YESTERDAY & TODAY BUTCHER Album: A History & Analysis of the Beatles most notorious LP |  

That letter from Capitol Records clearly indicated this was going to be a collector's item. If I had been a record store manager, I'd keep all those copies, tell Capitol I sold them all, and send them the money. Within a couple of years I'd be able to pay for a house and a couple of cars with the money from the sales to collectors.

I recall (circa 1970, I was ten years old) my big sister using a steam kettle to remove the outer cover (the four posing with the trunk) of "Yesterday and Today." What was underneath was the "Butcher" album cover (the four posing with truncated naked baby dolls and cuts of meat.) It blew my mind!

I have two stereo copies of the butcher album. My brother and I got the first copy from a cutout bin in a drugstore. We hadn’t heard of the butcher cover at the time. We could sort of see through the trunk cover to see what turned out to be Ringo’s shirt; there was clearly something back there. So we steamed the trunk cover off and we were blown away! We quickly beat a path back to the drugstore and found one more copy. I still have it, too, with the shrink wrap intact. They would have been no more than 99 cents each. That’s what cutouts cost in those days. I have them both framed on my basement wall, along with the lenticular Sananic Majesties cover, the first Moby Grape album ( with the finger), and the original Sun 45 of Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison Blues. I had a friend who bought a first state butcher album at Sears on the day it was released. Too bad he opened it and played it. It’s valuable now, but it would be so much more valuable sealed! That first copy of the butcher cover was actually my brother’s but he gave it to me some fifty-five or so years later when I was in the hospital after a heart attack, waiting for bypass surgery. We both figured he’d get it back in a couple of days. Fooled him, didn’t I? He still cusses me for not kicking off.

My understanding was that the Beatles were upset that Capitol in the early days here in the USA was taking two or three songs each off several UK Parlophone LP's and essentially making their own albums thereby "Butchering" their work.

Thanks for this in-depth background to the butcher cover controversy. I remember well when the LP was released here in the U.S. and the ensuing market pull. In the '80's when I got into serious LP collecting, I came close to buying a mint, sealed copy of the first stage, but it didn't happen. (I think it was selling for about $1,500 at the time). I 'settled' for an original copy of the Fendermen LP on Soma, also highly collectible, but not nearly as much so as the butcher cover. I appreciate the work you put into the history behind these artifacts. You obviously know of what you speak. Wish I had found this channel months ago.

Matt, I have owned three Butcher Covers and peeled all three successfully. I sold the first two and kept the third, which is now framed up on my wall. I bought them all for almost no money, the third at a yard sale in PA for $1.00. It's not for sale! I'll probably never find another.

That “Gold Record Award” cover came out much earlier than you think. It was my first Beatles album, and my research surprisingly shows that added to the cover in 1966, the year of release. I definitely owned it before ‘68. Also: Capitol did destroy many copies of the Butcher cover, they didn’t past over them all. interviewed Val, the late owner of a very popular record store, Val’s Halla, in Oak Park Illinois back in the 90s. She worked at Capitol’s Jacksonville Illinois plant in the 60s, and had distinct memories of being tasked with slashing-up butcher covers with a razor blade there.

I remember how this cover had been soooo coveted in the used vinyl stores in NYC's Greenwich Village where I grew up ...

I much prefer the Blue Background cover to the one that came out. I really like some of the Robert Whittaker photos from those sessions (not just the "butchers cover photos) They are very surreal and have quite a bit of humour in them. I just found your site today and am really enjoying it. Love some of the covers you have designed!

Back in 91-92 a lady came in my record shop with a handful of pretty nasty lps..but in the middle of the stack a fair copy of yesterday and today..2nd state...but I bought the stack..and kept the lp as a shop showpiece along with some other gems..it was a rush for a few years..and of course when I retired a great record friend took it home..oh..yeah..killer job!! Matt the man!!

Hi, enjoying the videos, thanks. Not very well known, but a butcher session photo was used in the UK as for Paperback Writer. As far as I know, without problems!

I can’t believe Brian ever let that cover be printed. It was released June, 1966 - can you imagine if they had gone with the religious iconography just as they went on the disastrous summer tour? John’s “bigger than Jesus” comment was about to hit the US.

I peeled off a corner of my dad's "fourth state" copy when I was 12. Love your channel. Thanks for getting me into The Association -- now I just need a mono copy of their first album!

