Three Dog Night Hard Labor Original “Birthing Cover” Without Band-aid

$ 61

$ 61 Sold For

Nov 18, 2019 Sold Date

Nov 11, 2019 Start Date

$ 10 Start price

7 Number Of Bids

USA Country Of Seller

eBay Auctioned at

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Description

I think one great line of vinyl collecting is when initial issues of LP covers are changed due to complaints from record company executives, from censors, from the buying public or simply due to errors.

Remember the Beatles “Butcher Cover” and the Mamas & the Papas “Toilet” Cover? Or how about the Dave Clark Five “No-Instruments” Cover or Blind Faith’s “Topless Girl” Cover? And don’t forget Three Dog Night’s “Nude” Cover and Roxy Music’s “Underwear Ladies” cover. Replacement/changed covers were issued for all of these original covers.

In this auction:

“HARD LABOR” LP by Three Dog Night
This is ABC Dunhill Records DSD 50168.
This LP was released in 1974.
This LP became known as Three Dog Night’s “Birthing Cover”.
This initial cover was considered to be objectionable or in “bad taste”, because the front cover pictures a bird-like creature in stirrups on a medical examining table giving birth to a vinyl record. It was re-released in a revised cover that had a big band-aid over the “birthing” image.
The band Three Dog Night has the distinction of having not one but two of their original LP covers withdrawn or changed. The first was the original cover of their “It Ain’t Easy” LP (known as “The Nude Cover” but they, in fact, were not nude, just wearing orange body suits). Their second changed cover is the LP in this auction.
This ORIGINAL “BIRTHING COVER” is in VG CONDITION with moderate overall wear. It’s a gatefold cover. There is a small drill hole in one of the lower corners. There is light partial ring wear on the “birthing cover as well as some water staining at the top and bottom right corners mostly visible when looking at the open gatefold cover. There is moderate wear on the corners.
This LP was issued with a manila file folder with the LP title on the tab and band printed on the tab (and a “birth record sheet” printed inside). The manila file folder is still attached! Often this file folder becomes separated, because the juncture to the cover is perforated, or is missing from the LP altogether.
The VINYL is in NICE VG+ CONDITION with just a few very light/slight surface hairlines/scuffs (none “feelable”).

FYI: I used Goldmine Grading Standards (G for Good, VG for Very Good, VG+ for Very Good Plus, NM for Near Mint, M for Mint) to VISUALLY GRADE this LP, so please know the descriptions of these grades before bidding. And please check my other auctions for other LPs you may want to add to your collection. Be high bidder on several and combine shipping. Winning bidder must remit payment within 5 days of auction close. Add $4.00 for shipping to a U.S. address via media mail with tracking.