Yesterday...and Today [CD]

Yesterday and Today was released by Capitol Records on June 20, 1966, and created much controversy after it was issued. The biggest was, of course, the original photo chosen by the group to grace the front cover. It depicts them wearing butcher smocks, while raw meat and decapitated dolls surround them. The story is too long to detail here, but it created headaches for Capitol. Also, the hodgepodge assembly of this album was beginning to truly upset the group. The eleven songs are made up of several songs which had yet to be issued on albums or ever in the U.S. Yesterday and Act Naturally came from the U.K. Help! album; four songs from the U.K. Rubber Soul, Drive my Car, Nowhere Man, What Goes On, and If I Needed Someone; and the late 65 single We Can Work It Out and Day Tripper. Capitol was still three songs short, so George Martin gave them three songs that were going to appear on their forthcoming album Revolver, I'm Only Sleeping, And Your Bird Can Sing, and Dr. Robert. However, that still doesn't take away from the music itself. It's still classic, and still loved today, but the sound of this album has been tampered with somewhat. This album is unique because of it's many different mixes and variations then the officially released songs sound. The three Revolver tracks were early mono mixes done before the final ones were finalized, and also the stereo mixes of We Can Work It Out and Day Tripper were special to the U.S. Apple and Capitol did, for the most part, keep this odd mixes intact for this new CD issue, with the exception of the duophonic (fake stereo) mixes of the three Revolver tracks. Honestly, I'm kinda disappointed that these weren't included, as it would have been exactly what was released back in 1966, but, at least, a majority of the special mixes were retained. Overall, if you're a casual fan, this release is probably not necessary, but if you must have every variation or different mix of EVERY Beatles song, then this is a must purchase.

Capitol "butchered" all the US Beatle releases up to "Pepper", and, according to legend, the original "Butcher Block" cover, was a statement by the Band to that effect, but Capitol pulled all copies off the shelves, and gave us the "trunk" cover, shown here. They finally corrected this, with this release, and gave us the original cover. The US versions are what we, in the States, were all familiar with, so these new releases have value. But, Capitol did it again. The US masters were, sometimes, altered with extra reverb (Roll Over Beethoven), and distortion added, along with severe compression to give it a more "US" sound. For these new cd's, they used, mostly, the recent remasters done at Abbey Road, but with the US sequencing. Still not doing it right. If they altered the sound then, we should hear it like that on these cd's, even if it sounds bad, because that is how it was then. I, of course, prefer the correct sound, as I bought all the albums on Parlophone between 67 and 70. If you want to hear the Capitols as originally done, old LP copies, or the now out of print "Capitol Albums Vol 1 and 2, cd's mastered from the altered Capitol tapes. Side note, "Rubber Soul", the Capitol sequencing, is, by far better, as it flows much better, and has a different, more acoustic feel. The mono and stereo versions are different, but that is another story.

I have checked every copy of The Beatles Yeterday and Today I have come across since 1966. Only once did I find a pasted over "Butcher" Cover and the guy wouldn't part with it after I explained what it was. This is a great way to own one and enjoy the music. While Yesterday and Today was an American Capitol LP and not sequenced by The Beatles and George Martin it captured a unique view of the Beatles in 1966 with a combination of older (Nowhere Man and Yesterday), current Hits (We Can Work It Out and Daytripper), and tracks from the future Revolver album(I'm Only Sleeping, And Your Bird Can Sing, Dr Roberts). The sequencing works and for those that grew up with the album it is a great way to hear the remarkable music again.

Before of opened-packages at Best Buy- I didn't realize that this album came with TWO covers - mine had only the 'butcher cover' - it was the last one at Best Buy, and it wasn't until I got home and read about it that it should have ALSO came with the 'trunk' album cover like the paste-over version came with. So, I'm missing the US cover, but have the rare cover instead. Anyhow, how can you lose with the song selection when one of the top 4 Beatles songs "Yesterday" is included. This song was, in the early 70's, the most-copied song ever with untold versions by everyone under the sun. Audio quality is decent- almost too pristine and not very analog-sounding, so I'll give it 4 stars for the stark digital quality instead of 5-star analog quality. A can't lose Beatles collection, and one you need to add.

This CD is packaged in a miniature vinyl sleeve that faithfully recreates the original U.S. LP release, including the inner sleeve. YESTERDAY AND TODAY features the original album cover of The Beatles posing with raw meat and baby dolls as well as a collectible sticker of the subsequent YESTERDAY AND TODAY cover art. CD contains both the mono and stereo versions of classic early Beatles songs.

You're not buying this for the sound quality, or the US prints vs the British prints or the differences in old vs new mastering techniques used for this pressing or any of that. You're buying this because you want the infamous "butcher" cover. This is a really cool opportunity to have that, and the more socially acceptable sticker that was placed over all those record covers long ago. You're a Beatles fan. Just spend the money and enjoy having it.

You know the LP, and there's little point in telling you how fantastic this is. The reason to own this CD is because the original packaging has been fully restored. The trunk cover is an overlay on the original butcher cover. The music is the same remastered versions used previously, presented here in both mono and stereo.

Bought this cd to replace both my original LP and a cassette version.This one even includes the Butcher Cover that was recalled or had the replacement cover placed over the Butcher one.I never had the Butcher cover previously.