Written by: Lennon-McCartney
Recorded: 14, 17 June 1965
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith
Released: 6 August 1965 (UK), 13 September 1965 (US)
Paul McCartney: vocals, guitar
Tony Gilbert: violin
Sidney Sax: violin
Kenneth Essex: viola
Francisco Gabarro: cello
Available on:
Help!
1
Anthology 2
Love
Written by Paul McCartney, Yesterday holds the record as the most covered song in history, according to the Guinness Book of Records.
Well, we all know about Yesterday. I have had so much accolade for Yesterday. That's Paul's song and Paul's baby. Well done. Beautiful – and I never wished I'd written it.
All We Are Saying, David Sheff
Paul McCartney is said to have composed the melody in a dream while staying at the family home of Jane Asher in Wimpole Street, London.
The melody came to McCartney fully-formed, although he was initially unsure of its originality.
I was living in a little flat at the top of a house and I had a piano by my bed. I woke up one morning with a tune in my head and I thought, 'Hey, I don't know this tune – or do I?' It was like a jazz melody. My dad used to know a lot of old jazz tunes; I thought maybe I'd just remembered it from the past. I went to the piano and found the chords to it, made sure I remembered it and then hawked it round to all my friends, asking what it was: 'Do you know this? It's a good little tune, but I couldn't have written it because I dreamt it.'
Anthology
The song's working title was Scrambled Eggs; its second line was "Oh my baby how I love your legs. George Martin claims to have first heard the song at the George V hotel in Paris in January 1964.
Paul said he wanted a one-word title and was considering Yesterday, except that he thought it was perhaps too corny. I persuaded him that it was all right.
The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions, Mark Lewisohn
If McCartney did compose Yesterday in early 1964, it would have been left off two Beatles albums before they recorded it. McCartney's authorised biographer Barry Miles put the date of composition at May 1965, during the filming of Help!, when he was known to have been experimenting with the song's lyrics.
We were shooting Help! in the studio for about four weeks. At some point during that period, we had a piano on one of the stages and he was playing this 'Scrambled Eggs' all the time. It got to the point where I said to him, 'If you play that bloody song any longer have the piano taken off stage. Either finish it or give up!'
A Hard Day's Write, Steve Turner
The Shadows' guitarist Bruce Welch recalled McCartney completing the lyrics in June 1965. McCartney took a holiday at Welch's Portuguese villa, where he is said to have settled on the title Yesterday.
I was packing to leave and Paul asked me if I had a guitar. He'd apparently been working on the lyrics as he drove to Albufeira from the airport at Lisbon. He borrowed my guitar and started playing the song we all now know as Yesterday.
A Hard Day's Write, Steve Turner
Although famously arranged for guitar and string quartet, McCartney considered having the BBC Radiophonic Workshop do a futuristic electronic version of Yesterday.
It occurred to me to have the BBC Radiophonic Workshop do the backing track to it and me just sing over an electronic quartet. I went down to see them... The woman who ran it was very nice and they had a little shed at the bottom of the garden where most of the work was done. I said, 'I'm into this sort of stuff.' I'd heard a lot about the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, we'd all heard a lot about it. It would have been very interesting to do, but I never followed it up.
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles
In the studio
Initial recording for Yesterday took place on 14 June 1965, after the band completed I've Just Seen A Face and I'm Down. Paul McCartney recorded his guitar and vocals simultaneously in just two takes.
After attempting an unrecorded arrangement of Yesterday with John Lennon on Hammond organ, George Martin suggested to McCartney that they use a string quartet – a first for The Beatles.
McCartney was initially skeptical, and insisted the musicians perform without vibrato. McCartney and Martin worked on the score together, with the majority written by Martin.
Writing a song out with George Martin was nearly always the same process. For Yesterday he had said, 'Look, why don't you come round to my house tomorrow? I've got a piano, and I've got the manuscript paper. We'll sit down for an hour or so, and you can let me know what you're looking for'...He would say, 'This is the way to do the harmony, technically.' And I'd often try to go against that. I'd think, 'Well, why should there be a proper way to do it?'
