The Soft Machine* – The Soft Machine

Soft Machine - The Soft Machine album cover

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Label:	Probe – LP-4500-S
Format:	Vinyl , LP, Album , Monarch, Gatefold Die-cut, Uncensored
Country:	US
Released:	Nov 1968
Genre:	Rock
Style:	Prog Rock

Tracklist

A1	Hope For Happiness Written-By – M. Ratledge*	4:20
A2	Joy Of A Toy Written-By – M. Ratledge*	2:49
A3	Hope For Happiness (Reprise) Written-By – M. Ratledge*	1:37
A4	Why Am I So Short? Written-By – M. Ratledge*	1:38
A5	So Boot If At All Written-By – R. Wyatt*	7:22
A6	A Certain Kind Written-By – H. Hopper*	4:10
B1	Save Yourself Written-By – R. Wyatt*	2:25
B2	Priscilla Written-By – R. Wyatt*	1:05
B3	Lullabye Letter Written-By – K. Ayers*	4:37
B4	We Did It Again Written-By – K. Ayers*	3:46
B5	Plus Belle Qu'une Poubelle Written-By – K. Ayers*	1:01
B6	Why Are We Sleeping? Written-By – R. Wyatt*	5:31
B7	Box 25/4 Lid Written-By – M. Ratledge*	0:47

Companies, etc.

Published By – Amm Jay Music Inc.
Manufactured By – Grand Award Record Co., Inc.
Mastered At – Longwear Plating
Pressed By – Monarch Record Mfg. Co. – △12629

Credits

Design [Cover Design] – Henry Epstein
Drums – Robert Wyatt
Lead Guitar – Kevin Ayres*
Liner Notes – Arnold Shaw
Organ – Mike Ratledge
Producer – Tom Wilson (2)

Notes

1st issue Cover:
Front cover: Circular cut-out in sleeve, revealing rotating 'clockwork image' card insert- through which the band can be viewed on a further inserted full-color backing sheet.

Inside:
Uncensored image of nude girl (A bikini was used to censor a US version of this album, cat suffix 'X'). Non-gatefold issues also exist.
The words "...Kevin Ayres of Berne Bay,..." are wrongly attributed to Kevin Ayers & Herne Bay in the text, as is a reference to Wyatt's mentor - George Neidorf - as "Neidori". Shaw, in the idiosyncratic sleeve notes, continually refers to the band as "The" Soft Machine.

"...Selections published by Amm Jay Music Inc. - BMI".
"Mfg. by Grand Award Record Co., Inc., a subsidiary of ABC Records Inc. 1330 Avenue of the Americas, New York, N.Y. 10019".

Track timings on labels differ to those on inside sleeve.

First cat.nr. on spine and cover, second on label.

On the spine the caption ''Command/Probe'' appears, on the label it's ''Command/ABC Records/Probe.''

Labels indicate sides as "Side I" & "Side II" (later copies were 1 & 2, with cat#s suffixed A & B)

Pressed by Monarch Record Mfg. Co..

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Matrix / Runout (A-Side run-out, hand-etched): LP-4500AS-2LW P17. (MR) LW △12629
Matrix / Runout (B-Side run-out, hand-etched): LP-4500B-SB-255 LW (MR)△12629-X
Pressing Plant ID (Stamped in a circle both sides): (MR)

Other Versions (5 of 59)

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	Title (Format)	Label	Cat#	Country	Year
	The Soft Machine (LP, Album, Stereo, Uncensored, Die-Cut Gatefold)	ABC Records	LP 4500, LP-4500	US	1968
Recently Edited	The Soft Machine (LP, Album, Stereo)	Probe	LP 4500 X	US	1968
	The Soft Machine (LP, Album, Gatefold)	Probe	LP 4500 X	US	1968
Recently Edited	The Soft Machine (LP, Album, Stereo, Flipback Cover)	Barclay	920 082, 0 920 082, 0920 082		1968
	The Soft Machine (LP, Album, Gatefold die-cut, uncensored)	Command	LP 4500, LP-4500	Canada	1968