Most covered song in history, until a bunch of lunatics try to rewrite history by erasing it on the internet. the reactors who discover this do not realize what a great service they are doing to preserve this song for all time by repeatedly exposing it to the world. I became a music teacher because of the Beatles in large part.
Paul likes to tell the story about how just prior to singing this, backstage hand says to him, 'are you nervous?' He says, 'no, not really.' Stage hand says, 'well you should be, there'll be hundreds of millions of people watching!'
Paul woke up one morning where he was staying at his girlfriend, Jane Asher's, house. He had the full melody for Yesterday in his head when he woke up. He shopped it around a lot because he couldn't believe how easy it came to him. He thought he might have accidentally plagiarized it. Similarly, he woke up from a dream, years later, about his mother, Mary, where she told him to stop worrying and just Let it Be. This is the most covered song in history, according to Guinness Book of World Records. It is also the first song of The Beatles with only one of the band members performing on it.
Yes, Paul McCartney is a genius. A real genius. Nowadays, it is often said that someone is a genius when they do something amazing, but the truth is that there are very few true geniuses in any field. In modern music of the 20th century we could count them on the fingers of one hand. Paul is one of them.
Love seeing these old clips. There are a few such clips for their early banger "Long Tall Sally", and one of them shows quite a bit of Ringo just going nuts on the drums. It's so fun. It's what they would usually close their live shows with when they played in Hamburg, Germany.
I feel very fortunate to have seen them play live in London back in the mid 1960s, and met them at music publishers Dick James Music, who set up a separate entity Northern Songs for Lennon/McCartney/Harrison. At the time I was (and in fact always was) a less than successful songwriter. Paul used to live along the road from me in Maida Vale, West London. Greetings from the UK; and ps my bday is also 2Oct - just about 60yrs difference! Watching the video through again, and noting your comments about the girls screaming, I recall that fingers in my ears was an easy way to filter out the high pitched sound , and enabled me to clearly hear the music being played. lol
The thing about this song is that McCartney wrote it two years before it was recorded, and sat on it for all that time because he couldn't believe he had conceived of it. He believed he must have heard it somewhere else and unconsciously stolen it, that he wasn't good enough to come up with it himself. It is probably the best thing he ever did.
@@docsavage8640 According to all officially published sources over forty years and more, McCartney carried the sing around with him for two years, thinking it couldn't possibly be original. Why do idiots accuse people of making up lies when they are plain ignorant?
He did check with others for awhile to make sure the melody was not done already by someone else. He did not have words at 1st and the "working" lyric he had at 1st, was "scrambled eggs" before he arrived at "Yesterday". Their producer, George Martin, convinced him of using strings. Most other Beatle instrumentation like strings were a lot of Martins collaborations and he is sometimes labeled "the 5thBeatle' As one who was able to see the Beatles when they toured, I was just a male that just tried to listen to their music with much appreciation. They did perform this Live with rhythm guitar backing. You can find clips of that.
Beautiful reaction, Steph. ❤️ Yes, it's really brilliant songmanship -- melody, lyrics, performance ... all top notch. And quite a departure from the normal group approach. So glad you loved it. You obviously weren't alone. 😁
He had some working lyrics called "Scrambles Eggs" and finally came up wth Yesterday. Decades later Paul admitted that the song was not so much about a break up as it was about his mother, whom he lost to cancer when he was 14. I can identify with that...when I was 38, I lost my mother to cancer. My dad and younger brother are now gone...so I tear up when hear this song, especially this Ed Sujllivan Show performance from 1965. When we watched it as kids, I remember my mom saying "That was a real good song....that guy's going to go far if he keeps that up."😂 It was only Paul , his guitar and a string quartet. In their live performnces without the strings, the song does not come off as tender as it sounds here. You were right, the girls were so mesmerized by the song...they quieted down, a RARE occurance at a Beatles performance. The power of music well written. I will soon be 69 in a few days. this song means so much more when you're older.
Sorry for your losses. Yesterday has always been my favorite song of all time. I recently lost both my identical twin brother and my favorite pet of all time, a feral cat I rescued as a kitten, within three months of each other due to cancer so this song means even more to me now as it reminds me of them. I do feel like half the man I used to be without them being in my life anymore.
yes, Steph, the story of how this song 'came to him', fully written, is amazing. It reminds me of Mozart, who would 'receive' complete symphonies, and just simply had to write them down in musical notes. The other famous and similar Beatles song of his is 'Blackbird', and much later there was another one during his solo career 'Jenny Wren' - all 3 are so magical in their haunting simplicity. And yes, Paul cannot be described other than being a genius. 🌈💖
"Let It Be" (which I think Steph has reacted to) also originated from one of Paul's dreams, though unlike the three songs you identified, that wasn't just an acoustic guitar and vocals number.
"Yesterday" was the first Song I heard by the Beatles. Emotionally, it grabbed me instantly. Something not a lot of songs can do. Happy New Years to you too, Steph! And obviously to anyone reading this comment, too!
The most covered and famous song (apart from Happy Birthday) ever written. Even John Lennon loved it, which means a lot. This is the beginning of baroque pop and also the first Paul solo song. The other Beatles didn't participate, just a string quartet by George Martin (okay I see that you read about it as well :D). That was a total game changer in the whole popular music genre. Never seen before that one member of the band goes out on stage to sing a song by himself. Nowadays George's Here Comes the Sun is the most streamed Beatles song, but when I was in school in the early 80s THAT one was the song you knew first by the Beatles, maybe together with Help from the same album and A Hard Day's Night, Michelle, Let It Be, and Hey Jude.
