MANU...

The Command (originally Command Performance) label was started by Enoch Light and George Schwager in 1959 in Harrison New Jersey. It was a subsidiary to the Grand Award label. The label recorded popular, classical and jazz music and was acquired by Am-Par Records in October 1959 when Am-Par purchased all of the labels of Enoch Light. Command continued to operate under the Am-Par Corp. and Enoch Light was Executive Vice President and Managing Director of the Command and Grand Award Labels.

Command was operated as a audiophile record label producing records with exaggerated separation of the stereo tracks. The albums were packaged in high quality gatefold covers with distinctive abstract designs. The Persuasive Percussion series of records were very successful, the first "Persuasive Percussion" album received little airplay on AM stations but Joel Whitburn lists this album as one of the 25 best selling albums of the modern era. Command was one of the first companies to adopt 35MM film for master recording instead of magnetic tape for the better fidelity it afforded.



In addition to running the label, Enoch Light was one of the most prolific artists recorded on the label with records issued under Enoch Light Orchestra, Enoch Light and the Light Brigade and Enoch Light and the Charleston City All Stars. Accordion player Charles Magnante and guitar player Tony Mottola also released many albums on the label. Piano player Dick Hyman issued albums under his own name and the pseudonym Knuckles O'Toole. Despite the meticulous recording techniques, almost everything released on the label could be described as MOR or lounge music, with only a few singles chart breakthroughs. Today this type of music has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity and is sometimes called "Bachelor Pad Music".

Enoch Light left the Command label in 1966 to form the Project 3 Label. Project 3 was not connected with ABC. After Light left, the quality of the albums on Command deteriorated until they discontinued releases in the main series in 1970. ABC used the "Command Quadraphonic" name from 1971 to 1976 for quadraphonic releases for albums that were originally on Command, ABC, and Dunhill, and reissued a series of two-record sets under the name "Command Two-Fers" in 1973-74. The first appearance of "subsidiary of ABC Records" appeared on #871, but was sporadic after that.

The first Command label was gray with black print. The Command logo is in script in white above the center hole. At the bottom of the label is "MFG. BY GRAND AWARD RECORD CO, INC., U.S.A" This label was used from the start in 1959 till 1961.









The second Command label was off-white with black print. The Command logo is in script in gold above the center hole. At the bottom of the label is "MFG. BY GRAND AWARD RECORD CO, INC., U.S.A" This label was used from 1961 till the mid-60's. Later issues had "A Subsidiary of ABC Records" at the bottom, this label was used from the mid 1960's to 1969.







The third label was creme color with black print. The script "Command" logo in black above the center hole in a multi-color box, beside the logo is the ABC Records logo. At the bottom of the label is "Grand Award Record Co. Inc. Is a subsidiary and trademark licensee of ABC Records, Inc. New York, N.Y. 10019 Made in USA" This label was used from 1969 to approximately 1972. From 1972 till the end of the label, the multi-color box was changed to black and the Grand Award Record Co. was removed.





REVOLUTION, the spirited sounds of 1969
A1 Topless Of Corfu - Dick Hyman
A2 Beautician Blues - J.Taub, R.King
A3 Both Sides Now - J.Mitchell
A4 The Killing Of Sister George - G.Fried
A5 Knowing When To Leave - B.Bacharach, H.David
A6 C' Est Si Bon - A.E.Betti, A.Hornez
B1 Till - C.Sigman, C.Danvers
B2 The Sounds Of Music - R.Rodgers, O.Hammerstein II
B3 A Certain Kind - H.Hopper
B4 Wichita Lineman - J.Webb
B5 Sunny - B.Hebb
B6 Laura - J.Mercer, D.Raskin