# Great album / awful cover art! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [October 25, 2021, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160 "2021-10-25T10:32:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/41 "2021-10-27T13:24:59Z")
The album was rereleased with a tiny brick wall covering it up. I suspect Terry Knight expected the uproar and planned it to bring the band to public attention. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/42 "2021-10-27T13:52:19Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > The “who cares what the music sounds like; did you see the cover?” award Another contender. > **[CB116 Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass – Whipped Cream & Other Delights](https://captainbeyond55.wordpress.com/2017/11/14/herb-alperts-tijuana-brass-whipped-cream-other-delights/)** > > Released in 1965 on A&M records the fourth album from Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass was a monumental hit. A snapshot of the 60’s would be incomplete without its inclusion. The album s… ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/43 "2021-10-27T13:53:57Z")
> **[Clam Dip & Other Delights](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clam_Dip_%26_Other_Delights)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > Clam Dip & Other Delights is the 1989 EP from Minneapolis rockers Soul Asylum. The title and cover art are both parodies of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass's album Whipped Cream & Other Delights. It was a humorous nod to their new record label, A&M (the "A" standing for "Alpert"). Bassist Karl Mueller sat in for the original album's model, Dolores Erickson. Dave Ayers, the band's first manager, said that Mueller had to sit for hours in a foul-sm... ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/44 "2021-10-27T14:43:04Z")
Clicked on this thread because the title sums up almost my entire LP collection. SO many bad covers (including most of the ones mentioned here). I’d also like to nominate a genre that sadly includes most album covers: **the photo of the artist or band staring at you**. NO imagination, NO creative work, probably no input from a designer or the band. BAND: So, we’ve got some ideas for the cov… MANAGER: Naah, record company says portrait of the band. BAND: But it’s a album of ground-breaki… MANAGER: Naah, their email says “band staring at camera.” BAND: But since the album’s a space-rock-opera jazz-ska fusion… MANAGER: Oh, email says band can dress up like cowboys. BAND: Oh, cool! I’ve got a hat! [(soooo many of those…)](https://www.google.com/search?q=albums+with+band+staring+at+camera+cowboy&tbm=isch&tbs=rimg:CR7uIUSANdMJYQIjs6yOyZ_1F&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj48qvg3erzAhWhg4kEHejQALwQuIIBegQIABAq&biw=996&bih=561) Oh, and these covers are obviously shot by a photographer who didn’t care, or was working cheap. Looking at my albums, I kept imagining the guy behind the camera saying “Ok, everyone look over here …_click_… we’re done! Thanks a lot.” Biggest music quality-to-cover quality ratio: Everything But The Girl. I have a bunch of their albums that are nothing but unflattering “Look over here” photos. [Look](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Nei8tPxN_l4/sddefault.jpg). [Over](https://lastfm.freetls.fastly.net/i/u/500x500/3f290817bccd4fe59a49acebacef47be.jpg). [Here](https://direct.rhapsody.com/imageserver/images/alb.56947036/600x600.jpg). [And](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0500/7837/products/1_dcf5dbb2-7dc5-4806-ae3a-48d9749da8d1.jpg?v=1483584409). [Here](https://img.discogs.com/s7H2PkLVnPwWJs97TkC7QtIisxM=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-67963-1248819575.jpeg.jpg). [And](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ssyN2F8n39k/0.jpg). [Here](https://static.qobuz.com/images/covers/56/27/5099923522756_600.jpg). [And](https://img.discogs.com/KuJ2aeKRqhLGt7KNlbTOJ7WDNLM=/fit-in/600x593/filters:strip_icc():format(webp):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-6678475-1424455699-3895.jpeg.jpg). [Here](https://www.sheetmusicwarehouse.co.uk/image/back/w450/h450/4/wrong-everything-but-the-girl.jpg)… Wow, just read that this one was shot by a fashion photographer (Juergen Teller)… ten free minutes between German VOGUE cover shots? [![](https://www.sleek-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/EBTG.jpg) ](https://www.sleek-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/EBTG.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/45 "2021-10-27T17:19:01Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > Another contender. Another WTF (NSFW) Jimi Hendrix [Electric Ladyland](https://www.vinylpussycat.com/wp-content/uploads/DSC_0003-1-6.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/46 "2021-10-27T17:34:02Z")
Thanks. I thought of that one too. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/47 "2021-10-27T17:52:50Z")
I wouldn’t say great album, or even good album, but this cover had me shaking my head when I was young (well, still does): [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/aa/ScorpionsAnimalMagnetism.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/aa/ScorpionsAnimalMagnetism.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/48 "2021-10-27T18:21:23Z")
Yeah, Scorpions were pushing the limits on a lot of their album covers… [![](https://i.discogs.com/-slImqHpFLaU3t7WC43IHyEAcAhivW4yS6dMYqdw-KM/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:598/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTY2MzA1/NTQtMTQ2MTc3NTk0/Ny04NTc2LmpwZWc.jpeg) ](https://i.discogs.com/-slImqHpFLaU3t7WC43IHyEAcAhivW4yS6dMYqdw-KM/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:598/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTY2MzA1/NTQtMTQ2MTc3NTk0/Ny04NTc2LmpwZWc.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/49 "2021-10-27T18:28:50Z")