Yesterday was typical. I remember suggesting the 7th that appears on the cello. George said, 'You definitely wouldn't have that in there. That would be very un-string-quartet. I said, 'Well? Whack it in, George. I've got to have it.'
Anthology
The strings were overdubbed on 17 June, and Paul attempted the vocals again. He didn't use headphones, and the original vocal track leaked from the studio speakers to the second recording, giving the impression of double-tracked singing.
The string players went uncredited on Help!, the album Yesterday first appeared on. Rather than being a regular quartet, the other players were recruited by violinist Tony Gilbert especially for the session.
Opposing to ‘lemmon juice’, here comes the master piece from the ‘pure oil’. Despite it came from a dream, only a genious mind could make such a beautiful song and lyrics full of love and memories. Fabulous.
Apparently, at one point, these were the complete working lyrics:
http://www.futilitycloset.com/2005/10/11/original-lyrics-for-yesterday/
That’s actually an April Fools myth, based on a non-existent book purportedly by Jane Asher called Things He Said Today. Scroll to the bottom of this page for the source: http://www.beatlesagain.com/barchive/yesterdy.html
I always hear the lyrics as being about the death of Paul’s mother. She died “suddenly” of breast cancer and when told by his father that she had died, Paul replied”what are we going to do without her money”. She was a nurse who earned more than Paul’s dad. Paul said he always regretted that remark and his brother Michael says Paul left the kitchen crying. Paul was 13 at the time and kids make remarks like that to deflect the shock and pain. But this explains the lines in Yesterday:
“Why she had to go/ I don’t know she wouldn’t say/ I said something wrong / now I long for yesterday”. In most situations people say something wrong first and then the person leaves. In this case Paul’s mom never said goodbye or even explained her illness. She simply died suddenly and then Paul made the remark that he long regretted. Her death left a shadow over his life. A very powerful confessional lyric from Paul in 1965(10 years after her death). Paul does not explain this publicly because yesterday is so accepted as a love song. It might be seen differently as a song about a mother dying. To me though it makes the song and the melody more poignant.
Yes, Masterpiece blah blah blah…
I’m sorry, this tune is #1 on the Most Whiny Song Ever list. For fun, try singing it while `fake-crying’ and you’ll see what I mean.
Sure, but if you fake cry over ANY song it sounds whiny.
To quote John in “Help”, you’re a swine.”
Funny song when you break down the lyrics. The protagonist of the song is totally clueless as to exactly why his girl left him, claiming she wouldn’t tell him (“Why she had to go, I don’t know, she wouldn’t say..”). He does, however, know it was because of something he said (“I said something wrong…”). He has no clue as to what, exactly, he uttered that caused her to leave (how could he possibly not know?!). Finally, he whines about it, crying that, without her, he’s not “half the man I used to be.” Boy, this guy really needs to grow a pair!
It is so poorly written it is the most popular pop ballad ever recorded & has been recorded over 3,100 times by various artists. It has been voted the most popular “secular” song ever written. Other than that it’s OK I guess. Regardless of what Lennon thought of it. The world loves it.
It’s not poorly written. It is so well written that the genius of McCartney allows the simple subtlety of the lyrics to convey whatever the listener hears and concludes for him/herself drawing upon their own lifes experinces. Unlike so many songwriters that hit the listener over the head with blunt lyrics to make it plain, the song is about the songwriter and maybe the listener can relate…or not.
The backstory to Yesterday is about how Paul’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. As anguishing as it was for them, Paul’s parents (Mary and Jim) were stoic Brits in the tradition of the stiff upper lip decided not to burden their very young sons with this news, both worked to provide and carried on living their lives. Times were hard and sometimes it was a struggle so both incomes were needed. One day Mary got so sick that she was hospitalized, hoping for the best, she was to undergo surgery, so Paul and his brother Michael were allowed to visit. They knew she was sick but unaware to what extent and never dreaming they’d never see her alive again. Her death to both boys seemed sudden, devastating. At a family gathering, (a funeral?) Paul blurted out “What are we going to do without her money?”, an understandable reaction from a confused frightened young boy reeling from the loss of a vital comforting and grounding presence that was his beloved mother. Embarrassed with himself that he said the “wrong thing at the wrong time” he was ashamed and wished that he could take it back, unsay it, wished the gathering could unhear it, wished that he could go back to a time when he was complete, before the dark gloom, when his life was happy, when all was right with his world, to before his world became upside down.
