art direction, photography by Ed Thrasher
artwork [album concept] Peacock Ink
bass [bassius-o-pheillius] Rockette Morton
drums, percussion Drumbo
drums, percussion, marimba [& broom] Ed Marimba
guitar, slide guitar [glass finger guitar] Zoot Horn Rollo
management [personal management], supervised by [production supervision] Grant Gibbs
painting [back cover painting] Don Van Vliet
producer, written-by, vocals, harmonica [chromatic], tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet Captain Beefheart
Mastered At Artisan Sound Recorders
Pressed By Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Santa Maria
1st press USA issue, with 'smoke logo' & 'Straight' black liner bearing the 'Bizarre' address - which is also on the radius text of the 'Straight' vinyl labels. [It should be noted that reissues, or 'repros' of this issue label often carry the later Warner address].
This is a Straight issue, under the short-lived Bizarre Inc distribution aegis of Reprise.

This version pressed at [l376197], as indicated by the 'S' in the matrix strings.

This original issue includes a heavyweight white card 4-page insert [28cm x 28cm when folded]. No print on front or back, but a full track-list with lyrics on inside spread, together with artist credits.

The track-list on the insert follows the presentation as per the vinyl, up to 'Smithsonian'. An additional set of lyrics [or a poem?] is then inserted, titled; You Should Know By The Kindness Of Uh Dog The Way Uh Human Should Be. This is then followed by the lyrics for 'Clouds' & 'Flash Gordon' tracks respectively. A further 'poem' is then inserted; (Untitled), which begins The first scene was the bathtub ring..., which is then finally followed with the lyrics for Space Age Couple - which is not the last track on the vinyl.

It is conjecture that this may have been the intended running order, or simply a whim in the printed transcription of the final content. See images for the 2 additions.
[On lyrics sheet];
RS 6420
©1970 by Beefheart Music Co., BMI.
Reprinted by kind permission.
Made in U.S.A.

The back-cover imprint of this 1st issue has subtle differences in content to later issues [see images]; e.g. Relationship of text lengths, a full point after Calif. and Made in U.S.A.

Dedicated To – Al Leifer, Alex Snouffer, Ben Edmonds, Black Micenah, Bob Krasnow, Elliot Ingber, Granny Annie, Grant Gibbs, Jan Van Vliet, Jeff Bruschel, Kaye Wells, Langdon Winner, Laurie And Lulu, Lester Bangs, Margarette Harkleroad, Mark Green, Medicine Man, The, One Brown Pelican, Pete Johnson, Phil Schier, Sam And Nancy Catalano, Sue, Victor Hayden, Whales, The.

Matrix / Runout: S RS-6420A 31121-1B (A-Side run-out Var. 1, hand-etched)
Matrix / Runout: I RS-6420B 31122-1A (B-Side run-out Var. 1, hand-etched)
Matrix / Runout: I RS-6240-31121-1 Artisan Logo (A-Side run-out Var. 2, hand-etched)
Matrix / Runout: I RS-6240-31122-1 Artisan Logo (B-Side run-out Var. 2, hand-etched)
Matrix / Runout: S RS-6420A 31121-1B Artisan Logo A (A-Side run-out Var. 3, hand-etched)
Matrix / Runout: I RS-6420B 31122-1A Artisan Logo A 5 (B-Side run-out Var. 3, hand-etched)