Yesterday Once More (song)

"Yesterday Once More", written by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis, is a hit song by the Carpenters from their 1973 album Now & Then. Thematically the song concerns reminiscing about songs of a generation gone by. It segues into a long medley, consisting of eight covers of 1960s tunes incorporated into a faux oldies radio program. The work takes up the entire B-side of the album.

"Yesterday Once More"
Artwork for U.S. vinyl single
Single by Carpenters
from the album Now & Then
B-side"Road Ode"
ReleasedMay 16, 1973
Recorded1973
GenrePop
Length3:56
LabelA&M
1446
Songwriter(s)Richard Carpenter, John Bettis
Producer(s)Richard Carpenter, Karen Carpenter
Carpenters singles chronology
"Sing"
(1973)		 "Yesterday Once More"
(1973)		 "Top of the World"
(1973)

The single version of the song peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, kept from the number 1 spot by "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" by Jim Croce.[1] It was the duo's fifth number two hit and made them the act with the second-most number two hits on the chart behind Madonna. The song also peaked at number 1 on the easy listening chart, becoming their eighth number 1 on that chart in four years.[2] It is The Carpenters' biggest-selling record worldwide and their best-selling single in the UK, peaking at number 2.[3] Richard Carpenter stated, on a Japanese documentary, that it was his favorite of all the songs that he had written. He has performed an instrumental version at concerts.

According to Cash Box, on June 2, 1973, "Yesterday Once More" was the highest-debuting single at No. 71. By August 4, it had reached No. 1.[4]

Song Structure

"Yesterday Once More" is composed in the key of E major and contains the 50s progression of I-vi-IV-V, common in pop ballads from the 1950s and early 1960s and thus falling in line with the song's theme. It has a verse chorus, post chorus, and a second verse followed by a coda.

Personnel

Notable cover versions
  • Redd Kross, a rock/punk band from Hawthorne, California covered the song on the 1994 Carpenters tribute album, If I Were a Carpenter. This cover was also released as a double A-side single with Sonic Youth's cover of "Superstar" to promote the album.
  • Japanese singer/songwriter Aiko Yamaide included a cover of the song on her debut single, Smile, in 2018.
  • The Spinners covered the song as a medley with "Nothing Remains the Same" in 1981, reaching #52 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #45 Adult Contemporary.
  • Renee Cologne covered the song on her 2019 release Coverlings.
  • Claude François adapted the song in French in his 1973 album Chanson populaire, with the name Sha la la (Hier est près de moi).

Chart performance

See also

References
  1. https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1973-07-28
  2. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 47.
  3. "CARPENTERS | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
  4. Cash Box Top 100 Singles, August 4, 1973
  5. "Ultratop.be – Carpenters – Yesterday Once More" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  6. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4853." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  7. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 4863." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  8. "Italiancharts.com - Carpenters - Yesterday Once More". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  9. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Yesterday Once More". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  10. "Dutchcharts.nl – Carpenters – Yesterday Once More" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  11. Hung, Steffen. "charts.nz - Forum - 1973 Chart (General)". charts.nz. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  12. "Norwegiancharts.com – Carpenters – Yesterday Once More". VG-lista. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  13. "Carpenters: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  14. "Carpenters Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  15. "Carpenters Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  16. Steffen Hung. "Forum - Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts - 1980s (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
  17. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
  18. "Top 100 Hits of 1973/Top 100 Songs of 1973". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
  19. "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1973". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 2016-06-25.
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