” Suddenly I’m not half the man I use to be, theres a shadow hanging over me”
“Why she had to go, I don’t know she wouldn’t say. I’d said something wrong now I long for yesterday”
Get it now?
By not dictating completely this story of loss, McCartney allows the listener to hear, feel, relate to their own experience or that of friends or love ones or even empathize with witnessing a strangers pain at the loss of love. The song becomes more universal in the human experience because it makes such a strong connection. That’s why is is so loved the world over and was the most covered song ever. It is a masterpiece and McCartney is simply
a genius.
i meant to add: The song can be about a loss like Paul experienced when his mother died suddenly or a romantic love lost. It’s however the listener “hears” the experience and interprets its meaning for him/herself.
Thank you so much for this. This post just saved my lyric analysis!!!
You are exactly right, and I’m constantly shocked at that there are so many so called Beatles fans that just love to smack on his genius.
Of course it’s the simplicity that makes it genius. It’s what he does better than anyone on the planet.
Simplicity and imagery are what make Paul genius. It’s picking up rice, it’s sitting on a sofa with a sister or two, It’s dipping in the pocket of her raincoat.
And gorgeous, simple melody and lyrics is what makes Yesterday so beautiful.
Re clueless male. I split with my wife last year and she wouldn’t elaborate on why other than saying ‘you have known for a while I shouldn’t have to tell you’. Well I honestly haven’t a clue neither had her best friend or parents. We hadn’t argued for over 12 months I did not ignore her and if ever she did seem distant and I enquires if she was ok I was told ‘yes babe I’m fine love you’.
I think some people can’t either explain what’s up or don’t know so it’s easier to just say ‘oh you know’ as in Yesterday.
The other reason may just be we guys will NEVER understand women ?
Maybe I take another road, but I´m really fed up of “yesterday”, yes a masterpiece, but I prefer other geat songs of Paul´s (like “let it be” or “I saw her standing there” or “All my loving” or “Penny Lane”, etc)
Many of us McCartney fans also love his other great songs, many gems in his treasure trove. Yes indeed he has more than just one masterpiece to be enjoyed. I say he has many masterpieces, one only needs to pick their own particular favorite(s) and just enjoy!
Ok, since this is “Yesterday” it should be appropriate to have some more positive comments down here.
Overplayed? Hell, yeah! This is one of the most often played songs on earth, so it MUST be overplayed.
I skip it almost every time on “Love”.
But when I don’t, I have the chance to listen to these incredibly mature, sensitive, expressive, intimate vocals Paul delivered here, live, while playing guitar (!), on the second take!!
Yes, it took him 6 minutes to record THIS song (plus strings).
So many other artists lined up to make this song their own or turn it into a power ballad, making this the most often covered song ever, with thousands of versions – and still not a single cover can touch the original. Not remotely.
The way his vocals blend with the strings, and his down-tuned guitar (technical mistakes and all) with his unmistakable strumming, the little funny things he and George put into the string arrangement – but above all the SOUL in his voice.
This was unheard then and it is still extremely rare.
Fantastic recording, and when I play it live EVERYBODY still joins in.
It also provided a very funny moment: Someone wanted me to play it for his friend who was going to get married soon. And when I started singing I realized who much this sounded like “I’m doomed” – “now it looks as though (my troubles) are HERE TO STAY” – “There’s a SHADOW HANGING OVER ME” – “I’m NOT HALF THE MAN I USED TO BE”…
I broke out laughing several times…
So this is obviously not a romantic ballad, it’s a very serious and mature song.
And it’s a shame that this little masterpiece has become such a huge beast of a legendary work that it’s really getting hard to appreciate it for all his simple and honest beauty.
Well done, Paul.
“…it’s a shame that this little masterpiece has become such a huge beast of a legendary work that it’s really getting hard to appreciate it for all his simple and honest beauty.”
