ON THIS DAY IN 1975, AN UNAUTHORISED JOHN LENNON LP MADE ITS WAY INTO CIRCULATION IN THE US

Titled John Lennon Sings the Great Rock & Roll Hits: Roots, the album was made using an incomplete master tape of Lennon’s Rock ’n’ Roll album tracks, which was not to be released until the 17th of February.

The album does contain two songs that never made it to the the final release of Lennon’s official album, Angel Baby and Be My Baby. These songs were only officially released on various compilations posthumously in 1986 and 1998.

The album was forced of the market by a successful lawsuit from Lennon, although not before he ordered a copy from the TV. He was reportedly unimpressed by the three week wait on the record, likely caused by the rarity of the album, with only 2,500 copies of the LP and 500 copies of the 8-track tape produced. The vinyl record selling website discogs.com lists only two copies of the LP, starting at a remarkable A$445.