July 12, 2005
Wal-Mart Bogarts Willie's Cover
Wille Nelson ran two different cover design versions of his latest release, Countryman. Wal-Mart's strict guidelines for potentially objectionable package design would have kept the cd off the shelves at the retailer. Countryman is a reggae album from the redheaded stranger, and it features a marijuana leaf on the cover - except at Wal-Mart. Universal Music Group Nashville, Willie's label had a 'clean' version created, changing the marijuana leaf into a palm tree.
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It reminds me of David Bowie's band, Tin Machine. Their second release, Tin Machine II had nude male Greek statues on the cover. Their label did a 'clean' version for the US market that blurred out the statues' uhhh.... naughty bits. Here's the original cover, not available in the US.