I first learned of this when I was 9 years old and went to a used record store. There was a "steamed" mono copy on the wall for $350.00! It was literally destroyed and in 1979 money, that was ridiculous! It started my quest to find one at yard sales or any place that I could find one. I STILL don't have one 42 years later! I bidded on a stereo 2nd state on eBay in 2005, and was the winner until a sniper outbid me by $1.00! I was NOT HAPPY!

capitol was in such a hurry to put this out they didn't bother to wait to receive the stereo masters for " doctor robert " and " and your bird can sing " , and released them in mock stereo . and the butcher photo was used for the " paperback writer /rain " single sleeve in britain .

Excellent cover story! I just bumped into your channel a day ago. I've checked out a few of your videos. I appreciate your integrity, and your narrative unfolds in a very coherent and clear study. My compliments to you and all your efforts! If you don't mind me asking, what state are you in? Seems like you are a Midwesterner... Also, the albums behind you deserve some attention...

One other reason for differing track lineups on European/American issues was the reluctance of Europeans to include singles on albums, the marketing philosophy being people resented ‘paying for the same song twice’. The opposite was true in North America; if there weren’t at least two hits on an album, it ‘wasn’t any good’; so they would truncate the lineup and stick the latest grooviest hits on. Imagine turning over ‘’Out of Our Heads’’ and ‘’(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction‘’ isn’t there. Sometimes entire albums would be created specifically for the American or Canadian market; ‘’Beatlemania’’ “Long Tall Sally” (Canada), ‘’12x5’’ and ‘’December’s Children’’ to name a few.

Matt, I must commend you on your knowledge of this album, you did great!! You probably won't read this, but hopefully you will...I have a second state butcher cover from the Jacksonville Illinois record plant, it has a variation of the trunk cover pasted over the " offending" butcher cover which is underneath. It is also a stereo version and not a monophonic. The record itself is in good shape and the trunk cover says in big blue letters on the top left side THE BEATLES. The words Yesterday and today are in red on the right top, and the Capitol records logo is in the center of the cover with the song titles next to the logo on the left side and they continue to the bottom of the cover. On the back of the album cover the number 4 is to the right of the RIAA symbol and it is a number 4. When the trunk cover was glued over the butcher cover, the person who did it was not careful to match up the edges of both covers, and the edge lines of both covers are right next to each other and are clearly seen. Supposedly there are no known second state butcher covers from Jacksonville, but there are as I have one. I will send you pictures if you would like to see them. Kennethjeys@yahoo.com

Fun video!! I bought a Japanese counterfeit on eBay in 2003, for $200.+. I knew it wasn't authentic, but It was designed to fool you though. The packaging included the matte finish, gold inner sleeve with Capitol Artists and I just couldn't resist that virgin vinyl and played it! It sounded SO GOOD I seriously thought It was real for a moment. The songs on that LP are quite the eclectic set (for a non Beatles sequence choice) with 3 Revolver songs, 4 Rubber Soul songs, the double A side single Day Tripper/We can work it out. Plus the title song and Ringos' 2 B sides. It is basically their greatest hits of '65-early 66' . Of course it is proudly displayed on the wall in the music room

That terrible white background trunk photo had to be Capitol's revenge for putting them through all the effort of fixing the albums. Unfortunately for me, my copy of yesterday and today dated from sometime in the early '70's. It did not have anything but cardboard underneath- I checked.

Am I the only fan who acquired a butcher cover slick (late 70's at Capitol record swap meet), pasted it over a trunk cover and peeled away parts of the butcher cover exposing the Beatles faces underneath? B.M. Beatlemania: The Forgotten Decease, lol.

I love the videos on the Beatles and the Association. Are videos on the Byrds and their break-up and - of course - the Monkees and their solo careers - particularly Mike Nesmith - also in your future plans? Great books to read are "Infinite Tuesday" by Mike Nesmith and "I'm a Believer" by Micky Dolenz.

I just discovered this channel last week. I'm furiously trying to catch up. My recollection at time of the controversy: this was supposedly the Beatles way of protesting that Capitol was "butchering" their albums to increase sales in America. I haven't heard that exact explanation in recent years. One thing for sure: the trunk photo has gotta be the worst picture of them in existence. I suspect that was on purpose.

I bought my copy of Yesterday and Today probably early in 1970; it was still on the original rainbow Capitol label. Every once in a while I just stare at the white space on that cover as if by a miracle the Butcher Cover will show through after all...

I still remember several of my friends standing around watching as we steamed the cover off my copy. We had no idea...but it was the Beatles, who were always involved in one surprise after another.

