Parker originally conceived the project in Perth in 2007. After a series of singles and EPs, Tame Impala's debut studio album, InnerSpeaker, was released in 2010; it was certified gold in Australia and well received by critics. Parker's 2012 follow-up, Lonerism, was also acclaimed, reaching platinum status in Australia and receiving a Grammy Award nomination for Best Alternative Music Album. Tame Impala's third album, Currents, was released in July 2015,[6] and like its predecessor, it won ARIA Awards for Best Rock Album and Album of the Year. Parker won the APRA Award for Song of the Year 2016 for Currents' first track, "Let It Happen". The fourth and most recent studio album, The Slow Rush, was released 14 February 2020.
Lost in Yesterday
Tame Impala Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Back when we used to get on it four out of seven
Now even though that was a time I hated from day one
Eventually terrible memories turn into great ones
So if they call you
Embrace them
If they hold you
Erase them
'Cause it might've been something, who's to say?
Does it help to get lost in yesterday?
And you might've missed something, don't say
'Cause it has to be lost in yesterday
And you're gonna have to let it go someday
You've been diggin' it up like Groundhog Day
'Cause it might've been something, don't say
'Cause it has to be lost in yesterday
Matty said life didn't go the way that he planned it
Said, "Oh, what I'd give to start over, boy I'd command it"
So what was I ever afraid of? Why did I worry?
And why was I ever so brainless? Head in a flurry
'Cause they call you
Embrace them
If they stall you
Erase them
'Cause it might've been something, who's to say?
Does it help to get lost in yesterday?
And you might've missed something, don't say
'Cause it has to be lost in yesterday
And you're gonna have to let it go someday
You've been pickin' it up like Groundhog Day
'Cause it might've been something, don't say
'Cause it has to be lost in yesterday
If it calls you
Embrace it
If it haunts you
Face it
I know it's mad, I understand
It's only snakes and ladders
The period you never had
There's only one that matters
And if it calls you
Embrace it
If it holds you
Erase it
Erase it
The lyrics to Tame Impala's song "Lost In Yesterday" explore themes of nostalgia, regret, and the struggle to move on from the past. The first stanza reflects on a time in the past when the singer lived in poverty and used drugs frequently. Despite the negative associations with this time period, the singer views it through a nostalgic lens as a kind of euphoric paradise. This is revealed in the line, "When we were livin' in squalor, wasn't it heaven?" The next line, "Now even though that was a time I hated from day one," seems to introduce the conflicting emotions that arise from looking back on a time that was both euphoric and difficult. The stanza closes with the idea that over time, even difficult memories can turn into positive ones.
The chorus of the song consists of two parts, the first of which repeats the question, "Does it help to get lost in yesterday?" The second part of the chorus urges the listener to "let it go someday" and suggests that dwelling on the past can become a kind of trap that keeps one stuck in a repeating pattern ("you've been diggin' it up like Groundhog Day"). The repetition of this line underscores the cyclicality of the singer's thoughts and emotions, as if they are unable to break free from their past.
The second stanza introduces a character named Matty who expresses a desire to start over and "command" his life to take a different trajectory. The singer then questions their own past decisions, asking why they were ever "so brainless" and "so worried." These lines suggest a sense of regret and a longing to make different choices, but the repeated refrain to "embrace them" or "erase them" suggests a binary way of thinking that may be hindering the singer's ability to move forward.
Overall, "Lost In Yesterday" is a song that explores the complex emotions surrounding nostalgia and the difficulty of letting go of the past. While the singer seems to vacillate between positive and negative feelings about their past, the repeated refrain of "embrace them" or "erase them" suggests that the key to moving forward lies in accepting the past for what it was and letting go of regrets and missed opportunities.
Line by Line Meaning
When we were livin' in squalor, wasn't it heaven?
Looking back, even though we were living in poverty, didn't it feel like paradise?
Back when we used to get on it four out of seven
We used to party and do drugs almost every day of the week.
Now even though that was a time I hated from day one
Although I didn't enjoy that lifestyle ever since the beginning...
Eventually terrible memories turn into great ones
... over time, those terrible memories have become nostalgic and even enjoyable.
'Cause it might've been something, who's to say?
Maybe that previous lifestyle meant something important, who really knows for certain?
Does it help to get lost in yesterday?
Does dwelling on the past and reminiscing provide any real benefits in the present?
And you might've missed something, don't say
Perhaps you overlooked something significant, but just accept that you may never know for sure.
'Cause it has to be lost in yesterday
It's essential that we let go of the past and move on from it.
And you're gonna have to let it go someday
At some point, you must release the memories and move forward.
You've been diggin' it up like Groundhog Day
You keep going back to the past, just like the artist in Groundhog Day kept repeating the same day.
'Cause they call you
When old memories come back to you...
Embrace them
...accept them and appreciate what they offer.
If they hold you
But if memories start to control you...
Erase them
...let them go and focus on what's in front of you instead.
Matty said life didn't go the way that he planned it
I recall a conversation with Matty, who expressed how his life hasn't gone according to his initial plans.
Said, "Oh, what I'd give to start over, boy I'd command it"
He expressed a deep yearning to start anew and completely control his life's outcome.
So what was I ever afraid of? Why did I worry?
Reflecting on Matty's words, I question why I had ever been fearful or anxious about my own life.
And why was I ever so brainless? Head in a flurry
I recognize that I can be impulsive and make reckless decisions when my mind is plagued with constant thoughts.
If it stalls you
If the past hinders your progress in the present...
Erase them
...erase those memories and move forward.
I know it's mad, I understand
I acknowledge that this way of thinking may be considered irrational or bewildering.
It's only snakes and ladders
But life is like a game of snakes and ladders, full of triumphs and pitfalls.
The period you never had
It's a reminder of the things you never experienced and the time that has passed by.
There's only one that matters
But ultimately, only the present moment truly matters.
If it calls you
If old memories come back to you...
Embrace it
...accept it and cherish what it offers.
If it haunts you
But if memories start to torment you...
Face it
...confront them head on and let them go once and for all.
Erase it
Release those memories that only cause pain and suffering.
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kevin Parker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ann Simpson
on The Less I Know the Better
warren's vocals and guitar.pull the song up to the.intensity it deserves. HAs is true of all his work, his. immense capacity to encompass the.musicality and the authenticity of his vocals and!amnva awesome ands guides