Poppy Album Discography
By Mike Callahan, David Edwards, Peter Preuss, and Patrice Eyries
Last update: April 23, 2003





The Poppy label was an interesting independent label that featured a few talented but non-mainstream artists that later became noted. These included Townes Van Zandt, whose 1973 album The Late, Great Townes Van Zandt included two songs that would be picked up by others for top-10 country songs, "Pancho and Lefty" (Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard) and "If I Needed You" (Emmylou Harris). (For the record, Van Zandt only became the "late, great" after his death in 1999, so the 1973 album title was undoubtedly a ruse.) Other notable artists on the label included the Dillards, Doc Watson, Eric Von Schmidt, and comedian/political activist Dick Gregory.

The Poppy label was initially distributed by MGM. After a few records were issued, it became independent for distribution, then eventually reached a deal with United Artists for distribution of the later albums.

The Poppy label on the records distributed by MGM was yellow with black printing. 'POPPY" in pink above the center hole with a drawing of a girl holding a poppy at the end. After 40,002, the records in the 40,000 series give no indication of MGM Distribution. On the cover and record of these later 40,000 series discs is the notation "Manufactured by Poppy Industries, Inc. N.Y, N.Y." The label on these records is black with silver printing, with "POPPY" in white above the center hole. There is a 3/4 inch band across the label at the center hole of pink, red, blue, green and yellow. At 40,007 and subsequent issues, the label changes to brown with silver printing, with a large red poppy in the center of the record. The UA issues have the same label design, except with black print instead of silver.

We would appreciate any additions or corrections to this discography. Just send them to us via e-mail. Both Sides Now Publications is an information web page. We are not a catalog, nor can we provide the records listed below. We have no association with Poppy, UA, or MGM Records. Should you be interested in acquiring albums listed in this discography (which are all out of print), we suggest you see our Frequently Asked Questions page and follow the instructions found there. This story and discography are copyright 2000, 2003 by Mike Callahan.



POPPY ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY

Number - Title - Artist [Release Date] (Chart) Contents

40,000 Series:

Distributed by MGM:

PY/PYS-40,000 - The Shame - Shame [1967]

PY/PYS-40,001 - For the Sake of the Song - Townes Van Zandt [1968] For The Sake Of The Song/Tecumseh Valley/Many A Fine Lady/Quick Silver Daydreams Of Maria/Waitin' Around To Die/I'll Be There In The Morning/Sad Cinderella/The Velvet Voices/Talkin' Karate Blues/All Your Young Servants/Sixteen Summers, Fifteen Falls

Starting here, albums were issued in stereo only.

PYS-40,002 - Mandrake Memorial - Mandrake Memorial [1968] Bird Journey/Here I Am/Rainy May/This Can't Be Real/Dark Lady//House Of Mirrors/To A Lonely/Strange/Next Number/Sunday Noon

Distribution by Poppy:

PYS-40,003 - Medium - Mandrake Memorial [1969] Snake Charmer/Witness The End/Celebration/Other Side/Last Number/After Pascal/Smokescreen/Barnaby Plum/Cassandra

PYS-40,004 - Our Mother the Mountain - Townes Van Zandt [1969] Be Here to Love Me/Kathleen/She Came And She Touched Me/Like A Summer Thursday/Our Mother The Mountain/Second Lovers Song //St. John The Gambler/Tecumseh Valley/Snake Mountain Blues/My Proud Mountains/Why She's Acting This Way

PYS-40,005 - Shirl Milete - Shirl Milete [1969] Hell Walks the Street/Love Child/Afraid to Rock the Boat/Ain't That Sad/Life/I Wonder If Canada's Cold/Tomorrow is a Long Time/Cocaine/Big Country Blues/9 Pound Hammer/I'll Be Here

PYS-40,006 - Puzzle - Mandrake Memorial [1970] Earthfriend Prelude/Earthfriend/Just a Blur/Hiding/Tadpole/Kyrie/Ocean's Daughter/Volcano Prelude/Volcano/Whisper Play/Bucket of Air/Children's Prayer

