Yesterday

Song details

Bad Religion original
Yes
First released
1985
First release
Back To The Known (ep)
Songwriter
Greg Graffin

Lyrics

Yesterday

Run, but don't be scared to look behind. Stop, don't wait too long, make up your mind. The end is almost here, the sky, the air, so nice and clear, The sound of your decay, And the ringing in the air is the screen-debris of yesterday. There, now that you know it's not so bad. See, the good things soon flow proximate. So few try to enhance, we don't deserve another chance. Just laugh along the way, And kiss your ass goodbye with a shadowed dream of yesterday. Yesterday, the good old days. Yesterday, the way we used to play. Yesterday, it just got worse and worse. Yesterday, the future's been rehearsed. Run, but don't be scared to look behind. Stop, don't wait too long, make up your mind. The end is almost here, the sky, the air, so nice and clear, The sound of your decay, And the ringing in the air is the screen-debris of yesterday. Yesterday. Yesterday.

Versions & recordings

Grouped by recording

7

First released on Live '93 · 1993

Appears on

924 Gilman St FM BroadcastBootleg · 2020View 2 versions →Hazard RadiationBootleg · 2004View 1 version →Holy SmokeBootleg · 1995View 3 versions →Flat Earth SocietyBootleg · 1995View 1 version →

Song statistics

Archive coverage at a glance

95release versions
#34

34th most featured song

80documented shows
#86

86th most played song

Live through the years

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Song Interpretations

What do you think this song is about? Share your interpretation and explain your reasoning.

2

legacy memberJul 11, 2004 · edited Date unknown
I think the song means that you should not live with your head always in the past. It also means to live and 'don't be scared to look behind.' It's about balance and keeping your feet in the present, while not forgetting the past or shunning the future.
legacy memberJul 11, 2004 · edited Date unknown
Yesterday talks about how the good ol' days weren't quite as good as we remember them. It also has a line about history repeating itself 'the future has been rehearsed.'"