All right. Seems as though this young woman was walking along Alexandra Road, at the corner of Abbey Road, when the iconic photograph of the back cover album was taken.
Two questions:
a) Did this young woman ever come forward later on?
b) What about the enigmatic ‘P’ that can be seen on her left thigh, fuelling the rumors of McCartney’s death at the time? Was this a photographic glitch, or was it intentionally placed there either by the photographer or someone in the Beatles’ entourage?
Yes, I know. Nothing earth shattering as questions go. Simple curiosity from a half-century old Beatles fan.
I looked at my album first to make sure that my memory was correct as to what the back cover looked like. I did not find the back cover on the posted link. Google “back cover of the Abbey Road album” to find the picture. I do not see the “P”. I also do not know the answers to either question.
You’d think a professional model wouldn’t have pee on her thigh.
(The P in question is a faint, block-letter P just above and to the left of the light-colored brick. I’d say it’s just a combination of the lighting dapple and the multiple moire-ing of the printing and image scanning process. But then, I don’t never thought daed si lauP anyway.)
The photo has motion blur and could be a shot of someone just walking by. I can’t imagine how any woman would recognize herself from a butt shot in a blue dress.
If it was a model than I’m surprised she hasn’t come forward. Getting hired to pose for a Beatles cover would be memorable for any young model.
Yep. That’s the link I was thinking of. Sorry about the erroneous one, although it does clarify the geographical location. As to the ‘P’ on the inner left thigh of the young woman, I distinctly remember seeing one at the time I purchased the original album in 1970. It is all but invisible in the photo links posted here.
Incidentally, I should mention that the ‘P’ in question looked, more than anything else, like a loose thread that could have come from the dress. Although, if I remember correctly, it was a slightly darker shade of blue… as if someone had wanted it to be noticed (so that it could have been added to the list of PID clues;-)).
‘‘and on the back cover the signage " Beatles" and “Abbey Road” where created from shots of street lettering from in and around London, cracks drawn in to make it real and finally the girl in the blue dress was added with dark room trickery.’’
If that’s true, it’s fascinating. I always thought the young woman just happened to pass through when the photo was taken, as a few other sites had noted.
And this quote would also answer a few other questions I had with the signage. Thanks bibliophage!
