sheep on the cover of Vs. is ironic?

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  • Hugh Freaking Dillon
    Hugh Freaking Dillon Posts: 14,010
    I always thought "5 against 1" was an inventive way of describing the act of a male "self-molesting". 8-)
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  • broloco
    broloco Posts: 1,237
    certainly when you look at the cover of the vinyl version...it makes one go hmmm...

    4158408758_be165a218d.jpg

    ^^not a very aggressive, rebellious looking sheep! :lol:
  • Belgiancropduster
    Belgiancropduster Posts: 3
    edited April 13
    I see one sheep. And a male sheep, a ram behind it. 
    Post edited by Belgiancropduster on
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  • Lost In Ohio
    Lost In Ohio Posts: 7,245
    Isaac said:
    broloco wrote:
    Feel free to say "duh, no shit" but it just hit me today that the sheep on the cover of Vs. could be slightly ironic. Since day one I always just saw the sheep as simply a cool agressive image, with it's teeth snarling(agressive = versus). But now I'm wondering if this type of animal was specifically used on purpose.. of course, right? Because sheep = followers. And PJ is against following. They are "vs." that follower mentality. (amongst other things). such a great cover~

    Yeah maybe so... good thought.

    If I am not mistaken Vs. was originally titled "5 Against 1". Perhaps the sheep photo has something to do with the original title. Jeff was intrigued with taking photos of animals at the time... think "Who Killed Rudolph", the cover for the X-mas single that year.

    I remember pining over the art for that album cause there was so little insight (*no new press or videos) into the band's mentality at the time.

    (*there was the Time cover story but it really didn't talk about or have interviews with PJ.)


    They also had the roadkill dog poster around that same time.
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  • CO278952
    CO278952 Orlando, FL Posts: 1,451
    Grok says:  The cover art for Pearl Jam's *Vs.* (1993) features a black-and-white photograph of a sheep pressing against a fence, taken by Danny Clinch. The image is often interpreted as symbolizing themes of confinement, struggle, and rebellion, which resonate with the album's raw, intense exploration of societal pressures, personal conflict, and resistance against authority. Tracks like "Animal," "Go," and "Porch" reflect this energy, with lyrics challenging conformity and oppression. The band has not explicitly defined the cover's meaning, but Eddie Vedder has suggested it represents an animal's fight for freedom, mirroring human desires to break free from constraints. Some fans also see it as a critique of exploitation, possibly tying to the band's vegetarian leanings or commentary on being "trapped" in fame after *Ten*. The stark, gritty aesthetic aligns with the album's rejection of polished commercialism.
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  • CO278952
    CO278952 Orlando, FL Posts: 1,451
    guess grok thinks Porch is on Vs. 

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  • demetrios
    demetrios Posts: 97,195



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