To solve the problem, they decided to glue the new cover on top of the old one. (Nuzum "Parental") The copies of Yesterday and Today that have the old covers (before Capitol glued the new cover on top of it) is one of the most collectible and valuable album covers in rock history. By the way, Lennon also wanted to have Adolf Hitler among the crowd on the Sgt. Pepper cover with Gandhi, but that was vetoed by the other members. (Sterngold 1)
But that was not the only cover that the censors banned from the Beatles. In July 1969, Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Two Virgins" album was confiscated upon its arrival in Newark, New Jersey. 30,000 copies were taken that featured the two standing naked on the album's cover. Additionally, in Chicago, the police closed down a music store that carried the album. The Beatles' record company, Capitol Records, eventually released the "Two Virgins" CD with cover art that was suitable for everyone (Nuzum "Parental Advisory") (to find out what that was, check out the Cover Art section of this site).
By far, the Beatles were the most heavily censored group in rock history. They were accused of everything, from being "Communists," to "Satan's Crew," (Inglis 192) to even "Wizards Who Transform Teenagers Into Homosexuals." (Inglis 193) But the Beatles ignored the accusations and instead, performed some of the most memorable songs ever recorded in the history of rock and roll. From the Yesterday and Today and the Two Virgins incidents, the Beatles showed just how much the record company controlled their artistic freedom.....and how the Beatles struck revenge against them. That's why they paved the way for other bands to fight censorship, and make fun of it at the same time. |
