CYH Cover Symbolism

[Brother McDuff]

Deep Sea Rain brought to my attention a good point today. The notion that the cover of CYH is implying the "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" concept. rock with his shades on, mike with his hat over his ears, and yauch with the hand over the mouth. maybe i'm just thick, but i'd never made that connection before. do we know if this is intentional or coincidence, anyone? is this common knowledge that i just haven't picked up on, or is it somewhat obscure speculation?

here's a link to the pic for a quick reference, y'all:

http://grover147.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/beastie_boys_check_your_head_front.jpeg


thoughts?

[kleptomaniac]

cyh cover (http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/8707/gooda17uy6.jpg) (lb)

i can totally see that. (y)

that'd be even cooler if they didn't mean for it to be that way and it just kinda worked out like that :cool:

sounded familiar. it's been posted here (http://beastieboys.com/bbs/showpost.php?p=1083616&postcount=36) before.

[acamus]

cyh cover (http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/8707/gooda17uy6.jpg) (lb)

i can totally see that. (y)

that'd be even cooler if they didn't mean for it to be that way and it just kinda worked out like that :cool:

sounded familiar. it's been posted here (http://beastieboys.com/bbs/showpost.php?p=1083616&postcount=36) before.

To say something about that link, though. I think that in the "Moog" issue of Grand Royal magazine, the author of the Adidas article does say that the arrangement of Mike, Adam and Adam does reflect the Adidas trefoil logo. Am I right about that?

[Laver1969]

Here's another thread (http://www.beastieboys.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=59304) that's in the same spirit of influences and symbolism.

[milkboy009]

Deep Sea Rain brought to my attention a good point today. The notion that the cover of CYH is implying the "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" concept. rock with his shades on, mike with his hat over his ears, and yauch with the hand over the mouth. maybe i'm just thick, but i'd never made that connection before. do we know if this is intentional or coincidence, anyone? is this common knowledge that i just haven't picked up on, or is it somewhat obscure speculation?

here's a link to the pic for a quick reference, y'all:

http://grover147.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/beastie_boys_check_your_head_front.jpeg


thoughts?

I knew there was something behind this cover! fuggin sweet

[RaZoRbLaDe KiSs]

I think.. people are putting too much thought into it. It doesnt look like they posed like that on purpose, it looks natural.

[beastmasterflex]

ugh, i think i noticed that the day i bought it in 1992 or whenever that was...cmon that is obvious

[-grandma-]

The notion that the cover of CYH is implying the "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" concept.
duh

[Brother McDuff]

duh


my my, well excuuuuse me, granny (dick)

[-grandma-]

ha, easy there Mcduff. i didn't mean to sound rude. i just always thought it was kinda obvious. nice work though, carry on.

[dirtydan11]

i can wear sunglasses and a hat and still be able to see and hear lol

[funk63]

like hell u can

[Brother McDuff]

ha, easy there Mcduff. i didn't mean to sound rude. i just always thought it was kinda obvious. nice work though, carry on.


i apologize as well for being on the offensive.:o sadly, i've become too used to cats being negative and rude on the board lately. no worries, granny.(y)

[camo]

I never noticed that before. Well spotted guys

[KENNY GUIDO]

well, another thing that I noticed when the album dropped is that on Yauch's guitar case, the Def Jam Beastie logo is torn right in half. perhaps its meant to symbolize thier evil departure from Def Jam.

[Lo_Lyfe]

well, another thing that I noticed when the album dropped is that on Yauch's guitar case, the Def Jam Beastie logo is torn right in half. perhaps its meant to symbolize thier evil departure from Def Jam.
The death of the old band.

[KENNY GUIDO]

yes. with the reintroduction of thier instruments.

[Deep_Sea_Rain]

well, another thing that I noticed when the album dropped is that on Yauch's guitar case, the Def Jam Beastie logo is torn right in half. perhaps its meant to symbolize thier evil departure from Def Jam.

Nice, I never noticed that.

[balohna]

and i thought it was just some press photo they liked.