Paul has such a beautiful and versatile voice, I really recommend his Royal Variety Performance of 'Till There Was You' and any live performance of 'Long Tall Sally' Like wow he can really sound like two different people.
The clip is from the Beatles' one other visit to _The Ed Sullivan Show_ after three appearances in February 1964. They taped this along with five other songs in mid-August 1965 (shortly after the album George mentioned, _Help!,_ was released in the UK), and the set was aired mid-September. In the U.S., all songs on side 2 of the UK _Help!_ LP (including "Yesterday") that had not already appeared earlier on _Beatles VI_ were withheld for later release, so while the U.S. audience had already heard the majority of the songs the Beatles performed, they had never heard "Yesterday" before, and were thus intrigued to hear what they were being newly introduced to! In the UK, the song was tremendously popular on the album, but was not released as a single, while in the U.S. it came out as a new single in mid-September, right around the airing of the program, and became a #1 smash. In the UK the song eventually became the title and lead-off track of an EP (a 45 with two songs on each side) in March 1966, and about a decade later finally got issued as a single, years after the group had broken up.
Dear Steph, you couldn't have started the new year in a better way by choosing this wonderful song combined with your important and precious presence. 🌺
Paul McCartney is my favorite musician. He and his fairly new band toured America in 2005 called The Space Within Us. It was a great concert, and it's on RUclips. He was fantastic!
An absolute gem of a reaction. Watching you enjoy it as much as you did nearly brought tears to my eyes. To me, your reaction is proof that you have a genuinely beautiful soul. Believe it or not, the original lyrics Paul wrote for the first verse were, "Scrambled eggs, oh my baby how I love your legs, not as much as I love scrambled eggs." Thank God he reconsidered those lines. Not long ago, I found an interesting photo online of the string quartet standing off to the side of the TV cameras while Paul performed the song. I previously thought the strings were always prerecorded for the live performances. If I can find it again, I will gladly send you the photo. Cheers to a spectacular 2025 to you and yours.
@MsAppassionata I meant to inquire, it would appear that you are a fan of Beethoven, yes? The Appassionata is one of several favorites of mine. Do you play regularly?
@MsAppassionata I have no doubt that playing a violin takes a lot of dedication. It's generally not like a guitar or piano where you can simply play for the fun of it to pass the time. Several years ago, I bought a used CD of Beethoven piano sonatas: Pathetique, Moonlight Sonata, and, of course, Appasionata. All three were solo recordings by Vladimir Horowitz. I paid less than $5, and it was the best investment I ever made. I sure wish I could play a tenth as good as him.
@ Yes, I went to Music And Art High School and, though I wasn’t bad at it, I realized that I was not good enough to play professionally. I bought a cd similar to yours but the pianist was Rudolf Serkin. I LOVE that recording!
With regard to string accompaniment to Yesterday, perhaps it was ultimately Paul's decision to include it in the song, but I recall reading that it was the Beatles producer, George Martin, who recommended it. Long before he met the Beatles, Martin had a respected career as an arranger, composer, conductor, as well as being a producer for various artists. Martin wrote the string arrangement and presented it to Paul for consideration. Paul was initially reluctant to the concept only because it didn't align with the Beatles image of being a Rock and Roll group. Needless to say, Martin's instinct proved correct. You may want to consider reacting to another Paul song: Here There and Everywhere. It was, in fact, recorded precisely one year to the day after Yesterday. The song has an absolute beautiful melody along with some of Paul's smoothest vocal work to date. It features masterful chord transitions that enable seamless key changes that are hardly noticeable to most listeners. Lennon was typically harsh in critiquing many of McCartney's songs after the band split up, but he freely admitted that this was his favorite. The only drawback for you is that no formal music video exists for Here There and Everywhere, so it would have to be a reaction to an audio track. But please don't let that stop you. Never deprive yourself of the opportunity to enjoy great music.
@tdgallagher again, you are correct. it certainly was their producer George Martin who suggested using a string quartet along with Paul's acoustic guitar. It was not Paul's suggestion as was said in the information Steph read.
Yeah, good songs are timeless, and the reason The Beatles have endured is because of the quality of the songwriting. Back in 1965 Beatlemania and the world's fixation on The Beatles as this four-headed phenomenon was still at its peak, so it was a HUGE DEAL that one of the four was stepping out on his own. That just wasn't done back then. But kudos to them for doing what was best for the song instead of sticking to some kind of group identity formula.
@George-ux6zz Sorrym that is incorrect. The last song they would USUALLY sing at their concerts was either "LONG TALL SALLY" (A LITTLE RICHARD cover) sung by Paul, or "I"M DOWN" also sung and mostly written by Paul. BOTH songs were rockers. They never ended with "TWIST AND SHOUT" You many have been confusing it as a last song, because it IS the last song on their 1st UK album "PLEASE PLEASE ME" They usually OPENED with "TWIST and SHOUT" (which is a cover of an ISLEY BROTHERS song) When I saw them in 1966 in Cleveland when I was 19, they opened with "ROCK n' ROLL MUSIC" I saw also saw them in 1964 when I was 17, also in Cleveland and they opened with "TWIST AND SHOUT".
