Record of the Week: Tragedy For You CD Single (with variations)

To give the "old" records a break this week, a spotlight on the CD single release of Tragedy >For You<. This was the first cut released from the album Tyranny >For You< . It was released on 12" and 7" vinyl and promo and test pressings are available (I will spotlight them in the future). This week I want to highlight the CD Singles that were released. The track was released in a slimline jewel case on the RRE label in Europe along with Tyranny >For You< Two (which I will also spotlight another day!). In the US, there are actually two versions of the release that can be obtained if you look carefully!

The RRE Version is catalogued RRE CD 10; it contains three cuts:

1. Tragedy >For You<  4'30"
2. Punish Your Machine Mix (long version) 5'07"
3. Slo-Mo  4'30" (title is hyphenated here)

The artwork features the "Tragedy swimmer" over the entire sleeve with 242 along the Left side and "Tragedy >For You<" along the right. Since it is a slimline jewel case, the flip side to the sleeve shows a textured brown background with four Tyranny symbols. For reference, the UPC number is 5 413356 501025. The disc itself shows the same background with the Tyranny Axe symbol prominent:

Back in the US, we are not as fond of "slim line" jewel cases, so the single was released in the standard regular case. There are actually two "versions" available.

The first closely resembles the RRE release. It is catalogued as Epic 49K 73594. The front artwork mirrors the RRE release, the reverse side being blank except for the catalogue number. The back of the jewel case reproduces the RRE version as well. The disc however does differ from the RRE release. The disc here is white, also with the Tyranny Axe symbol. There was not a Tragedy >For You< Two release stateside. This disc contains the following tracks:

1. Tragedy >For You< 12" Vox  4:30
2. 7" Vox  3:39
3. Punish Your Machine Mix 12"  5:07
4. Punish Your Machine Mix 7"  3:12
5. Slo Mo Mix  4:39  (Note on the back of the insert it lists the time as 4:30) The disc states 4:39. The title is hyphenated on the back artwork, but not hyphenated on the disc!
6. Instrumental  5:50
7. Neurodancer  6:56

For the record, it has the UPC Number 0 9870 73594 2

There is a SECOND variation also available in the US. The front artwork has been trimmed down somewhat, with a more prominent white border and the words "Tragedy >For You<" are relocated to the top of the Tyranny swimmer. On the sides of the jewel case there are plain parenthesis in place of the triangles around >For You<. The sandy texture on the back of the jewel case has been replaced with a plain yellow-beige background with the Tyranny symbols. Also of note, the Slo Mo Mix on this sleeve has a track time listed here as 4:39, as does the disc and the title is not hyphenated. The disc itself is identical to the other release. Both "versions" have the same catalogue and UPC numbers.

Why the different releases? I purchased them both around the same time. I suspect one (likely the later) is a "second pressing" perhaps? Who knows...but if you are a "242 Completist" like myself, they are out there!