PYS-40,007 - Townes Van Zandt - Townes Van Zandt [1970] For The Sake Of The Song/Columbine/Waiting Around To Die/Don't Take It Too Bad/Colorado Girl//Lungs/I'll Be Here In the Morning/Fare Thee Well, Miss Carousel/(Quicksilver Daydreams Of) Maria/None But The Rain

PYS-40,008 -

PYS-40,009 - Barry Miles - Barry Miles [1970] Hijack/Contrasts/Aural/Take Your Clothes/Alone/New Derivatives

PYS-40,010 - Aaron Lightman - Aaron Lightman [1970] They Call Me Traveler/None For Me/On Monday/I have a Little Friend/Little Girl/Morning After/Down to the Sea/Something Simple/Fragrances/Now is the Time

PYS-40,011 -

PYS-40,012 - Delta Momma Blues - Townes Van Zandt [1970] Delta Mama Blues/Only Him Or Me/Turnstyled, Junkpiled/Tower Song//Come Tomorrow/Brand New Companion/Where I Lead Me/Rake/Nothin'


60,000 Series, Distributed by MGM:

PYS-60,001 - Light Side, Dark Side - Dick Gregory [1969] (2-LP set) Introduction/Black Progress/Young Moral Dedication/Moral Gap/Assassinations/Property Rights-Human Rights/Draft Resisters/Learning to Live/White Racists Institutions/Black Rioters/American History/Black Attitudes/Black Progress/Concerned Honky Law/Atmosphere of Trust/Presidential Campaign/White Brother

PYS-60,002 - Lightnin' - Lightnin' Hopkins [1969] Hold Up Your Hand/My Starter/What'd I Say/One Kind Favor/Baby Please Don't Go/Rock Me Baby/Hello Central/Back Door Friend/Little Girl/It's Better Down the Road/Trouble In Mind/Annie's Blues/Baby/Little and Low/I Hear You Callin'/Mojo Hand/Have You Ever Had a Woman/Ain't It Crazy/Black and Evil

PYS-60,003 - Blues Roots - Various Artists [1969] Two record set. Frisco Lines - McDowell/Fare Well - Callicott/Long Haired Doney - Burnside/Mean Stepfather - Joe Williams/Bald Eagle Train - Bukka White and Washboard Willie/Don't Drive Me Away - R.C. Smith and S. Moore/Long Tall Girl - Mance Lipscomb/Red River Blues - Lil' Son Jackson/I Am the Black Ace - Black Ace/Whistling Alex Moore - Moore/Texas Blues - L. and M. Fulson/Cat - J. Jackson/Ma Grinder - Shaw/Take a Walk - Hopkins/Bear Cat - J. Jackson/Snowing and Raining - Guitar Slim and Jelly Belly/Got a Date - Fuller/You Got Another - Hopkins and Dane/Struggle Here - Bonner and Simon/Listen At That Bull - G. Coleman/Trouble Blues - Joe Turner/Dream - Little Willie Littlejohn/Sugar Daddy - Walton/I'm Feeling Alright - Thorton/Sometimes I Cry - Young/Black Snake Blues - Clifton Chenier/Two Bugs - Hooker


Distributed by UA:

PYS-5600 - Live at Kent State - Dick Gregory [1971]

PYS-5700 - High, Low, and In-Between - Townes Van Zandt [1971] Two Hands/You Are Not Needed Now/Greensboro Woman/Highway Kind/Standin'//No Deal/To Live Is To Fly/When He Offers His Hand/Mr. Gold And Mr. Mud/Blue Ridge Mountains/High, Low And In Between

PYS-5701 - Don Randi at the Baked Potato - Don Randi

PYS-5702 - Leda - Linda Cohen

PYS-5703 - Elementary, Doctor Watson - Doc Watson [1972]

PYS-5704 - Don't It Drag On? - Chris Smither [1972]

