# Best Album Cover Art Ever **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2001, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807 "2001-08-11T15:55:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Living\_Dead\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecb155/32.png) [@Living\_Dead\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Dead_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807/41 "2001-08-14T13:12:10Z")
And for something a little bit newer - Lateralus, by Tool. Absolutely kick-ass cover art, and booklet isn’t bad either. Definitely one of the more original efforts I’ve seen. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807/42 "2001-08-14T21:44:27Z")
My favorite cover art is most of the albums by KMFDM. An artist named BRUTE! did all their covers except one (Nihil), and for some reason that dark, shadowy, angular style hooks my interest and strikes me as very German-looking. And really fits the personality of the band, too. See some of his stuff [here](http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shadowlands/4375/brute/index.html). ---
**Author:** ![askol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@askol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askol)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807/43 "2001-08-14T23:03:59Z")
Thank you, Joe, I’m glade **someone** mentioned Brute. His covers whoop ass. KMFDM’s Agogo by BRUTE is definetly my favorite album cover. If I could find that art on a poster or a tshirt I would be a very happy KMFDM fan. askol ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807/44 "2001-08-14T23:21:41Z")
“Whipped Cream, and Other Delights”, by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Simple, but spectacular. ---
**Author:** ![Harbour\_Lights](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7feea3/32.png) [@Harbour\_Lights](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harbour_Lights)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807/45 "2001-08-15T02:50:19Z")
Three that I pick Frank Zappa - Overnight Sensation - I still have my original copy, I think the re-release was in a plain brown cover. Rolling Stones - Their Satanic Majesties Request - originally came with a thick attachment that changed the image when you changed the viewing angle. Subsequent releases had a regular photo. I traded my original for an illegal substance way back when. Big Brother and the Holding Company - Cheap Thrills - more relevant now that the Hell’s Angels have actually moved into town. ---
**Author:** ![Sasquatch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@Sasquatch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sasquatch)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807/46 "2001-08-15T03:27:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joe\_Cool \* > \*\*My favorite cover art is most of the albums by KMFDM. An artist named BRUTE! did all their covers except one (Nihil), and for some reason that dark, shadowy, angular style hooks my interest and strikes me as very German-looking. And really fits the personality of the band, too. > > See some of his stuff [here](http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shadowlands/4375/brute/index.html). \*\* DAMN YOU Joe\_Cool, I was going to say this. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807/47 "2001-08-15T12:09:57Z")
Gawd bless yer all 😉 Marketing: ‘Sticky Fingers’ Consumer Recognition: ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ Art: Taste, always a question of taste. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807/48 "2001-08-15T12:22:59Z")
I leafing through the vinyl in a Galway music shop when I came across a very surprising album cover. I never even read the words on it, the picture just leaped out at me. Partly because it was shocking, partly because this was a Catholic country where porn seemed very hard to find and very tame when you did. But on this cover was the torso of a bare breasted woman. And when you turned it over you see her sitting on something with one leg hanging down and the other tucked up, with her knee by her chin. And there between her legs was … (well use your imagination) for all the world to see. I thought ‘Whoa, this is a good record to bring home to shock your parents!’ I don’t think I would have had the guts to buy it if I wanted too. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807/49 "2001-08-15T12:34:54Z")
Carly Simon’s [Playing Possum](http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd200/d290/d29056lwk0i.jpg) just, well, because. I always found the Stones’ [Let It Bleed](http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc000/c018/c018948w1x3.jpg) an entertaining cover. Dave Brubeck’s [Take Five](http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc000/c030/c030393y8p1.jpg) – classic album, great cover. Perfectly captured the spirit of the music. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807/50 "2001-08-15T12:38:06Z")
I do remember staring for long periods of time at a Big Brother and Holding Company cover. I believe it was done by Crumb. Very fascinating, and wierd. ---
**Author:** ![unwashed\_brain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807/51 "2001-08-15T14:05:00Z")
**undertow** by Tool. I’ve caught myself staring at that red ribcage thingy many a time. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807/52 "2001-08-15T21:21:57Z")
I can’t believe there is no mention here of _News of the World_ by **Queen**. I remember being totally creeped out by [this](http://members.ozemail.com.au/~dgiambru/graphics/news.jpg) cover. ---
**Author:** ![Opengrave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@Opengrave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opengrave)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807/53 "2001-08-15T21:34:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by HenrySpencer \* > \*\*Iron Maiden’s **Somewhere In Time** gives hours of enjoyment, of a ‘Where’s Wally’ variety, as you try to spot the references to previous songs, etc. > \*\* Also Maiden’s **Powerslave**. If you look closely at the heiroglyphics you can see all sorts of hilarious things (well you could on the album but not the CD). ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807/54 "2001-08-15T21:51:25Z")
gawd bless you, mbh. whipped cream and other delights was the first album i ever bought and it was strictly because of the delectable lass on the cover. sticky fingers appeals because of… well, you know. physical graphetti has enough genius oozing through the vinyl to the cover to rank it. in through the out door was unique because of, yes, the 6 angles butt also - we we’re getting a little ripped and spilled some turkey on the album sleeve and it bust into color too from an original b & w. went from woops to wow rather quickly. magical mystery? of course. i’ll check my collection for more tonite butt is anyone else familiar with les dudek’s upside down, champagne pouring cover? it’s name escapes me. cheers. ---
