Yesterday
The Romantic Strings and Orchestra Lyrics

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Yesterday, 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 to 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 woldn'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.

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Overall Meaning

The Romantic Strings and Orchestra's song "Yesterday" is a poignant ballad about lost love and the pain that comes with it. The song opens with the line "Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away," and we can immediately sense the contrast between the happiness of the past and the sadness of the present. The second line, "Now it looks as though they're here to stay," signifies that the singer has come to terms with the fact that his troubles are not going away anytime soon. Despite the sorrow that he feels, he still holds on to the belief in yesterday - a time when things were better and love was still present.

The second stanza speaks to the dramatic changes that the singer has undergone since his lover left him. He says, "Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be / There's a shadow hanging over me / Oh, yesterday came suddenly". The loss has affected him so deeply that he feels like a different person. The shadow hanging over him represents the weight of his grief, and he wishes he could go back to a time when he was happy and carefree.

The final stanza speaks to the ease of love compared to the difficulties of life without it. The singer remembers when "love was such an easy game to play," but now he needs a place to hide away from the pain. However, despite everything, he still believes in yesterday and the love that he once had.

Line by Line Meaning

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
In the past, I believed that my problems were distant and insignificant.

Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Currently, my troubles seem to be permanent fixtures in my life.

Oh, I believe in yesterday.
I hold onto the idea of the past when things were better.

Suddenly, I'm not half to man I used to be,
Abruptly, I have become a lesser version of myself.

There's a shadow hanging over me.
I am experiencing a period of darkness and negativity.

Oh, yesterday came suddenly.
The past reappeared without warning.

Why she had to go I don't know she woldn't say.
I do not understand why the person left and they did not disclose it.

I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday.
I made a mistake that caused the loss of the better past I wish for.

Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play.
In the past, it was effortless to love and be loved.

Now I need a place to hide away.
Presently, I need somewhere to retreat and escape the current difficulties.

Oh, I believe in yesterday.
I continue to hold onto the idea of the better past that I long for.