Cocteau Twins' Lullabies

I promised to add to this blog whenever I got every version of a release and show all the different versions. This is always tricky as how is one to know whether there are other versions other than than the ones I know about.

I thought I had every version of the Cocteau Twins' Peppermint Pig single for instance, but recently realised that a US version of the CD was released in 1991 and, although outside of the "First Ten Years" remit, still helped me paint a complete picture. So after acquiring that version, I've added it to the blog entry at the end, please reference here for the additional information (at the bottom of the page)

As I said, it's difficult to know sometimes whether there are other versions that exist. I used to think that there were only three versions of the Cocteau Twins first single Lullabies, only one of these being an original from 1982. When this happens, I hold back a little to give myself time to discover any other versions. Thankfully I did wait as I discovered what must be a very rare gem, so much so that I think I must also share this :

This is rocking horse poo and is about as rare to find as one of the these four versions of the Lullabies single. Somewhere out there may be something even rarer than the above, an original poster or postcard for the Lullabies single. I haven't found one yet, but as always, that doesn't mean that one doesn't exist. The image is taken from a book by Stefan Lorant published in 1937 called Liliput Pocket Omnibus

So here we go then, Cocteau Twins 1982 single Lullabies

(1) Netherlands 12"
(2) UK 12"
(3) UK CD
(4) US CD

The two CD's are re-issues from 1991. That is strictly outside of my collecting remit of the first ten years, but it would be a shame not to include them when there are just these four versions.

(1) Netherlands 12"- 4AD / CNR - 151.089 released in 1982

This is the rare one. Lullabies was the first Cocteau Twins single and was released in the UK and can be quite easily found. It wasn't until very recently that I discovered that it was also released in the Netherlands. The item on ebay had no photo and only had a description of the catalogue number. Discogs was a useful tool here, becasue even though it wasn't listed on Discogs, I could go to the CNR Weesp company to see if this catalogue was missing from the listings and it was. Something had to belong to the missing catalogue number, so I took it as a hint that this ebay item may be genuine....and it was!

This version has a slightly darker contrast on the cover than the colouring of the UK version.

The back cover has a slight amendment to the 4AD logo at the bottom :

It shows the catalogue number which is poorly printed and a little blurred (Do not adjust your set)

As is also the text "Marketed by CNR Weesp" in the bottom right corner

The labels are intersesting, as they resemble the 4AD labels of the previous year (1981). If my label history of 4AD is correct (here), 4AD must have distributed left over (possibly??) labels from 1981 out of the UK for the non-uk releases. (4AD labels were still used for Bauhaus releases in Greece even when Bauhaus were no longer with 4AD but by then on Beggars Banquet)

These crumpled paper labels were used on UK releases in 1981 and then they moved onto other picture labels in 1982 (as you will see in release 2). This Netherlands version still has the crumpled paper picture and older black 4AD label design

(2) UK 12" - 4AD - BAD 213

The UK version is lighter and brighter in colour than the Netherlands version

The catalogue number on the back sleeve is at a 45 degree angle (who knows why)

On one side the label has the female wrestlers picture, typical of 4AD in 1982, one of three picture labels used that year

and the other label all in white also typical of 1982 and progressed on from the 1981 black label.

(3) UK CD- 4AD - BAD 213CD released in 1991

As with the CD single for Peppermint Pig, this was released for a singles box set. But either some were sold separately or since then, some scrupulous traders have split them on the second hand market to make more money.

The UK version comes in a slim CD jewel case and the cover is the same as the original 12" a typical single cover that folds over itself and shows the 12" back cover on the inside

(4) US CD- Capitol - C2-15766 released in 1991

As with the UK version, this was part of a set but could also have been sold seperatly. The colour of both the UK and US CD's are a pinky bronze colour. But the US disc is slightly darker in colour than the UK one

The front cover is different to the UK CD version as it only has a single piece with a white back, no folder over with the back cover of the 12".

The inlay is also quite different with both the Capitol and 4AD logos

These are the four versions I have found so far. As with the Peppermint Pig single, if I find any more, or even a postcard or poster, I will add it here and let you all know about it.

Full listing here on Discogs

Peppermint Pig - Pigging Mint

Keeping on the same track as my previous submission by staying with the Cocteau Twins, I've recently collected all of the release versions of their single/EP Peppermint Pig. Although of course, this is everything I've discovered so far of of Peppermint Pig, who knows how many other versions I may find lying around the corner.

