MAMAS AND PAPAS 1st ORIG LP RARE WITHDRAWN TOILET COVER

$

405

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·       MAMAS AND PAPAS - IF YOU CAN BELIEVE YOUR EYES AND EARS - ORIGINAL 1966 DUNHILL RECORDS STEREO LP DS-50006

·       ORIGINAL U.S. PRESSING

MONSTROUSLY RARE ORIGINAL “TOILET BOWL” COVER, WITHDRAWN IMMEDIATELY UPON RELEASE AND REPLACED WITH AN “AIRBRUSHED” VERSION OF THE COVER, SHOWING A SCROLL WITH TRACK LISTING INSERTED OVER THE OFFENSIVE IMAGE OF THE TOILET BOWL.

·       ORIGINAL BLACK DUNHILL LABEL WITH YELLOW “BOXED” DUNHILL LOGO

·       THICK CARDBOARD COVER, AMERICAN STYLE.

·       CLEAN, WEAR-FREE LABELS

·       THICK, HEAVY VINYL PRESSING

(►PLEASE SEE THE IMAGE OF THE COVER, LABEL OR BOTH, SHOWN BELOW)

(Note: this is a REAL image of the ACTUAL item you are bidding on. This is NOT a "recycled" image from our previous auction. What you see is what you'll get. GUARANTEED!)

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It was early 1966. Barry Goldwater was just defeated (about a year earlier, during the 1964 presidental elections) as the Republican candidate who essentially promised the scared American electorate that he would nuke the Russians…and the Chinese…and the North Koreans…and the Cubans…and the Vietnamese…and…and…and…

Meanwhile, Chairman Mao was just about to set off the notorious Cultural Revolution, pledging to reciprocate nuclear (and political) lunacy from the other side of the Pacific. Russians, too, were trying their very hardest to act irrationally. And, of course, the Vietnam War was about to explode into full-fledged national nightmire/guagmire (um..sounds familiar, anyone?).

In other words, the hysteria of the cold war was at its apex, and the cultural atmosphere in America wasn’t much better, either. The powers that be in the music industry simply could not allow even a hint of cultural controversy to stand in the way of their sales. The cultural counter-revolution in America (luckily, very brief in duration and extremely stupid in execution) was on the upswing.

Enters Mamas and Papas’ first album. Originally released in March 1966, the album almost immediately created a firestorm of controversy: never mind that the album contained hints and delicate references to drugs; never mind that all four members posed in a highly suggestive and almost promiscuous situation (all four piled on top of each other, tightly squeezed into a tub – I guess this is how Mamas and Papas defined “baby shower” – Mama Cass would give birth to a baby later that same year). Ah, no…none of this was any problem for Lou Adler’s Dunhill label.

But – hey – showing a (gasp!) toilet bowl on the cover?!?!. Heck, no – that won’t go! The commies could not be allowed to spoil our chaste youth. The introduction of something as innocuous as a bathroom utility we all use daily was somehow interpreted as an anarchist allegory (God forbid they should have shown a…urinal). An allegory of what?!?! Was this considered to be some sort of visual Freudian slip? What were the censors thinking? That a toilet bowl symbolized chaos and anarchy of the impending world revolution? A threat to the New World Order? A corruption of law and order? An offensive metaphor of LBJ’s administration?

And so, after the initial press run was released and ignited massive controversy, Dunhill caved in and pulled all “toilet bowl” covers from the market, replacing them with “censored” covers, showing a canvas-like “scroll” inserted over the offensive toilet. Hey, why not use fig leaf instead?

To put things in perspective, the year 1966 was a big year for corporate cover censors: mind you, in this same year, the Beatles had to endure humiliating retraction of the “Butcher” cover * (on their ‘Yesterday and Today’ album), Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons survived no less than three encounters with the artwork police (on their “Four Seasons sing Bacharach-David and Dylan” album), Jefferson Airplane’s first album was altered in both content and form (cover had to be changed, too), Bob Dylan (presumably on his own volition?) changed the layout on his “Blonde on Blonde” album, deleting the image of Claudia Cardinale; the Fugs’ first album underwent no less than 4 (four !!!) alterations, the cover of the Monkees’ first album * had to be changed because of misperceived “transsexual” reference, Buffalo Springfield’s first album * had to have a song excised from BOTH record AND the cover; Simon and Garfunkel’s second album (The Sounds of Silence) underwent no less than three cover revisions; Velvet Underground’s first album* had to have back cover significantly modified because of a legal dispute. In other words, corporate censors and self-censors were out in full force back in 1966. I reckon that, watching from his Parisian exile, Ayatollah Khomeini must have been rather pleased with the way America was run by LBJ’s minions four decades ago.

* = please see our other auctions for the copy of this rare album

Needless to say, despite (or perhaps precisely because of) the controversy, and propelled by the two #1 charting hit singles, both now recognized as veritable Rock classics (California Dreamin’ and Monday, Monday), the album quickly became a RIAA-certified million-seller, topping the Billboard pop charts. In the sea of official “censored” covers that flooded the market, it is virtually impossible to find surviving copies of the uncensored “toilet bowl” covers. They are a sight unseen. We comfortably and without any reservations state that the censored covers outnumber “toilet bowl” covers at a ratio of AT LEAST 300:1. We have even met record dealers who have been in the business for decades, but have never had – or sold – a single copy of one of these rare covers.

