Yesterday
The Dillards Lyrics


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Yesterday
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
I said something wrong now I long




For yesterday Yesterday

Overall Meaning

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.
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