The Beatles ‎– Love Me Do
Label:
Parlophone ‎– 45-R 4949
Format:
Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single
Country:
UK
Released:
05 Oct 1962
Genre:
Rock
Style:
Beat
Tracklist
A    Love Me Do    
B    P.S. I Love You    
Companies, etc.
Published By – Ardmore & Beechwood Ltd.
Credits
Producer [Uncredited] – George Martin
Written-By – Lennon-McCartney
Notes
The main differentiator in this version of the red label issue is the presence of the 'MADE IN GT. BRITAIN' text under the Parlophone logo on the label, unlike a similar version where this text is missing.
Please also note the following text alignment differentiators, to help distinguish it from 4 other known variants:
1 - The title 'LOVE ME DO' is centred with the writing credit 'Lennon-McCartney' below it. Other variants, such as this one, have the title right-aligned with the credit.
2 - The 'BEECHWOOD LTD' part of the publishing credit is fully left-aligned with the 'ARDMORE &' part above. Another variant has the 'BEECHWOOD LTD' slightly indented compared to the 'ARDMORE &' above it.
3 - The 'ARDMORE & BEECHWOOD LTD' publishing credit is fully left-aligned with the matrix number '7XCE 17144 45' below it. Another variant has this credit aligned above the 'XC' in the matrix.
4 - The 'R' in the 'RECORDING FIRST PUBLISHED 1963' text is aligned below and under the 'XC' of the matrix number, '7XCE 17144 45', above it. Other variants, such as this one, have this 'R' aligned below and under the 'C'.
In January 1963 Parlophone ceased production of its red label design. Consequently original issues of Love Me Do & Please Please Me were the only Beatles singles, released in the '60s in the UK, with these red labels. The red labels included the 45- prefix in the catalogue number, to differentiate from 78 RPM records, even though Parlophone had ceased the production of these by the late '50s.
Certain later reissues, either individually or as part of box sets, exist which reflect the original design but contain noticeable differences.
One such reissue (1982) with a picture sleeve can be found here, and a later reissue (2012) here.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Matrix / Runout (Label A): 7XCE 17144 45
Matrix / Runout (Label B): 7XCE 17145 45
Matrix / Runout (Runout A): 7XCE 17144-1N
Matrix / Runout (Runout B): 7XCE 17145-1N