The Smiths cover artwork poll

ha, I had a feeling this might not work

11. https://cdn.discogs.com/36g8Dd44TpLOrXHFdNwavW8Z2R8=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-490713-1122399832.jpg.jpg
12. https://cdn.discogs.com/Z3Hu4D5Kz-SYzuaNLOnehO7v70s=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-546534-1230853429.jpeg.jpg
13. https://cdn.discogs.com/Hm4YZPUGyMpEwLwPD7BqaAdLjB0=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-3051989-1318179041.jpeg.jpg
14. https://cdn.discogs.com/gXMIMllkrH4nbyAEENlgDcoKHj0=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-382177-1230853616.jpeg.jpg
15. https://cdn.discogs.com/QyyNTPZjDn585Tn_k6z7ikhGfeU=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-490734-1122401245.jpg.jpg
16. https://cdn.discogs.com/CSP1SrG_MFlUF7I5bs3KC_E42Lg=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-495333-1123360870.jpg.jpg
17. https://cdn.discogs.com/Li-JgEueNEKsYdlTnmvQ2jB4UJA=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-703296-1235339167.jpeg.jpg
18. https://cdn.discogs.com/ZPy72MZtvCQyzHE4o2JYM9J-Ehc=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-2110477-1358451915-7270.jpeg.jpg
19. https://cdn.discogs.com/5sO_aNgIGe9SdD3F8GmDhxT-x30=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-385496-1238888620.jpeg.jpg
20. https://cdn.discogs.com/AItXJLWaKTykVEnwvIaN2XG8TPM=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-385511-1281896880.jpeg.jpg

21. https://cdn.discogs.com/XmsLvvpfswkvxfph5ziOxxv4jLY=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-388479-1230902677.jpeg.jpg
22. https://cdn.discogs.com/4VpjuDiPe2G2KOt6zVquinSABds=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-464985-1230902947.jpeg.jpg
23. https://cdn.discogs.com/B5wmcZFf6b-b8YtwEkqG4b5MTXY=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-490744-1122402037.jpg.jpg
24. https://cdn.discogs.com/exIURKrOCeM7zTwWlbNEkeVMtqg=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-2191197-1269188860.jpeg.jpg
25. https://cdn.discogs.com/vZIa2RwJGetFGO7Trg9FdW_OYJg=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-370207-1166286104.jpeg.jpg
26. https://cdn.discogs.com/qNSJc3v-gCWA3p6GpGl-7V7MRLE=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-382135-1154695050.jpeg.jpg
27. https://cdn.discogs.com/bnvNJkgq_nKRU8MNjkdpi03JHog=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-373240-1189712644.jpeg.jpg
28. https://cdn.discogs.com/3JtazO-9jzmiu8SAsFiXEZ3A6zs=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-494927-1230854023.jpeg.jpg
29. https://cdn.discogs.com/tQJDHbnrd2UeNOcOKogQe2xIPPU=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-418263-1110883266.jpg.jpg
30. https://cdn.discogs.com/Vg5UKt2lh2GRg9noNrJOxbeOn-8=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-1514790-1387486751-8697.png.jpg
31.
32.

31. https://cdn.discogs.com/CIPsTptZzMb-Yr-qcMpwh3y4-YQ=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-373250-1369686173-7047.jpeg.jpg
32. https://cdn.discogs.com/V8Zy6x8rHXebxgW_dcUowfKfEhg=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-451760-1230903729.jpeg.jpg

I'm sure I'll have missed one out anyway

Oooh, tough one. Had to go with Louder Than Bombs in the end. Irish-Mancunian "kitchen-sink" heroine in wistful repose. Shelagh, take a bow.

I had no idea about the "What Difference Does It Make?" cover with Morrissey on it. I always thought he was never one the cover of one of his own records until his solo days (when he started appearing on [almost] all of them).

Also can't believe I didn't know (or, more probably, had forgotten) that the first ever Smiths single had a naked man on the cover. That's so good.

That's a whole lot of Viv Nicholson.

I had no idea about the "What Difference Does It Make?" cover with Morrissey on it. I always thought he was never one the cover of one of his own records until his solo days (when he started appearing on (almost) all of them.

according to discogs:

First UK releases show a picture of actor Terence Stamp from the 1965 film "The Collector", holding a chloroform pad... Since Mr Stamp did not approve of his photograph being used, the artwork was replaced by a picture of Morrissey reenacting the scene with a glass of milk.
Ultimately, Mr Stamp conceded the use of his picture to The Smiths and later pressings swap back to the original design.

I have to say that, with the best will in the world, Morrissey is not really pulling of his Terence Stamp impression, he looks kind of like Father Dougal McGuire if anything

Doesn't look much like Morrissey either, maybe its Marti Pellow

http://c.morrissey-solo.com/photopost/data/502/morrissey_viv_nicholson_large.jpg

thought this was david sylvian at first

http://c.morrissey-solo.com/photopost/data/502/morrissey_viv_nicholson2.jpg

"panic" vs. "i started something" vs. s/t cover

also really love the first "headmaster" cover

I love so many of these but Barbarism is my favorite.

the 1977 Play for Today episode based on Nicholson's autobiography is excellent btw, if there's anyone here who hasn't seen it. most of it is on youtube, but not he full thing afaict

part one https://youtu.be/zmg6UFc_lps

part two https://youtu.be/P8jOl8nh2iI

Meat is Murder

Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now

(had no idea who Viv Nicholson was until I looked her up just now)