It seems the Cocteau Twins were not very happy at all with this release. As usual, there's a good write up of the history of Peppermint Pig on the Cocteau Twins Fan Site. This was the first and only time the Cocteau Twins used an outside producer, Ian Rankin of the Associates. The result was a release that the band were not happy with and didn't represent what the Cocteau Twins intended. So before I go through the releases, I'll try and explain how a producer can make, or completely arse up, a release.

An artist or a band put together a song either in the studio, on the road or by purposely sitting down and composing closed off from the outside world. If not composed in a studio, songs will be a deliberate or experimental process not generally driven by anyone outside. In other words, what makes that artist or band have a particular style is defined through that process and not mixed up by the influence of another interfering artist. Sometimes, when a song is composed, it helps when recording that song to have another artist with another set of ideas to help push the artist or band to embrace a slightly different approach. Although not an additional member of the band or a co-composer, this extra artist can take the raw recording of a song and add or remove elements, direct the recording process in a certain way, or even re-arrange a song completely. This is what a producer is, adding an extra element of style or influence on the final production of a song.

This works well when the producer chosen "gets" the music or understands the focus and intention of the artist(s) and the vibe the artist(s) is trying to attain. A producer can make or break a record. When Joy Division recorded their debut album Unknown Pleasures, it was the producer Martin Hannet that heard what made Joy Division different to other punk bands and made that record have the iconic and distinct sound that it had. Joy Divisions songs were unique, but is was the production of the album that highlighted that difference and made it stand out from the crowd.

This nearly always creates friction and frustration from the artist or band. In the case of Joy Division, they didn't like Unknown Pleasures at first as they felt it didn't sound like them at all and Martin Hannett was a difficult, moody and bad tempered producer to work with. But Joy Division couldn't argue with how the production had added an extra definitive element to their songs.

The real problem comes when the producer just doesn't get what the band or artist is trying to do. And I think this was the case with Peppermint Pig, to the point that Cocteau Twins never let an external producer work with their recordings again.

So onto the Peppermint Pig release versions.

I'm showing eight in the picture below. Two of these are postcards and not the actual releases. One is also the CD version, that although was released in 1991 and so not released in the first decade, I've included as a useful record of when Peppermint Pig was released on CD.

These are the fronts of the releases, numbered for reference as follows :

(1) Netherlands 12"
(2) German 12"
(3) UK 12"
(4) UK 7"
(5) Netherlands 7"
(6) French Postcard
(7) Postcard from UK Set
(8) UK CD

These are the rear sleeves. Notice that all the rear photo's on the back are upside down except for the Netherlands 7".

(1) First up then the Netherlands 12" - 4AD - 151.109 - Released in 1983

This has a distinct Label code 151.109 in the top right corner of the front sleeve.

The rear of the sleeve has the Netherlands code, the 4AD logo and a 23 Envelope logo in the bottom centre

The "Grass" label is the same as the UK version

The none picture label has the Netherlands code printed at the bottom

(2) Next up is the German 12" release. Intercord - INT 125.209 - Released in 1983

This has a large pink banner across the top of both the front and rear sleeves. While the UK and Netherlands 12"s sleeves are made of card, the German release is thin paper and quite obviously different in thickness by feel.

The rear of the sleeve has a different set of label text at the bottom centre and an LC1109 printed in the bottom right

The labels aren't the 4AD labels, but blue Intercord labels. There are only 2 tracks on this version as opposed to three tracks on the other 12"s.

(3) Next is the UK 12" on 4AD - BAD 303 - Released in 1983

The front cover is just the picture with no other catalogue number printed

The rear just has the 4AD and 23 envelope logo's and no other print over the photo at the bottom of the sleeve. The labels have a "grass" label on the one side, then a 4AD printed label on the other side, slightly different to the Netherlands version.

(4) UK 7" on 4AD - AD303 - Released in 1983

The 7" is practically a miniature version of the UK 12" as you would expect, except for the inclusion of the catalogue number at the top of the rear sleeve - AD303. Why this is on the 7" and wasn't put on the 12" I have no idea.

The labels on one side has "Dry Ground" picture on it with the other side having the catalogue and track details

(5) The Netherlands 7" on 4AD - 145.033 - Released in 1983

The 7" single is similar to the Netherlands 12" version, with the catalogue number in the top right of the front cover. This same catalogue number is on the top right of the rear sleeve as well. The bottom centre is slightly different on the rear sleeve as below. The big difference to all the other versions is that the rear photo is actually the right side up, unlike every other version

The labels are similar to the UK version with one side being the "Dry Ground" picture and the other having the Netherlands catalogue number printed on it.