The reason that I’ve heard for the butcher cover was that The Beatles were commenting on Capitol’s practice of butchering their UK LPs to push out more product (and more money to be made). They found this artistically bankrupt and unnecessary. So they purposely sent the photo to Capitol to force their hand by having to release this public slap on the face. I’ve never heard the Vietnam war reason, but I don’t doubt it, either. The Beatles could have been trying to kill (ironically) two birds with one stone-both reasons-with this cover.

I bought Yesterday and Today when it came out. I was 13. I had heard that if you steam off the cover the "Butcher Cover" was underneath. I tried steaming one corner to see if I had the "pasted on" cover. I didn't...and I ruined my cover. I always found it funny that the Stones were portrayed as bad boys. The Beatles WERE bad boys and had much stronger personalities.

That’s so crazy I can’t believe they tried to use that as a cover.

The early 1970s version of the album (re-issued on the Apple label) has the “trunk” cover, and the Gold Record award logo. Despite the fact that Capitol compiled this album from singles and album cuts, it’s a pretty strong offering. Thanks Matt, great work!

The Beatles were thinking, they could do no wrong.

Fascinating. I had never heard of such a thing.

I'm not surprised you took to a stiff drink to discuss the minutae of this record. I think that final quote from George Harrison summed it up perfectly. Anyhoo it got be thinking ...how about a discussion on the whole sub genre of album covers with meat on them ? I'll start you off with the Edgar Broughton album!....

First time I ever saw the photo was in the gatefold of the 1980 Capitol Records album, Rarities (fitting title for the photo!)

I met my wife in the mid 80s and when we moved in together I saw she had a copy. The one I had was purchased in the early 70s on Apple's label. Hers was original Capitol that she'd had since the album came out. She wasn't aware of the butcher story so I told her let's check it out. We painstakingly steamed off the trunk cover over a number of days and of course, the butcher cover was underneath. We still have it framed in our office along with the record. If we'd only known that 30 some years later people valued it in the second state!

John Lennon said: about the butcher cover: “My original idea for the cover was better - decapitate Paul - but he wouldn't go along with it.”

It is probably the best American Beatles album, in the sense that it jells. As it takes tracks from Rubber Soul, Revolver and a number of the intervening singles, it throws the American Revolver out of balance. The American Rubber Soul played well, on the other hand.

Funny how the LP cover art is the deal here. When on the Vinyl inside was Rain. Without question the band’s greatest song✅

Just subscribed. Really enjoy your vids. I remember hearing that this album was only released in stereo on it's first pressing run and the only place it could be purchased was at Sears. I believe this was mentioned on an episode of the American version of 'Antiques Roadshow' and I've often wondered if there was any truth in that. Keep up the excellent work. Cheers!

Good to see Country Joe hitting front rank!

Just a great all-around rock and roll album....

This is about the closest video to the time period in question, so I'll post this here. I am going over music on a couple external drives that I have either traded for, bought, or found along the way this afternoon. I found a 4-disc Rubber Soul sessions set that is studio-quality. I'm listening to it right now, and it's amazing. Surely you have this also, Matt? Oh, and I remember seeing a "butcher cover" Y&T in Cambridge (under lock and key behind the cashier's desk) back in the late '80's for something like $400, and it was NOT in very good shape. This and the quickly withdrawn "Live Yardbirds: Featuring Jimmy Page" from the early '70's have to be two of the most sought-after vinyl in rock history.

This was a protest against the Vietnam war. Very brave for 1966.

At least I got the Butcher CD! 🙂

I noticed you have a purple stripe yesterday. I got my purple stripe as a gift for my cousin who works for Capitol Records. It is numbered, 0003. And I kept the seal on it.

I've owned that Critters album since about 1970, claimed it from a cousin who never listened to it. Kapp records! Also a big Lou Courtney fan. Again, I love checking out what you have on the shelves, always some favorites of mine back there. Cheers!

In the early 70s, a friend found a second state in a thrift shop for 25 cents. He did such a perfect peel, that it looked first state. Not bad, eh?

Fabulous video! This was fun. Cheers Matt

The final vinyl version of "Yesterday And Today" was released in 1988 (Capitol Records ‎- C1-90447). The 1988 release does not have the "Gold Record Award" stamp on the cover.

Capitol Records president Alan Livingston, while directing his workers to paste over the Butcher Cover with the Steamer Trunk photo, Alan kept a box of 12 Butcher Cover albums, in pristine conditon. Of the 12, 5 were stereo versions, and 7 were mono versions. The stereo Butcher Covers are worth a lot more, because not many stereo Butcher Album covers existed, mostly the mono ones. These albums were in a much more pristine state than the First State butcher covers. Before Alan died, he gave his son the box with the butcher albums for him to do as he wanted. Alan even drew up a letter of authenticity for his son to use. The "Livingston Butchers" as they are referred to command a much higher price than First State butcher covers.

The number of tracks had to do with RIAA recommended times for full fidelity. I believe 12 to 15 minutes per side. Typically, six songs for a pop LP. Capitol was not trying to cheat the buyer by not including 14 songs like the EMI albums. I don't know why the UK equivalent of the RIAA had a longer recommended time per side.

It suggest to me that a major factor in the Beatles songwriting success were their open minds. It has always been puzzling how three great songwriters were in the same band, all with un-extraordinary beginnings in Liverpool, England. Perhaps they encouraged each other to be more open-minded. The "Butcher Cover" incident like the "Beatles more popular the Jesus" incident, demonstrates the danger of displaying the products of open minds to often closed-minded audiences.

I recall the 8-track tape release of Y&T featured the photo shown here as a bootleg album, the trunk photo with a purple strip at left.

Interesting video!

I was 8 years old in the Spring of '66 when I bought The Beatles' new Single "Paperback Writer/Rain at Bob's Record Store in my hometown of San Fernando, California. I was disappointed with the fact that John and George's pics were inverted on the cover! Capitol did the same thing with the "Yesterday And Today album cover! They should have used the other slick which shows Brian Epstein's office, where the picture was taken, instead of that awful garish white cover. Capitol were a bunch of shameless money grubbers who took advantage young kids out of our loyalty to The Beatles.

Matt, I liked this episode, but it was not one of my favorites. But then when everyone that I have seen would be graded an A, an A minus ain't so bad. I see the Critters on your wall which is another 1966 favorite of mine and probably should have been on you "soothing" list. I am also happy to see the first Youngbloods next to it and John Renbourn too. But what is the album between the Moodies and Dylan?

Up until 1966? Wrong that would be 1967 with Sergeant Pepper's lonely hearts club band that was the first album that came out in the US exactly the same as it was released in the UK and everything afterwards identical on both sides revolver the album previous to Sergeant pepper was the old way 14 songs in the UK and 11 songs in the US missing three songs by John Lennon who had only two songs on that album. Which were she said she said and Tomorrow never knows

SUGGESTION: PLEASE CONSIDER DOING A SECOND VIDEO ON THIS ALBUM, FOCUSING ON THE ALBUM'S MUSIC THIS TIME. THIS WAS A TRANSITIONAL MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE BEATLES, MUSICALLY, SINCE IT WAS RELEASED IN BETWEEN THE RUBBER SOUL AND REVOLVER ALBUMS. YOU COULD HAVE A FIELD DAY ADDRESSING THIS. ANOTHER IDEA WOULD BE TO DO A VIDEO FOCUSING ON THE BAND'S MID-COURSE TRANSITION (1965-1966; HELP - RUBBER SOUL - YESTERDAY AND TODAY - REVOLVER).

I have a stereo trunk cover LP that I bought new in 1972. with the Gold Record label. If the album has a Gold Record label. it will NOT be a pasteover.

And Macca is in the truck signifying he is dead ;)

oh wow you have the butcher album! or is that a replica?

I felt my heart literally break in two when you showed us the 4th state album cover. Imagine being a teen in 1966, you go to a shop, buy the record, you tear off the cover hoping to find the butcher, but wind up ruining the album you worked so hard to get. I'm literally getting teary eyed writing this.

In 1987, I bought a new, sealed copy of Y&T from my local shopping mall because 1) it was the last Capitol album I needed to complete my Beatles vinyl 2) Vinyl was being phased out. I was pleasantly mystified when I placed my 80's rainbow label copy on the turntable to find it was in mono.

Oh, and back in the '70s we all called it a "steam job" (not peel).

The photoshoot was a stance against abortion. The medical coats, baby dolls, and raw meat was used as the imagery. The following year, the Abortion Act of 1967 was passed in the UK. The book, 'The Anti-abortion campaign in England, 1966-1989' examines much of this period.

My family bought this with the "second" cover, what I call the "Trunk" cover when it originally came out in 1966, I was 13! The photo on there (trunk) in my opinion is one of the WORST pictures of the Beatles you could ever find...IN MY OPINION THEY ALL LOOK HUNGOVER! Lennon is at his chubbiest, Harrison looks like a slob etc...However you did not go into the musical content IT WAS FABULOUS ! The mere fact it had "AND YOUR BIRD CAN SING" on it, one of the most incredible guitar songs ever recorded, is reason enough to own it. AND it also had If I Needed Someone, Day Tripper,Yesterday, and more...the songs were fantastic. I had no idea at the time as a kid that here in the USA Capitol did that AND broke up the British versions. It really brought the BRITISH "REVOLVER "to the top of the heap in all time albums for me when I discovered the real original as intended version. The BUTCHER COVER was a horrible idea though I think...I think I still have the original TRUNK cover version somewhere....I HOPE SO.THANKS.

