The cover art is by 'Patrick', alias of the Scottish artist and playwright John Byrne. His art was popular with the Beatles and in 1968 they commissioned him to create a possible cover for what would become 'The Beatles' (also known as 'The White Album).

Byrne’s style and concept appears to support the original working title of that album which was 'A Doll’s House'. Turns out it wasn’t used then, but the work re-surfaced as the cover for the compilation album 'The Beatles Ballads' Twelve years later!

John Byrne was born in 1940 and released a series of works under the pseudonym 'Patrick', that he claimed were created by his father.

It was Gerry Rafferty however that John did the most work for, with covers for The Humblebums, Stealers Wheel and also a number of his solo albums.

The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960. With members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential act of the rock era.

Rooted in skiffle, beat, and 1950s rock and roll, the Beatles later experimented with several genres, ranging from pop ballads and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock, often incorporating classical elements in innovative ways. Their finest and most innovatieve material include 'Rubber Soul' (1965), 'Revolver' (1966), 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' (1967) and Abbey Road (1969).

After their break-up in 1970, they each enjoyed successful musical careers. Lennon was shot in December 1980, and Harrison died of lung cancer in November 2001.

Rubber Soul | Revolver | Abbey Road | Sgt. Peppers