Question on Motown Compact Disc Numbering System - Supremes

[woodward]

I have 2 copies [[identical each with the same 22 songs) of The Supremes 70's - Greatest Hits and Rare Classics.

On the side edge and also on the back there appear to be two different catalog numbers as follows:

3746354872 and MOTD-5487
1st one 2nd one

I never understood or knew what the catalog numbers for Motown CDs were. In the case of the Gordy 45 roster, they ran from 7001 7216 and none of them had two different numbers as the CD series did.

Can some expert tell me why there were two different CD numbers for this Supremes CD?

Thank you.

[Jimi LaLumia]

the 5487 is the Motown catalog number...the longer one is most likely an SKU number for an early version of the computer driven process that came to be known as Soundscan, if there wasn't a scan ready ticket on the CD, you would manually enter the longer # to identify the product being sold..that's probably the answer, I've been in music/records retail since 1974..

[keith_hughes]

A long-suffering and nerdy discographer writes:

The "5487" is embedded in the longer [[barcode) number. There were/are various 5-digit prefixes on barcode numbers, of which 37463 was one of the earliest, used between 1991 and 1993; 31453 [[sometimes 31454, sometimes 31455) prefixes were used from 1994 till about 1999. This CD was issued in 1992. Most Motown CD barcode numbers end in "2", I have no idea why.

[booty]

During the era that Keith is referring to, the final number on the bar code related to the format - 1 = Vinyl Album, 2 = CD, 4 = Cassette.

Beginning at the end of 1992 worldwide album releases [[except USA) used what is known as the 530000 series. In the USA their 6000 series. The series became truly worldwide at 530-301 when USA joined this series, however they used the bar code 31453-0301-2 as the catalogue number whilst the rest of the world continued with 530301.

[booty]

In answer to Woodward's question the numbers relate to the original release through MCA and a re-release following the acquisition of Motown by Polygram.

[mysterysinger]

Not just The Supremes CD that is like that, of course, but probably the majority of CD releases from Motown were the same around that time. There will be other subtle differences than just the catalogue number. Even on the MOTD CDs there were long numbers at the bar code.

Thus, for example, "Hi We're The Miracles" MOTD-5160, the long number is 50109 51602 [[after 5160 the 2 signifies a CD release as opposed to vinyl etc). The small print on the rear cover includes "Distributed by UNI Distribution Corp" [[n.b. other later ones may say "Distributed in the United States by MCA Distributing Corporation". You will find the same wording on the CD itself too. This was released 10/2/1992.

For the 37463 version, the long number is 37463 51602. Instead of UNI or MCA you have "Manufactured and marketed by Motown Record Company, LP". This was released in 1991.

It doesn't end there because cassettes and vinyl had a similar sequence, thus for "Hi We're The Miracles", the LP Motown re-issue was numbered M5-160V1 [[so also includes 5160). Brenda Holloway's "Every Little But Hurts" Motown re-issue was 5242ML but, as far as I know, was not re-issued on CD.

A list of [[most of) the 5000 series releases can be found in Sharon Davis' excellent book "Motown The History".

[mysterysinger]

Does anyone have Smokey Robinson & The Miracles "Going To A Go Go" or "Away We A Go Go" on either MOTD or 37463 number series? My copy of "Away We A Go Go" on MOTD-5136 seems fine but what looks like "Going To A Go Go" on 37463 is actually "Away We A Go Go".

The CD Cover is "Going To A Go Go";
The track list on the inside of the cover is for "Away We A Go Go";
The back of the front cover is "Going To A Go Go" and quotes 3746351362;
The CD is 3716351362 "Away We A Go Go" [[and plays as such);
The rear CD cover lists the tracks for "Away We A Go Go".

So there is a front and back re-creation of the LP cover for "Going To A Go Go" but no album cover as such for "Away We A Go Go". Strange.

Are all copies of 3746351362 the same?