‘I wish I'd never said that’ - Paul McCartney reveals sad real-life meaning behind Yesterday lyrics

Virgin Radio

26 Feb 2024, 14:39

It’s one of the most beloved songs ever, but if you think you know what The Beatles’ classic Yesterday is about, you probably don’t know the full story.

Whilst the song is ostensibly about a break-up, and many music-lovers would assume the lyric “I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday”, relates to the end of a relationship, Paul McCartney has revealed that it was subconsciously inspired by something else.

Speaking about the lyric on his A Life in Lyrics podcast, the songwriter said: “Sometimes it’s only in retrospect you can appreciate it. I remember very clearly one day feeling very embarrassed because I embarrassed my mum.

“We were out in the backyard and she talked posh. She was of Irish origin and she was a nurse, so she was above street level.

“So she had something sort of going for her, and she would talk what we thought was a little bit posh. And it was a little bit Welshy as well.”

He continued: “I know that she said something like ‘Paul, will you ask him if he’s going … ’

“I went ‘Arsk! Arsk! It’s ‘ask’ mum.’ And she got a little bit embarrassed. I remember later thinking ‘God, I wish I’d never said that’. And it stuck with me. After she died I thought ‘Oh f***, I really wish…’”

Yesterday was written by McCartney and recorded in 1965, nine years after the death of his mother. It featured on The Beatles’ album Help, and has been covered over 2000 times by other artists, making it one of the most covered songs in the history of recorded music. 

In related news, it turns out that James Bond and American Beauty director Sam Mendes will direct four feature films based on the life stories of The Fab Four. Read all about it.