Loved the viddy. I just had to post this comment again You are absolutely the best the level at which you appreciate the music hints at the depth of your character and soul. I really enjoy watching you. Get into some of the older stuff. In my life an early very emotional John song. Got to get you into my life Paul perfection. I'm only sleeping A song only John could do. Pretty please Would love to see it Thank you
Paul woke up one morning having dreamed the song. He thought this had to be some standard that he had heard before but it wasn't. It was his original that came to him in a dream. It is one of the greatest songs of the 20th century about the emotional state of longing. The only other one that rises to that level in my opinion is Somewhere Over the Rainbow.✌️😎
@rainpain3655 sorry but she wouldn't have yelled the "F" word back then. It wasn't done in public situations like that. You hardly ever heard that word in public places like The Ed Sullivan Theater in 1965 I never heard anyone use it until 1968 while I was a junior in university.
harder than it seems to sing but of course its paul so its relatively easy, a song that could have been written by an older head maybe a 60 year old who has had a life. this song came to paul from a dream as he woke up he remembered it.
Paul McCartney is also my favorite Beatle and actually my favorite musician/singer of all time. I have seen Paul McCartney perform Yesterday live 5 times in my lifetime. Yesterday was the first song I ever really listened to over and over again and is probably my favorite song of all time. It got my interested in music and probably why I took up singing and guitar and bass.
Producer George Martin deserves credit for arranging and conducting the amazing string quartet. In this television appearance the string quartet track from the Abbey Road recording was played back on stage monitors. In my opinion the best version of this song is on the 2023 reissued Blue Album compilation because Giles Martin , George Martins son, was able to use Peter Jackson’s new audio software to separate individual musical elements and remix them so now the string quartet behind Paul’s voice is in amazing stereo.
When you see later videos from the period and the audiences are sitting emotionless and quiet, it's because the network's largest audiences were TV and the screams drowned out the musicians. The audiences were told to sit still and shut up or get kicked out. Nobody wanted to get kicked out of a performance of their favorite group. Yes, the girls were going crazy but the song goes deep into guys' hearts as well, because it's about a guy losing his love.
I agree with everything you said. Except I can find no reference to the audience. And a Beatles concert ever being threatened to be removed if they screamed and clapped too much or too loud. It actually was The Beatles themselves that decided they didn't want to put any live concerts on anymore. Because of the fact that they couldn't hear themselves play. Anyway, I did like your comment though and Happy New Year to you and yours.
@@bradjenkins1475 Probably never happened at a Beatles' concert, but later the audiences were warned before the show to stay quiet so as not to drown out the music. You can see the results in TV performances and crowd reaction if you watch some from the years following the Beatle's live shows. The audiences look like zombies.
McCartney was 23 years old.....lyric and music-wise not bad for that age....😊 Genius is right. If you haven't viewed "Get Back" you see how Paul just generates songs out of the air and it is amazing to watch on the Get Back sessions.
Steph: Thanks so much for your reaction to the classic Beatles song, Yesterday. My dad loved this song and, coincidentally, he passed on the same day that you posted this video. Your reaction is very much appreciated.
Hello Steph! Thank you for reacting to this song and happy New Year, dear! Hey, please listen to the original studio recording of the song "Yesterday". It is quite simply one of the most beautiful, tender songs recorded in the 20th century and you should let the original version enter your dear heart. You don't have to make a separate video or anything but just for yourself -- listen to the new Remixed version of the song, from the 2023 re-issue of the "Red" Compilation CD. That is the best version. LOVE to you, lovely Steph!
I've done so as well, but just to try keep things different, I changed the time signature a little. Really, I don't know what it's called, in termes of numvers, but it's enough to make me feel I'm not too much of a copycat wannabe. 🙂
I feel like it was performances like this, which eventually forced the Beatles to stop playing live as they could hardly hear themselves over the screaming of teenage girls. Then again there’s always a silver lining I suppose if it wasn’t for this The Beatles would’ve never been able to go into the studio and experiment and create their most psychedelic work.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Steph! After seeing this thumbnail and hearing you gush over how much you Love sir Paul, I'm now one of those guys who wishes that he was a young Paul McCartney. You are such a beauty and I love your soft voice.
I claim that Paul McCartney is the greatest musician of the 20th century - the 21st has only just begun. And I'm not just saying that as a fan. Paul is a multi-instrumentalist and plays almost all genres of music. He has even written three or four albums of his own classical music. You may not agree with me in your assessment of Paul, but in 100 years you will see that I was right. 😉
Paul talks about how Marvin Gaye, Elvis and Frank Sinatra covered the song. He says they sing "I must have said something wrong", instead of "I said something wrong". Come on. "They are not owning up!"
One other thing, and it's certainly a very minor thing. But The Beatles song yesterday is not one of the most covered songs in all of history, but rather, it is THE most covered song in history, not ine of.
Paul winked at me in 2004 in concert. I was the only one he did it to. I thought it was some chemistry thing like ”I know you, you know me” 🙂 I’m a male
'YESTERDAY' se grabó un lunes 14 de junio de 1965. ANIVERSARIO 60. Esa versión en el Show de Ed Sulivan fue el sábado 14 de agosto de 1965, al dia siguiente los Beatles dan su concierto en el Shea Stadium en NY
Just like 60 years ago. The girls like Paul but then most of the guys liked John. Since John was killed over 44 years ago Paul has had a remarkable career outside both the Beatles and Wings. Longevity means a lot.
