a 7" was the 1990 7" single from France 

You can view all the worldwide releases here: https://www.discogs.com/Madonna-Oh-Father/master/34769

Okay.  I used to go to a couple of local record stores in Dallas that sold imports, so maybe that’s how I saw it. One store called “Bill’s records and tapes” is where I got the Dear Jessie cassette single when it was released, which was confusing to me because I had no idea it was released in the UK instead of Oh Father. Lol. 
 

edit: the Oh father single was released on 10/24/1989 in the US, and I remember the world premiere of the video on MTV around that time as well, I’m not saying you’re not right, but my memory is is long and accurate, and the Keep it Together single was released in January of 1990 in the US, and shortly thereafter, in late February/early March 1990, MTV began teasing the Vogue video between commercials. So a 1990 release date in France of Oh Father was way behind what was happening in the US market, which I did in fact see a 45 sleeve of Oh Father when it was relaeased. I’m 45yo now, so I’m of course recalling old memories, but WEA (Warner-Elektra-Atlantic) did amazing and incredible promotional work back then, up until the early 2000’s when most markets closed their offices. Dallas has a WEA office that I actually got quite a bit of free promotional stuff from (and eventually befriending ) the Warner/Sire rep that always gave me info about the next singles, or that they had no info, etc. I sometimes got sent what was leftover from the promo stuff for DJ’s, including the red double vinyl Fever single, and the DJ only pink vinyl pressing of Bedtime Stories for free because it wasn’t for sale. I only say this because I know there are still things that pop up that the general market didn’t get at Musicland, Sam Goody, Tower Records, etc. 

like I said I mostly went to record stores that were local, so there’s definitely some room for discrepancies in my timeline, but I’ve also found that Discogs isn’t the end all, be all of “official releases”. 

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22 hours ago, RebelHeartbreak said:

... So a 1990 release date in France of Oh Father was way behind what was happening in the US market, which I did in fact see a 45 sleeve of Oh Father when it was relaeased. I’m 45yo now, so I’m of course recalling old memories, but WEA (Warner-Elektra-Atlantic) did amazing and incredible promotional work back then, up until the early 2000’s when most markets closed their offices. Dallas has a WEA office that I actually got quite a bit of free promotional stuff from (and eventually befriending ) the Warner/Sire rep that always gave me info about the next singles, or that they had no info, etc. I sometimes got sent what was leftover from the promo stuff for DJ’s, including the red double vinyl Fever single, and the DJ only pink vinyl pressing of Bedtime Stories for free because it wasn’t for sale. I only say this because I know there are still things that pop up that the general market didn’t get at Musicland, Sam Goody, Tower Records, etc. 

like I said I mostly went to record stores that were local, so there’s definitely some room for discrepancies in my timeline, but I’ve also found that Discogs isn’t the end all, be all of “official releases”. 

I mean it's technically possible there was a US picture sleeve but I don't know anyone else that's seen one. It's not that it's not on Discogs, it's not listed on madonnarecords.com or madonnadiscography.pl either. I watch for Madonna items on eBay and I've never seen it listed either for sale or in the sold listings. 

If it does exist it would be worth a fortune so if someone has it they'd either be selling it or at least showing it off on a Madonna forum.

I for one would suck a hundred dicks just to see it, but then I like sucking dick so that may be irrelevant.

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8 hours ago, Quack said:

I mean it's technically possible there was a US picture sleeve but I don't know anyone else that's seen one. It's not that it's not on Discogs, it's not listed on madonnarecords.com or madonnadiscography.pl either. I watch for Madonna items on eBay and I've never seen it listed either for sale or in the sold listings. 

If it does exist it would be worth a fortune so if someone has it they'd either be selling it or at least showing it off on a Madonna forum.

I for one would suck a hundred dicks just to see it, but then I like sucking dick so that may be irrelevant.

