1. The Beatles - Yesterday and Today
What do you have to be smoking for this to sound like a good idea for an album cover? This from the same band that gave us perhaps the best album covers of all time: the revolutionary Sgt. Pepper cover, the iconic Meet the Beatles and Abbey Road covers, and the beautifully artistic Revolver... this same group decides to cover themselves with butchered babies. Go figure.
Here's a couple facts that may help us comprehend it better:
(A) When it was photographed, the photos were not intended for an album cover. They were just clowning around and being "experimental". Evidently, their dark humor showed through.
(B) Afterwards, it was only Paul who pushed for the butcher pictures to be used for the cover - as a statement against the war. Quite a bold move for the most popular band on earth.
Not surprisingly, the records were instantly recalled and a newer blander cover was pasted over the butcher cover.
Personally, I don't mind the cover. I mean, you can readily tell it's not real babies. The Beatles album cover that should have been censored and recalled is The Magical Mystery Tour - damn, that cover is dreadful!
2. The Mama's and the Papa's - If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears
For this one, the toilet was declared to be indecent and the record was recalled. The new album cover had the toilet obscured by a list of songs on the LP.
I could understand the censorship if there was a big log in the bowl. That would be a bit much. But c'mon, it's obvious they're in a bathroom - bathrooms have toilets. What's the big deal?
3. Buddy Cole - Have Organ, Will Swing
Anyone even moderately familiar with vintage album covers knows that organ albums were the most heavy handed with the cheesecake. They rarely featured the actual musician on the cover - instead, there was always an anonymous female in various states of undress. Geared toward the swingin' hep cat of the 60's, the vinyl babes were quite successful in boosting sales. Unfortunately, Buddy Cole took it a little too far with this one (known henceforth as the "beaver cover") and it was recalled after one week in stores. (image source)
See related post: Sex Sells: Cheesecake Album Covers of Yesteryear
What do you have to be smoking for this to sound like a good idea for an album cover? This from the same band that gave us perhaps the best album covers of all time: the revolutionary Sgt. Pepper cover, the iconic Meet the Beatles and Abbey Road covers, and the beautifully artistic Revolver... this same group decides to cover themselves with butchered babies. Go figure.Here's a couple facts that may help us comprehend it better:
(A) When it was photographed, the photos were not intended for an album cover. They were just clowning around and being "experimental". Evidently, their dark humor showed through.
(B) Afterwards, it was only Paul who pushed for the butcher pictures to be used for the cover - as a statement against the war. Quite a bold move for the most popular band on earth.
Not surprisingly, the records were instantly recalled and a newer blander cover was pasted over the butcher cover.
Personally, I don't mind the cover. I mean, you can readily tell it's not real babies. The Beatles album cover that should have been censored and recalled is The Magical Mystery Tour - damn, that cover is dreadful!
2. The Mama's and the Papa's - If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears
For this one, the toilet was declared to be indecent and the record was recalled. The new album cover had the toilet obscured by a list of songs on the LP.I could understand the censorship if there was a big log in the bowl. That would be a bit much. But c'mon, it's obvious they're in a bathroom - bathrooms have toilets. What's the big deal?
3. Buddy Cole - Have Organ, Will Swing
Anyone even moderately familiar with vintage album covers knows that organ albums were the most heavy handed with the cheesecake. They rarely featured the actual musician on the cover - instead, there was always an anonymous female in various states of undress. Geared toward the swingin' hep cat of the 60's, the vinyl babes were quite successful in boosting sales. Unfortunately, Buddy Cole took it a little too far with this one (known henceforth as the "beaver cover") and it was recalled after one week in stores. (image source)See related post: Sex Sells: Cheesecake Album Covers of Yesteryear
