Originally I was annoyed with the eBay seller, and also annoyed with myself for not checking properly before bidding….
You see, I’d been the successful bidder on what I thought was an original, 1967 German pressing of The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour. That’s the way it was advertised by the seller. It was a double EP on the Odeon label and in very good condition for its age. Got it for a really good price, too:
Then the record arrives in the post. We open it up and pop open the gatefold cover. There, at the bottom right, it clearly says: “MADE & PRINTED IN GERMANY”. All good so far:
Then we get the records out. They’re in mint condition and on the red Odeon label:
But hang on, the small print on the label says “MADE IN FRANCE”! 
What’s going on here? Has this eBay seller done a swifty and tried to pass off a “Frankenstein-ed” copy of Magical Mystery Tour? Have they conveniently mixed a cover from one country, and the two vinyls from another?
Thankfully, no.
A little bit of “after-the-fact” internet research reveals that all is well. This is indeed how this edition was originally released. In France, Odeon manufactured the vinyl locally, but they imported all the covers from Germany. This is easily proved by a visit to the Discogs database here, and here where members have similar copies to the one we have.
There is also an excellent explanation (and photos) on The Beatles Record Collection site, where it is revealed that there are even more variations in the way the French issued the Magical Mystery Tour EP set.
So, we indeed do have a correct and original French (not German) pressing of this disc after all. Phew!
(As usual, click on images above to see larger versions)
Beatles Blog 
I bought this exact version of Mystery Tour
EP new, at a record store in Phoenix, AZ
around 1972 to 1973.
LikeLike
That’s cool (and reassuring to know)!
LikeLike
I own a copy of the Spanish edition, with the discs “fabricados en España”, and the gatefold also “made & printed in Germany”, even though it’s not exactly the same pictured above (the fan club add is not featured).
LikeLike
Yes, I think Spain also imported covers for MMT from Germany as well. Thanks for that information.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello , I just stumbled upon this Blog and would just like to point out a few things about MMT E.Ps. made in Germany and France. The German versions ( yes more than one) came with the same cover as shown above but also with a similar cover without the mention Beatles Fan Club.
As far as the French version goes- check your copy to see if yours actually has I am the Walrus on it. This version was also miss-pressed and has Lou Rawls -“Darling ” pressed on instead. This is quite rare and so course fetches a much higher market value. There are also later versions in Mono and Stereo. The inner sleeves are also Red in color..
This mix up of sellers on E-Bay thinking they have a German version , where they in fact are selling a French one is quite common.
LikeLike
I will keep my fingers crossed. Glad to be of help.
At this time I own almost 60 different versions of the Magical Mystery Tour E.P.
If you still need the German versions im sure I can help you to get them. They are very easy to come by over here depending on what shape you would like to have them.
LikeLike
60 different versions! That is amazing. I’d love to see some images and maybe do a bit of a story on that if you’d be agreeable? If you could DM me at beatlesblogger@gmail.com that would be great.
LikeLike
I just noticed that I had made a mistake here. It should read Lou Rawls “Little Drummer Boy” or “Darlin`” from the Beach Boys instead of “I am the Walrus”.
LikeLike
Thanks for clarifying and updating the info on the rare mis-pressed French editions Simon.
LikeLike
Wow. Thanks for all that additional information about this pressing. Very helpful and I’ll definitely check if there’s a Lou Rawls song instead of ‘I Am the Walrus’!
LikeLike