# Worst Album Covers- Now ranked! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 5, 2009, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545 "2009-02-05T08:01:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/21 "2009-02-05T19:42:21Z")
I agree that _Can I Borrow A Feelin’_? is fake based on the title and the obvious Photoshoppiness of it. (I say the same thing about _Chicken Coupe de Ville_ and possibly _Country Church_.) I have no idea where the Chicago Tribune got these from. But I do know that _Ali and his Friends vs. Mr. Tooth Decay_ is a real album. I’ve actually heard Ali’s theme song from this album- it’s a funky little diddy that claims that some people claim that The Greatest put the crack in the Liberty Bell and rode the ride of Paul Revere, then goes on to explain, “Ali’s always gettin’ blamed for stuff he didn’t do/Just because he likes to scrap and maybe sometimes feud.” It’s both insane and wonderful. Some other thoughts: _Little David Wilkins, King of all the Taverns_: Or, “What if some kid from a Krofft Brothers show got really fat and became a lounge lizard.” _Thank You For The Dove_: You’re…welcome? Are you thanking God? Or some random person? _Best Friends_: ET has really let himself go. _Sour Cream and Other Delights_: Does this one even count? It’s obviously meant to be a parody of Herb Alpert’s famous _Whipped Cream and Other Delights_. _A Hard Day’s Work_: Again, another obvious parody of a famous album cover. Also, I like the fact that the Electric Amish bothered to trademark themselves. They may shun electricity, but preventing the theft of their name is no sin. _Understand Your’e Swede_: I can’t even understand that title. Is it supposed to be “Understand You’re Swede” or “Understand Your Swede?” Both of those kinda make sense. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/22 "2009-02-05T19:54:28Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > Yeah, that would be like Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy having a [radio show](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Bergen#Radio). Touché. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/23 "2009-02-05T20:34:16Z")
I liked **UNDERSTAND YOUR’E SWEDE**. Subtle. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/24 "2009-02-05T20:34:17Z")
I loathe Styx’s [“Pieces of Eight” album cover](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pieces_of_Eight_(album)), especially because I keep running across it in racks of used LPs, where it is only slightly less nausea-inducing than things like the Barbra Streisand/Kris Kristofferson seminude album cover. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/25 "2009-02-05T21:49:00Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > 1. Pro albums whose style does not match our 2009 conception of what is good. In twenty years, people will be laughing at what we think is cool today. And there is a sophomoric disdain for anyone who doesn’t look like a Hollywood star (on the part of people who, of course, do not look like Hollywood stars – glass houses). > > There are certainly bad album covers, but these are just cheap shots. Exactly. I’ve seen some mighty awful album covers . . . but not these. It’s not a bad album cover because the people are dressed in the style of the '70s, when the album was made. Or if they’re playing an instrument or genre that’s no longer “cool.” And you can’t criticize something for being “bad Photoshop” if it was created before Photoshop existed. ---
**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 5, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/26 "2009-02-05T22:30:29Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > I agree that _Can I Borrow A Feelin’_? is fake based on the title and the obvious Photoshoppiness of it. (I say the same thing about _Chicken Coupe de Ville_ and possibly _Country Church_.) _Country Church_ is definitely real. Here’s a [larger image](http://www.gsyouth.com/Images/pictuers/CountryChurch_L.gif) of what appears to be the same copy (note wear at bottom) where you can easily see that it’s a photo of a real LP cover. Note impacted lower right corner and visible spine print. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/27 "2009-02-06T00:59:19Z")
Count me as one who doesn’t see the utter horridness of a lot of these. Most wouldn’t be amongst the **Worst. Covers. Ever** if they just used good and modern lighting, and not doing so lends them a charming innocence (even the pornariffic looking covers) that makes my censure of them only go so far. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/28 "2009-02-06T01:56:16Z")
As was noted earlier, we see these same albums every couple of months. I’d like to know what kind of awful cover art is out there from, say, 2008 by reputable labels that should know better. Any nominations? ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/29 "2009-02-06T02:04:38Z")
[Awwww, #49 doesn’t belong there](http://redeye.chicagotribune.com/red-worstalbumcovers-pg,0,1348740.photogallery?index=49). ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/30 "2009-02-06T02:09:41Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > As was noted earlier, we see these same albums every couple of months. I’d like to know what kind of awful cover art is out there from, say, 2008 by reputable labels that should know better. Any nominations? [This](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0007OY3Y8.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg) came up on Pandora for me one time. (It was not very good music.) I can’t say what it is in particular about it, but that picture does not look natural. Her head looks like it’s been taken from another picture, magnified, and reattached via Photoshop. Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/31 "2009-02-06T02:24:37Z")
People cut and pasted photos well before the invention of Photoshop. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/32 "2009-02-06T02:29:29Z")
I’ve got to say, I like that the Singing Postman has a “Best of” album. Wouldn’t want to have to pay for a bunch of crappy Singing Postman stuff just to own his hits now, would we? Thank goodness we’ve been spared. ---
**Author:** ![Euryphaessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Euryphaessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euryphaessa)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/33 "2009-02-06T02:42:29Z")
Nuh-uh, any Worst Album Covers list that leaves out Millie Jackson’s [Back to the Shit](http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z105/Meelosh22/Cover-37.jpg) is not complete in my book. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/34 "2009-02-06T03:09:22Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > As was noted earlier, we see these same albums every couple of months. I’d like to know what kind of awful cover art is out there from, say, 2008 by reputable labels that should know better. Any nominations? In no order: \*Puscifer, _V for Vagina_–[Hideous.](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B000W8ONXU/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=5174&s=music) (Seriously, with that title, that’s the best they can come up with?) \*Bowerbirds, _Hymns for a Dark Horse_–[Bland and ugly.](http://media.timeoutnewyork.com/resizeImage/htdocs/export_images/614/614.x600.mr.bowerbirds.rev.jpg?) \*The Dears, _Gang of Losers_–[Messy composition.](http://cucharasonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/gangoflosers.jpg) \*On the Might of Princes, _Sirens_–[Even more bland and ugly.](http://funkysouls.com/img/OnTheMightOfPrincesSirens2003.jpg) \*Yeasayer, _All Hour Cymbals_–[WTF? Why?](http://www.counterfeitchic.com/Images/Yeasayer.jpg) But the winner is… Ted Nugent, _Love Grenade_–[Ew.](http://www.newscorpse.com/Pix/nugent_love_grenade.jpg) I’m not even talking about the content; the layout, the colors…just heinous. [This](http://i.bigmir.net/radio/cover/5227.jpg) Queens of the Stone Age cover is ugly, it must be said, but it looks deliberately done that way. I think it’s kind of cute. ---
**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:** [February 6, 2009, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/35 "2009-02-06T04:07:02Z")
I stumbled (staggered?) across a site long ago that had bad covers. Props for “All My Friends are Dead,” here’s a must have… Millie Jackson: [http://www.zonicweb.net/badalbmcvrs/millierear.jpg](http://www.zonicweb.net/badalbmcvrs/millierear.jpg) The mother ship site (a few of which may be NSFW): http:// www. [worstalbumcovers.org/page/](http://worstalbumcovers.org/page/) The+Categories ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/36 "2009-02-06T07:33:35Z")
> [@DemonSpawn](#): > > A group of blind singers called “The Braillettes” gives new meaning to the words “politically incorrect”. > > One of the ladies on the cover of Number 27 looks like German chancellor Angela Merkel. Apparently she was young and needed the money. > > I am so glad that Ken (No 40) appears only by request. What a relief! I hereby request Ken to pay a night-time visit on DemonSpawn. You’re welcome. ---
**Author:** ![not\_alice](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_alice/32/7283_2.png) [@not\_alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_alice)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/37 "2009-02-06T08:42:38Z")
Out in my garage in my box of LPs I have one that comes to mind for this thread. It is from the late 60s psychedlic era I think, maybe a band that specialized in the **brown** acid, and by volume. It is very dark droning music, and it is eponymously titled. The glorious image is an X ray in black and gray with some dark blood red mixed in, all to match the band name: Aorta. I think the lyrics, such as they are, go something like “Give me back my aorta, I love my Aorta” and some such. Priceless. ---
**Author:** ![DemonSpawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac8455/32.png) [@DemonSpawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonSpawn)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/38 "2009-02-06T08:53:51Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > I hereby request Ken to pay a night-time visit on DemonSpawn. You’re welcome. Thanks, I think. :eek: _runs away screaming_ ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/39 "2009-02-06T10:51:21Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > I agree that _Can I Borrow A Feelin’_? is fake based on the title and the obvious Photoshoppiness of it. (I say the same thing about _Chicken Coupe de Ville_ and possibly _Country Church_.) [Chicken Coop de Ville appers to be a real band](http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=499) ---
**Author:** ![schnuckiputzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@schnuckiputzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/schnuckiputzi)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545/40 "2009-02-06T15:03:16Z")
In # 29, I get woman in bathtub = ‘Bathing Beauties’…but why does one end of her pink bathtub have a stone wall? And Mike Terry is scary. Really scary. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-covers-now-ranked/484545.md?page=3)