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7.45pm
8 November 2012
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I’m listening to “Breakfast with the Beatles,” leading to a question I have about the butcher cover for Yesterday and Today, shot by Robert Whitaker on March 25, 1966.
Today is an annual tribute to Dierdre O’Donoghue, who started the show in 1983 and passed away in 2001. So they’re playing some of her old intros/breaks, and during one, she mentioned that the story behind the butcher cover is that the Beatles were angry about the way their albums were reconfigured in the US, so the photo shoot became their statement about their albums being “butchered.”
This is the first time I’ve heard this story, as I thought it was just Whitaker being artsy, which seems to be Wikipedia’s take as well. All I could find on the board about it was this exchange.
I figure the butcher cover deserves its own topic in general, so here we go. Any thoughts?
parlance
9.05pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
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The suggestion that it was a comment on their feelings about Capitol’s treatment of their catalogue was certainly a widespread at one time. I certainly came across it many times when first reading about The Beatles in the ’80s. I think that one of the main reasons for it was an attempt to understand what, even all these years later, is a shocking album cover.
There was no explanation of the photo shoot until Whitaker spoke about it at length in 1991, and so people came up with theories that might explain the reasons behind the picture, and that was one that seemed to make sense and so was widely adopted for a time.
It’s one of those stories about them that were common currency until being discarded when evidence became available that contradicted the story.
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The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
11.12pm
28 March 2014
Offline The result of the 1966 Butcher Cover forced Capitol to no longer make different LPs from the UK versions, starting with Sgt. Pepper , (with 1 exception). The US did not believe in making EP’s therefore they took the Magical Mystery Tour EP and just added all the singles that came out that year to make it a full Album.
Neat Album cover, I’ve got one! Unfortunately these day’s it costs too much to acquire one.
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parlance 
BEATLES Music gives me Eargasms! 
11.18pm
8 November 2012
Offline Thanks for responding, Ron and Bongo. One of my bosses managed to get a beat-up-looking 3rd state one for not much. But you probably can’t even find one of those nowadays.
parlance
11.19pm
28 March 2014
Offline Tons on Ebay, just usually $500 and up!!!!!
BEATLES Music gives me Eargasms!
11.41pm
8 November 2012
Offline Not only expensive, but hard to tell what’s real. I was just reading in an FAQ that people try to pass off even counterfeit 3rd states as authentic.
parlance
2.13pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline @Bongo said
The result of the 1966 Butcher Cover forced Capitol to no longer make different LPs from the UK versions…
This is actually incorrect. It was The Beatles new contract with EMI, dated 26 January 1967, which ended Capitol’s ability to release anything not approved of by The Beatles. By the time of the contract renegotiation, they were powerful enough to dictate terms that were not present in the standard EMI contract dated 4 June 1962. They used the opportunity to comprehensively end Capitol’s ability to “butcher” their albums in Section 17 of the new contract.
17. (A) NOTWITHSTANDING anything herein contained EMIR shall during the currency of this Agreement:
(i) agree with the Managers or the Artists the material recorded under this Agreement which is approved for release and the couplings thereof and such couplings shall not be changed in the United Kingdom U.S.A. Canada and Mexico without the prior consent of the Manager or the Artists. EMIR shall issue or cause to be issued in the United Kingdom material agreed hereunder; EMIR shall not issue or cause to be issued in the United Kingdom material recorded under this Agreement unless it has been so agreed
This ended Capitol’s ability to alter the tracklisting of any Beatles release in any way without their agreement.
(ii) agree with the Managers or the Artists the release date of new recordings in and for the United Kingdom and shall use all reasonable endeavours to ensure that no other territory shall release records of such recordings before the United Kingdom release date
This ended Capitol’s ability to pull tracks from ongoing recording sessions before the sessions were finished.
(iii) agree with the Managers or the Artists cover designs for album sleeves for use in the United Kingdom and the U.S.A. …
And this ended Capitol’s ability to create their own covers.
They comprehensively stuffed Capitol’s ability to continue creating their own releases with these clauses.
Capitol’s Magical Mystery Tour album was agreed to because The Beatles were well aware that EPs had never really taken off in the States, but – unlike earlier US releases – they had the final say on the tracklisting and artwork.