I knew I'd forgotten at least one; the German release of 'Ask' has a photo of Colin Campbell from The Leather Boys, the same photo was used for a CD re-release of 'William It Was Really Nothing'

https://cdn.discogs.com/3bC1P1LgKhivCfSKlLelvfIvjLM=/fit-in/250x259/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(96)/discogs-images/R-3879500-1347906640-3495.jpeg.jpg

there's also Rita Tushingham on the cover of the Sandie Shaw version of 'Hand In Glove'

https://cdn.discogs.com/h7tyxd8nLeOc7-eztd6GeWhq7oo=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-373558-1105072564.jpg.jpg

there is a re-release of 'How Soon Is Now' from 1992 that has a photo of Vanessa Redgrave and David Hemmings on the front, but I don't think that Morrissey had an input into that one (or Jo Slee who is credited with art direction on several of these), so it doesn't really 'count' imo

Interesting, that also looks to be the case with the 1992 7" of There Is a Light... with Sandie Shaw on the cover.

Surprised by how many of these I'd never seen before though!

Surprised by how many of these I'd never seen before though!

Stereolab

Voted for The Queen Is Dead

xxp roxy music.

Strangeways

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/88/69/b9/8869b9aec69e088810673ae08339c6ca.jpg

This is between "Hand in Glove" and "Sheila Take a Bow" for me; I love the way the Smiths' sleeves in general contextualize their music along with Morrissey's plagiarisms and paraphrases.

8. How Soon Is Now? (cover star Sean Barrett)

Him from Father Ted

hahaha I never realised that was the same person!

http://www.wearysloth.com/Gallery/ActorsB/tve31674-897-211-0.jpg

he was the voice of Tik-Tok in Return To Oz as well, this is amazing

Did people at the time realize who was on these covers? I was (and still am) mostly clueless.

apparently the record company refused to use the original How Soon Is Now artwork in the US as it looked like Barrett was touching himself inappropriately, so Americans got this instead:

https://cdn.discogs.com/lgOtkhuTv-waOMF18ZxvNkp2kd4=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-374702-1230850904.jpeg.jpg

I can see why Morrissey found this upsetting

Did people at the time realize who was on these covers? I was (and still am) mostly clueless.

I guess some of them (Viv Nicholson, Pat Phoenix + Yootha Joyce for example) would have been recognisable to most people in the UK, but not to most people abroad

Pat Phoenix & Yootha Joyce were pretty big stars in the 70s and 80s in the UK. I would've known who they were at the time.

xxxpost:

and Mike Joyce wasn't?

this makes me want to buy a collection of the records. I think I have 5-6 of them. That wouldn't be cheap though.

looking through the sleeve artwork on discogs, this Dutch 7" single release of 'The Headmaster Ritual' is probably the most incongruous:

https://cdn.discogs.com/_RxxRuqoOyj_jthjqzWPht26GXE=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb()/discogs-images/R-482458-1243454158.jpeg.jpg

that's a great sleeve though

yes, I like it a lot! it is very out of step with their general aesthetic, though

this makes me want to buy a collection of the records. I think I have 5-6 of them. That wouldn't be cheap though.

my father has a few of these, including Strangeways and the 12" version of Ask. they look really striking on a 12" record sleeve! I have a copy of Strangeways on cd, but the cover doesn't really have same impact at that size

yeah, the covers really aren't that special on the tiny CD booklets.

there's this 7" box from 2008:

https://www.discogs.com/Smiths-Singles-Box/release/1577589

I have that :)

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2015/4/13/1428943404372/0afbeb66-ffeb-43fd-b096-370cdc7452e7-460x460.jpeg

even more Viv Nicholson - this seems to be from someone's deviantart page, where they have designed their own fictional record covers for various Smiths songs, as well as for songs by Blur, Suede and others.

http://andy2519.deviantart.com/art/The-smiths-What-she-said-287461413

the picture is apparently convincing enough to have appeared in a guardian article as a genuine Smiths single cover (http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/apr/13/viv-nicholson-morrissey-smiths-cover-star-football-pools-spend) and also on the official website vivnicholson.co.uk.

Voted the s/t debut album, seems to establish their aesthetic so well

Calling card for me.

Although the first album also up there. So many are great.

Back when CDs were packaged in longboxes, I remember going to the record shop and being captivated by the artwork for Louder Than Bombs. I'd never heard the Smiths before, but there was just something about that cover which compelled me to get the album.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

I just realized that in the video for Suedehead, Morrissey recreates the James Dean photo from the Bigmouth Strikes Again cover.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Where's The Very Best of the Smiths?

I decided not to include the compilations and re-releases that came out after the band had split up (Rank came out the year after they split, but Morrissey designed the sleeve, which I don't think was the case with any of the later Smiths releases? anyway, Rank just feels like a 'proper' Smiths record to me in a way that the later releases don't)

aside from the albums, everything that received more than one vote was one of the first ten singles! don't know if that's because this was their best run of covers or just because the first ten were the only ones to appear in the first post due to formatting problems

I put 'cover star George O'Mara' for the Hand In Glove sleeve, but apparently there is some debate over the model's identity:

http://www.morrissey-solo.com/archive/03/05/13/0651259.shtml

I only just found out tonight that Richard Davalos died earlier this week (the day after crut posted that photo of him upthread, in fact). RIP

Good top 10, well done everyone