Thank you, paulsbass! (BTW, I love Paul’s bass too.) I agree, it’s a bit too well-known; and I only say that because I love practically every Beatles’ song as much as “Yesterday”. But there’s a reason it’s a Jupiter-sized hit. It’s beautiful, and brilliant, and all that.
But it’s the little recording blips that get me– especially on the fourth verse where he sings “Oh I believe…” and on that “I” his voice goes just a wee bit rough. I flip out over that 1/2 second! No idea why.
I suppose, after all the covers, it’s nice to keep the original record in mind, and that it’s really just a simple, little song that’s not perfect, and, therefore, it’s perfect.
There’s no overstating the impact of this song on The Beatles. “Yesterday” is the song that convinced the remaining holdouts that this was a group of very talented young men who had more to say than “yeah, yeah, yeah”. This song forced many who had yet to understand, the Fabs were serious artists. “Yesterday” also changed the dynamics of the group, emboldening Paul while also heightening John’s insecurities. While John remained the leader of the group (and when he felt the need, he could flex his muscles in this regard), he allowed Paul to have much more influence from this point forward.
Like Dan above I hear the lyrics as being related to the death of Paul’s mother.
It’s a beautiful song. But the big revelation to me when it came out was Paul’s guitar playing on the tuned down Martin. It’s such a great natural idiosyncratic strumming style and every time he reverts to it (e.g.Heart of the Country, Here Today) it really affects me.
Nothing Paul did while in Wings compares to this song. Wings produced mostly sappy gobbly-de-gook . Paul was what – 23 – 24 years old when he wrote this masterpiece? The PID folks can certainly use this song as evidence that that master is no longer with us.
I couldnt disagree more with this entire comment. Wings was a fantastic band with a catalogue of great songs that I dare say would have been just as beloved if part of the Beatles catalogue. You sound like a nutcase PIDer or a Lennonista bitter that John isn’t still around to show us all what’s what or just a plain old Paul hater!
Paul McCartney is ICONIC in his status as a LIVING Legend which he has earned through hard work, brilliant songwriting and music, scaling many genres, beautiful singing. He is beloved the world over by many fans and admirers, of all ages, and races. You may not like it, you don’t have to, but he is and that is that. Deal with it!
Important to know.
1. the idea with strings was George Martin´s idea, not McCartney´s. Without the strings, the song would never been that success.
2. The melody was inspired by Lennon´s Do You Want to Know a Secret? The same upclimbing melody.
Do you have a source for your second claim? I really don’t have the same impression.
Of course you would make this (point number 2 above) claim. In your opinion John Lennon WAS The Beatles and Paul, George and Ringo were merely his sidemen. You,sir, couldn’t be more wrong.
Paul has said many times the song came to him in a dream and when he awoke with it he thought it was an old standard. This directly contradicts your second claim, does it not?
1. It was George Martin’s idea to speed up John’s “Please Please Me” and add harmony vocals. Without those, the song would never have had that success.
2. The song was inspired by Roy Orbison’s “Only the Lonely”
So, what is your point other than you just love John and despise Paul?
Haha! Good one, MikeP.
I love the performance of Yesterday on Anthology 2 from Blackpool Night Out, worth watching the whole show on youtube. McCartney’s vocal is glorious. Does anyone know who played the strings on that live version? Was it the house ABC band in the pit? The string arrangement is a little different from the record too. This is the only live Beatles recording of this song with strings that I have heard. Is there another?
Blackpool Night Out was a weekly Sunday variety show from Blackpool’s ABC theatre. My wife was at the show and witnessed the first live performance of the song. She still has the programme from the show which I believe is a bit of a rarity and can even be heard shouting “Paul” quite clearly on Anthology 2. The programme says that the strings were provided by the Bob Sharples Orchestra who were the resident weekly orchestra for the variety acts.
I’m dying to know the answer to this question.
Ed Sullivan Show , Recorded live August 14, 1965 and broadcast on Sept.12, 1965
I don’t understand well Paul’s statement about them being a rock and roll band. In my opinion, their songs and songwriting were way to diverse to be looked at that way. When I look for rock and roll bands my mind does not leap to The Beatles. They certainly played many songs in that category but many other songs were not.
