Yesterday

Trivia:

• Such was the song's immediate popularity that the band added it to their 1966 tour setlist, with Paul playing and singing the song alone on acoustic guitar (though the Budokan hall concerts in Japan reportedly feature a whole band arrangement).
• Although some historians consider George and Ira Gershwin's "Summertime" (from Porgy and Bess to be a serious contender to the throne, "Yesterday" is widely considered to be the most covered song of all time, with over three thousand versions recorded so far.
• "Yesterday" was the most popular song ever played on American radio until 1973. With over eight million performances on radio and television, "Yesterday" has been surpassed only by The Association's "Never My Love" and the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Loving Feeling." (It would take approximately 40 years to play "Yesterday" eight million times in a row!) Like episodes of I Love Lucy, it is estimated that "Yesterday" is currently on the airwaves somewhere in the world at any given moment.
• In recent years, Nat King Cole's "Answer Me" has been suggested as a lyrical (but not musical) antecedent to "Yesterday' featuring as it does the lyric "Yesterday, I believed that love was here to stay, won't you tell me where I've gone astray." Musically, it has recently been compared to an Italian ballad from the 19th century, "Piccere' Che Vene a Dicere." Structurally, it has also been likened to Ray Charles' "Georgia On My Mind."
• Paul himself had to acquire the rights to re-record this song for his 1985 film Give My Regards To Broad Street, since, at that time, they were controlled by Michael Jackson. When the group's Anthology 2 CD was released in 1996, Yoko Ono refused to let the songwriting credits be issued to McCartney alone, claiming this would violate the pair's original agreement. When issuing his concert DVD Back in the U.S.: Live 2002 Paul responded by switching the Beatles songs' creidts to "McCartney/Lennon."
• Singer Matt Monro had the first hit cover of "Yesterday," hitting the UK Top Ten with it in October 1965. Other Brit vocalists including Billy J. Kramer and Chris Farlowe, claim they were offered the demo to record before the Beatles even did, but both felt it didn't fit their image. Farlowe ended up recording it eventually. (McCartney denies the offer.)

Covered by: Ed Ames, P.P. Arnold, Chet Atkins, Florence Ballard, The Bar-Kays, Count Basie, Shirley Bassey, John Bayless, Mr. Acker Bilk, Cilla Black, Michael Bolton, Pat Boone, Boyz II Men, Jim Ed Brown, Ruth Brown, Ace Cannon, Eva Cassidy, Ray Charles, Richard Clayderman, Alma Cogan, Perry Como, Ray Conniff, The Country Gentlemen, Floyd Cramer, Vic Damone, Dino Desi and Billy, Dr. John, Placido Domingo, Pete Drake, En Vogue, Percy Faith, Marianne Faithfull, Chris Farlowe, Jose Feliciano, Freddy Fender, Ferrante and Teicher, Arthur Fiedler, Wildman Fischer, Eddie Fisher, Kenny G, Marvin Gaye, Bobby Goldsboro, Benny Goodman, Dave Grusin, Vince Guaraldi, Merle Haggard, Ray Hamilton, Lionel Hampton, Donny Hathaway, Leon Haywood, Dick Hyman, The Impressions, Jan & Dean, Jack Jones, Tom Jones, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Patti LaBelle, Cristy Lane, James Last, Brenda Lee, The Lettermen, Barbara Lewis, Liberace, Trini Lopez, Vera Lynn, The Mamas and the Papas, Henry Mancini, Herbie Mann, Al Martino, Les McCann, Buddy Merrill, The Moments, Matt Monro, Chris Montez, Wes Montgomery, Nana Mouskouri, Willie Nelson, David "Fathead" Newman, The Paris Sisters, The Persusasions, Oscar Peterson, Elvis Presley, Ray Price, Tito Puente, Boots Randolph, Lou Rawls, Diane Renay, LeAnn Rimes, Marty Robbins, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Diana Ross and the Supremes, The Sandpipers, Bon Scott, Little Jimmy Scott, The Seekers, George Shearing, Terrance Simien, Frank Sinatra, Billie Jo Spears, Spirit, The Sylvers, Toots Thielemans, Carla Thomas, The Toys, Sarah Vaughn, The Ventures, Dionne Warwick, Wet Wet Wet, Andy Williams, Roger Williams, Nancy Wilson, Tammy Wynette, Young-Holt Unlimited, Zamfir