# Remember that weird album cover that had... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 20, 2007, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004 "2007-02-20T19:22:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/41 "2007-02-21T05:58:59Z")
Let me check in with The Geto Boys’ [We Can’t Be Stopped](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Geto_boys_we_can%27t_be_stopped_cover.jpg). Gross, but even worse when you realize that’s not special effects - Bushwick shot his eye out with a Derringer and thoughtfully had the foresight (heh, heh) to take a cover photo on the way to the ER. Lovely! My favorite album cover designer would be [Peter Saville](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Saville). He designed all of the Joy Division and New Order sleeves. I also think that XTC had some amazing sleeves, especially [this one](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:XTC_Go_2.jpg) by Hipgnosis. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/42 "2007-02-21T06:11:38Z")
Going with Jethro Tull here, too. “Thick as a Brick” original release LP had the many-paged foldout fake newspaper (loved the continuing rabbit theme through the stories and the ads were a hoot). The pop-up in “Stand Up” was cool. The original LP of “Living in the Past” had a leather-textured cover and a many-paged book inside. The [back side of “War Child”](http://remus.rutgers.edu/JethroTull/Photos/war_child3.jpg) featured all of the characters from the songs on the album–very well done… actually I think I like almost all of their album covers. ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/43 "2007-02-21T13:55:59Z")
The one cover permanently burned into my mind is Frank Zappa and the Mother’s [Weasels Ripped My Flesh](http://www.science.uva.nl/~robbert/zappa/files/jpg/Weasels_Ripped_My_Flesh.jpg). And now… I must be blind. I have been a huge Pink Floyd fan, _Meddle_ being one of my favorite albums by them, but I have never attached much significance to the cover. I still cannot see what some of you are talking about! Please help an ignorant old Floyd fan! ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/44 "2007-02-21T14:05:42Z")
[QUOTE=TwoTrouts] And now… I must be blind. I have been a huge Pink Floyd fan, _Meddle_ being one of my favorite albums by them, but I have never attached much significance to the cover. I still cannot see what some of you are talking about! Please help an ignorant old Floyd fan! [/QUOTE] Me too, but my guess is that the ripples and shadows form a female bod? ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/45 "2007-02-21T14:13:16Z")
Re. **Weasels Ripped My Flesh** : the radio ad campaign for that LP consisted of a series of spots where they showed the album cover art (apparently without the word balloons) to people on the street and got their reactions. One woman sounded really scared by the image. Re. **Meddle** : it’s just a close-up of an ear, with water ripples superimposed. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/46 "2007-02-21T14:22:07Z")
_The Durutti Column_ released \*\*The Return of the Durutti Column \*\* on vinyl in a sleeve made of sandpaper designed to destroy the covers of albums placed beside it. Of course, despite the name, it was their debut album and, despite the aggressive sleeve, is comprised of mostly gentle introspective guitar music. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/47 "2007-02-21T14:22:10Z")
I have two original copies of _Thick as a Brick_. It’s hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/48 "2007-02-21T14:38:40Z")
[QUOTE=Biffy the Elephant Shrew] Re. **Weasels Ripped My Flesh** : the radio ad campaign for that LP consisted of a series of spots where they showed the album cover art (apparently without the word balloons) to people on the street and got their reactions. One woman sounded really scared by the image. Re. **Meddle** : it’s just a close-up of an ear, with water ripples superimposed. [/QUOTE] The Weasels cover was done by the late, great Neon Park. Who did many other covers–especially for Little Feat. [http://rateyourmusic.com/list/alabaster/cover\_art\_artist\_gallery\_\_5\_\_neon\_park\_\_martin\_muller\_\_\_illustrator\_](http://rateyourmusic.com/list/alabaster/cover_art_artist_gallery __5__ neon_park __martin_muller___ illustrator_) From the same site, here’s my own “favorite” album cover: [Dr John The Nighttripper’s “Gris Gris”](http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/dr__john/gris_gris/) My judgement is clouded by the music inside & how I “experienced” it. But the record has aged well. “Walk on Gilded Splinters” can still raise goosebumps. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/49 "2007-02-21T14:47:45Z")
Speaking of creepy, my bother had a copy of [Aqualung](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:JethroTullAqualungalbumcover.jpg) , man that guy still looks spooky. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/50 "2007-02-21T15:03:09Z")
Who remembers [**Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake**](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/77/Ogden%27s.jpg) by the Small Faces? A _round_ album cover, that folded out - meant to be a tobacco tin. The music on the record was as amazing as the album cover - highly recommended! ---