**Author:** ![LocalLoop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@LocalLoop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LocalLoop)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807/55 "2001-08-15T22:00:52Z")
I’m sure I’ll remember a bunch more once I get home from work, but two that I always obsessed over when I was younger were: Fleetwood Mac - Mystery to Me Little Feat - Feats Don’t Fail Me Now ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2001, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807/56 "2001-08-15T23:11:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Opengrave \* > Also Maiden’s **Powerslave**. If you look closely at the heiroglyphics you can see all sorts of hilarious things (well you could on the album but not the CD). \*\* What are the hidden references? I only have that record on cassette, which is notable for being the only format that makes CD cover art look impressive (and not to mention on cassette the picture’s usually squashed up!) ---
**Author:** ![Opengrave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@Opengrave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opengrave)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2001, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807/57 "2001-08-16T13:50:44Z")
I don’t remember many of them because it has been so long since I have seen an actual ALBUM cover but I remember several Disney characters, a mummy in a sarcophagus with a little quote baloon saying “help, its hot in here” and some other stuff. I wish there was a good website on this stuff. I found [Iron Maiden Cover Art](http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/5293/ironmaiden.html) especially [Powerslave](http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/5293/powerslave.JPG) but none of the images were of enough quality to resolve anything. In reference to the earlier post about the _Somewhere in Time_ cover here is some tidbits from the [Iron Maiden FAQ](http://www.faqs.org/faqs/music/iron-maiden-faq/part1/): > [@](#): > > - “This is a very boring painting” - backwards message just behind Eddie’s > right leg > - Ruskin Arms reference (old pub they started playing at) > - Clock says 23:58 (2 Minutes To Midnight) > - West Ham 7 Arsenal 3 - soccer score, showing their favorite team West Ham > well in the lead. Incidentally, West Ham are THE IRONS - see section 24 > - Aces High bar, complete with a spitfire flying above. > - The Rainbow bar (another old club they frequented in the early days) > - Live After Death, Blade Runner on the movie theater > - The movie theater is the Philip K. Dick cinema, who is the author of “Do > Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”, on which the movie Blade Runner is > based. > - Marquee Club (another old club they frequented in the old days) > - Phantom Opera House > - “Bollocks again and again” under “Phantom Opera House”. This might be a > reference to the hidden “Bollocks” message on the Powerslave cover. > - Ancient Mariner Seafood Restaurant > - Herbert Ails on the overpass (probably a reference to Frank Herbert, > author of DUNE, who wouldn’t allow Maiden to use it as a song title). > - “Tonight GYPSY’S KISS”, under the 23:58 sign (hard to see) - reference > to Steve Harris’ very first band > - Hammerjacks - a reference to one of the band’s favorite bars in the US, > Hammerjacks Night Club in Baltimore, MD. The Night Club closed on Jan 1 94. > The concert hall is still open, however. > - Long Beach Arena > - Nicko is dressed in old-time flight goggles (reference to his being a > pilot). > - Nicko is also wearing a shirt saying: “Iron What?” > - On the back cover there is Icarus falling from the Sun with burning wings > in the top right corner, in front of the Bradbury Hotel. This of course > refers to “The Flight Of Icarus.” > - The “Bradbury Hotels International” sign - is this possibly a reference to > the popular futuristic author Ray Bradbury (author of such classics as “The > Martian Chronicles”, “Ice Nine”, etc.)? > - If you look closely, you can see the shadow of the reaper on the back cover > in front of the pyramids. > - The pyramids refer to the sleeve of “Powerslave”. > - All the Japanese around the covers could be connected to “Maiden Japan” and > IRON MAIDEN’s other performances there. > - “Maggies revenge” on the back cover refers to Margaret Thatcher. She and > the British government had a dispute with IRON MAIDEN back in 1980/1981 > with the “Sanctuary” and “Women In Uniform” singles, depicting her as dead > on the ground (killed by Eddie, of course) and hiding behind a wall > observing Eddie picking up chicks, respectively. > - The street Eddie is standing on is Acacia Avenue, a reference of course to > “Charlotte the Harlot” and “22 Acacia Avenue”, the Charlotte series. > (You can see this above the IRON MAIDEN poster on the extreme right side). > - In one of the windows on Acacia Avenue, you can see a girl (supposedly > Charlotte the Harlot herself) sitting in a chair. > - Bruce Dickinson is holding a brain, ala PIECE OF MIND. > - Tehe’s bar is where they got the guys to sing backup vocals in the sing- > along part in “Heaven Can Wait.” > - Batman standing under Tehe’s bar sign > - Tardis from Dr. Who is above the Rainbow Club sign > - Asimov Foundation Building in background > - Tyrell Corp. right above the causeway (replicant manufacturer in Blade > Runner) > - Cat with halo, which seems to pop up all over the place > - Eye of Horus above Webster sign to left of Eddie’s gun > - One of Eddie’s eyes is actually a ‘laser’. This probably comes from the “2 > Minutes To Midnight single”… Just remember the picture from this single: > Eddie has a “pirate’s eye”, probably because of the nuclear holocaust (the > nuclear mushroom-cloud in the background). > - There is a litter box right under Eddie’s left leg attached to the > lamppost. This is exactly the same as the litter box attached to the light > post on the IRON MAIDEN debut album, to the left of Eddie next to the wall. > Pretty obscure! 🙂 > - Also, there is a metal plate that connects Eddie’s nose to the top of his > head. If you look at the wall to the right of sign that has the football > (excuse me, ‘soccer’ for y’all in the US!) score on it, you will see that > little metal plate with two screws that Eddie always has on his head (since > the PIECE OF MIND era at least, when he was lobotimized. The screw is > there now to keep his head all together in one piece!). > - There are also these neon signs, one of which says something in Hebrew, the > other one in Russian. The Hebrew bit probably means “God” (?), the Russian > bit is pronounced KEPHIR and means “yoghurt”. This is (or rather was) a > rather common sign on the buildings indicating a milk-store in Russia. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-album-cover-art-ever/75807.md?page=2)