Wednesday 15 June 1966 | US Album Release | Capitol Records
On 15 June 1966, Capitol Records released Yesterday… And Today in the United States — a compilation album unique to the American market, drawing on tracks from the UK albums Help!, Rubber Soul, and Revolver, plus the singles 'Day Tripper' and 'We Can Work It Out'.
The album is most notorious for its original cover — the 'butcher cover' — which showed The Beatles in white butchers' smocks, draped with raw meat and dismembered plastic dolls. The image, photographed by Robert Whitaker, was intended as a satirical comment on the way Capitol Records had 'butchered' The Beatles' UK albums to create American compilations. Capitol recalled the album within days of release, pasting a more conventional cover image over the original. Copies with the original butcher cover intact are among the most valuable Beatles collectables.
The Butcher Cover
The butcher cover photograph was taken by Australian photographer Robert Whitaker in March 1966 as part of a surrealist art project he called A Somnambulant Adventure. The Beatles agreed to participate, though the image was never intended for use as an album cover. When Capitol selected it for Yesterday… And Today, the resulting controversy was immediate: radio stations refused to promote the album, and Capitol recalled approximately 750,000 copies within days.
Some copies were returned to Capitol and destroyed; others had the replacement cover pasted over the original. Copies with the original cover still visible beneath the paste-over — known as 'first state' copies — are among the most sought-after items in Beatles collecting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Yesterday… And Today butcher cover?
The butcher cover was the original cover of Yesterday… And Today, showing The Beatles in white butchers' smocks surrounded by raw meat and dismembered plastic dolls. Photographed by Robert Whitaker, it was recalled by Capitol Records within days of the album's release on 15 June 1966.
Why did Capitol recall the butcher cover?
Capitol Records recalled the album after radio stations and retailers objected to the image. The original covers were either destroyed or had a replacement cover pasted over them. The recall cost Capitol an estimated $200,000.
How much is a butcher cover worth?
Original 'first state' copies of the butcher cover — with the original image intact and unpeeled — can sell for thousands of dollars at auction. 'Second state' copies with the paste-over still in place are also collectible. Values vary significantly depending on condition.
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