**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:** [February 21, 2007, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/51 "2007-02-21T15:12:51Z")
I always liked the cover to [Delaney and Bonnie and Friends on Tour with Eric Clapton](http://www.starclustermusic.de/artists/beatles/harrison/sesscover/dfdb7001.jpg) for the story behind it. The feet in the car window belong to Bob Dylan, who had nothing to do with the tour. The photo happened to be laying around when they were designing the album, and they decided to use it. One of the few cases where a musician on the cover had nothing at all to do with the album. The Mothers [“We’re Only in it for the Money”](http://oakhaus.home.insightbb.com/frank/money.jpg) cover was a picture of the group in women’s dresses. It wasn’t until you bought it and opened the gatefold that you realized it was a parody of the “[Sgt. Pepper](http://media.musictoday.com/store/bands/1039/product_medium/ZPCD60.jpg)” cover, turned inside out (Zappa actually called Paul for permission). Bonus: Jimi Hendrix was at the cover shoot. “[Tadpoles](http://www.iankitching.me.uk/music/bonzos/tadpoles.jpg)” by the Bonzo Dog Band had a die cut cover. As you pulled out the inner sleeve, it created an animation: Vivian Stanshall (top) had various images; “Legs” Larry Smith (left) had his eye track back and forth, and Neil Innes (right) has musical notes moving across his forehead. Though the image is well known today, [Mott the Hoople’s](http://jackwolak.com/cd/6391.jpg) colored version of M.C. Escher’s Reptiles was new to record buyers when it came out and did a great job of making the album noticed. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/52 "2007-02-21T16:40:11Z")
As a teenager whose hormones were just starting to rage, this album cover of Linda Ronstadt’s [Hasten Down the Wind](http://www.amazon.com/Hasten-Down-Wind-Linda-Ronstadt/dp/B000002GY7/sr=8-4/qid=1172075789/ref=pd_bbs_4/103-4754466-0443827?ie=UTF8&s=music) will be forever imprinted in my mind. Yet it looks so tame now. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/53 "2007-02-21T17:40:39Z")
Of the many KISS albums I had, this [one](http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/b/b9/200px-Kiss_first_album_cover.jpg) creeped me out. It’s hard to tell in this photo, but the look the photographer captured on Gene Simmons face is just . . . eep! Count me in as another PF Meddle fan who never had a clue what was on the cover. Even after I looked it up and you guys explained it, I still don’t see an ear. A baboon’s anus maybe but. . . ---
**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:** [February 21, 2007, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/54 "2007-02-21T18:13:08Z")
Speaking of adolescent fantasies, the cover of Supertramp’s “Indelibly Stamped” album is unforgettable: full frontal nudity, with tattoos. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/55 "2007-02-21T18:46:33Z")
[QUOTE=Contrapuntal] How many letters in ‘peace?’ [/QUOTE] An ancestor of his may have killed someone in a swordfight. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/56 "2007-02-21T22:36:41Z")
[QUOTE=Biffy the Elephant Shrew] The best example I can think of is the first Emerson, Lake & Palmer album. Jethro Tull’s _Stormwatch_ also qualifies, although it is not at all obvious that the image is continuous unless you scrutinize it. There are also the Island-era albums by Jade Warrior, _Floating World, Waves, Kites,_ and I believe _Way of the Sun_, though I no longer have the vinyl of the last to verify. _Dark Side of the Moon_ and _A Question of Balance_, already suggested, actually are gatefold covers. [/QUOTE] Actually, my copy of A Question of Balance is not a gatefold cover. Now I feel like I got ripped off! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Sunrazor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sunrazor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunrazor)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/57 "2007-02-21T22:45:10Z")
[QUOTE=lieu] Herb Alpert’s [Whipped Cream] was the first album I ever bought, done so because of the cover. [/QUOTE] That was, without a doubt, the sexiest album cover – indeed, one of the sexiest images – of that decade, and of most decades since then, too. The model’s expression just invites one to dive in and frolic in the foam. I like the Blind Faith cover because of its innocent/erotic blend, but for pure, heart-quickening sexy, Whipped Cream was the best! Oh, and the music inside was pretty good, too. ---
**Author:** ![Sunrazor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sunrazor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunrazor)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/58 "2007-02-21T22:59:29Z")
[QUOTE=Fiddle Peghead] As a teenager whose hormones were just starting to rage, this album cover of Linda Ronstadt’s [Hasten Down the Wind](http://www.amazon.com/Hasten-Down-Wind-Linda-Ronstadt/dp/B000002GY7/sr=8-4/qid=1172075789/ref=pd_bbs_4/103-4754466-0443827?ie=UTF8&s=music) will be forever imprinted in my mind. Yet it looks so tame now. [/QUOTE] Yep. Ronstadt’s expression, the way the shadows accentuate her the lines of her body through the dress – it was a photo that would haunt a lad’s dreams deep into the night. Oh, yeah, and the music was pretty good, too. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/59 "2007-02-21T23:12:15Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] On a side note, speaking of album covers, I am looking for an example of one that has one picture or design spread out over the front and back of the album, but is **not** a gatefold. Anyone? [/QUOTE] Monty Python’s Previous Record is a great one. A long rubbery arm wrapping around the cover multiple times, grasping at a six-breasted butterfly-woman. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2007, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004/60 "2007-02-21T23:29:01Z")
[QUOTE=Shoeless] Actually, my copy of A Question of Balance is not a gatefold cover. Now I feel like I got ripped off! ☹ [/QUOTE] That surprises me. It’s not that unusual for records that were originally gatefold to have been reissued later in a cheaper cover–for example, non-gatefold editions of Genesis’s **Nursery Cryme** and **Foxtrot** graced the budget bins for a while–but I thought Deram had kept the Moody Blues’ packaging intact pretty much up through the end of the vinyl era. I know I was able to get **On the Threshold of a Dream** in the early '80s with both the gatefold cover and the lyric booklet still present. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/remember-that-weird-album-cover-that-had/393004.md?page=2)