"Yesterday and Today", the Butcher Cover and the Trunk cover

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JakeK
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"Yesterday and Today", the Butcher Cover and the Trunk cover

Post by JakeK »

Here's some more info needed for the young minds of me:

Why did The Beatles shoot the "Butcher" cover? I know the "Butcher" cover was shot a week before the recording of "Revolver", but when was the "Trunk" cover shot? Is there a full print of either photo (perferably the "Trunk", able to make a desktop background)? Is the "Trunk" cover that was printed on the album sleeve a mirrored image?

I have a 1967 pressing of "Yesterday and Today" with the trunk cover, and the weird thing I find about this album is that it was the last US compilation that was not any way, shape or form like a UK release ("Rubber Soul" was a start, and "Revolver" was almost exactly like it's UK counterpart, minus the three songs), and I find it was the most "Butchered" of them all. The reason I say this: Ringo had TWO songs on the album!

Still, since it (along with "Hey Jude/Beatles Again", another vinyl LP I own) isn't available on a legally released CD ("Y&T" wasn't even part of those Russian "two-in-one" CDs), I find it one of the coolest. Sure, I don't care for the "Butchered" content, but it shows the end of an era.

Here's a million dollar question: Anyone here own this album? Does yours have a Butcher cover?

The price of "Butcher" covers (peeled, pasted over or unpasted) is nuts. For the price of a Butcher cover, I could probably go out and buy one a reissue of one the guitars the Beatles used on the songs! ('62 Strat, Gibson J-160E, Epiphone Lennon '65 Casino, Gretsch '62 Tennessean, Rickenbacker 360/12CW, Höfner '62 Beatle Bass...I could go on) I'm happy with my "Trunk" cover, but if I ever get more money for buying more than guitars, I would probably find a 1st or 2nd state Mono "Butcher".
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electrofaro
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Re: "Yesterday and Today", the Butcher Cover and the Trunk cover

Post by electrofaro »

JakeK wrote:Is the "Trunk" cover that was printed on the album sleeve a mirrored image?
According to Wikipedia it is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yesterday_And_Today
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8mileshigher
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Re: "Yesterday and Today", the Butcher Cover and the Trunk cover

Post by 8mileshigher »

JakeK wrote: Why did The Beatles shoot the "Butcher" cover?

Is there a full print of either photo

Jake --- there are some web-sites that have dozens of historical photos that were part of the original Butcher photo session... different takes, different poses, repositioning the meat, etc. etc.

As for why the Butcher cover, I think I read somewhere that the Butcher concept was all the Photographer's own idea. What's probably most bizarre is, who up the chain of command in the Beatles organization and in the Capitol Records organization gave the OK for it as an album cover ... and they quickly realized it was a PR disaster within a few days of shipping, and the rest is history.

I have never read anything about the trunk photo-session... my guess is they just were looking for some safe harbor after the Butcher cover controversy. 1966 was a year for Beatles controversies ... :( :( the Lennon/Jesus misquote and Bible-belt record-burning and anti-Beatles fervor; the sacrilegious accusations about use of the Budokhan Hall in Tokyo; the Mrs. Marcos snub incident in Manila, etc. etc.
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simer4001
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Re: "Yesterday and Today", the Butcher Cover and the Trunk cover

Post by simer4001 »

My recollection is that The Beatles were tired of Capitol records "butchering" their albums to produce more product. "Yesterday and Today" is made up of tracks left over from the UK albums Help,Rubber Soul, and tracks from the forth coming Revolver album. I think they were making a statement. At least Capitol didn't release the Oldies album that Parlophone issued between Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's.
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Re: "Yesterday and Today", the Butcher Cover and the Trunk cover

Post by Clint »

I forget where, but I saw a copy of the trunk picture once that included the background. It looked like the picture was taken in a hotel room.

On a side note, I like the version of "I'm Only Sleeping" on Yesterday & Today better than the one on Revolver.
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Re: "Yesterday and Today", the Butcher Cover and the Trunk cover

Post by apollo11 »

simer4001 wrote:My recollection is that The Beatles were tired of Capitol records "butchering" their albums to produce more product. "


+1. This is what I've read over the years.
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kennyhowes
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Re: "Yesterday and Today", the Butcher Cover and the Trunk cover

Post by kennyhowes »

8mileshigher wrote:As for why the Butcher cover, I think I read somewhere that the Butcher concept was all the Photographer's own idea. What's probably most bizarre is, who up the chain of command in the Beatles organization and in the Capitol Records organization gave the OK for it as an album cover ... and they quickly realized it was a PR disaster within a few days of shipping, and the rest is history.
Actually, this is correct. See also the Wiki article.

Mine is a third-state peeled mono. I'd like to get a second-state/pasteover to match it.