Same recommendation to all reactors- listen to the original single (studio) version of any new song before exploring live versions. The single record is the one that made the original impact on the music world.
@phils3884 I would argue that THIS LIVE performance in Sept. 1965 is how WE in the U.S. first HEARD and SAW Paul perform it. THAT is what sold we fans here on "YESTERDAY" It sounds just as good as it does on the record. I believe Step is like me, in that she would rather see a VISUAL of Paul or all the BEATLES performing their songs than only listening to the audio. She wouldn't have become as emotional if she just heard it. I cried watching him sing it that night, he did it so beautifully. I cried this time too, watching it, because at 77 it brings back so many poignant memories of my life as a teenager and all the loved ones and family members I have lost over the years. She can always listen to the record on her own Back then we were STARVING for VISUALS of the Beatles performing. We didn't get that option here like they did in the UK and EUROPE. They were on TV all the time then.
This may be the only Beatles hit on which only one of the four performed. (Of course, a string quartet accompanied McCartney.) Generally, they all played on each track. However, there are some other songs, especially on the White Album (e.g., “Julia” and “Blackbird”), where only one of the four is performing.
It’s nice that the crowd quieted down, I know the Beatles didn’t like playing live, because there was so much screaming, couldn’t hear the songs, couldn’t hear anything but screaming
Don't forget the incredible songs by George Harrison (for example While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Here Comes the Sun, Something) or John Lennon (for example In My Life, Norwegian Wood, Strawberry Fields Forever or Imagine).
Although the melody has since been identified as perhaps not as original as some make out, it is one of the defining features of Sir Paul's work that he could grab melodies seemingly out of the air. Which is the key to genius. I don't know what his perspective is on it today. One of the issues with his current performances is that he prioritises the familiar over things he has recorded since (even quite recently). But maybe that's just a case of knowing your audience. After all, when he started out, pop stars very rarely wrote their own material.
When Paul sang Yesterday at his concerts (he stopped a few years ago for some reason) he used the same guitar he used in this video. Also, pretty kitty walking behind you .
i think this is the way Paul first intended the song to be but their producer George Martin didn't approve. On the album version there's some strings added.
I know you’ve reacted to a few Beatles songs now. So, welcome to the tip of the tip of a tip of a massive iceberg. Another primarily instrumental masterpiece by Paul is his observation on American Civil Rights in the 60s, BLACKBIRD.
Those little screaming brats robbed the world of nearly all of the live Beatles performances that could have been. However, they also gave the band the opportunity to live full time in the studio, writing all that great new music. Butterfly effect, indeed.
I have never understood this recoding because the vocal is clearly live and slightly different in places to the studio version. But it has the backing strings, which I very much doubt were live and also they don't come in from the start, so where did they come from? Was his guitar and the strings all pre recorded? - seems very unlikely. Anyone?
Please don't be in a such rush to pick a favorite Beatle until you've heard more of their songs. Good luck then 🙂P.S. And preferably without crowd squeals. Studio or album original versions are the best. Thanks and God Bless!
The Beatles are so deep in catalog - that this genius of a song gets forgotten at times!
Most covered song in history, until a bunch of lunatics try to rewrite history by erasing it on the internet. the reactors who discover this do not realize what a great service they are doing to preserve this song for all time by repeatedly exposing it to the world. I became a music teacher because of the Beatles in large part.
Paul likes to tell the story about how just prior to singing this, backstage hand says to him, 'are you nervous?' He says, 'no, not really.' Stage hand says, 'well you should be, there'll be hundreds of millions of people watching!'
Paul woke up one morning where he was staying at his girlfriend, Jane Asher's, house. He had the full melody for Yesterday in his head when he woke up. He shopped it around a lot because he couldn't believe how easy it came to him. He thought he might have accidentally plagiarized it. Similarly, he woke up from a dream, years later, about his mother, Mary, where she told him to stop worrying and just Let it Be. This is the most covered song in history, according to Guinness Book of World Records. It is also the first song of The Beatles with only one of the band members performing on it.
Yes, Paul McCartney is a genius. A real genius. Nowadays, it is often said that someone is a genius when they do something amazing, but the truth is that there are very few true geniuses in any field. In modern music of the 20th century we could count them on the fingers of one hand. Paul is one of them.
Paul is the only musician routinely referred to as Paul. Enough said.
Besides being an all-time-great song writer and singer, he was a world class bass player, who also mastered the piano, lead guitar, and drums.
There's a reason this is one of the most covered songs. Perfection.
THE most covered.
Love seeing these old clips. There are a few such clips for their early banger "Long Tall Sally", and one of them shows quite a bit of Ringo just going nuts on the drums. It's so fun. It's what they would usually close their live shows with when they played in Hamburg, Germany.
I feel very fortunate to have seen them play live in London back in the mid 1960s, and met them at music publishers Dick James Music, who set up a separate entity Northern Songs for Lennon/McCartney/Harrison. At the time I was (and in fact always was) a less than successful songwriter. Paul used to live along the road from me in Maida Vale, West London. Greetings from the UK; and ps my bday is also 2Oct - just about 60yrs difference!
Watching the video through again, and noting your comments about the girls screaming, I recall that fingers in my ears was an easy way to filter out the high pitched sound , and enabled me to clearly hear the music being played. lol
The thing about this song is that McCartney wrote it two years before it was recorded, and sat on it for all that time because he couldn't believe he had conceived of it. He believed he must have heard it somewhere else and unconsciously stolen it, that he wasn't good enough to come up with it himself. It is probably the best thing he ever did.