One of Paul McCartneys best and an all time classic. Just like another of his greatest songs , Let It Be, I think subconsciously this is about the early loss of his mother. Because he was always less obviously an autobiographical song writer than John Lennon, it is always more open to conjecture.
Yesterday is always mentioned as the greatest Beatles song of all time, and that shows how much people really know about the Beatles. John Lennon wrote 3 ballads during the same time period:
It’s Only Love, Yes It Is and You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away that were all just as good or better than Yesterday, but they never get mentioned in the same breath.
More importantly, these three songs were actual BEATLES records. Yesterday was just Paul and his ego. This was really the beginning of the end of the Beatles. John, George and Ringo had to be feeling betrayed as Paul’s egotistical “masterpiece” claimed all the spotlight for so many years. It’s an okay song, but not even in the top 50 Beatles songs
Username checks out. Good to see you warn people with your username that everything following it will be a load of horse manure. Especially since we already know the other Beatles’ suggested he do it solo.
You know, I’ve heard a lot about Paul’s ego, and while I do suspect things could be Paul’s way or the highway with Wings, I get the distinct impression that it was dead opposite with the Beatles. It was much more of a democracy with them since they came up together. George did for sure get mucked around a bit when he was coming into his own, but then again the status quo was the dynamic songwriting duo for the better half of a decade, so it was difficult to adjust to a third songwriter. Regardless, Lennon, Harrison, and Starkey all held clout with Paul and he was willing to suspend his ego for their sake, if not anyone else’s.
Yesterday was the beginning of the end of The Beatles. The establishment and the elder generation now discovered The Beatles, and thought this was the start of The Beatles. It wasn´t known that Lennon had composed most of the hits before Yesterday. The press people treated McCartney like a God, and Lennon like a fool. The litterature pointed out McCartney as the composer. Lennon said that Yesterday got to his head, and Harrison said that McCartney thought he was Beethoven. That led to the split. And the singles became worse.
Ray, I have no sourch, but many people think that the upclimbing melodies in Do You Want to Know A Secret, and Yesterday are similar.
Yes,Baised Lennon-Harrison fan, I agree. And If I Fell, and Do You Want to Know A Secret, and This boy, and Across The Universe.
“If I Fell” is nothing to be proud of. Most cheesy girlish Beatles track ever. Maybe Lennon wasn’t that much of a rocker after all. Can’t seriously imagine Chuck Berry or Mick Jagger singing this one, let alone composing it. Beethoven would never have composed such a lame tune, but maybe he might “Yesterday” as a piano sonata movement.
Who are “many people”? I’ve never heard ANYONE say that before you.
You never site sources, never have attributable quotes. Just your own little, heavily biased, thoughts (I can’t rightly call them opinions).
After reading this I’m even more distrustful of paul’s claims on beatles songs.
Sometimes I read comments on the various songs and the hatred of one member or another seems to permeate everything. I think, for instance, in some peoples’ eyes, Paul McCartney’s biggest sin is that he is still alive. How dare he outlive John and George. But since he’s still around, lets put all of the ills of the band on him. Some of you are truly pathetic. You have to put someone down in order to make your point. Just once, I’d like to see one of you praise Paul for anything he did. (yes, same goes for those who slag the others in their song listings).
Now, of course, all of this is opinion. Yesterday is a great song, derivative of nothing. It flows elegantly, and it’s economy is a strength. It can provide real meaning to those who have loved and lost, whatever the circumstances. It is a highlight whenever it is played in his concerts.
I agree, Darren – great song (of course!). However, I’m not thoroughly convinced it is `derivative of nothing.’ Check out this article by musicologist Alan W. Pollack’s — http://www.icce.rug.nl/~soundscapes/VOLUME05/Oldsweetsongs.shtml — wherein he compares the similarities between this song and Hoagy Carmichael’s “Georgia on my mind.” The late great Harry Nilson was onto something — see http://youtu.be/hlerlDWsdT0. Nonetheless, lovely song, derivative or not.
