Iconic album covers

Did you ever buy a vinyl album new? If you are 50 years old or more, you did. In 1981, CDs supplanted albums, which quickly faded from view. But until then, there was nothing like buying a new album, taking it home, peeling off the cellophane, smelling that new album smell, and plunking it down on the turntable. Vinyl is back in vogue, but this is about the old days.

I missed The Beatles’ British Invasion. Born in 1958, I remember, strangely enough, watching The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show (which show I have no idea; they were on five times). After that, I probably went back to blowing up my Tonka Jeep, which was one of my pastimes. Music did not grab my delicate ears’ attention until about 1971, when I started the eighth grade at Avondale High School. I remember “American Pie” playing on the radio and “Crocodile Rock” shortly thereafter. I memorized the lyrics to “Brandy” by Looking Glass, which I still can recite today. 

I recall painting my bedroom with my Dad when Chicago Transit Authority’s “Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is?” came on my radio. My Dad asked me who that was, and I told him. He said, “They’ll never last. Nobody plays horns anymore.” Well, my Dad was right most of the time, but he missed that one. Trivia: How many albums did the Chicago Transit Authority make over the years?

Chicago became my favorite band of my youth. I bought every album of theirs as soon as it came out. My next favorite band was the Doobie Brothers. I was a fan of Yes, the Cars, Linda Ronstadt, Steely Dan, and others, amassing a peach crate full of albums before the insipid CDs took over. Yes, CDs are better for audio quality, but my ears don’t care. I appreciate the full, rich sound of vinyl. So I’m glad vinyl is back. Vinyl albums were purchased 43 million times last year, CDs only 37 million. That is the second time since 1987 that all-natural vinyl records have eclipsed manmade plastic CDs. 

In our previous house, my office had a “border” at the ceiling that was framed albums. Everyone who saw it loved it. In my current house, I have a man cave, but it isn’t conducive to my album border, so they remain in a box. No one I have ever met admired looking at a CD’s artwork, but vinyl album covers were often works of art. Before the hullabaloo over music videos, it was vinyl album covers that got people’s attention.

So you know I like lists; here is a countdown of my favorite album covers of all time: 

• 10. Elton John, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. 
• 9. Supertramp, Breakfast in America. 
• 8. Led Zeppelin, Houses of the Holy. 
• 7. Beatles, Abbey Road. 
• 6. The Who, Who’s Next. 
• 5. Steely Dan, Can’t Buy a Thrill. 
• 4. Beatles, Revolver. 
• 3. Cars, Candy-O. 
• 2. Rolling Stones, Sticky Fingers (inside). 
• 1. Beatles, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

There are obviously strong cases to be made for other album artwork, but you can do your list however you want. My 11th favorite is anything with Linda Ronstadt on the cover.

Trivia answer: Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) had but one album. After their debut album, they changed their name to Chicago after being threatened with a lawsuit by the idiots at the real CTA. Chicago has had 44 albums, counting that CTA debut album.