Yesterday
The Beatles Lyrics
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All my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Suddenly
I'm not half the man I used to be
There's a shadow hangin' over me
Oh, yesterday came suddenly
Why she had to go, I don't know, she wouldn't say
I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday
Yesterday
Love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Why she had to go, I don't know, she wouldn't say
I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday
Yesterday
Love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe in yesterday
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The Beatles’ Yesterday is a melancholic, introspective song about heartbreak, regret, and the fleeting nature of happiness. Paul McCartney, the songwriter, pours out his emotions through the lyrics, expressing his longing for an idyllic past that he can never have back. The opening line, “Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away,” invites listeners to delve into the singer’s feelings of nostalgia as he reflects on a time when life was simpler and he had not yet experienced the pain of losing a loved one.
McCartney describes how suddenly everything changed, trading his past happiness for the shadow of the present. He believes that the pain he is enduring is here to stay, and he yearns for a time that’s gone forever. The lyrics, “Why she had to go, I don't know, she wouldn't say; I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday,” gives a hint of the reason behind his sadness, which is the loss of a romantic partner. He blames himself for the breakup, implying that he may have said or done something that led to the end of the relationship.
As the song progresses, McCartney mourns how love, which once seemed so effortless, has now become a difficult game to play. He seeks solace in hiding away from the world that no longer feels kind or forgiving. The final line, “Oh, I believe in yesterday,” shows that despite the pain he is experiencing, he has a deep appreciation for his past experiences and memories. He clings to them as a reminder of a time when he was happy, innocent and carefree.
Line by Line Meaning
Yesterday
Reflecting on the past
All my troubles seemed so far away
In the past, problems felt small and insignificant
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Current problems feel permanent and inescapable
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Nostalgia for simpler times
Suddenly
Abrupt change in circumstance
I'm not half the man I used to be
Feeling diminished and inadequate
There's a shadow hangin' over me
A looming sense of sadness or regret
Oh, yesterday came suddenly
Sudden onset of nostalgia or regret
Why she had to go, I don't know, she wouldn't say
Confusion and sadness over a lost love
I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday
Regret over a mistake and longing for the past
Yesterday
Reflecting on the past
Love was such an easy game to play
Love used to come easily
Now I need a place to hide away
Craving solitude and escape from current problems
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Nostalgia for simpler times
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Musical interlude
Lyrics © TuneCore Inc., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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