We proudly present one such massively rare specimen. Bid now, or else you might have a…um…irregular bowel movement later…J

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The first - and the best - of the legendary quartet’s many multi-million selling albums, this freshman effort from 1966 contains just about every single noteworthy song Mamas and Papas recorded in the course of their all-too-brief career. Certainly, both "California Dreamin’" and "Monday, Monday" are here. Uncredited, but visibly present, on this album is virtually entire Phil Spector’s "Wall of Sound" studio orchestra, including (but not limited to) Hal Blaine, Larry Knechtel, P.F.Sloan, Joe Osborn, possibly Leon Russell, and many, many others, which probably explains unbelievable level of musical professionalism and perfectionism which permeates this album. And then, the songs: this is a great selection of "Brill Building" pop material circa mid-1960’s. The songs are: Monday, Monday - Straight Shooter - Got a Feelin’ - I call your name - Do you wanna dance - Go where you wanna go - California Dreamin’ - Spanish Harlem - Somebody Groovy - Hey Girl - You Baby! - In Crowd…

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In the spring of 1966, If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears represented a genuinely new sound, as fresh to listeners as the songs on Meet the Beatles had seemed two years earlier. Released just as "California Dreaming" was ascending the charts by leaps and bounds, it was the product of months of rehearsal in the Virgin Islands and John Phillips' discovery of what one could do to build a polished recorded sound in the studio — it embraced folk-rock, pop/rock, pop, and soul, and also reflected the kind of care that acts like the Beatles were putting into their records at the time. "Monday, Monday" and "California Dreamin'" are familiar enough to anyone who's ever listened to the radio, and "Go Where You Wanna Go" isn't far behind, in this version or the very similar rendition by the Fifth Dimension. But the rest is mighty compelling even to casual listeners, including the ethereal "Got a Feelin'," the rocking "Straight Shooter" and "Somebody Groovy," the jaunty, torch song-style version of "I Call Your Name," and the prettiest versions of "Do You Wanna Dance" and "Spanish Harlem" that anyone ever recorded.

If the material here has a certain glow that the Mamas & the Papas' subsequent LPs lacked, that may be due in part to the extensive rehearsal and the exhilaration of their first experience in the studio, but also a result of the fact that it was recorded before the members' personal conflicts began interfering with their ability to work together. The work was all spontaneous and unforced here, as opposed to the emotional complications that had to be overcome before their next sessions.

(REVIEW REPRINTED COURTESY OF BRUCE EDER, ALL MUSIC GUIDE /ALLMUSIC.COM/)

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For additional historical or discography information on this album, including track listing ►click here

THIS IS A NO-RESERVE AUCTION!

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·                               CONDITION:

·                               RECORD

(IMPORTANT NOTE: unless otherwise noted, ALL records are graded visually, and NOT play-graded!; we grade records under the strong, diffuse room light or discrete sunlight)

(a)            WE GRADE THE VINYL AS NEAR MINT. Some VERY LIGHT AND SUPERFICIAL abrasions – mostly sleeve scuffs - are (barely) visible, but are probably inaudible, and do not affect visual integrity or beauty of the vinyl. The original luster is very much intact, and the vinyl shines and sparkles almost like new.

(b)            The record is pressed on a beautiful, thick, inflexible vinyl, which was usually used for the first or very early pressings. Usually, the sound on such thick vinyl pressings is full-bodied, vivid, and even dramatic. Do not expect to obtain such a majestic analog sound from a digital recording!

(c)             Of course, this is a full-bodied ANALOG recording, and not an inferior, digital recording!!!

(d)            Uncensored covers of this album are much rarer than the “censored” (airbrushed) ones; We estimate that censored covers outnumber uncensored toilet bowl covers by a ratio of at least 300:1.

·       COVER

THE COVER IS NICE --- ABOUT EXCELLENT OR VERY GOOD++ (VG++).

The following flaws or imperfections are noted on the cover:

-         Cover has a few small, rectangular, tape residue stains on the bottom seam (small yellowish discoloration from the removed price sticker); more pronounced on the back cover; practically invisible on front panel.

-         Cover has a partially split bottom seam (between 2 and 4 inches / 5 to 10 centimeters)

-         Cover has some fraying/wear along the lower seam

-         Cover has a few tiny wrinkles along the spine (VISIBLE ON BACK SIDE ONLY)

-         Minor shelf wear noted on the seams (nothing significant)

-         Cover has some light ring wear (nothing significant); On the scale from 1 to 10 (1 being the least, and 10 being the most severe), we assess the severity of ring wear as 2 (front side) and 3 (back side)

-         Cover shows some light yellowing on back side, apparently from aging.

NO OTHER IMPERFECTIONS ON THE COVER:

-         No cut-out (drill) holes.

-         No cut-out corners

-         No saw-marks or indents

-         No dirt/dust rubbing stains (friction marks caused by rubbing against other covers)

-         No writing

-         No stamps

-         No peel-off marks

-         No mold or mildew spots

-         No stickers or labels

-         No water damage

-         No razor marks, scratches, pressure marks, lines, streaks, or cuts.

-         No warping

-         No wax, glue, paint or liquid drops on the cover

-         No bar codes

-         No RIAA stamps or stickers.

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OUR REFUND POLICY :

Cash refund will be granted only for DEFECTIVE items, but we are flexible and reasonable in reviewing the merits of each individual case. We do NOT play-grade records and can only make reasonable inference on the item's condition based on its visual appearance. Every bid carries a risk that purchased item might play worse than its visual grade may indicate. Still sealed items MUST be returned sealed in order to be eligible for a refund. Please read our complete refund policy before placing a bid. ►Click here for the full text of our policy .

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