10 albums that were withdrawn after release

Almost everyone knows about the Beatles' album Yesterday and Today and its infamous "butcher" cover that was quickly withdrawn after Capitol sent out promo copies, but that was far from being the only album to be withdrawn after release. Today on Music Weird, we'll look at 10 other albums that were withdrawn.


1. Beyoncé – B'Day (Deluxe Edition) (2007)

The two-disc deluxe edition of Beyoncé's B'Day sparked a feud between Beyoncé and rival singer Des'ree. The deluxe edition included a song called "Still in Love (Kissing You)," which was a retitled remake of Des'ree's "I'm Kissing You." Des'ree, the co-writer of the song, brought a $150,000 lawsuit against Beyoncé, saying that the song could not be retitled or included in a video. While waiting for the court decision, the label withdrew the album and re-released it without the offending track.  

2. Various Artists – Bob Crewe Presents the Dynovoice Story (2001)

Crewe objected to the unauthorized use of his face on the cover of this anthology of his Dynovoice label, so the two-CD set was withdrawn. After initial shipments went out, it became very hard to find and now fetches high prices on the secondary market. 

3. Peter Gabriel – US (1992)

Japanese releases often contain extra tracks, and the bonus track "Bashi-Bazouk" was included on the initial Japanese release of Peter Gabriel's US. The problem was that Gabriel didn't authorize it. The album was not only withdrawn; the label asked record buyers to please return the copies they had bought. (I wonder how many people actually returned them?) Unfortunately for Gabriel, 30,000 copies of the album sold before Toshiba-EMI could withdraw it. 

4. The Del Vikings – Come Go with the Del Vikings (1957) 

Buchanan & Goodman (of "Flying Saucer Pt. 1" fame) released this unauthorized Del Vikings record on their own Luniverse label. It wasn't even a Del Vikings record; it was a collection of a cappella recordings that the members made before they became the Del Vikings. Buchanan and Goodman hired studio musicians to overdub instrumental parts and then released the album as a Del Vikings platter. Dot Records sued and the album was withdrawn. 
 

5. Little Jimmy Scott – Falling in Love Is Wonderful (1962)

Ray Charles invited jazz luminary Jimmy Scott to record for his Tangerine label, and Scott cut this album. Savoy Records claimed that Scott was still under contract to them and got an injunction. The album was withdrawn, but not permanently—Rhino Handmade reissued it years later. 

6. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Epic Records allowed MCA to release the album E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, which featured Michael Jackson, with two restrictions: MCA was not to release the album until December of 1982 (so that it wouldn't compete with Michael Jackson's Thriller), and MCA was not to issue the song "Someone in the Dark" as a single. MCA failed to comply with either restriction, releasing the album in November of 1982 and sending promo copies of "Someone in the Dark" to radio stations. Epic took MCA to court and got the album withdrawn, but the album still won a Grammy that year for Best Children's Album and charted in the UK.

7. Jackson 5 – Super Show (1972)

This various-artists album that was released in Brazil was withdrawn for using the Jackson 5's name without permission.  

8. Tomita – Holst: The Planets (1977)

Isao Tomita's science-fiction interpretation of Gustav Holst's The Planets created a controversy after its release, because Imogen Holst, Gustav's daughter, refused to grant permission for her father's work to be interpreted this way. Consequently, the album was withdrawn, and the original vinyl release is rare. 

  
9. Frank Zappa – Zappa in New York (1977)

Zappa's DiscReet Records label released this double live album in the UK in 1977 and then quickly withdrew it. A second version was issued the following year with changes that were ordered by Warner Bros., which distributed DiscReet. The 1978 version peaked at #57 on the Billboard pop album chart. Warner Bros.'s changes included removing the song "Punky's Whips," editing the song "Titties & Beer," and resequencing the album.

10. Prince – The Black Album (1987)

Prince's The Black Album was withdrawn the week before its release, but some copies got out and the album was widely bootlegged. Warner Bros. finally officially released the album in a limited edition in 1994, and offered to give free official versions to the first 1,000 people who sent in their bootleg versions. Although the official release was a "strictly limited edition," it wasn't very hard to find; I bought a sealed copy in Chicago for $15 a year or two after its official release and never opened it, thinking that it would become a great collectors' item.

Part 2: Go here for 10 more albums that were withdrawn after release!

Not albums that were canceled before release, but ones that were withdrawn after release. I know of a few:

Various Artists: Bob Crewe Presents the Dynovoice Story – Bob Crewe objected to Westside Records' use of his face on the cover of the CD and insisted that it be withdrawn. After the first shipments were gone, it became very hard to find.

Peter Gabriel: US – Gabriel objected to the inclusion of an extra track in Japan, so the label not only withdrew the release but asked people who had bought copies to return them.

Dell Vikings on Luniverse – Buchanan & Goodman's label. Featured pre-Dell Vikings a cappella recordings that were overdubbed and then issued under the Dell Vikings name. Dot Records filed a lawsuit and the album was withdrawn. √o

Bob Not albums that were canceled before release, but ones that were withdrawn after release. I know of a few:

Various Artists: Bob Crewe Presents the Dynovoice Story – Bob Crewe objected to Westside Records' use of his face on the cover of the CD and insisted that it be withdrawn. After the first shipments were gone, it became very hard to find.

Peter Gabriel: US – Gabriel objected to the inclusion of an extra track in Japan, so the label not only withdrew the release but asked people who had bought copies to return them.

Dell Vikings on Luniverse – Buchanan & Goodman's label. Featured pre-Dell Vikings a cappella recordings that were overdubbed and then issued under the Dell Vikings name. Dot Records filed a lawsuit and the album was withdrawn. 

Not albums that were canceled before release, but ones that were withdrawn after release. I know of a few:

Various Artists: Bob Crewe Presents the Dynovoice Story – Bob Crewe objected to Westside Records' use of his face on the cover of the CD and insisted that it be withdrawn. After the first shipments were gone, it became very hard to find.

Peter Gabriel: US – Gabriel objected to the inclusion of an extra track in Japan, so the label not only withdrew the release but asked people who had bought copies to return them.

Dell Vikings on Luniverse – Buchanan & Goodman's label. Featured pre-Dell Vikings a cappella recordings that were overdubbed and then issued under the Dell Vikings name. Dot Records filed a lawsuit and the album was withdrawn. 

Not albums that were canceled before release, but ones that were withdrawn after release. I know of a few:

Various Artists: Bob Crewe Presents the Dynovoice Story – Bob Crewe objected to Westside Records' use of his face on the cover of the CD and insisted that it be withdrawn. After the first shipments were gone, it became very hard to find.

Peter Gabriel: US – Gabriel objected to the inclusion of an extra track in Japan, so the label not only withdrew the release but asked people who had bought copies to return them.

Dell Vikings on Luniverse – Buchanan & Goodman's label. Featured pre-Dell Vikings a cappella recordings that were overdubbed and then issued under the Dell Vikings name. Dot Records filed a lawsuit and the album was withdrawn.