3 CLASSIC 1954 SEXY 'CHEESECAKE' COVER EP RECORD ALBUMS "I LOVE" ESSEX LABEL

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3 1954 SEXY 'CHEESECAKE' COVER EP RECORD ALBUMS "I LOVE" SERIES  ESSEX LABEL
3 CLASSIC 'CHEESECAKE' COVER 45-RPM 2 DISC EP RECORDS ALL PART OF THE 1954 "I LOVE" SERIES ESSEX RECORD LABEL ~ PHILADELPHIA  RAY MARTIN ORCHESTRA MONTY KELLY ORCHESTRA RAY CHARLES CHORUS ALL 3 IN FANTASTIC CLEAN EXCELLENT CONDITION
This week on Ebay we are offering up this fantastic group of 3 different 'Cheesecake' record cover EPs. 
There are 3 different Orchestra's represented on these EPs: The Ray Martin Orchestra, The Monty Kelly Orchestra, and the Ray Charles Chorus. Not that the music on these records was anything great, or outstanding, It was usually just easy listening orchestra music. 
All 3 of these records are from the same series, titled "I Love."
They were pressed by the relatively small Essex Record label in Philadelphia, best known for their early Bill Haley & The Comets rockers and those strange Mummer Parade records.
All 3 of these are 7-inch, 45-RPM EPs, 2 records each. They are all gate-fold jackets, but the inner gatefolds are completely blank. Nobody purchased these records to deeply contemplate the music and read about the artist's thoughts and intentions in detailed liner notes.
They were made specifically for the pleasure of the purchaser, and for the objectification of the woman on the cover.
All 3 records are in beautiful, clean, bright and sturdy condition. The vinyl on all of these is in Excellent condition; clean and bright, no significant issues. Fantastic overall condition.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In the 1950s and early 1960s, record and album covers emblazoned with images of barely dressed women in risque poses was all the rage. Record companies have used women and sex to sell records as long as there have been records, and these Pin-up & Cheesecake like record covers are perfect examples.
These great classic EPs and covers all date back to 1954, at the start of the Golden Age of 'cheesecake' album cover art. Wonderful examples made during the genre’s heyday. They offer a great glimpse into a bygone era. 
These covers are from 1954 and feature beautiful ladies and creative designs. These are great covers and so very typical of the 'Cheesecake' genre.
The covers usually prominently featured attractive women for their eye-catching purpose. Scantily-clad beautiful, women, wearing little or nothing at all, with cheeky titles to draw you in, like the "I Love' title of this series.
Stunningly beautiful, extremely photogenic, over-sexualized models, with beautiful figures, captured in alluring poses. They often had intriguing eyes, either watching us in a sensuous way, or staring off into space.
The sexy images would usually try to be suggestive or express the mood and atmosphere of the music on the inside of the jacket.
Sultry, saucy models gazing seductively, lips slightly parted, teasing at the possibility of a night together.
~~~~~ In American culture, Musicians have always had a bit more freedom to express thoughts and feelings that everyone shared, but few talked about. In the late 50's, they had artistic license to push the buttons of puritanical mainstream culture, and nowhere was that more obvious than on some of these early 'Cheesecake' record jackets.
The setting for some of the early Cheesecake covers was usually expensively staged, capturing just the right look, in the right setting, at the right time.
The Monty Kelly cover in this lot has a beautiful brunette, in a leopard-skin outfit, with a dreamy look on her face. An ashtray is front and center, with 2 cigarettes burning and 2 already smoked. Next to the ashtray is a Martini, or maybe a glass of white wine. Very suggestive, but all cleverly placed in the photo.
The music on these records was often sexy, smoldering, easy listening music, often with spicy latin rhythms. Usually instrumental music. Who wants to contemplate deep lyrics when you're otherwise occupied.
The cover art was initially meant to glorify the woman's beauty and to make them attractive and alluring, but Record Companies quickly learned that the sexier the cover, the more it sold.
Sometimes the cover art tried to push things to see how far they could go; breast shadows, see-thru silky lingerie, toplessness and even full nudity. It was often verging on sexual exploitation and soft core pornography, but boy did it sell.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE HISTORY OF 'CHEESECAKE' RECORD COVERS
'Cheesecake' record album art really got it's start at the end of World War II.
During the War, young men and husbands were suddenly removed from their normal domestic life and sent thousands of miles away to fight, and possibly die, in a war.
These men were lonely, horny and desperate, so one-night stands, hookups in a club or bar, and infidelity became commonplace, both on the home front and abroad.
The USO was created early in the War to boost morale overseas, but it provided a very obvious outlet for the servicemen’s sexual desires and inclinations. Soon servicemen had pictures of sexy beautiful USO girls hung in their tents and barracks, even famously painted on their planes.
When the GI's returned home, they brought their love of 'Pin-Up' girls home with them. Sexy Pin-up girls were suddenly seen everywhere and completely invaded popular culture.
By the early 1950's, pinup photos and 'men's' magazines had become as American as apple pie with young men. Nude pictures of Marilyn Monroe appeared everywhere men gathered, and Hollywood started cranking out new 'Blonde Bombshells'. The media of the era frequently glamorized “bad girls” as sexy and desirable. 
Although Sex had always been at the forefront of mainstream popular music, record companies quickly capitalized on this new growing trend in 'Pin-Up' or 'Cheesecake' art to sell records. Sex sells, and sexy record covers sold well.
Many classic 'cheesecake' records were made in the 1950’s and pre-Beatles 60’s, when Pop music was pretty drab, there was no internet, no Cellphones, only 3 or 4 Black and White channels on the television, and the World was pretty conservative, domesticated and dull.
Young men had to find their sex and cheap thrills wherever and whenever they could, and these record covers filled that void.
~~ Martin Denny, an L.A. bandleader, pushed the 'cheesecake' record cover trend into a new 'artsy' erotic era when he featured model Sandy Warner on his 1957 debut album 'Exotica'. The record, greatly helped by it's cover art, went to Number 1 on the charts. Suddenly, the race was on to create similar covers for records.
Record Companies started contracting young beautiful models for racy fashion shoots in order to create album covers that would sell whatever music they contained.
Record labels were also looking for artists that were both talented and beautiful to sell their products; Julie London, Patti Page, Ertha Kitt all made albums of their own music as well as posed for the sultry cover art.
You could go into your local record shop, leaf thru the 'Exotica' or 'Lounge' music section and see all sorts of these tantalizing covers.
Record Companies knew that having a 'hot' woman on the cover of their records was sure catch the eye of any red blooded American male, freeze them in their tracks, and make them think about taking that record home with them.
The old adage that 'Sex Sells' was nowhere more prominent than on late fifties and early 60s album covers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The 'cheesecake' genre is highly collectible and these 3 records are fantastic early examples. These covers are great examples of Mid-Century 1950's Kitsch.
I think these are great, and really capture a bygone era in record cover design. They don't make women like that anymore.
In today's culture and society, these types of covers wouldn't work. Was it purely objectification of Women, or high art? At the time it was likely a little bit of each.
Although today, many of these 'cheesecake' covers are seen as exploitive and demeaning to women, they have also become an accepted and timeless art form.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shipping cost within the lower 48 states is $5.00 for these 3 EPs.
If you would like insurance, or anything faster than Media Mail, please let me know and I can arrange it for you. I’ll work with you to make sure you’re happy! 
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