His international tours take him to some of the most important musical centers in the world each season. Recent appearances have included New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Munich, Madrid, Barcelona, Milan, Rome, Copenhagen, Athens, Seoul, Taipei, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Manuel Barrueco also has completed nine tours of Japan.
Highlights of the upcoming season include concerts in Spain, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Yugoslavia, Greece, and Hungary, appearances with the Baltimore Symphony and the Seattle Symphony, and a European tour with the Cuarteto Latinoamericano.
Manuel Barrueco has made well over a dozen recordings for EMI. His most recent, "¡Cuba!," was called "an extraordinary musical achievement" by the San Francisco Chronicle, while his recording of Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez with conductor/tenor Plácido Domingo and the Philharmonia Orchestra, was mentioned as the best recording of that piece in Classic CD Magazine. His "Nylon & Steel," is a collection of duos with guitar greats: Al Di Meola, Steve Morse (Deep Purple), and Andy Summers (The Police), further demonstrating Barrueco's outstanding versatility and imaginative programming. This past spring, “Concierto Barroco” was released by EMI in Europe and Koch International in the USA, containing world premiere recordings of new works for guitar and orchestra by Roberto Sierra and Arvo Pärt, as well as two guitar concertos by Antonio Vivaldi.
In addition to performing works by the aforementioned composers, Mr. Barrueco's commitment to contemporary music and to the expansion of the guitar repertoire has led him to collaborations with distinguished composers such as Toru Takemitsu, Steven Stucky, Michael Daugherty, Roberto Sierra and Arvo Pärt.
His performances have been broadcast by television stations such as NHK in Japan, Bayerische Rundfunk in Germany, and RTVE in Spain. In the United States, he has been featured in a Lexus car commercial, on "CBS Sunday Morning", A&E's "Breakfast with the Arts", and "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood."
Manuel Barrueco began playing the guitar at the age of eight, and he attended the Esteban Salas Conservatory in his native Santiago de Cuba. He emigrated with his family to the United States in 1967, later completing his advanced studies at the Peabody Conservatory of Music.
Yesterday
Manuel Barrueco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 hanging over me
Oh, yesterday came suddenly
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
The lyrics to Manuel Barrueco's song 'Yesterday' are a poignant reflection on loss and regret. The song begins by expressing nostalgia for the past, with the singer implying that life was smoother and trouble-free. However, as the song progresses, things become more complicated as it seems that the troubles of the past have caught up with him. The line "Now it looks as though they're here to stay" suggests that whatever has caused the singer's troubles is a permanent fixture in his life.
The second verse sees the singer lamenting his current state, feeling as though he has lost a part of himself. The metaphor of the "shadow hanging over me" implies that he is struggling to move on from his past mistakes or losses. The chorus repeats the sentiment that the singer believes in yesterday, longing for the comfort and ease of days gone by. The bridge of the song reveals the reason for the singer's regret: a failed relationship. He doesn't know why his love left him, but he admits to saying something wrong. The last verse further explores the idea that love used to be simple and easy but is now something he needs to hide from.
Line by Line Meaning
Yesterday
The past, a time of reflection on events that have already happened.
All my troubles seemed so far away
In the past, my issues and problems seemed distant and easily surmountable.
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Currently, my problems have persisted and seem like they are not going away any time soon.
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Despite the current state of things, I still have faith in the past as a better time.
Suddenly
Without warning or expectation.
I'm not half the man I used to be
I am not the same person I once was, and I have changed significantly.
There's a shadow hanging over me
I am plagued by a constant feeling of sadness and negativity.
Oh, yesterday came suddenly
The past became relevant again all at once, without any predictable progression.
Why she had to go I don't know, she wouldn't say
I am unsure why she left, and she has not explained her reasons to me.
I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday
I made a mistake, and now I wish I could go back to the past and fix it.
Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play
In the past, love was simple and effortless.
Now I need a place to hide away
Currently, I desire a space in which I can escape the world and be alone.
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Despite the present circumstances, I still believe that the past was a better time.
Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul Mccartney
Contributed by Luke W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.