SUPERTRAMP - 'BREAKFAST IN AMERICA' - ALBUM COVER ANALYSIS

SUPERTRAMP

BREAKFAST IN AMERICA

1979

Breakfast in America, Supertramp’s sixth album was released in 1979. It features songs like, ‘Goodbye Stranger’, ‘Breakfast in America’ and ‘The Logical Song’

This album differs from their previous progressive rock-styled albums and composes a much more melodic and ‘pop-orientated’ sound which reflects the band’s saturation in American pop since their move to Los Angeles in 1977.

The album cover illustrates a waitress named "Libby" modelled by American actress Kate Murtagh, in front of a depiction of New York City, striking a pose similar to that of the Statue of Liberty, but holding a tall glass of orange juice and a menu (on which ‘Breakfast In America’ is written), rather than a torch and tabula ansata. This is a parody of the American Graffiti soundtrack album cover.

The proposed image is the photographer’s view from a plane window which is flying over the city. This is evident as you can see the little gas bubbles created in the bottom left of the window.

The New York skyline is made from cereal boxes, bowls and various other things you would expect to see in an American diner; the twin World Trade Center towers appear as two stacks of boxes and the plate of food represents Battery Park.

The concept of the album cover is to convey the progression of the bands success, starting off as a small band in London, England, and then moving to the USA to become world famous musicians. However this concept can be expanded to portray a more significant meaning; ‘The American Dream’. Humans are constantly craving for bigger and better opportunities and experiences in life and it is considered that the USA is the place to find all this. In the song ‘Gone Hollywood’ featured on the album, the lyrics “You take a trip to the city lights” can be heard and in ‘Breakfast in America’, the title track of the album, the lyrics “Take a jumbo across the water, like to see America” and “See the girls in California, I’m hoping it’s going to come true” can be hard which all comply with this theory.

However the album cover could be a snide mockery of American society suggesting that everything in the US is based around food. Even the intended ‘Statue of Liberty’ is holding a food menu instead of a holy Latin tablet which insinuates that Americans treat food like a religion and see it as sacred.

Like most album covers, Breakfast In America influenced a conspiracy theory; this one became the basis for a 9/11 conspiracy theory due to the "UP" in "SUPERTRAMP" reading "9 11" behind the twin towers if the cover is viewed in a mirror.

GREEN DAY - 'AMERICAN IDIOT' - ALBUM COVER ANALYSIS

GREEN DAY

AMERICAN IDIOT

2004

American idiot is an album released in 2004 by the punk-rock band Green Day. American Idiot follows the story of ‘Jesus of Suburbia’, an adolescent anti-hero who is divided between "rage and love."

This is closely depicted by the heart shaped grenade shown on the album cover. It is an ironic yet influential statement presented by the band conveying the themes of love and hate. This is visually represented by the red and white colours; red symbolises the hate as red connotes with blood and death. White however, represents peace and purity which is what the world is aiming for. This was Green Day’s aim when releasing this album; with the artwork and lyrics: to advertise peace and alliance.

The heart-shaped grenade was influenced by the lyric "And she's holding on my heart like a hand grenade" from "She's a Rebel" which features on the album.

This ‘theory of colour’ is further reinforced as the band’s name is written in white and in a larger font on the cover, yet the album name is written below it in red, suggesting that the bands beliefs in peace and unity surpasses the principles of hostility and conflict, (expressed by the title ‘American Idiot’.)

Also, the arm holding the grenade is white demonstrating that humans are pure however the weapons that we use (in this case, a grenade) are what makes us evil.

The themes of this album were far more political too; the subject of their songs and image was to express their dismay at the current wars in Iraq and the then-upcoming election in the USA too.

THE BEATLES - 'SGT PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND' - ALBUM COVER ANALYSIS

THE BEATLES

SERGEANT PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND

1967

                                                                           

Multiple conspiracies about the album cover;

·        Paul McCartney was believed to be dead – the bass guitar shaped wreath.

·        Some believe the design was copied from a Swedish band called Mercblecket 3 years prior.

Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is an album released in 1967 by The Beatles. It is their 8^th album and its release on June 1, 1967, was a cultural event on both sides of the Atlantic. The 50th anniversary is being marked around the globe this year — including a reissue of the album on May 26 with remixed recordings from the Pepper sessions.

The album cover itself was created by Jann Haworth and Peter Blake, who in 1967 won the Grammy Award for Best Album Cover, Graphic Arts for their work on it. This is because of its ground-breaking design and controversial concept. The image shows 58 people and 9 waxworks (including the Beatles themselves.)

The bright colours and floral image on the cover perfectly represents the ‘flower power’ era that was the 60’s and 70’s; of which The Beatles were considers ambassadors. However, this vibrant photograph possesses multiple colourless waxworks and models of famous people from throughout history. This depicts a journey through time and the progression of the human race because it shows what we have accomplished in terms of technology and creativity. ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ was ground-breaking in its musical daring, innovation and surrealism, all of which can be attributed in part to the quantities of drugs being taken by The Beatles and the thousands of ‘hippies’ at the time.

There are many theories about what this particular album cover actually symbolises. The various faces and people in the rows conveys the diversity of people throughout modern history. It also presents the triumphs and achievements of these people as some had actually changed the world, some for the better and some for the worse. The fact that The Beatles are at the front and are the most visibly noticeable could be significant as it may indicate that that feel they are as influential to the world as the great people stood behind them. This is backed up as John Lennon once controversially exclaimed in an interview that The Beatles were “bigger than Jesus.”

Other conspiracies abut the album cover have unfolded over the years since its release 50 years ago. Some fans believe that Paul McCartney had died and was played by a ‘double’ in the final years of The Beatles’ career. The guitar-shaped wreath shown on the Sgt Pepper album cover suggested this as fans thought it was placed in memory of him. Furthermore, on the Abbey Road CD cover, McCartney can be seen with no shoes on implying that it was another person playing his famous role. 

'SGT PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB' VISUAL ANALYSIS AND COMPARISON