[Brother McDuff]

i'd truly be interested to see how relevant these observations are in the grand scheme of things. aka, i wonder how intentional these things are. if they're intentional, then it's some hella dope symbolism going on, but if it's simply coincidence and speculation, it's still super ill for the soul sake of irony.

i know i sound like a fanboy here,:o , but these observations happen to fascinate me.

[KENNY GUIDO]

i'd truly be interested to see how relevant these observations are in the grand scheme of things. aka, i wonder how intentional these things are. if they're intentional, then it's some hella dope symbolism going on, but if it's simply coincidence and speculation, it's still super ill for the soul sake of irony.

i know i sound like a fanboy here,:o , but these observations happen to fascinate me.

no, your not a fanboy. your like everyone else here that loves the group. at the time, very little info was coming out (the internet wasnt at its prime) so many unanswered questions for left for the imagination!

[PaddyBoy]

no, your not a fanboy. your like everyone else here that loves the group. at the time, very little info was coming out (the internet wasnt at its prime) so many unanswered questions for left for the imagination!


Sometimes though, things are better left to the imagination aren't they? Its cool to have that bit of mystery about a band. Its not possible anymore with the internet. When I first got into the Beasties, I had no internet and what I learned came in drips and drabs through the music and lyrics.

Accessibility is great but makes everything a bit less special, in a way, I think.

[milkboy009]

Sometimes though, things are better left to the imagination aren't they? Its cool to have that bit of mystery about a band. Its not possible anymore with the internet. When I first got into the Beasties, I had no internet and what I learned came in drips and drabs through the music and lyrics.

Accessibility is great but makes everything a bit less special, in a way, I think.

Yea, its like why go digging for records when i can download them.... not like i would do that or anything...

[M.C. Guevera]

I still have no idea what's the significance behind the Ill Communication cover.

[Shamus]

"Hear No Evil See No Evil Talking No Bullshit"

CYH - Finger Lickin Good

[funk63]

I still have no idea what's the significance behind the Ill Communication cover.

isnt it painfully obvious?

[tjpop]

I still have no idea what's the significance behind the Ill Communication cover.


yes, it's a simple as sometimes when you talk thru those fast food ordering machines ("communicating"), your voice gets a bit garbled and distorted ("ill"). sorta like the toy mics they used on that album which makes them sound so gritty and unpolished at times. I forget what song they talk about the mics on from this lp..

brilliant cover for a brilliant album.

by the way I always loved the cassette cover of it because it had the full picture of the guy with more of the car! also the green tape, and all the pix in black & white on one side, and..

I'm such a fanboy..

[Jitters]

That's kind of cool; I never noticed that about the CYH cover.

I wonder if it was intentional....

[Brother McDuff]

sorta like the toy mics they used on that album which makes them sound so gritty and unpolished at times. I forget what song they talk about the mics on from this lp..


"...i use a bullshit mic, that's made outta plastic...."

-MCA
"Sure Shot"

[ggirlballa]

that is dope(y)

[PmF]

Well, Beasties covers are always something more than a pic (well excluding Hello Nasty), so I knew that CYH cover isn't just a regular photo. I really like your theory about "no evil", and good point with spotting the Def Jam logo.

[Mr. Juice]

First of all, let me just say how awesome it is that there's a discussion on the Check Your Head album cover. It's by far my favorite album cover of all time. A couple things to toss in here: The graffiti-font used by the Beastie Boys looks very similar to the font used by Minor Threat:

http://www.skinniesrecords.com/images/shirts/minorthreat.jpg


Wonder if this was a nod to them? Not only did they cover "Screaming At A Wall" on the Check Your Head Tour, but around this time the Beastie Boys also took a Minor Threat "Salad Days-like" picture (with Adrock, Mike D, and MCA chillin' in front of a log cabin).

Just sort of another random observation, anyone notice that inside the CD liner notes (while jamming on his drums), Mike D is wearing a sock cap, and inside the cassette liner notes he's wearing a ball cap?

[tjpop]

Just sort of another random observation, anyone notice that inside the CD liner notes (while jamming on his drums), Mike D is wearing a sock cap, and inside the cassette liner notes he's wearing a ball cap?

yeah i noticed that. also it's not in color right..anyway, what does the vinyl have? anyone own it????