Music Album Covers With Hands On Them – Part 1

A mosaic of 16 music album covers that feature hands.

This post is part of a series on music album covers with hands on them: part 1 (this post), part 2, part 3, and part 4.

The 16 albums shown in this post feature hands on the album cover. What the hand represents on each cover is as varied as the musical styles represented.  Hands can represent strength, power, despair, defiance, celebration, and unity to name just a few possibilities. The use of the hand may or may not even connect with the themes expressed in the music. However, one thing is for sure: exploring music by a cover artwork theme like "hands" lets you discover new music.

The album release dates range from 1976 to 2018.  

Recognizable gestures:

• The Loverboy "Get Lucky" (1981) album cover features crossed fingers for good luck, tying in with the title.
• The Simple Minds' "Black and White 050505" (2005) album cover features two hands making a heart.

Political themes:

• System of a Down's eponymous album (1998) features cover artwork from a 1928 anti-fascist poster designed by visual artist John Heartfield for the Communist Party of Germany.
• Majek Fashek "Prisoner of Conscience" (1988) features hands behind what looks like a wire fence.

Illusion:

• The Bobby Womack "The Greatest Man in the Universe" (2012) features a very flexible thumb.
• The Soundtrack of Our Lives' "Gimme five!" (2000) features a hand with six fingers.

Travelmarx recommendations:

• Guilty pleasure listening: Cerrone "Love in C Minor" (1976) – deep disco from another time
• Never tire of listening to: Dead Can Dance "Into the Labyrinth" (1993) – atmospheric, neoclassical dark wave

Row 1:

2004 – Clinic – "Winchester Cathedral"
2014 – Chet Faker – "Built on Glass"
2017 – Cults – "Offering"
2018 – Son Lux – "Brighter Wounds"

Row 2:

1992 – The Sundays – "Goodbye"
2005 – Simple Minds – "Black and White"
1998 – System of a Down – "System of a Down"
1988 – Majek Fashek – "Prisoner of Conscious"

Row 3:

2003 – Janis Ian – "Billie's Bones"
1976 – Cerrone – "Love in C Minor"
1992 – Bon Jovi – "Keep the Faith"
2000 – The Soundtrack of Our Lives – "Gimme five!"

Row 4:

2012 – Bobby Womack – "The Greatest Man in the Universe"
1981 – Loverboy – "Get Lucky"
1993 – Dead Can Dance – "Into the Labyrinth"
2001 – Jeff Beck – "You Had it Coming"