He didn't write it in 1963 🤣😅😂 why do people just make up lies in the comments?
@@docsavage8640 According to all officially published sources over forty years and more, McCartney carried the sing around with him for two years, thinking it couldn't possibly be original. Why do idiots accuse people of making up lies when they are plain ignorant?
Hello Steph - Happy new years! - I love your reactions and how emotional you are.
He did check with others for awhile to make sure the melody was not done already by someone else. He did not have words at 1st and the "working" lyric he had at 1st, was "scrambled eggs" before he arrived at "Yesterday". Their producer, George Martin, convinced him of using strings. Most other Beatle instrumentation like strings were a lot of Martins collaborations and he is sometimes labeled "the 5thBeatle' As one who was able to see the Beatles when they toured, I was just a male that just tried to listen to their music with much appreciation. They did perform this Live with rhythm guitar backing. You can find clips of that.
Я из России и я... ОБОЖАЮ БИТЛЗ! Это, как по мне, лучшая песня сэра Пола. Спасибо за реакцию!
Beautiful reaction, Steph. ❤️ Yes, it's really brilliant songmanship -- melody, lyrics, performance ... all top notch. And quite a departure from the normal group approach. So glad you loved it. You obviously weren't alone. 😁
He had some working lyrics called "Scrambles Eggs" and finally came up wth Yesterday. Decades later Paul admitted that the song was not so much about a break up as it was about his mother, whom he lost to cancer when he was 14. I can identify with that...when I was 38, I lost my mother to cancer. My dad and younger brother are now gone...so I tear up when hear this song, especially this Ed Sujllivan Show performance from 1965. When we watched it as kids, I remember my mom saying "That was a real good song....that guy's going to go far if he keeps that up."😂 It was only Paul , his guitar and a string quartet. In their live performnces without the strings, the song does not come off as tender as it sounds here. You were right, the girls were so mesmerized by the song...they quieted down, a RARE occurance at a Beatles performance. The power of music well written. I will soon be 69 in a few days. this song means so much more when you're older.
Sorry for your losses. Yesterday has always been my favorite song of all time. I recently lost both my identical twin brother and my favorite pet of all time, a feral cat I rescued as a kitten, within three months of each other due to cancer so this song means even more to me now as it reminds me of them. I do feel like half the man I used to be without them being in my life anymore.
yes, Steph, the story of how this song 'came to him', fully written, is amazing. It reminds me of Mozart, who would 'receive' complete symphonies, and just simply had to write them down in musical notes. The other famous and similar Beatles song of his is 'Blackbird', and much later there was another one during his solo career 'Jenny Wren' - all 3 are so magical in their haunting simplicity. And yes, Paul cannot be described other than being a genius. 🌈💖
"Let It Be" (which I think Steph has reacted to) also originated from one of Paul's dreams, though unlike the three songs you identified, that wasn't just an acoustic guitar and vocals number.
The song isn't that original. Paul must have heard it somewhere & was buried in his subconscious
"Yesterday" was the first Song I heard by the Beatles.
Emotionally, it grabbed me instantly. Something not a lot of songs can do.
Happy New Years to you too, Steph!
And obviously to anyone reading this comment, too!
I mean it's the most covered song ever
The only legend remaining from the greatest songwriting partnership in musical history. My heroes.
The most covered and famous song (apart from Happy Birthday) ever written. Even John Lennon loved it, which means a lot. This is the beginning of baroque pop and also the first Paul solo song. The other Beatles didn't participate, just a string quartet by George Martin (okay I see that you read about it as well :D). That was a total game changer in the whole popular music genre. Never seen before that one member of the band goes out on stage to sing a song by himself. Nowadays George's Here Comes the Sun is the most streamed Beatles song, but when I was in school in the early 80s THAT one was the song you knew first by the Beatles, maybe together with Help from the same album and A Hard Day's Night, Michelle, Let It Be, and Hey Jude.
Paul has such a beautiful and versatile voice, I really recommend his Royal Variety Performance of 'Till There Was You' and any live performance of 'Long Tall Sally' Like wow he can really sound like two different people.
There's just something very special about this song. There's a lot of great songs out there but this one... has something magical about it.
The clip is from the Beatles' one other visit to _The Ed Sullivan Show_ after three appearances in February 1964. They taped this along with five other songs in mid-August 1965 (shortly after the album George mentioned, _Help!,_ was released in the UK), and the set was aired mid-September. In the U.S., all songs on side 2 of the UK _Help!_ LP (including "Yesterday") that had not already appeared earlier on _Beatles VI_ were withheld for later release, so while the U.S. audience had already heard the majority of the songs the Beatles performed, they had never heard "Yesterday" before, and were thus intrigued to hear what they were being newly introduced to!
In the UK, the song was tremendously popular on the album, but was not released as a single, while in the U.S. it came out as a new single in mid-September, right around the airing of the program, and became a #1 smash. In the UK the song eventually became the title and lead-off track of an EP (a 45 with two songs on each side) in March 1966, and about a decade later finally got issued as a single, years after the group had broken up.
Emotional teardrops in your eyes talks me more than your words... Thank you for reaction, dear Stephie!
Dear Steph, you couldn't have started the new year in a better way by choosing this wonderful song combined with your important and precious presence. 🌺
Happy New Year. I remember watching this live on the Ed Sullivan Show back in the day. This song changed pop music forever. Rock on
He is still performing those songs today! Good reaction Steph!
