People Are Strange / Unhappy Girl

The release in question is the German original pressing of People Are Strange / Unhappy Girl on Hit-Ton Schallplatten, catalog number HT-300129, issued in 1967. Hit-Ton was Elektra's German licensee at the time, and this 45 arrived in the market concurrent with the broader European rollout of material from Strange Days. What separates this specific pressing from the American issue and several other regional variants is the picture sleeve, which is the primary draw for collectors hunting this particular object.

The picture sleeve on HT-300129 is the centerpiece of the physical package, and its condition is what will make or break any transaction involving this copy. Hit-Ton sleeves from this period were produced on relatively thin stock, which means seam splits and corner wear are common grievances for anyone who has handled multiples. The front face of the sleeve carries band imagery typical of late 1967 promotional photography, with the four members presented in a format consistent with what Hit-Ton used across their Doors singles catalog during this period. The label design on the disc itself follows the Hit-Ton house style: a clean, straightforward layout with the catalog number prominently placed, the title and artist in bold typeface, and timing information for each side. The pressing weight and quality is consistent with German manufacture of the era, which generally ran well compared to some other European licensees. The labels read Side A for "People Are Strange" and Side B for "Unhappy Girl," both drawn directly from the Strange Days album sessions. One detail called out in the Discogs notes is that original issues carry a number printed below the catalog number on the back cover; this is a key authenticity marker and something you want to verify before purchasing any copy represented as original. Reproductions and later facsimile sleeves circulate in the European market, and the presence or absence of that number is one of the cleaner ways to sort genuine first issues from later material.

"People Are Strange" was the lead single lifted from Strange Days, released in the United States in September 1967 and almost immediately picked up by Elektra's European licensees. The German market received it through Hit-Ton, and the picture sleeve variant, HT-300129, represents the first issue in that territory. The B-side, "Unhappy Girl," is also an album track from Strange Days, making this a straightforward commercial single without alternate mixes or exclusive content. That said, the absence of bonus material does nothing to diminish its standing among collectors focused on regional pressings and original international singles. For anyone building a complete run of Doors 45s by country of origin, this is a required piece. Several other pressings of People Are Strange / Unhappy Girl exist across different territories and labels, including additional variants (Canada) and further regional issues (Italy), so pinning down the exact identifier, HT-300129 with the numbered back cover, is essential when communicating with sellers or cross-referencing want lists. The Discogs community data reflects genuine collector interest: 107 copies reported in collections against 180 active wants, a want-to-have ratio that signals consistent demand and limited supply in the open market. Picture sleeve copies in VG+ or better condition move when they surface, and finding disc and sleeve together in matched, presentable condition requires some patience. The sleeve is almost always the limiting factor; discs from this pressing tend to survive better than the paper. Grades below VG on the sleeve will affect value considerably, and completists should hold out for cleaner examples unless the price reflects the condition honestly.

This is a legitimate target for collectors focused on The Doors original international pressings and European 45 variants. It is not an easy find in high grade, and the numbered back cover detail gives you a reliable checkpoint for originality. If you are cross-referencing against other regional pressings of this single, the Hit-Ton picture sleeve issue stands as one of the more visually distinctive and collectible entries in the set. Buy it in the best sleeve condition you can justify at the asking price.