Pet Sounds and Dylan's Blonde on Blonde released on same day, May 16, 1966?

[The Song Of The Grange]

I have always loved the fact that these to major earth shaking albums were released on the same day in the US.  I have always thought of Dylan and the BBs as the polar opposites of American pop music at that time, the peak of lyrics and the peak of music and melody for 60s American music. 

But recently I have read a number of sources that say that Dylan's double album was not released in May, but in July.  It seems real strange that such a major releases would have a disputed released date.  Apparently Blonde on Blonde didn't chart in US until the week ending July 23, 1966, and that is why some say it must have been released later.  Anyone know anything about this.  Maybe it is an use of the US vs UK release dates?  Pet Sounds was released in UK in June 1966 as apposed to May.  It seems like we are firm on Pet Sounds' released dates, aren't we?  How could we not know when Blonde on Blonde, an equally important release, was released?  It seems astonishing to me that something that public and high profile would be in doubt.

I guess it was just too perfectly symmetrical to have both these albums actually show up in stores the same day.  Too perfect a contrast.  What a bummer if it's not true!

[Jason]

And I was expecting this to be a thread about Bob Dylan being the reason Pet Sounds only made #10.

It does seem a bit weird that a Dylan album presumably released in May wouldn't chart until the end of July considering Dylan's commercial reputation at the time. Unless it's just a fluke occurrence.

[rogerlancelot]

According to Wikipedia it was released on May 16th. Check it out, a fun read:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blonde_on_blonde

I love Blonde On Blonde, but I am MUCH more of a fan of Pet Sounds. Off topic, listening to an acetate of Carnival Of Sound right now. Interesting. Just heard Davy Jones on "In The Still Of The Night". WTF?

BTW, my very first concert was Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and the Grateful Dead at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, NY July 4th, 1985. I still have flashbacks from that one...

[gxios]

Ironically, the most successful album released that day was neither Dylan's nor Brian's, but Bill Cosby's "Wonderfullness".  He was huge back then.

[Ian]

There is an interesting interview with Mike and Al from Hartford May 5 1966-in which a radio DJ who had an advance copy talks to them about it. The fun thing about the interview-is that Capitol sent an advance copy to the BBs hotel room and they were actually listening to the actual mastered album for the first time when the DJ called

[Aegir]

BTW, my very first concert was Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and the Grateful Dead at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, NY July 4th, 1985. I still have flashbacks from that one...

Acid flashbacks?

[chris.metcalfe]

I've always quite liked the fact that 'The Beatles' and 'Beggars Banquet' were released on the same day in the UK - the 5th anniversary of the assassination of JFK (i.e. 22 November 1968).

[rogerlancelot]

BTW, my very first concert was Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and the Grateful Dead at Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, NY July 4th, 1985. I still have flashbacks from that one...

Acid flashbacks?

That was a bit of a joke. I don't really suffer from acid flashbacks. Can anybody here confirm that they actually exist?

All I meant was that it WAS one hell of a party. Stadium full (approx 80,000 people) and campers all around (another 100,000 or so?) and most of them were Deadheads. And that was the very first concert I went to at the age of 12 (almost 13). My life changed for good after that.