(6) French Postcard - CC 607

I don't know how legitimate this postcard is, but it has it's own catalogue number (which proves little I know). So I don't know if it was included with a release or was a separate promotional item. The print down the centre says "Delta Editions Imprime en France - Tous droits reserves"

(7) UK Postcard - From 23 envelope set PAD 23 - Released in 1986

Landscape version of just the photograph from the Peppermint Pig cover. No band logo or writing on the front. Postcard No 1 in a series of 12

(8) UK CD 4AD - BAD 303 CD - Re-released in 1991

I wouldn't normally include anything outside of the first decade. But this was the only time the Peppermint Pig single was released as a single on CD. It was released as part of a singles box set and separately as well. This included both the 12" extended version and the 7" version of the title track, so had 4 tracks on it. The front sleeve is as plain as the UK 12" and 7" versions, but the inside fold of the sleeve has the photo upside down the same as all but the Netherlands 7".

So there is the list so far. I'm certainly not saying that this is definitive, there may well be more to come. But as yet I haven't seen anything else. There maybe a poster, although I haven't discovered one yet. There may also be a French release that goes with that postcard, if that postcard is genuine. Of course there will be somewhere, test pressings for these releases, if they haven't been destroyed. But I will keep my eye out for any items missing

No-one has yet claimed the Cocteau Twins- Garlands album I was giving away last month. Is there no-one that wants it??? Surely not. If you want a genuine, free, debut vinyl album of The Cocteau Twins Garlands, then send me (Jonny Halfhead) a message on Facebook telling me why I should give this away to you. No catch, free postage, just take it off my hands.

Thanks for reading and let me know if I have missed a release, or even get in touch and have a boast if you have all of these already. Ta ta!

ADDITIONAL : 15th May 2016 - This is a typical example of the fluidity that will be required from this blog. I have found another addition to this list. The US CD single on Capitol. This is actually outside of the first ten years as it was released in 1991 in the same year as the UK CD single.

This came in a full size jewel case, instead of the thin single jewel case for the UK CD single. This was also part of a US box set and sold separately

Anyhow, the US version is different from the UK version

(9) US CD Capitol - C2-15767 - Re-released in 1991

The back sleeve has the Capitol logo as well as the 4AD Logo. If there are any other editions discovered I will add them as well.

Cocteau Twins - Iceblink Luck Promo CD Competition

This weeks triumph is getting the second part of the two format Cocteau Twin’s US Promo called I Wear Your Ring. This was released in the US on Capitol  in 1990 and came as a 12” single and a CD single. The CD single I acquired recently finishing of the duo.



This isn’t incredibly rare. I have seen both of them a number of times on various online markets. The reason I have waited this long to acquire both is that most of the time they are way over priced. The fact that both of these come up regularly, shows that there isn’t a shortage. It would seem that if you stick the word PROMO on a release, it’s suddenly worth a lot more. Some promo’s have more copies distributed than the actual release it’s promoting. So a promo is not a hard and fast rule to rarity. Yet another example of the market dictating to the buying public.

So maybe I put my money where my mouth is. So I will. I’m going to give away yet another single to some lucky person. Yes....you guessed it, I did it again...DOH! I’ve bought the same thing twice. Actually this time it wasn’t a typically idiotic absent mindedness, this time I have an excuse. I happened across a set of four promo CDs in a single sale, from which only one of them I already had and, of course, included in this bundle was I Wear Your Ring and Iceblink Luck.



The other two gems in this bundle were Carolyn’s Fingers, a US Promo CD from 1988 and yet another Heaven Or Las Vegas Promo (There are 5 of them at least) from the US on CD. This package of four, was bought for less than some of the standard singles being sold.





Ok, so if you want the chance to win a free Cocteau Twins Promotional CD single, free postage included, then answer a very simple question

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Which Cocteau Twins release is the only promotional release by Cocteau Twins on 4AD to have it’s own dedicated standard 4AD catalogue number?

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If you send your answer to my email address which is jonnyhalfhead followed by at gmail.com, or even find me on Facebook, Jonny Halfhead, become a friend and send me the answer in a message, the winner will be picked at random. (I’ll get my lovely assistant, aka wife, to randomly pick the winner). Get your answers in by Saturday 11th February 2012 and the winner will be chosen during that weekend.

Thanks as always for reading and good luck