Yesterdays
Doc Severinsen and His Orchestra Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

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 song "Yesterdays" by Doc Severinsen and His Orchestra speaks to the longing and nostalgia that comes with reminiscing about the past. The first verse sets the scene of the singer's youth, where they eagerly listened to the radio, waiting for their favorite songs to play. They would sing along and these moments brought them joy and happiness. However, as time passed, they began to wonder where those happy times had gone.


In the chorus, the lyrics convey the sentiment that even though time has passed, the impact and beauty of those songs remain. The sha-la-la-las and wo-wo-wos still shine, and the shing-a-ling-a-lings of the songs they're starting to sing are just as fine. They evoke a sense of warmth and familiarity, like a long-lost friend returning.


As the song continues, the singer reflects on how things have changed over the years. They look back on the good times they once had, realizing that today seems rather sad in comparison. The songs they used to sing were primarily love songs, and they would memorize every word. These old melodies still hold a special place in their heart, as they have the power to transport them back in time and melt the years away.


Overall, "Yesterdays" captures the bittersweet emotions of nostalgia, reminding listeners of the beauty and impact of the songs that shaped their past.


Line by Line Meaning

When I was young
During my youthful days


I'd listened to the radio
I would engage with the radio


Waitin' for my favorite songs
Anticipating the arrival of my preferred melodies


Waiting they played I'd sing along
As the songs played, I would join in with my voice


It made me smile
It brought a smile to my face


Those were such happy times
Those were incredibly joyful moments


And not so long ago
And it hasn't been too long since then


How I wondered where they'd gone
I often pondered where those times disappeared to


But they're back again
But now, they have returned


Just like a long lost friend
Similar to the reunion with a dear, forgotten companion


All the songs I loved so well
All those cherished melodies


(*) every sha-la-la-la
Every instance of 'sha-la-la-la'


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


Still shines
Continues to radiate brightly


Every shing-a-ling-a-ling
Every instance of 'shing-a-ling-a-ling'


That they're starting to sing's
That they have begun to vocalize


So fine
Remarkably exquisite


When they get to the part
When they reach the section


Where he's breakin' her heart
Where he is causing her heartache


It can really make me cry
It can genuinely evoke tears from me


Just like before
Similar to the previous occasions


It's yesterday once more
It is a return to the past


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


In years gone by
In bygone years


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


Makes today seem rather sad
Causes today to appear quite sorrowful


So much has changed
Numerous things have altered


It was songs of love that
It was romantic tunes


I would sing to then
I used to sing along to


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


Those old melodies
Those aged melodies


Still sound so good to me
Still sound exceptionally pleasing to my ears


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


Repeat (*)
Repeat the aforementioned part (*)


All my best memories
Every one of my fondest recollections


Come back clearly to me
Return vividly to my mind


Some can even make me cry
Certain ones can even provoke tears from me


Just like before
Similar to the previous occasions


It's yesterday once more
It is a return to the past




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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions