Yesterday
Wings 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 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, love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe in yesterday

Why she had to go I don't know she wouldn'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

Wings’ song “Yesterday” is a melancholic reflection on love and loss. The opening line “Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away” sets the nostalgic tone for the song. The singer is haunted by his past and longs for the love that he has lost. The line “Now it looks as though they’re here to stay” suggests that the pain and heartache of the past are still very present in his life, even though time has passed. The chorus of the song is where the title comes from and solidifies the idea that the past is a comforting place for our narrator: “Oh, I believe in yesterday.”


The second verse is more introspective and looks at the singer’s personal transformation as a result of his lost love. He laments that he’s “not half the man I used to be” and is continuously weighed down by a “shadow hanging over me.” The line “Yesterday came suddenly” illustrates the abruptness of the change and how quickly things can change for a person in love. The third verse reflects on the singer’s mistakes and how they might have contributed to his present circumstances. He’s unsure why his love “had to go” and ponders whether he “said something wrong” that led to the breakup.


Line by Line Meaning

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
In the past, all of the problems that I faced appeared distant and not pressing.


Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Currently, it seems as though my troubles have become a permanent fixture in my life and won't go away.


Oh, I believe in yesterday
I have hope in the past and the memories of better times that it holds.


Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be
All of a sudden, I feel different from how I used to be and not as capable.


There's a shadow hanging over me
There is a feeling of depression and burden on me that I can't shake.


Oh, yesterday came suddenly
The memories of the past and better times suddenly came rushing back.


Why she had to go I don't know she wouldn't say
I don't understand why the person I loved had to leave me and they didn't give me an explanation.


I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday
I made a mistake that led to my loved one leaving, and now I wish I could go back to the past when things were better.


Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play
In the past, love and relationships were simple and effortless.


Now I need a place to hide away
Presently, I need to isolate myself from the world and my troubles to find some solace and peace.


Oh, I believe in yesterday
I have faith in the past and the memories of better times that it holds, and they give me hope for a better future.


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Vocalization with no significant meaning.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Steven J Davies

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 the man I used to be
There's a shadow hangin' 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
Love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Why she had to go, I don't know, she wouldn'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
Mm mm mm mm mm mm mm



All comments from YouTube:

Peter O'Loughlin

I've always said that Yesterday is Paul's best ever song and shows his total genious. McCartney has always maintained that they were greatly influenced by Johan Sebastian Bach [1685 - 1750] and this comes out in Yesterday and also Blackbird.

Rob Lund

Pauls voice is great here

joruva

how those stupid dudes say Paul is dead when you hear his voice, look his eyes, his face, he is the same and only one Sir Paul!!!!

Bruh Bruh

@Nihill you’re trying to tell me the Beatles found someone who looked like Paul, sounded like Paul, was as good at bass as Paul, was as good as songwriting and singing, and released sgt peppers 7 months after? Not only that but you’re telling me no one told? Cmon dude get a grip

Twin Suns

@Nihill you do know by this time it has been years since he played Yesterday. You can’t expect him to play smoothly after a few years.

JohnLemon

@Justice for James Paul McCartney No, I'm actually sane and you've deluded yourself into thinking that you are sane.

86 More Replies...

JT

absolutely love the guy at 1:46 just taking it in, wonder in his eyes. paul mccartney couldn’t possibly fathom just how much he and his music mean to so, so many people

El xd gars

He is stoned as fuck for sure

Lkc Tom

That first "yesterday" and people are already crying. Such a simple and short song but it cuts so deeply.

Toni Fernandez

his voice is so amazing that you hear the first word and it touches your soul instantly.

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