To all you whiners: Even though art is completely subjective and there’s no imperious evidence of a composition’s worth (save the overwhelming popularity of said composition) – there’s a certain truth that’s unavoidable with certain works. Yesterday, and quite frankly, 98% of any and all Beatle’s material is brilliant. Try getting off your self-important “arm-chair warrior” butts and contribute something positive to the planet and you’ll soon discover that it’s much easier to criticize than to create. Or, in other words – shut the fuck up!
Sincerely,
A Beatles fan.
There are some Beatles songs I don’t like, but “Yesterday” is the only one I actively hate (well, maybe “Long and Winding Road” too).
Listening to it is like being trapped in a bar with one of your mates who’s just got dumped by his girlfriend and you have to spend hours listening to him whine when what you really want to do is hit him the face with a wet mackerel and go out on the town.
Up to the autumn 1965, when Yesterday became a success, Lennon was the dominant composer in The Beatles. But that was a secret, opposed to when McCartney did Yesterday.
This is the list of the composers of the hits, (not about the lyric writer):
1963 Please Please Me, Lennon, B-side Ask Me Why Lennon.
1963 From Me To You, main melody Lennon, the middle part McCartney.
1963 She Loves You, half Lennon,
1963 I Want To Hold Your Hand, half Lennon, B-side This Boy mainly Lennon,
1964 Can´t Buy Me Love McCartney,
1964 A Hard Day´s Night Lennon,
1964 I Feel Fine Lennon,
1965 Ticket To Ride mainly Lennon, B-side Yes It Is Lennon,
1965 Help, Lennon,
1965 We Can Work It Out, half Lennon, B-side Day Tripper mainly Lennon.
Lennon´s compositions even dominted the albums and the films before 1966.
Somewhere I can hear George Martin say about this comment you have frequently posted elsewhere over and over :”Well, it’s certainly repetitive.”
Can someone change that record? It’s skipping and repeating the same thing over and over and over. Besides , it was utterly boring to begin with…….
Addition.
1964 Do You Want To Know A Secret, Lennon (USA).
Addition, still boring, repetitive, and utterly and completely biased and slanted.
I’ll give you one thing, Johan: you’re consistent in your embarrassing ridiculousness.
All very apropos for a page dedicated to the song Yesterday, I’m sure.
On YT: The Beatles ”Yesterday” Violin Cover – Marc-Andre Gautier (Violin Song)
This is why I like the track , don’t care about those melodramatic lyrics
The players really bring out the best of it. “Yesterday” as sung by Paul was never in my Beatles playlist, but this surely is.
I have been a Beatles fan for over 50 plus years and though I admire Paul a little more, I do not dislike John, or George or Ringo or any of their contributions to the Beatles legacy as some of the above “fans” actively confess. That being said “Yesterday” is a wonderful song. It wasn’t the beginning of the end of The Beatles. It was just another great Beatles song. Thank goodness Paul didn’t write anything and title it “The Ballad of Paul and Jane” or later on …Paul and Linda. Can you imagine the daggers thrown at Paul over such self indulgence? Yeah, Paul has a healthy ego even I admit that, but regardless of John’s comment, I wish I had written “Yesterday.” Or “Something” or “You’re Gonna Lose That Girl” or just about anything in The Beatles catalog or something like them. Thank you John, George, Ringo and Paul for the music you gave us. It was great fun anticipating your next song or album back in the 60’s, and never being disappointed. Peace.
Actually Paul did write his own ballad about Linda – “Two of us”
No names are mentioned. It could be about any two people.
That was Robert’s point.
So dreadfully overly familiar to all of us and yet, it has a certain indescribable quality that raises it above the common place. Little wonder McCartney has described it as a song from a dream, all inspiration born of years in the craft. A favourite moment is the slight linger on the first time he sings ‘long’ – the consummate performance by a man proud of what he has spilled forth. Some songs need not have obvious lyrics to make sense, since they capture the emotion perfectly in words and music- they just feel right. I am not surprised to read that the band had a few goes on how to play it, even though the quality of the song permeates even their sloppy live version from the 1966 tour.
