Yesterdays
Billy Butterfield and His Orchestra Lyrics


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When I was young

I'd listened to the radio

Waitin' for my favorite songs

Waiting 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-wo-wo

Still shines

Every shing-a-ling-a-ling

That they're starting 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


Repeat (*)


All my best memories

Come back clearly to me

Some can even make me cry

Just like before





It's yesterday once more

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "Yesterdays" by Billy Butterfield and His Orchestra describe a nostalgic longing for the past, particularly the joy that the music of yesteryears brought. The singer reminisces about their youth, sitting by the radio, eagerly waiting for their favorite songs to be played. Singing along to those songs brought them happiness and made them smile.


The lyrics indicate that these were happy times not so long ago, but the singer wonders where those times have gone. However, they find solace in the fact that the songs they loved are back, evoking the feeling of reconnecting with an old friend. The repetitive use of "sha-la-la-la" and other sing-along sounds emphasizes the joy and familiarity that these songs bring. Even when the songs reach the part where heartbreak is depicted, they still have the power to elicit strong emotions, making the singer cry, just like before.


As the singer looks back on the past, they acknowledge that the good times they had make the present seem rather sad in comparison. They reflect on singing songs of love and how they would memorize every word, showcasing the importance of these melodies to their personal history. Despite the passage of time, those old melodies still sound good and have the ability to transport the singer back to their youth, melting the years away.


Line by Line Meaning

When I was young
In my youth


I'd listened to the radio
I would tune in to the radio


Waitin' for my favorite songs
Anticipating the airing of my beloved tunes


Waiting they played I'd sing along
When they played, I would joyously sing along


It made me smile
It brought a smile to my face


Those were such happy times
Those moments were filled with immense happiness


And not so long ago
Relatively recently


How I wondered where they'd gone
I pondered where they had disappeared to


But they're back again
Yet, they have returned


Just like a long lost friend
Just as a dear friend from the past


All the songs I loved so well
All the cherished songs that deeply resonated with me


Every sha-la-la-la
Every instance of sha-la-la-la


Every wo-wo-wo
Every occurrence of wo-wo-wo


Still shines
Still possesses its brilliance


Every shing-a-ling-a-ling
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling sound


That they're starting to sing's
That they are presently singing


So fine
So extraordinarily exquisite


When they get to the part
Upon reaching the segment


Where he's breakin' her heart
Where he inflicts heartbreak upon her


It can really make me cry
It genuinely has the power to bring tears to my eyes


Just like before
Exactly as it did previously


It's yesterday once more
It is reminiscent of the past once again


Lookin' back on how it was
Reflecting on how things used to be


In years gone by
In the bygone years


And the good times that I had
And the enjoyable moments I experienced


Makes today seem rather sad
Cause the present day to appear rather melancholic


So much has changed
Significant changes have occurred


It was songs of love that
It was songs filled with love that


I would sing to then
I used to sing along to


And I'd memorize each word
And I would diligently commit every word to memory


Those old melodies
Those timeless melodies


Still sound so good to me
Continue to sound incredibly pleasing to my ears


As they melt the years away
As they dissolve the passing years


All my best memories
My fondest recollections


Come back clearly to me
Resurface vividly within me


Some can even make me cry
Some can even elicit tears from me


Just like before
Just as they did previously


It's yesterday once more
It is reminiscent of the past once again




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JIM MUNDY, PEGGY WHITE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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