Paul McCartney is my favorite musician. He and his fairly new band toured America in 2005 called The Space Within Us. It was a great concert, and it's on RUclips. He was fantastic!
An absolute gem of a reaction. Watching you enjoy it as much as you did nearly brought tears to my eyes. To me, your reaction is proof that you have a genuinely beautiful soul. Believe it or not, the original lyrics Paul wrote for the first verse were, "Scrambled eggs, oh my baby how I love your legs, not as much as I love scrambled eggs." Thank God he reconsidered those lines.
Not long ago, I found an interesting photo online of the string quartet standing off to the side of the TV cameras while Paul performed the song. I previously thought the strings were always prerecorded for the live performances. If I can find it again, I will gladly send you the photo.
Cheers to a spectacular 2025 to you and yours.
I had to play this in a string quartet at my Junior High School graduation. A fond memory.
@MsAppassionata I meant to inquire, it would appear that you are a fan of Beethoven, yes? The Appassionata is one of several favorites of mine. Do you play regularly?
@@tdgallagher218
No. I used to play in my youth but gave it up once I left school. And yes, I am a fan of Beethoven.
@MsAppassionata I have no doubt that playing a violin takes a lot of dedication. It's generally not like a guitar or piano where you can simply play for the fun of it to pass the time. Several years ago, I bought a used CD of Beethoven piano sonatas: Pathetique, Moonlight Sonata, and, of course, Appasionata. All three were solo recordings by Vladimir Horowitz. I paid less than $5, and it was the best investment I ever made. I sure wish I could play a tenth as good as him.
@
Yes, I went to Music And Art High School and, though I wasn’t bad at it, I realized that I was not good enough to play professionally.
I bought a cd similar to yours but the pianist was Rudolf Serkin. I LOVE that recording!
With regard to string accompaniment to Yesterday, perhaps it was ultimately Paul's decision to include it in the song, but I recall reading that it was the Beatles producer, George Martin, who recommended it. Long before he met the Beatles, Martin had a respected career as an arranger, composer, conductor, as well as being a producer for various artists. Martin wrote the string arrangement and presented it to Paul for consideration. Paul was initially reluctant to the concept only because it didn't align with the Beatles image of being a Rock and Roll group. Needless to say, Martin's instinct proved correct.
You may want to consider reacting to another Paul song: Here There and Everywhere. It was, in fact, recorded precisely one year to the day after Yesterday. The song has an absolute beautiful melody along with some of Paul's smoothest vocal work to date. It features masterful chord transitions that enable seamless key changes that are hardly noticeable to most listeners. Lennon was typically harsh in critiquing many of McCartney's songs after the band split up, but he freely admitted that this was his favorite. The only drawback for you is that no formal music video exists for Here There and Everywhere, so it would have to be a reaction to an audio track. But please don't let that stop you. Never deprive yourself of the opportunity to enjoy great music.
@tdgallagher again, you are correct. it certainly was their producer George Martin who suggested using a string quartet along with Paul's acoustic guitar. It was not Paul's suggestion as was said in the information Steph read.
I saw that in your face, Steph, tells me both times you were trying not to cry...I get it.
Yeah, good songs are timeless, and the reason The Beatles have endured is because of the quality of the songwriting. Back in 1965 Beatlemania and the world's fixation on The Beatles as this four-headed phenomenon was still at its peak, so it was a HUGE DEAL that one of the four was stepping out on his own. That just wasn't done back then. But kudos to them for doing what was best for the song instead of sticking to some kind of group identity formula.
You should listen to their song, Twist and Shout. It was the last song they would sing at every concert.
@George-ux6zz Sorrym that is incorrect. The last song they would USUALLY sing at their concerts was either "LONG TALL SALLY" (A LITTLE RICHARD cover) sung by Paul, or "I"M DOWN" also sung and mostly written by Paul. BOTH songs were rockers. They never ended with "TWIST AND SHOUT" You many have been confusing it as a last song, because it IS the last song on their 1st UK album "PLEASE PLEASE ME" They usually OPENED with "TWIST and SHOUT" (which is a cover of an ISLEY BROTHERS song) When I saw them in 1966 in Cleveland when I was 19, they opened with "ROCK n' ROLL MUSIC" I saw also saw them in 1964 when I was 17, also in Cleveland and they opened with "TWIST AND SHOUT".
Loved the viddy. I just had to post this comment again
You are absolutely the best the level at which you appreciate the music hints at the depth of your character and soul. I really enjoy watching you. Get into some of the older stuff. In my life an early very emotional John song. Got to get you into my life Paul perfection. I'm only sleeping A song only John could do.
Pretty please Would love to see it
Thank you
“Thank you, Ringo. That was wonderful.”
Paul woke up one morning having dreamed the song. He thought this had to be some standard that he had heard before but it wasn't. It was his original that came to him in a dream. It is one of the greatest songs of the 20th century about the emotional state of longing. The only other one that rises to that level in my opinion is Somewhere Over the Rainbow.✌️😎
You can hear a woman shouting STFU at other women about 10 seconds after the song starts 😂
Not all heroes wear capes
Based
@rainpain3655 sorry but she wouldn't have yelled the "F" word back then. It wasn't done in public situations like that. You hardly ever heard that word in public places like The Ed Sullivan Theater in 1965 I never heard anyone use it until 1968 while I was a junior in university.
@@PattiCrichton1:11 sounds like she's yelling QUIET, it's hard to make out.
harder than it seems to sing but of course its paul so its relatively easy, a song that could have been written by an older head maybe a 60 year old who has had a life. this song came to paul from a dream as he woke up he remembered it.
I could swear Paul was about to cry at a couple of moments while singing the song. It obviously was very heartfully written and performed!
The fact the whole crowd of screaming girls went so silent.
Most covered song in history, most played song ever on the radio.
This is my favorite Beatles song. I used to know how to play it on the guitar. Such a great song
Paul McCartney is also my favorite Beatle and actually my favorite musician/singer of all time. I have seen Paul McCartney perform Yesterday live 5 times in my lifetime. Yesterday was the first song I ever really listened to over and over again and is probably my favorite song of all time. It got my interested in music and probably why I took up singing and guitar and bass.
Just magical!
The Beatles 4EVER!!❤❤❤
i think this is the song with the most covers in the history
Bright Angel Miss Steph, thank you for all the great music and hard work you do. It's greatly appreciated. You're always as lovely as a May morning.
Y lo escucharás una y otra vez again AND again . Years And years . Beatles for ever.
Producer George Martin deserves credit for arranging and conducting the amazing string quartet. In this television appearance the string quartet track from the Abbey Road recording was played back on stage monitors. In my opinion the best version of this song is on the 2023 reissued Blue Album compilation because Giles Martin , George Martins son, was able to use Peter Jackson’s new audio software to separate individual musical elements and remix them so now the string quartet behind Paul’s voice is in amazing stereo.
A performance so amazing it got the girls to stop screaming at Paul for 2 minutes!
When you see later videos from the period and the audiences are sitting emotionless and quiet, it's because the network's largest audiences were TV and the screams drowned out the musicians. The audiences were told to sit still and shut up or get kicked out. Nobody wanted to get kicked out of a performance of their favorite group. Yes, the girls were going crazy but the song goes deep into guys' hearts as well, because it's about a guy losing his love.
I agree with everything you said. Except I can find no reference to the audience. And a Beatles concert ever being threatened to be removed if they screamed and clapped too much or too loud. It actually was The Beatles themselves that decided they didn't want to put any live concerts on anymore. Because of the fact that they couldn't hear themselves play. Anyway, I did like your comment though and Happy New Year to you and yours.
@@bradjenkins1475 Probably never happened at a Beatles' concert, but later the audiences were warned before the show to stay quiet so as not to drown out the music. You can see the results in TV performances and crowd reaction if you watch some from the years following the Beatle's live shows. The audiences look like zombies.
McCartney was 23 years old.....lyric and music-wise not bad for that age....😊 Genius is right. If you haven't viewed "Get Back" you see how Paul just generates songs out of the air and it is amazing to watch on the Get Back sessions.
Steph: Thanks so much for your reaction to the classic Beatles song, Yesterday. My dad loved this song and, coincidentally, he passed on the same day that you posted this video. Your reaction is very much appreciated.
Great way to start the year. With one of thr greatest songs ever written. Thank you
Hello Steph! Thank you for reacting to this song and happy New Year, dear! Hey, please listen to the original studio recording of the song "Yesterday". It is quite simply one of the most beautiful, tender songs recorded in the 20th century and you should let the original version enter your dear heart. You don't have to make a separate video or anything but just for yourself -- listen to the new Remixed version of the song, from the 2023 re-issue of the "Red" Compilation CD. That is the best version. LOVE to you, lovely Steph!
Such a beautiful young Lady! Great Tune! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
The gents in the audience: Great performance! Great music! The ladies in the audience: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!
60 years later and it would be# 1 today if released now.
I played this today on guitar.
I've done so as well, but just to try keep things different, I changed the time signature a little. Really, I don't know what it's called, in termes of numvers, but it's enough to make me feel I'm not too much of a copycat wannabe. 🙂
Beatlemania!! It was a world wide craze in the 1960's
the time I grew up
I feel like it was performances like this, which eventually forced the Beatles to stop playing live as they could hardly hear themselves over the screaming of teenage girls. Then again there’s always a silver lining I suppose if it wasn’t for this The Beatles would’ve never been able to go into the studio and experiment and create their most psychedelic work.
They’re relatively quiet on this song though. You can actually hear him singing.
Posiblemente una de las más bella canción ❤❤❤
It has been said that hidden in the lyrics is Paul lamenting over the death of his mother who died when he was a teenager.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Steph! After seeing this thumbnail and hearing you gush over how much you Love sir Paul, I'm now one of those guys who wishes that he was a young Paul McCartney. You are such a beauty and I love your soft voice.
I claim that Paul McCartney is the greatest musician of the 20th century - the 21st has only just begun. And I'm not just saying that as a fan. Paul is a multi-instrumentalist and plays almost all genres of music. He has even written three or four albums of his own classical music.
You may not agree with me in your assessment of Paul, but in 100 years you will see that I was right. 😉
Even though I'm now 72, I will tell you if were right.
Paul talks about how Marvin Gaye, Elvis and Frank Sinatra covered the song. He says they sing "I must have said something wrong", instead of "I said something wrong". Come on. "They are not owning up!"
One other thing, and it's certainly a very minor thing. But The Beatles song yesterday is not one of the most covered songs in all of history, but rather, it is THE most covered song in history, not ine of.