Like I said, I’m looking back to my 13/14yo self. I was lucky to have a good selection of local record shops and a also be a hub for WB promotions, which I NO clue would be usueful information in 2021! Lol. 
I’m not saying I’m right, I’m not saying anyone is wrong, I’m just sharing my memories and experiences. I could be wrong, but I was like a Madonna Savant back then… and kinda still an. Lol. 
She had a lot of output back then, and WB was always on top of promotions and servicing her new works to radio and club DJ’s. My former partner had SO many promo maxi’s on vinyl and CD because he was the DJ at Viilage Station (the only gay dance club in Dallas, and Arcadia, also in dallas, and a converted music hall/dance club.) 

maybe I should just let it go. I just know what I saw and remembered having to make a choice between vinyl and cassette! ??‍♂️

 

 

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On 7/29/2021 at 12:53 AM, RebelHeartbreak said:

Okay.  I used to go to a couple of local record stores in Dallas that sold imports, so maybe that’s how I saw it. One store called “Bill’s records and tapes” is where I got the Dear Jessie cassette single when it was released, which was confusing to me because I had no idea it was released in the UK instead of Oh Father. Lol. 
 

edit: the Oh father single was released on 10/24/1989 in the US, and I remember the world premiere of the video on MTV around that time as well, I’m not saying you’re not right, but my memory is is long and accurate, and the Keep it Together single was released in January of 1990 in the US, and shortly thereafter, in late February/early March 1990, MTV began teasing the Vogue video between commercials. So a 1990 release date in France of Oh Father was way behind what was happening in the US market, which I did in fact see a 45 sleeve of Oh Father when it was relaeased. I’m 45yo now, so I’m of course recalling old memories, but WEA (Warner-Elektra-Atlantic) did amazing and incredible promotional work back then, up until the early 2000’s when most markets closed their offices. Dallas has a WEA office that I actually got quite a bit of free promotional stuff from (and eventually befriending ) the Warner/Sire rep that always gave me info about the next singles, or that they had no info, etc. I sometimes got sent what was leftover from the promo stuff for DJ’s, including the red double vinyl Fever single, and the DJ only pink vinyl pressing of Bedtime Stories for free because it wasn’t for sale. I only say this because I know there are still things that pop up that the general market didn’t get at Musicland, Sam Goody, Tower Records, etc. 

like I said I mostly went to record stores that were local, so there’s definitely some room for discrepancies in my timeline, but I’ve also found that Discogs isn’t the end all, be all of “official releases”. 

There was definitely no USA picture sleeve for Oh Father for the 7"  hence you'll never find a picture of one or a collector with one.

People have even created their own in recent years https://www.popsike.com/MADONNA-Oh-Father-45-7-RARE-US-Single-Unique-Sleeve/200621058817.html

I'm 45 too and have been a M collector for over 30 years 

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8 hours ago, Tyrone25 said:

That's pretty cool. There's also this bootleg picture disc although I've never seen it for sale anywhere:

https://madonnarecords.com/data/record.asp?ID=13884

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On 7/28/2021 at 2:49 AM, Tyrone25 said:

In early 1990 we also got a world exclusive Picture CD for the LAP album, this was printed in Germany for the Australian market, commissioned by Warner Music Australia - one small print run to inspire the album sales after Oh Father and Dear Jessie didn't chart so well - the picture CD was based on the Dear Jessie UK picture CD and is worth $600-900 these days 

s-l1600.jpg

Wow, this was specifically for the Australian market? Most places it's listed as a release for German/European territory.

As a kid I used to scour the shops for new Madonna items so it seemed a bit strange I'd never seen it before. Makes sense now.

I did manage to snag a copy of the Dear Jessie picture CD at the time from the Virgin Megastore in Birmingham though ??

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8 hours ago, Quack said:

Wow, this was specifically for the Australian market? Most places it's listed as a release for German/European territory.

As a kid I used to scour the shops for new Madonna items so it seemed a bit strange I'd never seen it before. Makes sense now.

I did manage to snag a copy of the Dear Jessie picture CD at the time from the Virgin Megastore in Birmingham though ??

Yes printed in Germany and shipped to Australia - one small print run in early 1990 exclusively for the Australian market 

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