Springsteenlyrics.com

As far as I know, there are at least 12 versions of the UK vinyl pressing of "Born To Run / Meeting Across The River".
(save the image or open it in a new tab to zoom in)


Version 1:
- Cat# S CBS 3661
- Release year: 1975
- Sunburst labels
- "Bruce Springsteen" on one line
- 4-prong push-out center hole
- Comes in a company sleeve
my copy | A copy on Discogs

Version 2:
- Cat# S CBS 3661
- Release year: 1975
- Sunburst labels
- "Bruce Springsteen" on one line
- Comes in a company sleeve
my copy | A copy on Discogs

Version 3:
- Cat# S CBS 3661
- Release year: 1975
- Sunburst labels
- "Bruce Springsteen" on two lines
- Comes in a company sleeve
my copy | A copy on Discogs

Version 4:
- Cat# S CBS 7077
- Release year: 1979
- Sunburst labels
- "Meeting Across The River" on one line
- No label code
- Comes in a "The Golden Decade" company sleeve
my copy | A copy on Discogs

Version 5:
- Cat# S CBS 7077
- Release year: 1979
- Sunburst labels
- "Meeting Across The River" on one line
- Label code "LC 0149" only on side A
- Comes in a company sleeve
gigius70's copy below

Version 6:
- Cat# S CBS 7077
- Release year: 1979
- Sunburst labels
- "Meeting Across The River" on one line
- Label code "LC 0149" only on side B
- Comes in a company sleeve
A copy on Discogs

Version 7:
- Cat# S CBS 7077
- Release year: 1979
- Sunburst labels
- "Meeting Across The River" on one line
- Label code "LC 0149"
- Comes in a company sleeve
my copy | A copy on Discogs

Version 8:
- Cat# S CBS 7077
- Release year: 1979
- Sunburst labels
- "Meeting Across The River" on two lines
- Label code "LC 0149"
- Comes in a company sleeve
my copy | A copy on Discogs

Version 9:
- Cat# CBS 7077
- Release year: 1979
- Sunburst labels
- "Meeting Across The River" on two lines
- Label code "LC 0149"
- Comes in a company sleeve
my copy

Version 10:
- Cat# CBS 7077
- Release year: 1979
- Sunburst labels
- "Meeting Across The River" on two lines
- Label code "LC 0149"
- "CBS & CBS INC." at the bottom of the labels
- Comes in a company sleeve
my copy | A copy on Discogs

Version 11:
- Cat# CBS 7077
- Release year: 1986
- Red labels
- "Meeting Across The River" on two lines
- Label code "LC 0149"
- "CBS AND CBS INC." at the bottom of the labels
- Comes in a company sleeve
my copy | A copy on Discogs

Version 12:
- Same labels as version 11
- Comes in a unique picture sleeve
my copy | A copy on Discogs


Enlarged center holes:
(save the image or open it in a new tab to zoom in)

Version 2b:
- Same labels as version 2, with enlarged center hole
- Comes in a company sleeve
bampao's copy below

Version 4b:
- Same labels as version 4, with enlarged center hole
- Comes in a company sleeve
A copy on Discogs

Version 8b:
- Same labels as version 8, with enlarged center hole
- Comes in a company sleeve

Version 10b:
- Same labels as version 10, with enlarged center hole
- Comes in a company sleeve
Paolo's copy below


Sleeves:

The below are the sleeves that were used with each version. I based this on my copies, on the chronological order in which each sleeve was released, and a lot of guessing.

Sleeve that came with version 1: Sleeve that came with version 2: Sleeve that came with version 3, 5-7: Sleeve that came with version 4: Sleeve that came with version 8: Sleeve that came with version 9-11: Sleeve that came with version 12:
Notes:
- Please let me know if you have any corrections or additions.
- A few years ago I was able to document up to 12 variants of this single, including one that's identical to (what I now call) version 10, except that (according to my notes) the text around the outer edge of the label has larger font. I could not find a picture of it on my computer but it must exist and I must've seen it... I was very careful when compiling such lists. I could very well be mistaken, but if you have that version, or a photo of it or any information at all, please let us know.

Eddy,
have you a photo of version 12 ?

This should be version 6:
Ciao Ciao

Roberto

I have this one that are no mentioned in the versions.
What you think about this ?

bampao wrote:Eddy,
have you a photo of version 12 ?

Unfortunately not. I was sure that it exists and that I've seen it because I was very careful when I started creating this list... but I couldn't find a photo or scan anywhere. I am now in contact with two collectors and waiting for their answer. If I cannot find a photo within the next two weeks, I will remove this version from the list pending that we get solid evidence (photo) of its existence.

gigius70 wrote:This should be version 6:
Ciao Ciao
Roberto

Perfect. I added the photos to the original post. Now it became version 7 after the update.

bampao wrote:I have this one that are no mentioned in the versions.
What you think about this ?

At first I thought it's just version 1 with the 4-prong push-out broken off... but upon further inspection, it's obviously not the case. It's simply version 2 with an enlarged center hole for jukebox use. This is common for many UK singles, and I believe it was done by the record company. I added it to the above list. Can you post better images of front, side a, side b?

I send

I send a photo of side b of my version.

Thanx for have added it !!

UPDATES:
- I deleted what I previously called version 13 pending we find evidence that it exists.
- I added bampao's photo of version 3's B-side
- I added a new version that a fellow collector brought to my attention. That version is now version 11.

A fellow collector wrote to me:

Regarding the n.12 [now version 13] version there’s another aspect I would like to point out: the "CBS & CBS INC." tag at the bottom of the labels sometimes, on the “Meeting across the River” side, overlaps the last line of the credits (“for the UK” line) and sometimes doesn’t (see pictures): I have seen this plenty of times, so I guess it could be that there were two different vinyl record plants involved or two different presses for the same version.
My copy where the “CBS & CBS INC." tag overlpas comes in o grey-black die-cut hole CBS sleeve and the other (without the error) come in a black die-cut hole CBS sleeve.

We cannot consider it as a different version, but simply a mispressing of version 13. Those labels are originally pre-printed with the text around the outer edge of the label (including "CBS & CBS INC.") and the CBS logo. The rest gets printed later, depending on the artist and the release. During the second print, alignment is important. A little shift in the machine causes the misalignment seen in the below photo. Nevertheless, it's an interesting collectible.

Thanks to Paolo (a member here), we now have one more version: it's version 14 above. It's the same as version 13, with enlarged center hole.

Thanx for have added this new version !!

Ciao
Paolo

UPDATE: As per what I wrote here, I restructured the above list to include 12 versions instead of 16 versions. Now the copies with enlarged center holes are, for good reasons, no more considered as separate versions.

UPDATE: Added information one the sleeves that most likely came with each version. Let me know if you disagree on something I wrote.