Song Lyrics Sunday – Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday

Posted byChristine BoltonPosted inBlog, Song Lyric SundayTags:, , , , , , ,

Good morning and I hope this finds you well. Welcome to another Song Lyric Sunday and a chance to share some great music as prompted by our host Jim Adams. This week Jim has asked for songs that include Yesterday, Today or Tomorrow. I have picked Yester-you, Yester-me, Yesterday by Stevie Wonder. It’s a great old Motown track from his 1969 album My Cherie Amour.

While looking for this song I found a really great Carpool Karaoke clip with James Cordon featuring Stevie Wonder. There are some very funny moments so I hope you have some time to play it too. Have fun!

The Song

“Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday” is a soul song written by Ron Miller and Bryan Wells, released by American Motown singer-songwriter-musician Stevie Wonder on the album My Cherie Amour (1969). It peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 the weeks of December 13 and 20, 1969 and become Wonder’s ninth Top 10 single of the 1960s. In November 1969, it reached number 2 on the UK singles chart, making it at that time, Wonder’s biggest UK hit.

Stevie also recorded an Italian version with the title “Solo te, solo me, solo noi” (Only you, only me, only us), translated by Peter Ricci. The song was later reworked into an electronic version by Jennifer Rush on her 1985 Movin’ album.

The song had been first recorded, in 1966, by blue-eyed Motown soul singer Chris Clark.

At the time the song was released, Wonder was going through some vocal problems and was required to wait before recording a song. Due to this, instead of making Wonder record new ones, they decided to release songs that he had recorded years earlier, and this song was one of them (it was recorded two years earlier). The song’s main theme is nostalgia for a loved one.

It is a lament for a lost, more innocent time, contrasting a warm, loving past with a present where “those yester-dreams were just a cruel and foolish game we used to play”.

Cash Box called it a “sparkling easy-blues-beat ballad” with “interesting lyric, performance and production.”

The Lyrics

Yester-me
Yester-you
Yesterday
Ooh, ooh
What happened to
The world we knew
When we would dream and scheme
And while the time away
Yester-me
Yester-you
Yesterday
Ooh, ooh
Mm, yeah
Where did it go? (Where did it go?)
That yester-glow
When we could feel
The wheel of life turn our way
Yester-me
Yester-you
Yesterday
Ooh, ooh
I had a dream so did you
Life was warm and love was true
Two kids who followed all the rules
Yester-fools and now
Now it seems (now it seems)
Those yester-dreams
Were just a cruel
And foolish game we used to play
Yester-me
Yester-you
Yesterday
Ooh, ooh
When I recall what we had
I feel lost
I feel sad
With nothing but
The memory of yester-love
And now, now it seems (now it seems)
Those yester-dreams
Were just a cruel
And foolish game we had to play
Yester-me
Yester-you
Yesterday
Mm, mm, yeah (ooh, ooh)
Yester-me
Yester-you
Yesterday
Ooh, ooh
Sing it with me
Yester-me
Yester-you
Yesterday
Ooh, ooh
One more time
Yester-me

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Bryan Wells / Ronald N. Miller
Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Published by Christine Bolton

I have been writing poetry since I was a child and it has helped in the good times and bad times. I am always looking within to find the answers to life's problems and to write thought-provoking poetry and prose. Thanks for checking it out. Christine

23 thoughts on “Song Lyrics Sunday – Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday”

  5. Thanks for sharing this tale of love gone sour, and a journey through the regrets we carry around with us about things that happened in the past, Christine.  James Corden was really funny with Syevie Wonder in the Carpool Karaoke, thanks for sharing that.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. I simply adore Stevie Wonder and this beautiful song. A stroke of brilliance adding the clip from Carpool Karaoke; it was hilarious and heartwarming. James Corden is a riot and so very likable and talented. And Stevie? Well, he’s a Wonder! Amazing post today, Christine. I have a smile that will last all day! 😁

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks so much Nancy. I loved the way Stevie was so funny in the car. I laughed a lot but then I always did when I watched Carpool. Best one ever was Paul McCartney. What a treat those people in the pub had!

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Christine, I watched the Cordon video first. Cool reparte between Stevie and James. Nobody can sing like Stevie. He brings heaven’s light with his voice. This is a song with such fun wordplay in it. Great choice for this week’s prompt. You cannot go wrong with Mr. Wonder.

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