This is actually a cheap 1983 compilation on Jivin records.   But it’s still a cool cover.

(8 votes, average: 4.75 out of 5)

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Another R. Crumb Yazoo cover.

(25 votes, average: 4.72 out of 5)

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Here’s a nice Discuba lp with colorful art.   It’s filled with cha chas and pachangas and such.   Latin jazz flute!

(11 votes, average: 4.82 out of 5)

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Tex Williams’ “Smoke Smoke Smoke” (that cigarette) was a hit in 1947 and a juke box standard in bars thereafter. This Capitol lp from the sixties is a collection of Williams’ songs. Fyi, Tex was from Illinois. But what a cool photo. I imagine him with three beers in the other hand.

(23 votes, average: 4.52 out of 5)

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Disco party freaks chose Bambu. Here’s a great collection of “smokin joints” on the Paul Winley Records label. I have a George Benson record called “Cheeba Cheeba” on Winley. I see a connection.

(10 votes, average: 2.20 out of 5)

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In the liner notes producer Sonny Lester pays tribute for the concept here to Levy’s rye bread.   “Just like the cover of this album says, Chinese kids like watermelon, Irish like bagels, black people like Jewish rye bread and today everybody loves the blues”

Album Art: Daniel Cooper-Bey   Photograph: Berry Berenson

(17 votes, average: 4.71 out of 5)

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Josh White.   Elektra Records. Cover design: Willam S. Harvey Cover photo: Leonard Heicklen

(31 votes, average: 4.03 out of 5)

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What a great performance shot of the recently departed Desmond Dekker. This is an early ska record (1967) on Beverley’s Records out of Kingston, Jamaica. This was produced by Leslie Kong and includes Dekker’s first hit “007” (but surprisingly not the song “Action” – one of my favorites).

(18 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

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Kent was a great low budget label that put out some great blues and r&b records. This one was produced by Johnny Otis and features his son Shuggie (who wrote “Strawberry Letter 23” and “Inspiration Information”). This is also a nice Bar-b-que cover. Check out that slab of ribs! Mmmmm.

(7 votes, average: 4.86 out of 5)

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Etta James “At Last!”   Argo Lp 4003 (1961)   Designed by Don Bronstein.   What an album.   What a song.     What a performer.   What a cover.   For every Hall of Fame.     I have all of Etta James’ records.   I first heard an early R&B song “Roll with me Henry” and starting hitting the used record stores looking for more.   She was the Queen of Soul before Aretha stole the title.   There’s even an Etta James record with that title also on Argo.   I’ve seen her perform a few times.   Once at the Newport Jazz Festival where I met her.   Her version of “At Last” has become a wedding staple and was used in some car commercial a few years ago.   This cover is a stunning portrait of her at her peak in the mid-sixties.

(15 votes, average: 4.67 out of 5)

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