Albert Washington-I’m the man

[Tezcaine]

Hi I’ve got this,does anybody know if this is a second issue?

[Robbk]

That's an interesting question because it's really hard to peg a label colour to a specific time, for Fraternity, as they used different colour labels in different pressing plants at the same time.  Worse yet, I seem to remember the earliest Fraternitys being blue, then, the label went to maroon, then back to blue then back to Maroon again.  I would guess that you'd have to go by whats scratched and stamped into the runout.  A second pressing might use the same pressing number, because the same stampers were used.  But, maybe there would be different code letters after it.  My Albert Washingtons are all in the 900s and 1000s.  That longer series was later.  But I don't know offhand if that means it is automatically a 2nd pressing.  All my Albert Washingtons have different extra codes etched into the wax.  We'll need to get an expert on Fraternity to answer this.  I even have one that has BOTH a Coumbia AND an RCA pressing code number!!! 

[The Yank]

 I would say your copy is an original release. I've seen other copies with the larger print 

(see pic below) but discogs has both of them as originals. Not sure what someone means 

about the longer series as both labels show the release info for the "I'm The Man" side as Fraternity  1002 B .

Edited February 2, 2020 by The Yank

[Robbk]

Oh!  I thought that read 10028.  It was too small for me to see the dash.  Yes, I'd say it was an Original (as opposed to being a boot or a pressing made years later as a re-issue to be sold as an "oldie").  But it could possibly be the second pressing during the initial sales run, made at a different pressing plant.  I remember a blue one early, as well.

Edited February 3, 2020 by Robbk

[Blackpoolsoul]

1 hour ago, Robbk said:

Oh!  I thought that read 10028.  It was too small for me to see the dash.  Yes, I'd say it was an Original (as opposed to being a boot or a pressing made years later as a re-issue to be sold as an "oldie").  But it could possibly be the second pressing during the initial sales run, made at a different pressing plant.  I remember a blue one early, as well.

I agree Robb (spot on as usual) 1968 (2 label designs/fonts)

A year later, different tracks, a blue one

[Tezcaine]

Thanks guys ,very informative and intriguing as always. What a great track by the way.