The Beatles Abbey Road, maybe after Pink Floyd's Dark Side of The Moon, is one of the most famous and appreciated album covers of all time. There is a lot of content surrounding the cover and the picture and the zebra crossing is one of the most visited spots in London.
In 2008 Paul Cole with 92 years old left this life and with him a curious fact. He was at the picture accidentally, never listened the album and thought that The Beatles were a bunch of kooks. As I was reading, we was with his wife in London vacations in 1969 and failed on recognize the world famous Beatles.
Me and my wife also have our moment on the zebra crossing and together with the visit on the John and Yoko Room at Hilton Amsterdam, were my moments as Beatles fan. =)
Some facts about the album cover (Wikipedia):
The sleeve was designed by Apple Records creative director Kosh. It is the only original UK Beatles album sleeve to show neither the artist name nor the album title on its front cover.
Check how it was the zebra crossing with EMI studios in the background on 25 September 1969.
The front cover design, a photograph of the group traversing a zebra crossing, was based on sketched ideas by McCartney, and taken on 8 August 1969 outside EMI Studios on Abbey Road. At around 11:30 that morning, photographer Iain Macmillan was given only ten minutes to take the photo whilst he stood on a step-ladder and a policeman held up the traffic.
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| McCartney Sketch |
In the scene, the group walk across the street in single file from left to right, with Lennon leading, followed by Starr, McCartney, and Harrison. McCartney is barefoot. With the exception of Harrison, the group are wearing suits designed by Tommy Nutter.
To the left of the picture, parked next to the zebra crossing, is a white Volkswagen Beetle motor-car which belonged to one of the people living in the block of flats across from the recording studio. After the album was released, the number plate (LMW 281F) was stolen repeatedly from the car. In 1986, the car was sold at auction for £2,530 and in 2001 was on display in a museum in Germany.
Also you can check it out the TV commercial made fro Rock Band Beatles, lovely film.