Let It Pop

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U2Man

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Why did U2 decide to make an album cover that was so similar to The Beatles' Let It Be cover? I'm talking about the Pop cover, of course. Did they think at the time that this might be their last album? Had they just run out of good ideas for an album cover?

Discuss...
 
because they couldn't get adam to take his shoes off and Bono from jumping up and down

"I HAVE to step ONLY the white ones"
"why"
"dunno... it's just fun :D "

abbey_road.jpg
 
If anything it's more like Talking Heads - Remain in Light as in it's the 4 band members, digitally manipulated and messed with...
The reason Pop looks the way it does is because it's literally inpired by the images of Pop Art - Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol etc. who used were in turn influenced by comic books and advertising.
I actually think the Pop cover is quite effective as an image and in my opinion it beats the hell out of either ATYCLB or HTDAAB.
 
If someone could post the Let It Be cover, it would be cool, because my Photobucket is down right now.

Notice the following:

- Where is 'Paul' placed?

- Where is the guy with the glasses placed, and in which direction does he stare?

- Where is the drummer placed?

- Where is the guitar player placed?

All of this is just a coincidence? Hardly.

edit: Here's a link to the Let It Be album cover: http://www.stevesbeatles.com/cds/album-covers/let_it_be.jpg
 
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Edgette said:
I never saw Let It Be when I saw the POP cover.

let_it_be.jpg

interesting, I'd switch Adam and Bono though.

I always found Bono as more of a John than a Paul anyways, plus Paul plays bass.

sweet catch u2man :up:
 
Great catch U2man!

I would say this is a clever and somewhat hidden homage to the Beatles, but I wouldnt put it past U2 or their design crew at four5one to know exactly what they were up to. If anyone knows album cover history, its gotta be them.

Not being a huge Beatles fanatic like I am with U2, is 'Let it Be' typically known as the Beatles most 'pop' record, the way JT is for U2? If so, I can see where U2 wanted to reference yet another pop-ism, along with Lichtenstein, Warhol, McDonalds (the arch in the stadium).

Pop was all about image, so why not borrow from the most POPular band ever? Anyways, imitation is the greatest form of flattery. Isnt that what pop culture is all about? U2 didn't run out of ideas- pop culture gave them a NEW idea they hadnt done yet, and they did it different than anyone.
 
Why can't it be both a nod to pop art and to the Beatles? Couldn't it be both---a nod to the Beatles also being a nod to pop art?

It's not like U2Man is saying anything about the quality of the album based on the cover. And you can't really say that there are no similarities between the covers. :scratch: Whether the similarities were done purposely or not, t's a valid thought to notice similar qualities.
 
Imagine U2 ending a set playing Rock And Roll All Night... CONFETTI AND FIREWORKS... :drool:

LARRY'S THE CATMAN!!!

and Adam sticks out his tongue :rockon:
 
Framk Zappa/Sgt. Pepper cover

Frank Zappa ridiculed the cover of Sgt. Pepper for his We're Only In It For the Money album. Nobody thought he "ran out of ideas" then did they? Besides, Rock n' Roll is all about theft. Hell, the Beatles themselves stole from Chuck Berry's 'You Can't Catch Me' to make 'Come Together.' They even got sued and lost for it.
 
Utoo said:
Why can't it be both a nod to pop art and to the Beatles? Couldn't it be both---a nod to the Beatles also being a nod to pop art?

It's not like U2Man is saying anything about the quality of the album based on the cover. And you can't really say that there are no similarities between the covers. :scratch: Whether the similarities were done purposely or not, t's a valid thought to notice similar qualities.

Well Bono made references to Keith Harring, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein (my fave of the 3), quite a bit during the Pop days.

Granted I'm not much of Beatles fan, so you'd have to be a fan of both to make that connection IMHO.

I'd think more coincidental. Ripping off the Beatles, eh, the bass players of the bands are in different order.

If you go clockwise, U2 is in the order of age. Adam, Bono, Edge, Larry.

A huge nod to "Pop art" definitely. But that was the idea.

Look at the various coloured areas on U2's faces, kinda look like dots on their faces, check out some Lichtenstein works. The colouring itself and the darker areas, Warhol inspired.

http://www.warhols.com/portraits_of_artist.jpg

I don't think Beatles were what they were thinking about at this particular point in their career.

Bono sure name-drops a lot of artists though, I imagine the walls of his houses must be like mini art museums. :drool:
 
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thrillme said:


Well Bono made references to Keith Harring, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein (my fave of the 3), quite a bit during the Pop days.

Granted I'm not much of Beatles fan, so you'd have to be a fan of both to make that connection IMHO.

I'd think more coincidental. Ripping off the Beatles, eh, the bass players of the bands are in different order.

If you go clockwise, U2 is in the order of age. Adam, Bono, Edge, Larry.

A huge nod to "Pop art" definitely. But that was the idea.

Look at the various coloured areas on U2's faces, kinda look like dots on their faces, check out some Lichtenstein works. The colouring itself and the darker areas, Warhol inspired.

http://www.warhols.com/portraits_of_artist.jpg

I don't think Beatles were what they were thinking about at this particular point in their career.

Bono sure name-drops a lot of artists though, I imagine the walls of his houses must be like mini art museums. :drool:


I know---I know it's definitely a nod to pop art. The album, the design, and the whole tour were. I just don't think it's entirely out of the question that Let It Be was also used as inspiration. The Beatles, after all, were arguably the biggest "pop" sensation of the 20th century.
 
thrillme said:




I'd think more coincidental. Ripping off the Beatles, eh, the bass players of the bands are in different order.


But both band members named paul are in the same place.
 
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