Yesterday Once More
´The Carpenters Lyrics


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When I was young I'd listen to the radio
Waitin' for my favorite songs
When they played I'd sing along, it made me smile

Those were such happy times and not so long ago
How I wondered where they'd gone
But they're back again just like a long lost friend
All the songs I loved so well

Every sha-la-la-la
Every wo-o-wo-o, still shines
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling, that they're startin' to sing's, so fine

When they get to the part
Where he's breakin' her heart
It can really make me cry, just like before
It's yesterday once more

Lookin' back on how it was in years gone by
And the good times that I had
Makes today seem rather sad, so much has changed.

It was songs of love that I would sing to then
And I'd memorize each word
Those old melodies still sound so good to me
As they melt the years away

Every sha-la-la-la
Every wo-o-wo-o, still shines
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling, that they're startin' to sing's so fine

All my best memories come back clearly to me
Some can even make me cry, just like before
It's yesterday once more

Every sha-la-la-la
Every wo-o-wo-o, still shines
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling, that they're startin' to sing's so fine

Every sha-la-la-la




Every wo-o-wo-o, still shines
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling

Overall Meaning

The Carpenters' song, "Yesterday Once More," is a nostalgic tune about the power of music and its ability to transport us back to our past. The song's narrator reflects on a time when they were young and listened to their favorite songs on the radio, singing along and feeling happy. But as time passes, these old songs become a way to look back on the past and remember happy memories. The song talks about the way that music can make us feel, how it can bring back memories of a certain time and place, and how it can make us feel young again even as we grow older.


The lyrics are particularly poignant because they remind us of our own youth, our own memories of the songs we used to love, and the way that we felt when we were young. The song's use of repetition, particularly in the refrain of "every sha-la-la-la, every wo-o-wo-o" reinforces this idea, making it feel like we're hearing an old song that we used to love and remember. Overall, "Yesterday Once More" is a beautiful tribute to the power of music and the way that it can bring us back to happy times in our lives.


Line by Line Meaning

When I was young I'd listen to the radio
As a child, I used to listen to the radio


Waitin' for my favorite songs
I eagerly waited for my favorite songs to play


When they played I'd sing along, it made me smile
I would happily sing along when my favorite songs played on the radio


Those were such happy times and not so long ago
Those days were full of joy and they feel like they just happened


How I wondered where they'd gone
I often wondered where those happy days went


But they're back again just like a long lost friend
But now those happy times feel like they've returned, like seeing an old friend again


All the songs I loved so well
All the songs that I adored and enjoyed listening to


Every sha-la-la-la
Every sha-la-la-la in a song


Every wo-o-wo-o, still shines
Every wo-o-wo-o in a song is still as bright as ever


Every shing-a-ling-a-ling, that they're startin' to sing's, so fine
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling in a song's beginning sounds so wonderful


When they get to the part
When the song reaches the part


Where he's breakin' her heart
Where the lyrics describe the male character breaking the female character's heart


It can really make me cry, just like before
It can make me emotional and cry, just like it did in the past


It's yesterday once more
It feels like I am reliving the past


Lookin' back on how it was in years gone by
Reflecting on how things used to be in the past


And the good times that I had
And remembering all the joyous moments I experienced


Makes today seem rather sad, so much has changed.
Comparing the past with the present makes me feel a bit sad, as a lot has changed


It was songs of love that I would sing to then
Back then, I used to sing love songs


And I'd memorize each word
I knew every word by heart


Those old melodies still sound so good to me
Those classic songs still sound great to me


As they melt the years away
They transport me back in time and make the years feel like they have vanished


All my best memories come back clearly to me
All of my happiest recollections return vividly


Some can even make me cry, just like before
Some memories can still make me emotional, as they did before


It's yesterday once more
I am transported back to the past once again




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN BETTIS, RICHARD LYNN CARPENTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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