The famous “stretched”
photo effect that graces the cover of the Beatles’ sixth studio album, Rubber
Soul, came about purely as the result of a happy accident. After photographer
Robert Freeman took a series of photos of the band at John Lennon‘s house, he
projected them onto a piece of cardboard to simulate how they would look on the
actual album cover. At one point, the album-sized slide card accidentally
tilted backwards, resulting in an extended, stretched-looking image. The Beatles liked the effect so much that they asked if Freeman could recreate it
for the final cover.
Of the picture itself, Freeman says, “It was
becoming difficult to get the four together for a photo session. The photograph
for Rubber Soul, the last album cover in which I was involved, was taken in the
garden of John’s house in Weybridge, the central point for three of them. The
distorted effect in the photo was a reflection of the changing shape of their
lives.” The original album artwork was later auctioned off at Bonhams, along
with a letter of authentication signed by Robert Freeman.
For the U.S.
version, Capitol Records implemented a different color saturation, such that
original orange lettering looks different depending on the release. Sometimes
it looks green or golden, and other times, it’s more of a rich chocolate brown.
Young illustrator Charles Front was responsible for the playful and
distinctive bubble lettering of the title “Rubber Soul.” His design squeezed
the letters into a shape that mimicked the drip of rubber from a rubber tree.
This style quickly became the go-to template for poster art in the 1960s, and
eventually influenced the production of more experimental typography over the
years.
The Beatles’ album covers, while often experimental in terms of
pictures and colors, were often less than adventurous when it came to
typography — but the iconic design of “Rubber Soul” can still be seen today.
This was also the Beatles’ first release to not feature their name on the
cover, yet another mark of the Fab Four’s rise to prominence.
Album
Cover Designer: Robert Freeman (photo) Charles Front (lettering)
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