Paul is great and all but John is my favorite. Just as much a genius as Paul is
John for the early Beatles - the best rock n roll voice. Paul, for the most part, later day Beatles.
Please, react to "I’ve Got a Feeling" - The Beatles
Live in Rooftop Concert
Paul winked at me in 2004 in concert. I was the only one he did it to. I thought it was some chemistry thing like ”I know you, you know me” 🙂 I’m a male
Imagine writing this song at only 22 years old. Paul was a genius.
'YESTERDAY' se grabó un lunes 14 de junio de 1965. ANIVERSARIO 60.
Esa versión en el Show de Ed Sulivan fue el sábado 14 de agosto de 1965, al dia siguiente los Beatles dan su concierto en el Shea Stadium en NY
Just like 60 years ago. The girls like Paul but then most of the guys liked John. Since John was killed over 44 years ago Paul has had a remarkable career outside both the Beatles and Wings. Longevity means a lot.
Minha maior surpresa hoje foi perceber que você é BR! E a outra foi saber que seu favorito é o Paul! Música realmente atemporal
This is the Paul McCartney song that John Lennon always said he wished he had written. He said it was song writing genius
Same recommendation to all reactors- listen to the original single (studio) version of any new song before exploring live versions. The single record is the one that made the original impact on the music world.
@phils3884 I would argue that THIS LIVE performance in Sept. 1965 is how WE in the U.S. first HEARD and SAW Paul perform it. THAT is what sold we fans here on "YESTERDAY" It sounds just as good as it does on the record. I believe Step is like me, in that she would rather see a VISUAL of Paul or all the BEATLES performing their songs than only listening to the audio. She wouldn't have become as emotional if she just heard it. I cried watching him sing it that night, he did it so beautifully. I cried this time too, watching it, because at 77 it brings back so many poignant memories of my life as a teenager and all the loved ones and family members I have lost over the years. She can always listen to the record on her own Back then we were STARVING for VISUALS of the Beatles performing. We didn't get that option here like they did in the UK and EUROPE. They were on TV all the time then.
Take care and have an amazing day 💛
This may be the only Beatles hit on which only one of the four performed. (Of course, a string quartet accompanied McCartney.) Generally, they all played on each track. However, there are some other songs, especially on the White Album (e.g., “Julia” and “Blackbird”), where only one of the four is performing.
I don't have favorites in the band, I think they are one entity.
It’s nice that the crowd quieted down, I know the Beatles didn’t like playing live, because there was so much screaming, couldn’t hear the songs, couldn’t hear anything but screaming
True fact that McCartney's original title for Yesterday was Scrambled Eggs .
Paul built the song around “scrambled eggs” until he came up with the proper words.
@ sorry - beat you to it ! 😂
Don't forget the incredible songs by George Harrison (for example While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Here Comes the Sun, Something) or John Lennon (for example In My Life, Norwegian Wood, Strawberry Fields Forever or Imagine).
Although the melody has since been identified as perhaps not as original as some make out, it is one of the defining features of Sir Paul's work that he could grab melodies seemingly out of the air. Which is the key to genius. I don't know what his perspective is on it today. One of the issues with his current performances is that he prioritises the familiar over things he has recorded since (even quite recently). But maybe that's just a case of knowing your audience. After all, when he started out, pop stars very rarely wrote their own material.
I’m curious what you mean by the melody of “Yesterday" not being original. I’ve never heard anyone claim it came from another song.
That's the real Paul. R.I.P.
♥
Yes, you are correct. Paul is a genius. That being said, The Beatles had 3 geniuses. And a top rate, excellent drummer also.
When Paul sang Yesterday at his concerts (he stopped a few years ago for some reason) he used the same guitar he used in this video. Also, pretty kitty walking behind you .
it is a dog not a cat
THE COVER OF RAY CHARLES THE BEST
Happy New Year
You can tell who wrote the song by who is singing it
Happy New Year. You might want listen to these songs as well
Listen do want to a secret
And I love her
This boy
Steph.
ELEANOR RIGBY is your next song from the Beatles. If you liked YESTERDAY one, you'll love this one.
Keep going and enjoy the music.
Paul is my favorite, too❤
i think this is the way Paul first intended the song to be but their producer George Martin didn't approve. On the album version there's some strings added.
This is Paul’s mellow side. If you want to hear his raunchier, rawer voice check out “Long Tall Sally”, “Helter Skelter” or “Oh! Darling”.
I know you’ve reacted to a few Beatles songs now. So, welcome to the tip of the tip of a tip of a massive iceberg. Another primarily instrumental masterpiece by Paul is his observation on American Civil Rights in the 60s, BLACKBIRD.
That's not instrumental.
I love Paul ❤I’m on his text message list lol
Those little screaming brats robbed the world of nearly all of the live Beatles performances that could have been. However, they also gave the band the opportunity to live full time in the studio, writing all that great new music. Butterfly effect, indeed.
good lord this song is 60 years old
Happy new year steph
I have never understood this recoding because the vocal is clearly live and slightly different in places to the studio version. But it has the backing strings, which I very much doubt were live and also they don't come in from the start, so where did they come from? Was his guitar and the strings all pre recorded? - seems very unlikely. Anyone?
Please don't be in a such rush to pick a favorite Beatle until you've heard more of their songs. Good luck then 🙂P.S. And preferably without crowd squeals. Studio or album original versions are the best. Thanks and God Bless!
The most covered song of all time
George wrote and sang on 'Something' , which you reacted to earlier.