These aren’t even their worst. This album should’ve been renamed to simply “virgins”. And this replaced a really terrible album cover. You can look it up if you are interested. Not going to show it here… [![](https://i.discogs.com/A39QdJW0nCF9Gp6lNlDGnew6RQM7_3XcxgxGr43ZvlA/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:634/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTExMTY0/Njg2LTE1MTEwNTAz/MzEtNDczOS5qcGVn.jpeg) ](https://i.discogs.com/A39QdJW0nCF9Gp6lNlDGnew6RQM7_3XcxgxGr43ZvlA/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:634/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTExMTY0/Njg2LTE1MTEwNTAz/MzEtNDczOS5qcGVn.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/50 "2021-10-27T18:31:54Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > Jimi Hendrix [Electric Ladyland](https://www.vinylpussycat.com/wp-content/uploads/DSC_0003-1-6.jpg) The great thing about that bad cover (which Jimi didn’t even like) is that it was way too controversial for the US, so instead we got the familiar-yet-amazing headshot cover: [![](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51VWpTObMvL.jpg) ](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51VWpTObMvL.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/51 "2021-10-27T18:38:06Z")
There were lots of parodies of the Herb Alpert album cover. I remember seeing Pat Cooper’s **Spaghetti Sauce and Other Delights** all over the place [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/5723/29817690244_b0a09187ba_b.jpg "Spaghetti Sauce & Other Delights") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/bartsol/29817690244) But there were apparently others: > **[Pat Cooper - Spaghetti Sauce & Other Delights](https://forum.amcorner.com/threads/pat-cooper-spaghetti-sauce-other-delights.14113/)** > > I hate to create a thread just for this but I thought you'd get a kick out of it. I just got this a little while ago. It's an absolute riot of a cover: > > http://vinylalbumcovers.com/pat-cooper-spaghetti-sauce-other-delights/ > > Enjoy...or... > **[Frivolous Tonight](https://worldsworstrecords.blogspot.com/2015/07/frivolous-tonight.html)** > > Today’s brace of badness comes from one of those records that is always turning up in lists of terrible LP sleeves but very few people ha... ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/52 "2021-10-27T19:18:07Z")
> [@digs](#): > > … a genre that sadly includes most album covers: **the photo of the artist or band staring at you**. Agreed it’s unimaginative, but sometimes it can still be pretty great: [![](https://i.discogs.com/0FOT2SGM_yVXBNErXRmMeRx4DtaViBmfAGNiuH2sIEo/rs:fit/g:sm/q:40/h:300/w:300/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTE2NDM1/OTQtMTI1NTc5NzIy/NS5qcGVn.jpeg) ](https://i.discogs.com/0FOT2SGM_yVXBNErXRmMeRx4DtaViBmfAGNiuH2sIEo/rs:fit/g:sm/q:40/h:300/w:300/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTE2NDM1/OTQtMTI1NTc5NzIy/NS5qcGVn.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/53 "2021-10-27T19:45:14Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > Another contender. Nothing awful about this album cover at all. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/54 "2021-10-27T20:01:23Z")
I meant another contender for “who cares what the music sounds like; did you see the cover?” Off topic. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/55 "2021-10-27T21:59:04Z")
I haven’t checked but I’m guessing _Whipped Cream…_ is consistently included in Best Album Covers lists. Not a bad selection of instrumental music either… ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/56 "2021-10-27T22:22:05Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > A bloody vulva IIRC, it was juicy, not bloody. ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/57 "2021-10-27T22:28:08Z")
@digs, you’re so right about those shoddy click-and-done cover photos! This, to my mind, is Exhibit A: [![](https://barryraphael.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/wilson_picket_wickedpicket1.jpg) ](https://barryraphael.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/wilson_picket_wickedpicket1.jpg) Whenever I see this cover, I squint on Wilson Pickett’s behalf. Great work, Atlantic Records! ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2021, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/58 "2021-10-27T22:41:08Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > These aren’t even their worst. This album should’ve been renamed to simply “virgins”. And this replaced a really terrible album cover. You can look it up if you are interested. Not going to show it here… Yeah, the original was **really** questionable. The “Lovedrive” album cover and 54 others, some possibly NSFW, [here.](https://www.pocket-lint.com/apps/news/134579-worst-album-cover-art-of-all-time-you-won-t-believe-number-34) Kevin Rowland of Dexy’s Midnight Runners (“Come on Eileen”) in drag. Plus Millie Jackson on the toilet. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2021, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/59 "2021-10-28T01:34:48Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > The “Lovedrive” album cover and 54 others, some possibly NSFW Hilarious. Anyone who loves this would enjoy the Sterns’ well researched book “The Encyclopedia of Bad Taste” (published circa 1986?). ---
**Author:** ![TimfromNapa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@TimfromNapa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimfromNapa)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2021, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160/60 "2021-10-28T03:07:38Z")
Ok, this may be a bit on the obscure side, but I’d add Endle St. Cloud’s 1970 album “Thank You All Very Much” to the list. Very good, if not truly great, but very bad, unimaginative cover. It is a cheap “thank you” card for Christ’s sake. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-album-awful-cover-art/953160.md?page=4)