The album was originally released with a die-cut sleeve design depicting a New York City tenement block, through whose windows various cultural icons could be interchangeably viewed. The album designer, Peter Corriston, was looking for a building that was symmetrical with interesting details, that was not obstructed by other objects and would fit the square album cover. He subsequently came up with the rest of the cover based on people moving in and out of the tenement, with various sleeves that could be placed under the main cover and filling the windows with various pieces of information. Incidentally, the same front doorway and stoop at 96 E. 8th Street/St. Marks Place is also the location used by The Rolling Stones for their music video promoting their single "Waiting On A Friend" from their 1981 album "Tattoo You".