Album covers: Beatles For Sale

BEATLES FOR SALE

Beatles For Sale - Robert Freeman

The Beatles For Sale photo - uncropped and slightly different

In the fall of 1964, Brian, Robert Freeman and the Beatles have a meeting to discuss the cover of their next album, due for Christmas. They decide it has to be a gatefold sleeve, in colour and taken on an outside location. This was probably the first time ever a gatefold sleeve was used.

On a wintry day at the end of 1964 Robert Freeman took the four to London’s Hyde Park, near the Albert memorial. The guys didn’t have to dress up. They wore their usual black outfits, white shirts and black shawls. Because it was already seven p.m. and getting dark fast, it all had to happen quick. The photographs for the front and the back cover were taken within an hour and a half.

For the front cover, an assistant held up a branch with some leaves, which resulted in some colored spots on the picture.

For the back cover - the favorite Beatles picture of Freeman – he climbed in a tree to take a photograph from there, with a background of autumn leaves.

Beatles For Sale back cover - Robert Freeman

The uncropped photo

The rich autumnal colors and facial expressions of the covers of Beatles For Sale seemed to express the Beatles' weariness as their fame and hectic touring schedules became overwhelming.

Another photo from the session - Robert Freeman

For the inside of the gate fold sleeve, two black-and-white pictures were chosen to reflect the highlights of their busy year:
a scene from their American tour: the Beatles in concert at the Coliseum in Washington DC, on 11 February, 1964. It is a great photo, of which the photographer himself, is rightly proud;
a reflection of their first movie: the Beatles in the Twickenham Film Studios. This picture was taken in the Viewing Theatre, where they watched the ‘rushes’ of A Hard Day’s Night with the director, Richard Lester. They posed before a collage of film stills on the wall by a staircase in the lobby.

Beatles For Sale - fold out cover

The sleeve notes were by Derek Taylor.

This article was written by Patrick Roefflaer and you can find it in it's older incarnation here.

Sources:
Books: 'Yesterday' by Robert Freeman, The Beatles Anthology book, 'Many Years From Now' by Miles, 'In My Life' by Pete Shotton, 'The complete EMI Recording Sessions' by Mark Lewisohn and 'The Beatles London' by Mark Lewisohn and Peter Schreuder. And countless websites.