A UK first pressing of Tony Sheridan & The Beatles’ single “My Bonnie/The Saints”, the first record issued anywhere in the world crediting The Beatles; with a UK January 1962 “The New Records” new release booklet, announcing the release.  “My Bonnie” was issued in Great Britain on January 5, 1962, on Polydor with the famous “scroll” label (this is the very rare 1962 issue with ‘broad’ type).

Polydor Germany producer Bert Kaempfert signed English singer and guitarist Tony Sheridan, feeling he had ‘star potential’, hiring the The Beatles as his backing band.  As “Beatles” was close to the German slang term for male genitalia, “peedles”, Polydor released this 45 in Germany in October 1961, crediting The Beatles as The Beat Brothers.

English Polydor had no such concerns, so when they released the single a few months later, they credited The Beatles on the label, making this the first record ever to credit The Beatles.  This was the single that Brian Epstein special ordered for his NEMS store in Liverpool, introducing him to the band that would change music forever.  This release was not a success however, and was quickly deleted.  In June 1963, after The Beatles had a few hits on Parlophone, Polydor reissued “My Bonnie” with a slightly different, more narrow typeface (the reissue is much more common).  This rare first pressing is in VG++ condition, with a very faint “Deleted” stamp on the B-side center.  The original Polydor sleeve is included, with the name “Jackie” and the catalog number written on one side.

Also included here is very rare January 1962 issue of The New Records, a 24 page booklet listing all the new record releases issued that month in the UK, and used by record stores as an guide for ordering.  On page 13, near the bottom of the Polydor listings, is the inauspicious listing “Tony Sheridan and Beatles: My bonnie/When the saints go marching in….NH66833”.  These three lines, very likely the first print mention of The Beatles’ UK debut single,  give no clue to the revolution that would soon follow.  The catalog, the only example we’ve seen, is in excellent condition.

Two important artifacts of earliest days of The Beatles recording career in their home country.