Though The Dillards were already an established bluegrass band, their biggest claim to fame is performing musically as members of the fictional Darling family on The Andy Griffith Show, introducing bluegrass to many Americans who had never heard it. This was a recurring role and the Dillards were led by veteran character actor Denver Pyle as their father and jug player, Briscoe Darling. Maggie Peterson played Charlene Darling, their sister and the focus for the attentions of character Ernest T. Bass, played by Howard Morris. The appearances of the Dillards as the Darlings ran between 1963 and 1966. In 1986, the Dillards reprised the role in the reunion show Return to Mayberry. As part of their current tour, Rodney Dillard answers questions about the TV series. He says the songs such as "Dooley" are about people the family knew.
On the October 1963 episode "Briscoe Declares for Aunt Bee", the Dillards performed the first wide scale airing of the 1955 Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith composition Feudin' Banjos (Dueling Banjos).
According to Jim Clark of The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers Club, three albums have been produced with songs performed on the show. Clark says Songs That Make Me Cry is the only one currently available with real performances and has the three songs which included Maggie Peterson, who played Charlene. Back Porch Bluegrass: Live Almost includes five songs that were sung on the show, and Rodney Dillard released another album with the real performances of other songs.
The Dillards are notable for being among the first bluegrass groups to have electrified their instruments in the mid-1960s. They are considered to be one of the pioneers of the burgeoning southern California folk rock, country rock and progressive bluegrass genres, and are known to have directly or indirectly influenced artists such as The Eagles, The Byrds, and Elton John. In 1972, The Dillards joined Elton John on his first American tour. John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin has also acknowledged their influence, particularly in his decision to play the mandolin.
Rodney Dillard is a founding member of The Dillards - the group he formed with his brother, Douglas Dillard in the late 1950s. Credited throughout the years as the driving force behind the group's musical direction, success, and phenomenal longevity as a working act. Today, Dillard's musical duties include lead and harmony vocals, guitar, and dobro.
Beverly Cotten-Dillard is a native of Morrisville, North Carolina who performed with Janette Carter, Ola Belle Reed, Tommy Jarrell, and Doc and Merle Watson. She has appeared on Hee Haw and the Disney Channel and at Carnegie Hall. Cotten-Dillard is recognized as an authority on the traditional "clawhammer" banjo technique and is a featured member of The Dillards live shows. Her 1981 album Clog-In 'is considered an American folk classic."
George Giddens is a classically trained musician who is an awarded fiddler and mandolin player for the band.
Gary J. Smith was added to the lineup, having recorded double bass in the 2015 studio sessions for the new Dillards album. Smith is well known in Nashville circles after stints with Tom T. Hall, The Brother Boys, Ed Snodderly, and his long-time collaborator, Jeff Gilkinson.
Former member, Dean Webb, died at the age of 81, on June 30, 2018.
Yesterday
The Dillards Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
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 Why she had to go I don't know
She wouldn't say
For yesterday Yesterday
is a melancholic song by The Dillards, which speaks to the heartache and regrets that can come from losing someone you love. The opening lines describe how love used to be an easy and fun game to play, but now the singer needs a place to hide away because they are hurting. The lyrics suggest that the singer is looking back on happier times in their life where they felt whole, but now they feel like only half of the person they used to be. The line "there's a shadow hanging over me" reinforces the idea that the singer is struggling with a heavy burden or sense of loss.
The second half of the song focuses on the specific event that triggered the singer's emotional turmoil: the departure of someone they loved deeply. The lyrics convey a sense of confusion and regret as the singer tries to understand why their loved one left. They wonder if they said or did something wrong, or if their former partner simply wouldn't communicate with them. Despite their efforts to move on, the singer still feels trapped in the past and longs for the days where they were happy and in love. Overall, the song taps into the universal pain of heartbreak and the longing for simpler, happier times.
Line by Line Meaning
Yesterday
Reflecting on a time in the past
Love was such an easy game to play
Love used to come naturally and effortlessly
Now I need a place to hide away
Feeling lost and in need of seclusion to cope with the emotions
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Nostalgic about the simplicity of the past
Suddenly
Abruptly and unexpectedly
I'm not half the man I used to be
Feeling like a lesser version of oneself due to emotional turmoil
There's a shadow hanging over me
A dark cloud of sadness looming over and consuming the person
Oh, yesterday came suddenly
The emotions and memories of the past hit hard and fast
Why she had to go I don't know
Unable to comprehend the reason for the departure of a loved one
She wouldn't say
No explanation or closure given for the departure
I said something wrong now I long
Regretting past words or actions and yearning for a chance to make it right
For yesterday
Longing for the simpler times of the past
Writer(s): JOHN LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY
Contributed by Jason K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.