Urban Legend # 14

The Orange Hat “Weeble” cover

                                          By Donnie Thompson

   In 1997 Orange Hat prepared to release their 45 R.P.M. single called “Humpty Dumpty”. Its cover featured a drawing by band member David Zeus Henderson that depicted Humpty Dumpty’s famous fall. It was soon discovered by sharp-eyed individuals that there was a distinct similarity between David’s animated Humpty and the popular children’s toys “Weebles”. This was odd considering that Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down while Humpty is clearly falling in the picture. Hasbro, the toy company that manufactured the Weebles did not see this logic. Out of fear of legal action by the toy conglomerate, Orange Hat’s management cancelled the release of the sleeve and had a new design created.

    The small number of sleeves that had already been printed were to have been destroyed, but the printers to save paper, simply turned them over and printed the new design on the other side then folded the original artwork to the inside. Some of these were released into the retail market place and were purchased by consumers unaware of the original artwork lurking inside the sleeve.

 If you own a copy of this single, take a peek inside. If you see the Humpty cartoon, it’s your lucky day! Nick-named the “Weeble” cover, these are worth a fortune now to Orange Hat collectors in  Guadeloupe.