PYS-5705 - Second Right, Third Row - Eric Von Schmidt [1972] Turtle Beach/If I Ever Catch Old Perry/My Love Come Rolling Down/Believer/The Letter//If I Had A God Dog/Fair And Tender Ladies/Loop The Loop/Wet Birds Fly At Night/Salute To China/Fat, Fat, The Water Rat/My Country 'Tis Of Thee

PYS-5706 - The Firsta Family - Jack DeLeon [1972]

PYS-5707 - Amanda Tree - Amanda Tree [1/72] Green Ring/No Rains/Pineapple Dinosaur/Prehistoric Animals/Queen Wilhemena/Rock Salt/Sitting On The Black Stairs/Spirit/Sunny/Winter Country

PYS-5708 - [unissued?]

PYS-5709 - Black President - Dick Gregory [1972]


Series changes to UA Consolidated Series:

PP-LA-003-F - Amanda - Amanda Tree [1973] Reissue of PYS 5707. Green Ring/No Rains/Pineapple Dinosaur/Prehistoric Animals/Queen Wilhemena/Rock Salt/Sitting On The Black Stairs/Spirit/Sunny/Winter Country

PP-LA-004-F - The Late, Great Townes Van Zandt - Townes Van Zandt [1972] No Lonesome Tune/Sad Cinderella/German Mustard/Don't Let The Sunshine Fool You/Honky Tonkin'/Snow Don't Fall//Fraulein/Poncho And Lefty/If I Needed You/Silver Ships Of Andilar/Heavenly Houseboat Blues

PP-LA-022-F - Then and Now - Doc & Merle Watson [1973] Bonaparte's Retreat/Milk Cow Blues/Bottle of Wine/Match Box Blues/If I Needed You/Frankie And Johnny/Corrina, Corrina/Meet Me Somewhere/Old Camp Meetin' Time/Rain Crow Bill

PP-LA-053-F - Lake of Light - Linda Cohen [1973] Growing Back/Sunshower/Nouveu Riche/In Just Spring/Lake of Light/Zambra/Clap

PP-LA-080-F - Living on the Trail - Eric Von Schmidt [1973] Living On The Trail/Envy The Thief/Lost In The Woods/Thunder Heads Keep Rollin'/Carpenter's Boy (Icarus)//Lightning They Say/Joshua Gone Barbados/Stick To Rum/Stewball/Fast Acne (Zorba The Greek)

PP-LA-175-F - Tribute to the American Duck - Dillards [1973] Music Is Music/Caney Creek/Dooley/Love Has Gone Away/You've Gotta Be Strong//Carry Me Off/Smile For Me/Hot Rod Banjo/Daddy Was A Mover/What's Time To A Hog?

PP-LA-176-G2 - Caught in the Act - Dick Gregory [1973] (2-LP set) Introduction: James R. McGraw/Nixon's Neighbor/Chicago, My Hometown/How to Answer a Supoena/Ehrlichman and Haldeman: White House Used-To-Be Aids/Executive Health/Eavesdropping on the White House Phone/The Presidential Team: Nixon and Brezhnev/Love Your Enemies//More on Watergate/Nixon and the Kennedys/Executive Rehibitation/A New Day/McCord, Mitchell and Me/Watergate and Us/The Central Intelligence (?) Agency/Duponts, the Draft and Football/Those Anti-Drug Commercials/My Son, the D.I.A. Agent//What Really Bugs Me/Everything They Always Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask/Days of Wine and Excuses/Judge Not That You Not Be Judged/How to Handle a Breather/Blamin' Us/John Dean and Me//If I Got Caught/The Price of Eating/Fuel for Thought/Fast Living/Clifford Irving and Reader's Digest/Letting It All Hang Out/And That's the Truth

PP-LA-210-G - Two Days in November - Doc & Merle Watson [1974] Walk On Boy/Poor Boy Blues/I'm Going Fishing/Kinfolks In Carolina/Lonesome Moan/Medley Little Beggar Man, Old Joe Clark/Kaw Liga/The Train That Carried My Girl From Town/Snowbird/Doc's Rag



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