As an Artist, I like the lines. The straight road with white line down it. The cross walk, with it’s graphic stripes. Even the shape of 4 men walking upright and their legs taking that long step. It couldn’t be better posed, or poised. IMO.
That’s a good point. And looking at the cover with that in mind, the way the legs form little triangles that match the shape of the receding road behind them is key to the compostion. A couple of the Beatles are also shaped like matching triangles… or pyramids or teepees.
I’ve seen rejected shots from the photo shoot many times, and the shots where the knees are bent or the legs aren’t extended just don’t work.
Plus, Paul is out of step with the other three.
And a cigarette in his hand.
His right hand, no less (Paul being left-handed, this was seized upon by the “Paul is dead” crowd as some kind of secret signal that the Paul in the photo was an impostor).
Part of the appeal of the Abbey Road cover photo is that it takes place in the real world, which lends it an attractive egalitarianism. Here are four immensely famous and immensely wealthy men—just walking across the street like ordinary people. It’s relatable.
Homages/Parodies are ubiquitous.
When my brother and I were there in '87, there was too much traffic to attempt a crosswalk shot We used the Abbey Road NW8 sign as the backdrop for our selfie instead.
Google dark side of the moon cover parody.
Umm, it sold a butt-ton of copies? Without that, it’d just be obscure.
One of Richard Cheese’s albums used it with a martini glass instead of a triangular prism… Lounge Against The Machine, maybe.
Related question: Has Abbey Road been parodied more than Sgt. Pepper’s? I doubt it.
Here’s my favorite Pepper Parody, thanks to Wildwood’s Al Wood: the “Art Lives” t-shirt(artists and the subjects of their paintings).
I’d ask if any other album covers have had as many homages, but I doubt it. These are iconic covers, by an iconic band. Other albums have brilliant covers, but who’s going to say “What a cool version of New Order’s *Power, Corruption & Lies *cover!”?
What’s usually missed in recreations is that the camera height for the original was probably from a ladder, maybe 7 or 8 feet. It tells in all the perspective lines on objects down the street, and people are shooting their friends with the camera at eye-height, maybe 5 feet. Won’t ever look right.
It was also sunny. I’ve taken friends to Abbey Road, and it’s always been overcast/drizzly.
I feel a song coming on…
*
Hey Troll
You’re dumb and sad
And an asshole with a vendetta
Remember
That no-one cares what you think
And your shtick stinks
(Ah, that feels better)
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