100 Best Album Covers: #66 - Go Jungle!: Bow Wow Wow (1981)

Whoa! Someone studied some art history.

In particular, that someone was photographer Andy Earl. And just in case, your art history is a little rusty, what he did was recreate Édouard Manet's Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe (Luncheon on the Grass) with the members of the band.

Now, he’s not the only one who has attempted something like that. In fact, Picasso, Monet, Cezanne, Botero, Max Ernst, and Neon Park have all tried their hand. I think the Star Wars one, though, is my fave.

Earl’s version was not without some controversy. In particular, the nude on the left, the band’s singer, Annabella Lwin, just so happened to be all of 14 at the time. Her mum would, in fact, ask Scotland Yard to begin an investigation. And those prudish Yanks would get a totally different cover.

Andy Earl specialized in celebs, rock stars, architecture, and panoramic vistas. He also had over 150 album credits, mostly for inside or back cover band photos though. In fact, he only has 16 covers listed. He also did several music videos as well.

Here are a couple of covers I know are his:

Bow Wow Wow was a new wave band created by impresario Malcom MacClaren, primarily from former band members of Adam and the Ants. I was never a fan, so allow me to let Wikipedia describe them for me: “[The band] was characterized by a danceable new wave sound that drew on a Burundi beat provided by Dave Barbarossa on drums, as well as the suggestive lyrics squealed into the mic by their teenage lead vocalist.”

This particular album, their first, went by the rather unusual title of See Jungle! See Jungle! Go Join Your Gang Yeah, City All Over! Go Ape Crazy! (usually shortened to See Jungle!). “Go Wild in the Country” was its only real hit.

Interestingly, SJSJGJYGYCAOGAC was the band’s only album cover worth sharing, by far. A number of the rest did, though, manage to exploit the teenaged singer in a similar fashion.