Oldies-45 was an American subsidiary record label of Vee-Jay Records, a Chicago-based independent record label. Founded in 1963, Oldies-45 was established to reissue previously released 45 rpm singles marketed as "oldies but goodies." The label is best known for reissuing four Beatles singles in August 1964 during a period of intense legal dispute between Vee-Jay and Capitol Records over the rights to the Beatles' recordings in the United States.
History
Vee-Jay Records was founded in 1953 by Vivian Carter and James Bracken in Gary, Indiana, with operations centred in Chicago, Illinois. Carter's brother Calvin Carter served as the label's A&R director. By the early 1960s, Vee-Jay had become the most successful Black-owned record label in the United States, generating approximately $3 million annually with a staff of twenty-two.
On April 9, 1964, Vee-Jay and Capitol reached a settlement under which Vee-Jay received a license to continue selling its existing Beatles product while paying Capitol royalties, including substantial back payments. The settlement permitted Vee-Jay to sell its previously released Beatles records until October 15, 1964, after which all rights would revert to Capitol. Carter reflected on the outcome: "We finally made something out of the court settlement, because we just couldn't afford to fight that big a company."
Releases
In August 1964, as the October deadline approached, Vee-Jay reissued four Beatles singles on the Oldies-45 label. All four were released simultaneously on August 10, 1964, bearing consecutive OL-series catalog numbers:
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! scope="col" | Catalog number
! scope="col" | A-side
! scope="col" | B-side
|-
| OL-149
| "Do You Want to Know a Secret"
| "Thank You Girl"
|-
| OL-150
| "Please Please Me"
| "From Me to You"
|-
| OL-151
| "Love Me Do"
| "P.S. I Love You"
|-
| OL-152
| "Twist and Shout"
| "There's a Place"
|}
The releases drew on recordings originally issued on the main Vee-Jay label or on Tollie Records, another Vee-Jay subsidiary.
Beyond the Beatles material, the Oldies-45 label reissued recordings by other Vee-Jay artists. Discographic records show releases in the lower OL-100s, including material by The Impressions featuring Jerry Butler.
Legacy
Vee-Jay Records declared bankruptcy in 1966.
The masters from the Oldies-45 catalog were subsequently licensed to other labels including Springboard, Charly, and Buddah Records, indicating the catalog retained commercial value well beyond the label's operational period.
See also
- Vee-Jay Records
- Tollie Records
- The Beatles discography
- Capitol Records
- Introducing... the Beatles