Yesterday....

I've decided to do a series on my favorite Beatles songs. We'll see how many I do.

I suppose there is nothing novel in praising "Yesterday." It's the most widely covered song in pop history. I heard somewhere (and this may be an urban legend)that it is always playing on the radio somewhere in the world. But I'm listening to it now, and I have to say that Paul nails it. It's such a simple song but somehow it captures perfectly a sense of longing, of nostalgia and of loss. The strings in the backround, particularly the cello, are an excellent complement to the vocal. A bit about the little hum at the end. It is, I think, what makes me relate so completely to the song. It's not a whiny sad bastard song, though it could easily be. He walks away humming the song, signaling a movement away from yesterday into today/ He isn't depressed, though he is sad. He's living. It's that sense, which pervades the song, that makes it work so well. If you disagree, feel free to comment.