The Beatles – Baby It's You

One special about thing this EP is that each song is sung by a different Beatle. Luckily, the last three songs were eventually widely issued on the follow-up BBC album (which, for some reason, I like better than the first one, to be honest).

The UK version for the Juke Box industry are unpainted IEPs (Integral Embossed & Painted) which often mistakenly get referred to as "black labels" (in reality purely saving on printing costs and manufacturing costs) They were custom LH (Large Hole) 1 1/2" die-cut by Telstar Distribution and are clearly identifiable by the prefix RLH 6406.

IEP copies that have the standard prefix R 6406 are just unpainted IEPs (when the paper label's run ran out).

It is amazing that EMI United Kingdom chose to only IEP "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love" rather than follow on with paper labels.

In a further twist Capitol USA pressed both their follow-on releases of FAB and RL with the smart re-designed paper Apple labels, (IEPs have not been in Capitol's pressing remit, just Amy Mala and Bell's)

HOWEVER, unlike Capitol's USA pressing of "Baby It's You" which were naturally 1 1/2" LH die-cut (as per the RCA industry patent for 7" 45's so they can play on RCA changers) Capitol's USA pressings of FAB and RL both came amazingly with the more acceptable and globally harmonious to turntables, standard small hole (often referred to as solid centre's)

Not just speculation re the SH finish, it was no doubt was a corporate decision in the tower, possibly as they knew how vile and undesireable the UK pressings were going to be as IEPs and Capitol decided to champion the global collector and release an item of value as well as beauty which the paper label small hole releases indeed are.

Looking at a LH die-cut BIY they do look out of place now, do many Americans still have or use or are able to buy the 1 1/2" large post RCA 7" 45rpm changers (stackers).