Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. was born in 1939 to Marvin Gay, Sr. and Alberta Gay in Washington, D.C.. Gaye began his career in Motown in 1958, and soon became Motown's top solo male artist. He scored numerous hits during the 1960s, among them "Ain't That Peculiar", "Stubborn Kind of Fellow", and "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)", as well as several hit duets with Tammi Terrell, including "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"" and "You're All I Need to Get By", before moving on to his own form of musical self-expression.
Along with Stevie Wonder, Gaye is notable for fighting the hit-making—but creatively restrictive—Motown record-making process, in which performers, songwriters and record producers were generally kept in separate camps. Gaye forced Motown to release his 1971 album What's Going On, which is today hailed as one of the best albums of all time. Subsequent releases proved that Gaye, who had been a part-time songwriter for Motown artists during his early years with the label, could write and produce his own singles without having to rely on the Motown system. This achievement would pave the way for the successes of later self-sufficient singer-songwriter-producers in African American music, such as Luther Vandross and Babyface.
During the 1970s, Gaye would release several other notable albums, including Let's Get It On and I Want You, and released several successful singles such as "Come Get to This", "Got to Give It Up" and "Sexual Healing". By the time of his shooting death in 1984, at the hands of his clergyman father, Gaye had become one of the most influential artists of the soul music era.
Yesterday
Marvin Gaye Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, yesterday
All my troubles seem so far away
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I, I believe in yesterday
Suddenly
People I ain't half the man I used to be, no
Yesterday, came all too suddenly
Oh, why did she have to go?
I don't know
Tell you, I don't know
The little girl wouldn't say, woo
I must have, must have said something wrong
Now I long, long, long for yesterday
Oh, talkin' 'bout yesterday
Love, love, love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Lord I, I believe now, in yesterday, oh yeah
Mmm, mmm-mmm
Well, I must have said something wrong
Now I long, long for yesterday
Yesterday
All my troubles seemed so far away
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I, I believe in, I want you to know I believe in
Yester, yester, yesterday
Marvin Gaye's song Yesterday discusses the idea of nostalgia and the pain that comes with the memories of a love lost. Gaye starts off by saying "Yesterday, all my troubles seem so far away, now I need a place to hide away", indicating that he is looking back on a time when his life was simpler and he didn't have to deal with the pain of his current situation. Throughout the song, Gaye expresses his longing for a past that he can never fully recapture.
As the song continues, Gaye talks about how he is half the man he used to be and how there is a heavy shadow hanging over him. The little girl mentioned in the song is likely whoever he was in love with before, the one who has left and taken that part of him with her. Gaye seems to be struggling with this separation and wonders why she had to go. He also admits that he may have done something wrong to contribute to the break up, saying "I must have said something wrong."
The chorus repeats the idea that yesterday was much easier, as "love, love, love was such an easy game to play". Gaye continues to express his desire to go back to that time where it was easier to love and be loved. Overall, the song portrays the pain of lost love and the longing to return to the simpler times of yesterday.
Line by Line Meaning
Mmm
A sound of humming or contemplation
Oh, yesterday
The past, a time that has already occurred
All my troubles seem so far away
In the past, the problems were easier to deal with or seemed less significant than they do now
Now I need a place to hide away
I want to escape or find a safe space away from my current troubles
Oh, I, I believe in yesterday
I find comfort in the past and the memories attached to it
Suddenly
A sudden and unexpected change
People I ain't half the man I used to be, no
The change has caused a negative impact on me as a person
There's a heavy, heavy shadow hangin' over me
I am experiencing a dark and oppressive feeling or external force
Yesterday came suddenly
The past had ended abruptly or sooner than expected
Oh, why she had to go I don't know
I don't understand why someone important left my life
Tell you I don't know
I am uncertain and cannot provide an answer
The little girl wouldn't say
The person who left was not willing to reveal their reason for leaving
I must've said something wrong
I suspect that I did something to cause the person to leave
Now I long, long, long for yesterday
I wish I could go back to the past and correct my mistake
Love, love, love was such an easy game to play
Love was simpler and less complicated in the past
Oh, talkin' 'bout yesterday
Reflecting on and discussing the past
Now I need a place to hide away
I still want to escape or find a safe space from my current problems
Lord I, I believe now, in yesterday, oh yeah
I still find comfort in the memories of the past, and I hold on to them
Mmm, mmm-mmm
A sound of humming or contemplation
Well, I must have said something wrong
I am convinced that my words or actions caused the person to leave
Now I long for yesterday
I desperately wish I could go back in time
Yesterday
The past
All my troubles seemed so far away
In the past, my problems felt less significant or were easier to manage
Now I need a place to hide away
I still want to escape or find a safe space from my current problems
Oh, I, I believe in, I want you to know I believe in
I want to emphasize how much I rely on the past and the memories attached to it
Yester, yester, yesterday
An emphasis on the importance of the past
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@LukaS-bu3rt
Who’s here from Colbert?
@batavusfietsbel
me
@SHURIKENRCN
Luka 1234 me
@bootney66
I was watching Colbert and when he asked Paul about his favorite cover of Yesterday, I said out loud Marvin Gaye (because it’s my favorite). Then Paul said Marvin Gaye and I almost fell off of the couch 😄
@hmarote
Me too
@paulmsandbergable
Me
@rishabhpal9845
Recommendation level: Sir Paul McCartney
@rishabhpal9845
@WeirdozChannel Don't remember leaving it in the first place, pal
@ChiccieBear
What?
@KeeperOfThe10
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert brought me here 9-24-19 because Paul McCartney said this is his favorite cover. Didn't even know Marvin sang this. That man (my neighbor) was an amazing singer!