I wonder how many 1st staters were burned after Lennon's notorious comment.

I spy John Renbourn's Another Monday on the shelf there!

It may be their most famous collectible but in terms of value I think an original black and gold stereo pressing of please please me or the Sgt pepper nimbus super cut are probably worth more

What about original poster

I always understood the butcher cover was in protest of the butchery of their US LPs by the label (the 'babies' were their songs), but I see here in the comments there are theories it was anti-abortion and/or anti-Vietnam War.

I wonder if the 'trunk' album cover was the start of the 'Paul is dead' rumor that later surfaced. After all he is in the (coffin) trunk...

Bought my rainbow label copy in 1968 and it has the gold record award.

thought it was Beatles 65 at least mine was called that

This is a very awesome video!! Thank you for sharing I have a second and a third state ( no I did not peel it) they didn’t do a good job placing the new cover on and John Lennon’s pants can be seen in the corner lol

I have one. It’s not in mint condition and it’s in mono, but I have one.

The Beatles "got wind" of some horrible news, at the time, that babies were butchered in more than one occasion by families, as I recall.

not only the cover is awful, all the others photos of the session are garbage

the Beatles released their "Help!" album back in August 1965.... America releases it as a single in September 1965...... come June 1966 (almost an entire year later), Capitol are STILL milking it by creating an album around it. A WHOLE YEAR LATER!!!! :O :O lol.

scotch or bourbon? Love the content -lots of work there!

Gosh

This breaks my heart to watch, or any discussion about this album cover. I had convinced my father to give me the $75 to buy a third state cover with minimal tears in 1976 and at the last minute he changed his mind because his friend talked him out of giving me the money which, at the time, at least for us, was a lot of money. Sorry, dad, I'll never forgive you for that one. Or your stupid effing friend.

I wonder if people interpreted the "butcher coats" as physicians coats and intrepreted the photo as portraying The Beatles as back alley abortionists

Cant you see the paul there isnt todays paul

...................🥃

why would anyone be offended buy some meat

What was the track listing on this made up album

UK vs US versions: I actually like the U.S. RUBBER SOUL > UK version.

I thought it was a disgusting cover no matter what excuse they used to justify it. Buthering a baby has no corresponding meaning to thier songs being hacked up.

The album cover was and is in poor taste.

If it was about the Vietnam war, why are they smiling?

Before I get into my rant let me just say that I have loved the Beatles and their music passionately since they exploded onto a cold British winter in 1963. But George was right. The cover IS naïve and dumb. Visually it's a muddle and it says nothing about either the Beatles or the Vietnam war, except that if you were serving in Vietnam at the time and had seen your buddies blown up in front of you you might find it pretty insulting. The photographer just wasn't thinking it through. With all the gore and the dolls heads why are they still grinning and gurning like the 1964 mop tops. A mixed message. Also they're too well dressed. Under those modestly bloodied white coats they're wearing smart mid-sixties mod gear. Even their hair is too well groomed. The blank white background says nothing. It just sits there. Also they look ridiculously self conscious and ill at ease. Broken doll body parts and lumps of raw meat should be a pretty potent image, but in this photo they're just draped passively over the guys, who aren't even reacting to them. Just sitting there grinning like they'd done a million times before. The Stones could have pulled it off better, but I suspect they would have found the idea a bit too obvious and uncool. Though I'm a Brit, I love the American albums, including this one. But I made sure I ordered the copy with the "boring" cover, It may be dull and conventional but at least it knows what it's saying and isn't straining to convey a message and missing completely.

I love your channel and your content so much but I can't handle the sound of you swallowing your drink into the mic. I'm sorry but I'm sure I'm not alone in this, I can't help it. It's nauseating. Maybe you could try to cut the swallowing out in editing?

A more accurate statement against the Vietnam War would have been a cover of the Beatles in army uniforms with heads of soldiers in their laps and on their shoulders. This would make more sense. But this "Butcher" album cover - as is - appears to be a statement on "abortion". If the Beatles claim that they intended this cover to be against the Vietnam War - to this Beatles' fan at least - they seem to "disingenuous" and full of shit.