Permission for The Beatles Again (Hey Jude ) was granted as part of Allen Klein’s renegotiation of their US royalty rates, with all aspects of it again needing their agreement, and with the condition it would not be released in the UK.
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The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
8.40pm
10 August 2011
Offline 50th Anniversary this month…
I also heard that they were tired of their wholesome cutesy image – especially with the Stones taking tough-black leather mantle from them.
"Into the Sky with Diamonds" (the Beatles and the Race to the Moon – a history)
12.58am
28 February 2016
Offline Ronnie O\
@Bongo said
The result of the 1966 Butcher Cover forced Capitol to no longer make different LPs from the UK versions…This is actually incorrect. It was The Beatles new contract with EMI, dated 26 January 1967, which ended Capitol’s ability to release anything not approved of by The Beatles. By the time of the contract renegotiation, they were powerful enough to dictate terms that were not present in the standard EMI contract dated 4 June 1962. They used the opportunity to comprehensively end Capitol’s ability to “butcher” their albums in Section 17 of the new contract.
17. (A) NOTWITHSTANDING anything herein contained EMIR shall during the currency of this Agreement:
(i) agree with the Managers or the Artists the material recorded under this Agreement which is approved for release and the couplings thereof and such couplings shall not be changed in the United Kingdom U.S.A. Canada and Mexico without the prior consent of the Manager or the Artists. EMIR shall issue or cause to be issued in the United Kingdom material agreed hereunder; EMIR shall not issue or cause to be issued in the United Kingdom material recorded under this Agreement unless it has been so agreed
This ended Capitol’s ability to alter the tracklisting of any Beatles release in any way without their agreement.
(ii) agree with the Managers or the Artists the release date of new recordings in and for the United Kingdom and shall use all reasonable endeavours to ensure that no other territory shall release records of such recordings before the United Kingdom release date
This ended Capitol’s ability to pull tracks from ongoing recording sessions before the sessions were finished.
(iii) agree with the Managers or the Artists cover designs for album sleeves for use in the United Kingdom and the U.S.A. …
And this ended Capitol’s ability to create their own covers.
They comprehensively stuffed Capitol’s ability to continue creating their own releases with these clauses.
Capitol’s Magical Mystery Tour album was agreed to because The Beatles were well aware that EPs had never really taken off in the States, but – unlike earlier US releases – they had the final say on the tracklisting and artwork.
Permission for The Beatles Again (Hey Jude ) was granted as part of Allen Klein’s renegotiation of their US royalty rates, with all aspects of it again needing their agreement, and with the condition it would not be released in the UK.
I still would like to know what kind of royalties they got when Allen Klein renegotiated – I saw the contract but it’s a bit too long for me to get through and at one point on a previous contract I read up to the royalty percentage and it was marked out
It’s nice to know they had a say in the Capitol Record’s release of Magical Mystery Tour . . it seems that’s the version that endures in their official catalog as it’s the version that was released in the box set reissue/remaster . . I also think it could potentially be their best album
8.39am
28 March 2014
Offline Don.W said
It’s nice to know they had a say in the Capitol Record’s release of Magical Mystery Tour . . it seems that’s the version that endures in their official catalog as it’s the version that was released in the box set reissue/remaster . . I also think it could potentially be their best album
The people of the U.K. spoke. Many fans had the LP imported into the UK, so much so that finally made it official catalogue in 1976. I think Capitol finally got a Beatles LP right by taking all those 1967 singles and the MMT EP, and even kept the MMT album cover!!!!! I couldn’t imagine, people in the UK had to put on the 3 individual singles and the double EP on their turntable, or just get the Import and make it much easier.
1967 was an awesome year for Beatles fans with Sgt. Pepper & MMT 
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8.51am
Moderators
15 February 2015
Offline 
Bongo said
I think Capitol finally got a Beatles LP right by taking all those 1967 singles and the MMT EP, and even kept the MMT album cover!!!!!
That’s not quite right, the original EP cover was like this:
The Capitol album added the orange outside part and the song titles.
They’re both equally tacky, though. 
