Yesterday
Shirley Bassey Lyrics

Yesterday when I was young
Reflecting on the past, when the singer was young and carefree.

the taste of life was sweet as rain upon my tongue.
Life was full of joys and pleasures, and it felt amazing.

I teased at life as if it were a foolish g ame,
The singer approached life as if it were something trivial.

the way the evening breeze may tease a candle fl ame.
The artist played with life the same way the breeze might play with a candle flame - easily and without much weight.

The thousand dreams I dreamed, the splendid things I planned
The artist had many aspirations and grand plans.

I always built alas on weak and shifting sand.
Unfortunately, the singer's aspirations were based on unstable foundations.

I lived by night and shunned the naked light of the day
The singer preferred the darkness of night, avoiding responsibility and facing the world.

and only now I see how the years ran away.
The artist realizing how quickly time has slipped past, with little to show for it.

so many drinking songs were waiting to be sung,
The artist had many partying opportunities ahead of them and lived a wild life.

so many wayward pleasures lay in store for me
There were numerous temptations and carnal desires to be fulfilled.

and so much pain my dazzled eyes refused to see.
The singer was blinded by their own desires and made mistakes that, in retrospect, caused a lot of pain.

I ran so fast that time and youth at last ran out,
The artist was reckless, moving too quickly and ended up running out of time and youthfulness.

I never stopped to think what life was all about
The singer was careless and failed to reflect on the deeper meaning of life.

and every conversation I can now recall
The singer only remembers conversations about themselves, acting in a selfish manner.

concerned itself with me and nothing else at all.
The singer was self-centered and never asked about the opinions, stories, or feelings of others.

Yesterday the moon was blue
A reference of looking back at fond memories of the past.

and every crazy day brought something new to do.
The artist had diverse, spontaneous days filled with new experiences and adventures everyday.

I used my magic age as if it were a wand
The singer manipulated their youth to take advantage of situations, only now seeing the true emptiness of those short-lived moments.

and never saw the waste and emptiness beyond.
The singer was too focused on temporary treasures to see the void and meaninglessness beyond.

The game of love I played with arrogance and pride
The artist was dominant and egotistical in all their relationships, treating love as a game.

and every flame I lit too quickly quickly died.
The artist destroyed every relationship they had, because of how quickly they entered into and broke up with them.

The friends I made all seemed somehow to drift away
The artist was not able to maintain any real, meaningful friendships and they all disappeared over time.

and only I am left on stage to end the play.
The singer feels alone and rejected, as if everyone has moved on except for them.

There are so many songs in me that won't be sung,
The artist has many regrets about things they failed to achieve or experience.

I feel the bitter taste of tears upon my tongue.
The singer is upset and the bitterness of regret fills their mouth.

The time has come for me to pay for yesterday when I was young.
The singer feels that it is time to face the consequences of their reckless youth and immature behaviors.