The Beatles are often celebrated for their 12 iconic studio albums, each representing a milestone in music history. Yet, beyond those classic UK releases lies a more complicated and intriguing discography, especially when you explore their American releases. Among these, one album stands out — not only for its unique song selection but for a cover image so shocking it was pulled from shelves almost immediately. This album is Yesterday and Today, arguably the rarest and most controversial Beatles record ever released.
More Than Meets the Eye: The Beatles’ US vs. UK Albums
While the Beatles’ UK discography is straightforward — 12 carefully crafted studio albums released between 1963 and 1970 — their American counterparts told a different story. Due to differences in record label policies and marketing strategies, American releases often featured reconfigured tracklists and additional compilations designed to maximize commercial appeal. This resulted in 17 distinct albums released in the US by 1966, including mixes of songs taken from different UK records.
For American fans, this meant that albums like Please Please Me didn’t exist as originally intended, and new compilations mixed old and new songs in unexpected ways. It was a time of rapid growth for The Beatles’ popularity, and record companies scrambled to capitalize on their success.
Yesterday and Today: A Patchwork Album
Released by Capitol Records in June 1966, Yesterday and Today was not a traditional Beatles album. Instead, it was a collection of tracks pulled from a variety of previous albums such as Revolver, Rubber Soul, and even Help!. The compilation included Ringo Starr’s cover of “Act Naturally,” and other songs that seemed to bridge the band’s folk-influenced period with their emerging psychedelic sound.
Musically, the album had no unifying theme, and it wasn’t created as a cohesive artistic statement. But its chaotic assembly wasn’t what would cause fans and critics to remember Yesterday and Today for decades — that distinction belongs to its infamous cover.
The “Butcher Cover”: A Rebellion in Blood
The original album cover for Yesterday and Today, now known as the “Butcher Cover”, was as shocking as it was symbolic. The photograph showed The Beatles dressed in white butcher smocks, with fake blood splattered across their faces and clothes, and holding severed baby doll parts. The image was jarring, grotesque, and a complete departure from the band’s clean-cut, approachable image.
Speculation at the time suggested the cover was a bold political statement against the Vietnam War, but John Lennon later clarified that the motivation was far simpler: frustration and boredom.
“It was inspired by our boredom and resentment at having to do another photo session and another Beatles thing. We were sick to death of it,” Lennon explained. “Also, the photographer was into Salvador Dalí and making surreal pictures. That combination produced that cover.”
This cover was meant as a surreal, rebellious joke, a way to vent their frustration with the exhausting demands of Beatlemania and the endless promotional work. But Capitol Records was not amused.
The Backlash and Recall
The reaction to the “Butcher Cover” was swift and severe. Record stores refused to stock the album, customers were confused and disturbed, and the image was considered too controversial for public consumption. Within days of its release, Capitol recalled Yesterday and Today and replaced the cover with a more traditional photo of the band posed around a trunk.
Thousands of copies with the original “Butcher Cover” were destroyed, making surviving copies extraordinarily rare. Collectors soon realized the value of these “banned” editions, and they became some of the most sought-after Beatles memorabilia in the world.
Why the Album Matters Today
Beyond its rarity and controversy, Yesterday and Today offers a fascinating snapshot of a transitional moment in The Beatles’ career. It captures a band moving from their early pop-rock days into more experimental and psychedelic territory — a period of rapid artistic growth.
The “Butcher Cover” itself has become an iconic symbol of The Beatles’ rebellious spirit and willingness to challenge conventions, even at the height of their fame.
The Value of the “Butcher Cover” Now
Original copies of Yesterday and Today with the “Butcher Cover” have become prized collector’s items, with prices regularly reaching into the tens of thousands of dollars. In fact, one copy recently sold for $12,501, making it one of the most valuable Beatles records ever sold.
For fans and collectors alike, the album represents both a fascinating piece of Beatles history and a reminder of the band’s complex relationship with fame, creativity, and control over their image.
