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WHO'S THAT GIRL
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At last we have some format excitement. A 7" (28341) was coupled by their first cassette single (aka: cassingle) (28341), concisting of a rather cute square card box sleeve which the cassette slips neatly inside. The 12" (28341) surfaced along with a second limited pressing (20692) which included an additional 'Dub' mix. This 'Dub' was also included on America's first maxi cassette single (20692), which is now rare and originally came in a unique 'long box' outer casing, a 12" card outer box with picture sleeve graphics. Copies of all maxi cassette pressing with outer box will certainly cost £40 if in mint box, the limited 12" costs around £15 in mint and most early cassingles can be found for well under £10.
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CAUSING A COMMOTION
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This was issued in four formats. The 7" (28224) was coupled with a small-box cassette single (28224), and a 12" (20762) coupled with maxi cassette single in long-box outer casing.
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LIKE A PRAYER
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This was issued in 7" (27539), small-box cassette single (27539) and the USA's first CD single (27539), a 3" CD housed in a unique shrunk wrapped card outer casing decorated with 'Like A Prayer' logo and titles. This is fairly scarce now and sells for up to £20. Finally, a six-track 12" (21170) completed this release.
Like A Prayer did seem to start the remix era, and from here on remixes became a major part of American maxi pressings, causing a great deal of collector interest around the globe.
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EXPRESS YOURSELF
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Issued in 7" (22948) and small box cassette single (22948), which initially came with unique 'starburst' logo title sleeve, before adopting the regular 'dancing' picture casing. The 'starburst' sleeve cassingle is scarce now and will cost up to £20 for a mint copy. Finally, A four-track 12" (21225) was released.
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CHERISH
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Sadley, Cherish produced just a 7" single (22883) and small box cassette single (22883), both came with regular picture design. All other formats were apparently scrapped by the record company leaving just two.
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OH FATHER
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'Oh Father' produced just a 7" single (22723) and small-box cassette single (22723), both came with 'hippie' picture design and are now scarce, with the cassette selling at £15 mint and sealed and a mint 7" with mint sleeve fetching a whopping £100.
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KEEP IT TOGETHER
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America's final picture sleeve 7" was pressed for 'keep It Together' (19986), along with small-box cassette single (19986), 12" (21427) and their first plastic cased maxi cassette.
Any maxi cassettes from before 1988 would have originated from Canada and are often mistaken as American.
keep an eye out for copies of the maxi CD with back cover cut into an square insert and used instead of the regular front cover. All formats carried the 'mirror image' picture sleeve and all but the maxi CD and 12" are now fairly scarce.
Keep It Together became the first of the plentifull pressings, plenty of formats pressed. From here on the States produced many formats, up to six per release, for most single releases upto the present day: the opposite happening here in the UK where the 'Four Format Rule' put an end to excessive numbers of limited editions and formats being issued for each single release, a method used to rig the charts - apparently.
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