A friend of mine collects butchers in various conditions, and has ten of them.
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8mileshigher
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Re: "Yesterday and Today", the Butcher Cover and the Trunk cover

Post by 8mileshigher »

kennyhowes wrote:
See also the Wiki article.
Thanks for the lead, I checked out the Wiki article and it was quite informative ....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Whi ... tographer)

By the way, when you say third-state and second-state does that refer to the possession food-chain (of being the third owner or second owner, since the original owner) or does the numerology refer to how torn up the cover is from somebody trying to scrape off the "trunk" photo with a razor blade and the degree of destruction the cover endured ??
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kenposurf
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Re: "Yesterday and Today", the Butcher Cover and the Trunk cover

Post by kenposurf »

8mileshigher wrote:
kennyhowes wrote:
See also the Wiki article.
Thanks for the lead, I checked out the Wiki article and it was quite informative ....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Whi ... tographer)

By the way, when you say third-state and second-state does that refer to the possession food-chain (of being the third owner or second owner, since the original owner) or does the numerology refer to how torn up the cover is from somebody trying to scrape off the "trunk" photo with a razor blade and the degree of destruction the cover endured ??
1st state: as the cover was issued..butcher
2nd state: "paste over" w/the trunk cover
3rd state: trunk cover pealed off showing original cover
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beatlefreak
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Re: "Yesterday and Today", the Butcher Cover and the Trunk cover

Post by beatlefreak »

simer4001 wrote:My recollection is that The Beatles were tired of Capitol records "butchering" their albums to produce more product.
This is a famous misconception. The idea for the photo was the photographer's, Robert Whittaker.
JakeK wrote:Here's a million dollar question: Anyone here own this album? Does yours have a Butcher cover?

The price of "Butcher" covers (peeled, pasted over or unpasted) is nuts. For the price of a Butcher cover, I could probably go out and buy one a reissue of one the guitars the Beatles used on the songs! ('62 Strat, Gibson J-160E, Epiphone Lennon '65 Casino, Gretsch '62 Tennessean, Rickenbacker 360/12CW, Höfner '62 Beatle Bass...I could go on) I'm happy with my "Trunk" cover, but if I ever get more money for buying more than guitars, I would probably find a 1st or 2nd state Mono "Butcher".
I own about a dozen copies of the album, as I'm a Beatles record collector specializing in American records. I have mono and stereo original labels, a green label, Capitol Record Club label, three different Apple labels, orange label, purple label, etc. And I have a mono paste over Butcher cover.

First state Butchers are hideously expensive, but mono paster overs and peeled Butchers in nice shape can still be found for under $300, and stereos can be found for under $500.
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FretlessOnly
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Re: "Yesterday and Today", the Butcher Cover and the Trunk cover

Post by FretlessOnly »

beatlefreak wrote:
simer4001 wrote:My recollection is that The Beatles were tired of Capitol records "butchering" their albums to produce more product.
Quote from Kris Lyons: "This is a famous misconception. The idea for the photo was the photographer's, Robert Whittaker."

It has been cited as a misconception based on the words of the Beatles themselves, but given the miscreant (Lennon and McCartney for sure) attitude and even brutal attitude of Lennon, I refuse to believe that they didn't look at it (in retrospect relative to the photo shoot, but before Y&T) as a way to make that very comment to Capitol. I would agree that they didn't conceive of it that way (Whittaker did all of the conception), and everything they have said about the photo shoot may be accurate (it was done for an unrelated purpose), but that doesn't mean that they didn't see the results and conclude: "Let's send Capitol a message."

I'll go to my grave thinking that. The Beatles had messages/controversial elements everywhere. The "T*t, T*t, T*t..." in Girl to the "Four of fish and finger pie" in Penny Lane to the "Everybody smoke pot..." in I Am the Walrus, and on and on...
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8mileshigher
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Re: "Yesterday and Today", the Butcher Cover and the Trunk cover

Post by 8mileshigher »

beatlefreak wrote: three different Apple labels ...
Kris, for the Apple aficionados, can you detail what the three different Apple labels are ??
Thanks
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kennyhowes
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Re: "Yesterday and Today", the Butcher Cover and the Trunk cover

Post by kennyhowes »

8mileshigher wrote:Kris, for the Apple aficionados, can you detail what the three different Apple labels are ??
Thanks
Green Apple label: 1) Mfd. by Apple; b) Capitol logo; c) All Rights Reserved.
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Re: "Yesterday and Today", the Butcher Cover and the Trunk cover

Post by JakeK »

FretlessOnly wrote:I'll go to my grave thinking that. The Beatles had messages/controversial elements everywhere. The "T*t, T*t, T*t..." in Girl to the "Four of fish and finger pie" in Penny Lane to the "Everybody smoke pot..." in I Am the Walrus, and on and on...
That line in "Walrus" was "Everybody's got one", according to Mark Lewisohn.

I found some info and alternate photos of the "Butcher" and "Trunk" covers, too:

http://www.rarebeatles.com/butchabm/butchabm.htm
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Re: "Yesterday and Today", the Butcher Cover and the Trunk cover

Post by beatlefreak »

JakeK wrote:
FretlessOnly wrote:I'll go to my grave thinking that. The Beatles had messages/controversial elements everywhere. The "T*t, T*t, T*t..." in Girl to the "Four of fish and finger pie" in Penny Lane to the "Everybody smoke pot..." in I Am the Walrus, and on and on...
That line in "Walrus" was "Everybody's got one", according to Mark Lewisohn.
According to George Martin and the Abbey Road Engineers/Techs, the line was, "Oompah oompah, Stick in your jumper" (sung with a Scouse accent, of course).
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