Yesterday and Today

Charted:
#1 US

Album Notes:
Contained tracks from the previous two UK releases that had been omitted from US versions, and alternate versions of three tracks that would be on their next album, Revolver.

Album Cover Notes:
The original cover -- showing the band surrounded by decapitated, dismembered baby dolls -- created so much controversy that it was quickly replaced a studio photo of the band posed around a foot locker.

Track List & Song Info:

Side One
1. "Drive My Car" (Lennon-McCartney)
      ^{McCartney described it as a "comedy number"}
2. "I'm Only Sleeping" (Lennon-McCartney)
      ^{Lennon's anthem to staying in bed, which he liked to do even when he wasn't sleeping}
3. "Nowhere Man" (Lennon-McCartney)
      ^{Lennon said he wrote this about himself and a case of writer's block}
4. "Doctor Robert" (Lennon-McCartney)
      ^{A real doctor who supplied his celebrity patients with shots of "speed"}
5. "Yesterday" (Lennon-McCartney)
      ^{The most covered song of all time, recorded more than 3,000 times by other artists}
6. "Act Naturally" (Johnny Russell-Vonnie Morrison)
      ^{Originally recorded by Buck Owens, sung by Ringo}

Side Two
1. "And Your Bird Can Sing" (Lennon-McCartney)
      ^{Consistently a fan favorite, but Lennon said he was embarrassed by it}
2. "If I Needed Someone" (George Harrison)
      ^{Shows the influence on Harrison of The Byrds, who, in turn, were influenced by Harrison's 12-string}
3. "We Can Work It Out" (Lennon-McCartney)
      ^{One of the few post-Beatlemania instances in which John and Paul truly collaborated}
4. "What Goes On" (Lennon-McCartney-Starkey)
      ^{Ringo's first writing credit}
5. "Day Tripper" (Lennon-McCartney)
      ^{Inspired by experimentation (primarily Lennon's and Harrison's) with psychedelic drugs}