Some WTF album covers require extensive commentary. Others require nothing at all except to see the damn thing and let it sink in. Which do you think THIS one is?
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The latest batch of WTF album covers I’ve discovered runs the full gamut of clueless, offensive, bewildering, and just plain weird. I’ve started sharing stuff like this on Facebook on a daily basis so if you’re into bad album covers, lousy art, and strange records in general why not Like the WTF Records official page on FB? There’s plenty like these with many more to come.
–Joe Wallace
This film was apparently made in 1969 (snicker if you must) and features a decent soundtrack, but that cover! That title! We must remember that in 1969, people had much stranger ideas about what it meant to be “respectable” or “decent”. Apparently, who you chose to have sex with–with regard to not having the same kind of plumbing as you–was really, REALLY important back then. Another argument in favor of the notion, right or wrong, that before the Internet, people were just dumber.
What is this album cover trying to say, exactly? Are those canes supposed to represent something? Or maybe this album is about the risks you take looking for love with a caning fetish? Who knows, but damn. How’d you like to see THIS stern, Charles Bronson-esque face hovering over you in the dark?
Is there a genre of album covers called “Head In A Jar”? I’m still doing research on that. I’ll get back to you. In the meantime, here’s the best example. Remember that old movie, Donovan’s Brain? The disembodied brain that still lived, exerting psychic influence over people to do the brain’s evil bidding? This album cover could be titled, “Donovan’s Dumbass”.
How long did it take anybody to realize just how much this album cover really, really sucked? Was it a gradual awareness like dawn breaking across an autumn sky, or did these people wake up one morning, look at what they had unleashed upon the world, and just start screaming until the ambulances came?
Phil’s Vinyl Addiction rightfully draws attention to this ultra craptacular album cover by the otherwise talented Brothers Johnson–definitely not the WORST album cover in the world, but definitely one of the cheesiest.
The Brothers Johnson, in case you didn’t know, were the gents responsible for that fine-ass cover of Strawberry Letter 23 by the mighty Shuggie Otis.
The Brothers Johnson version is heard in Jackie Brown right before poor old Chris Tucker gets his face shot off by Samuel L. Jackson. Behold:
Boy, those evangelical album covers really know how to sell you on the idea of listening to them all the way through, don’t they? I am fully in favor of the depravity part, and the figure on the cover of this horror certainly looks prepared to indulge in some, too. The cross looming behind him seems more than a bit…well, ready to join in.
The New Birth bit I have extreme reservations about, don’t you? I prefer MY depravity procreation-free, thanks. Not sure what’s going on with the flames on the lefthand side of this album cover–is that to keep everyone from getting the goosebumps whist enjoying a bit of debauchery?
The real trouble with albums like this is that the preachers are under some kind of misguided notion that depravity is a BAD THING. Ahh, well. There’s no arguing with ’em, especially if you’re too busy fending off their unwanted advances, spiritual or otherwise. “Methinks the lady doth protest too much” and all that.
I don’t own this but would love to purchase one…got one to sell? Get in touch 🙂
–Joe Wallace