The original Beatles“butcher cover” has become highly collectible and keeps turning up on teevee shows like theAntiques Roadshow, Auction Kings andPawn Stars. It is rare and hideous, and born out of John Lennon’s boredom with conventional photo shoots and unhappiness with the way Capitol Records messed with their catalogue. Capitol, however, spared the Beatles career suicide by quickly withdrawing the cover and replacing it with a really stupid and dorky one.

The first time I heard about the original cover, I tried peeling back the edge of my copy of Yesterday and Today. No ugly bloody babies underneath. Oh well. I prefer the UK versions of the Beatles’ mid-period albums anyway. Here’s a before and after shot:

Here’s the complete LP on the YouTube: