THE BEATLES - YESTERDAY

Llançament: 13 de setembre de 1965 (single dels EUA) 5 de març de 1976 (single del Regne Unit)

Llistes: Regne Unit: #8  EUA: #1 (4 setmanes)

"Yesterday" és una cançó escrita principalment per Paul McCartney i acreditada a Lennon-McCartney. Inicialment llançada a l'àlbum “Help!” el 6 d'agost de 1965, va assolir el número u als Estats Units quan es va publicar com a single al setembre del mateix any. La cançó posteriorment va aparèixer a l'EP britànic "Yesterday" al març de 1966 i va fer el seu debut en àlbum als Estats Units amb "Yesterday and Today" al juny de 1966.

Paul McCartney va escriure i tocar "Yesterday", sent la primera vegada que un Beatle gravava sense els altres. Això va marcar un canvi cap a assoliments més independents dins del grup. Tot i que Lennon i McCartney van continuar acreditant totes les seves cançons com a Lennon/McCartney, cap al 1965, la majoria de les seves composicions estaven escrites principalment per un o l'altre.

La melodia de "Yesterday" li va venir a Paul McCartney en un somni. Despertant amb ella al cap, la va tocar en un piano a la vora del seu llit per recordar-la. Inicialment, McCartney pensava que podria haver-la pres inconscientment d'alguna altra banda, així que la va tocar a diverses persones de la indústria musical per assegurar-se'n de la seva originalitat. Convençut que era única, va començar a afegir-hi la lletra, utilitzant inicialment el títol provisional "Scrambled Eggs".

"Yesterday" és reconeguda com la cançó pop més versionada, amb més de 3.000 versions enregistrades. Tot i que va ser, en un moment, la cançó amb més reproduccions a les ràdios, posteriorment va ser superada per "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'". Malgrat això, "Yesterday" segueix sent una composició atemporal, sovint sonant en algun lloc del món. El tema melancòlic de la cançó explora el desig del narrador pel passat després que la seva estimada ha marxat, mostrant un canvi respecte a la naturalesa optimista dels èxits anteriors dels Beatles.

Un quartet de corda va ser introduït a "Yesterday", convertint-la en un dels primers exemples d'elements de música clàssica incorporats a una cançó pop. Inicialment recalcitrant, Paul McCartney, que subratllava que els Beatles eren una banda de rock 'n' roll, va oposar-se a la idea quan el productor George Martin va suggerir l'addició del quartet de corda.

John Lennon va fer referència a "Yesterday" a la seva cançó en solitari "How Do You Sleep?", amb la lletra "The only thing you've done was yesterday, and since you've gone you're just another day" (L’única cosa que vas fer va ser Yesterday, i des que vas marxar només has fet Another day). Aquesta frase és part de la crítica de Lennon a Paul McCartney a la cançó.

"Yesterday" també és el títol d'una pel·lícula del 2019 on un músic amb problemes, interpretat per Himesh Patel, es descobreix a ell mateix en un univers alternatiu on els Beatles mai van existir. La trama es desenvolupa mentre interpreta cançons dels Beatles, inclosa "Yesterday", i rep l'elogi com si les hagués escrit ell mateix.

THE BEATLES - YESTERDAY 

Released : September 13, 1965 (US single)  March 5, 1976 (UK single)

Charted:  UK: #8   US: #1 (4 weeks)

"Yesterday" is a song primarily written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. Initially released on the album Help! in August 1965, it became a number-one hit in the United States when issued as a single in September of the same year. The song later appeared on the UK EP "Yesterday" in March 1966 and made its US album debut on "Yesterday and Today" in June 1966.

Paul McCartney wrote and played "Yesterday" making it the first time a Beatle recorded without the others. This marked a shift to more independent accomplishments within the group. Although Lennon and McCartney continued to credit all their songs as Lennon/McCartney, by 1965, most of their compositions were primarily written by one or the other.

The melody for "Yesterday" came to Paul McCartney in a dream. Waking up with it in his head, he played it on a piano by his bed to remember it. Initially, McCartney thought he might have unconsciously borrowed it from somewhere, so he played it to various people in the music industry to ensure its originality. Convinced it was unique, he began adding lyrics, initially using the working title "Scrambled Eggs."

"Yesterday" is recognized as the most covered pop song, with over 3,000 recorded versions. While it was once the song with the most radio plays, it was later surpassed by "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'." Despite this, "Yesterday" remains a timeless composition, often being played somewhere around the world. The song's melancholic theme explores the narrator's longing for the past after his lover has departed, showcasing a departure from the upbeat nature of earlier Beatles hits.

A string quartet was introduced to "Yesterday," making it one of the earliest instances of classical music elements being incorporated into a pop song. Initially resistant, Paul McCartney, emphasizing the Beatles as a rock 'n' roll band, initially opposed the idea when producer George Martin suggested the addition of the string quartet.

John Lennon referred to "Yesterday" in his solo song "How Do You Sleep?" with the lyrics, "The only thing you've done was yesterday, and since you've gone you're just another day." This line is part of Lennon's critique of Paul McCartney in the song.

"Yesterday" is also the title of a 2019 film where a struggling musician, portrayed by Himesh Patel, discovers himself in an alternate universe where The Beatles never existed. The plot unfolds as he plays Beatles songs, including "Yesterday," and receives acclaim as if he wrote them.