“Yesterday and Today” by Ray Coleman is quite an interesting source of info related to this song. It may be a simple and repetitive song, but its charm lies in its simplicity. I consider lyrics are quite deep for a young lad in the peak of fame. And having being covered so many times tells you something, doesn’t it?
regardless of what others say, Yesterday is still a great song and the Beatles themselves performed this song live as a group, with John leading the rhythm guitars but on a higher tone (key of G, opposed to a normal F, if i recall correctly)
I’ve been wondering about something with respect to Yesterday recently. Paul has talked about understanding what John was saying when John was showing him the words to Help. Specifically, how John felt overcome by the fame and the avalanche they were under, and how he suddenly had lost his self assuredness and self confidence on what they were doing and where they were going (and why they were doing it). Surely, they all must have felt that way. They had gotten all they had dreamed for, but life wasn’t under their control, it wasn’t working the way they had hoped. That’s the crux of Help (“now those days are gone and I’m not so self assured…”, for example).
I am wondering if Paul didn’t take those same feelings and put them into the lyrics for Yesterday. Maybe it’s not about a woman, or his mother. Maybe it’s about that same feeling that John is talking about. Maybe “Yesterday” (the thing, not the song) was the innocence of their childhood and early band hopes and dreams. Things were easy. Just play music and have fun. Now the band is so big, they are struggling to find their way, their direction (“I’m not half the man I used to be, there’s a shadow hanging over me…”). Remember, Paul was never as literal as John was. He couched his feelings in all sorts of metaphors and hidden phrases. Perhaps Yesterday is about the loss of their lives, of their control.
Just a thought.
The BBC Radiophonic Workshop story is intriguing. I would love to hear what the brilliant Delia Derbyshire might have done with “Yesterday”!
I agree that the melody is quite similar to ” Do you want to know a secret”, a song by John, the Beatles were a rock’n’roll band, even Paul said it during “Anthology” and he felt ill at ease with “yesterday” at first. So it may be the real beginning of sir Paul’s solo career, as no other of his bandmates featured on this song. But they were a band, and I enjoy all their live versions of “yesterday”. John and paul often copied each other at the time, and George was heavily influenced by them in the early years. It’s just a nice little song that was blown up by the medias, I’ve never understood how it became so famous, but I understand why : The Beatles were four scruffy young men singing rock’n’roll in 1965, and “yesterday” reassured the parents and the establishment. One of the most famous sold out of rock music, I don’t dislike the song at all, But I resent what it represents today. Paul did better than that with and without the Beatles. “If I fell” , by the way, is IMO one of their most beautiful ballads, far better than “Yesterday” in my book, but I don’t want to engage in a John vs Paul nonsense, they loved each other, we should do the same.
Listening to XM radio a few days ago, I hear The Kinks’ “Where Have All The Good Times Gone?”. Has a line in there “Yesterday was such an easy game for you to play”. Song was recorded in fall 1965, obviously well after “Yesterday” came out. No agenda here, just an odd little factoid. Still love both songs.
Wow. As a fan of both songs I never noticed that!
There’s also John’s diss in “How Do You Sleep?”
“The only thing you done was ‘Yesterday’
And since you’re gone you’re just ‘Another Day’
Biased Lennon and Harrison fan and his other offsider should be locked up and the key thrown away. The song is a gem.
McCartney fan suggests that Lennon and Harrison fan “should be locked up and the key thrown away” for daring to express opinion about Yesterday that doesn’t agree with his opinion. Permanent exile for the unworthy. Extreme reaction, don’t you think?
Yes, the John v. Paul and Paul v. John fan fight gets very silly at times. I doubt John and Paul truly felt that deeply angry with each other even when they were at the height of their “family” feud.
Did The Beatles ever perform this song unison? I think I’ve heard this rare version one time when in 2003 and it was breathtaking.
What about the UK single release in 1976? It was the highest new entry to the UK singles charts on 14 March 1976 and eventually reached no.8.
I find Lennon’s comments to Sheff a little disingenuous. He says Yesterday doesn’t resolve, but I’m Losing You doesn’t resolve either. Lennon’s song has nearly the same concept as the former and was written and recorded mere months before the interview.