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9.01am
Reviewers
4 February 2014
Offline Silly Girl said
Bongo said
I think Capitol finally got a Beatles LP right by taking all those 1967 singles and the MMT EP, and even kept the MMT album cover!!!!!
That’s not quite right, the original EP cover was like this:
The Capitol album added the orange outside part and the song titles.
They’re both equally tacky, though.
Yes indeed, but do we love them any less?
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Beatlebug9.02am
1 November 2013
Offline I find it strange how there is no image of the butcher cover in the thread about the butcher cover. I shall fix this.
and the changed cover
The Beatles look happier in the butcher cover.
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9.15am
28 March 2014
Offline Silly Girl said
Bongo said
I think Capitol finally got a Beatles LP right by taking all those 1967 singles and the MMT EP, and even kept the MMT album cover!!!!!
That’s not quite right, the original EP cover was like this:
The Capitol album added the orange outside part and the song titles.
They’re both equally tacky, though.
Yes they added a boarder around the original EP @Silly Girl, but it is still the exact cover, including all the songs, unlike all the other Capitol LPs like “The Butcher album”, that changed the covers, the name of the album, and even changed the songs. 
BEATLES Music gives me Eargasms!
11.04am
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline It should be added that the images from the photo session were first printed in the Disc and Music Echo
and soon after used to promote the ‘Paperback Writer ‘ single.
‘Yesterday and Today’ came very shortly after.
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12.42pm
28 March 2014
Offline Also should be noted that “apparently” there was only 1 Canadian Capitol Butcher Album, owned by Paul White the Capitol Canada Rep., but with the possibility of another??????
http://www.capitol6000.com/butcher.html
http://www.rarebeatles.com/alb…..pwhite.htm
https://www.facebook.com/perma…..0490562917
http://www.jasonpress.com/cbutch.htm
Here’s one you can buy cheap on Ebay (for now) http://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-BE…..1400810130
BEATLES Music gives me Eargasms!
1.22pm
17 January 2016
Offline Starr Shine? said
I find it strange how there is no image of the butcher cover in the thread about the butcher cover. I shall fix this.
and the changed cover
The Beatles look happier in the butcher cover.
That last (with the trunk) is a Paul is Dead clue! Tilt it on its side = coffin. Cracks me up, one of the sillier ones.
I agree, though, they look so HAPPY with all that meat and baby doll bits strewn about.
“She wasn't doing a thing that I could see, except standing there leaning on the balcony railing, holding the universe together.” - J.D. Salinger
2.33pm
27 April 2015
Offline I really didn’t know much about this except the common myth about the Capitol records thing.. However, I came across this:
http://www.thebutchercover.com/FAQ.html
I was really impressed with the “professional butcher peelers” thingy 
For tomorrow may rain, so I'll follow the Sun
3.12pm
Reviewers
17 December 2012
Offline The Hippie Chick said
Starr Shine? said
I find it strange how there is no image of the butcher cover in the thread about the butcher cover. I shall fix this.
and the changed cover
The Beatles look happier in the butcher cover.
That last (with the trunk) is a Paul is Dead clue! Tilt it on its side = coffin. Cracks me up, one of the sillier ones.
I agree, though, they look so HAPPY with all that meat and baby doll bits strewn about.
The “Butcher” cover is also a rumoured clue in the “PiD” story. Though photographed before either of the two suggested dates Paul might have become deaded on, this is supposedly The Beatles and Faul reinacting the loser’s party after their “Paul is Dead! We Need a Faul! Could that Faul be You!” competition advertised in the classified ads in Melody Maker. They had to make sure not a rejected Faul survived the 1966/67 massacre of jobbing Paul-lookalikelys. Now nobody would know the truth unless they were silly enough to sprinkle their albums with clues…
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The Beatles Bible 2020 non-Canon Poll Part One: 1958-1963 and Part Two: 1964-August 1966
3.34pm
17 January 2016
Offline Not to mention the decapitated dolly on Paul’s shoulder, and he’s covering up his teeth with his lips as he smiles…
Off track. Sorry. LOL!!!
Back on the actual subject, I think my mom has a second state butcher. I have been afraid to check it though because I don’t want to wreck it. Is there a definitive way of telling if this is indeed a second state (“trunk” cover pasted on) ?
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