Politically correct poster companies airbrush Beatles album without permission

Launch ^ | January 22, 2003 | Sue Falco

[ejdrapes]

The Beatles' 'Abbey Road' Album Airbrushed To Be Politically Correct

The Beatles' 1969 Abbey Road album cover has been airbrushed by politically correct poster companies in the United States to remove a cigarette held in Paul McCartney's hand, BBC reports.

The original album cover shows the four Beatles crossing the famed road--McCartney is barefoot, third in line, and holding a cigarette.

The airbrushing was done without the permission of either McCartney or Apple Records, which owns the rights to the image. An Apple spokesman told BBC, "We have never agreed to anything like this. It seems these poster companies got a little carried away."

The classic photograph was taken near Abbey Road Studios in north London, and became one of the group's most controversial covers. Photographer Iain Macmillan had only 10 minutes to take the picture. To get the shot, he balanced on a stepladder and took six photos of the Beatles walking the black-and-white pedestrian crossing.

McCartney had reportedly come up with the original idea for the album cover, and had presented Macmillan with a sketch of it. The specific details of the photo served as fodder for the myth that McCartney had died in a car accident and had been replaced by a look-alike. John Lennon, wearing a white suit, was supposed to symbolize the preacher heading the funeral procession, while the barefoot McCartney represented the corpse. In addition, McCartney was out of step with the rest of the groupmates, who led with their left feet while McCartney led with his right. Also adding fuel to the rumor mill was the fact that McCartney was holding a cigarette in his right hand when he was left-handed.

-- Sue Falco, New York

[Cultural Jihad]

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[Rocko]

Paul's much too polite to do what it now looks like he's doing with that finger.

[nothingnew]

Gee, I always thought it was God,Preacher,Corpse,Gravedigger...oh well...I still smoke...

FMCDH

[visualops]

Words fail me.

[Samwise]

In these politically correct days, I surpeised they didn't airbrush a black Beatle and, of course, a female Beatle.

[Ciexyz]

Aaack! Sacrilege!

[Ciexyz]

The first album I ever bought was the Beatles' first album. (Yup, I'm dating myself here!)

[Chi-townChief]

"John Lennon, wearing a white suit, was supposed to symbolize the preacher heading the funeral procession, while the barefoot McCartney represented the corpse."

And, if I recall correctly, Ringo was the undertaker and George, the gravedigger. Kind of ironic in view of how things actually turned out.

[Cultural Jihad]

Turn me on, dead man.

[Old Professer]

Thanks for the picture; I was trying to figure out why the photographer had only ten minutes for the shot - now I see, the sun is shining and the sky is blue.

[ejdrapes]

Paul's much too polite to do what it now looks like he's doing with that finger.

Oh, I don't know about that. I recently read a story from a "fan" who tried to meet Paul outside his home in north London. He waited outside the gate for several hours (I'm surprised Paul didn't call the cops). When Paul came out that evening to walk his dog he he refused to sign an autograph or anything and made it very clear that he wanted this guy to leave - he called the guy a f***ing nut job.

[Gasshog]

I dont blame him though - Why should Paul wanted to be hounded like that? As for the Blue Sky, I think that was airbrushed too.

[KnutCase]

If you take another look at the album cover, you'll find the fifth Beetle. This should settle the controversy over the fifth Beatle

[aruanan]

The first album I ever bought was the Beatles' first album. (Yup, I'm dating myself here!)

The very first 45 I ever bought was She Loves You.

[Bella_Bru]

Beatles ping

[citizenK]

PC = Stalinism
What a sad commentary on our society that people feel they have to undertake such revisionism of something as trivial as an album cover over 30 years old.
Like this will prevent a lot of kids from smoking.

[TLBSHOW]

I am waiting for the special Let it be release later this year.

[Gabz]

they removed FDR's cigarette - they refuse to acknowledge the genius of smokers such as Churchill, Picasso, Twain, etc., etc., - the anti smokers don't like kids, they just like their money and claim they are doing it for the kids.