During The Beatles' heyday, they were known for family-friendly music that you could listen to with your parents, and they hated that. Even the Queen thought they were good sorts, handing out an MBE to them all. So, to show the world how much of a bad boy he was, Lennon released an album cover so racy that their record label was hesitant to distribute it.
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Looking back on The Beatles publicity, Lennon had a moan about one of their published biographies. "There was nothing about orgies and the s*** that happened on tour. The Beatles tours were like the Fellini film Satyricon," he told Rolling Stone magazine.
But there was a reason for that. Their biographer didn't want to humiliate them. A number of them were married or engaged by the time the biography was published. He felt there wasn't a call for a huge, sexy exposé.
"No one asked me at the time to omit such things. It was my decision," Hunter Davies said of his biography. "It seemed unfair to embarrass them by going into what had happened while they were touring."
But, Lennon wanted people to know he was a freaky dude, so he bared all for his and Yoko Ono's 'Two Virgins' album.
Put Your Johnson Away, Lennon. Nobody Wants To See That
The legendary album cover featured Lennon and Ono completely naked, facing the camera. The back of the record was their naked behinds, and it wasn't a pretty sight. Initially, record label EMI refused to distribute it, deeming it far too inappropriate.
EMI chairman Sir Joseph Lockwood reportedly asked, "Why don't you use Paul instead? He's much better looking." I have to agree. In the end, it was released and sold in brown paper bags like the naughty top-shelf mags of yesteryear.
Their racy album release was the beginning of their public and prolific love affair. Many people had issues with the two of them being together, due to racist and often sexist reasons. However, they stuck it out and released some pretty weird stuff. The naked album cover was just the tip of the iceberg.
