For devoted fans and casual listeners alike, picking out the best song by The Beatles is a near-impossible task. Over the course of their ten-year existence, the Fab Four gifted music with some of the most well-loved compositions of all time. From the optimistic twangs of ‘Here Comes The Sun’ to the comforting words of ‘Let it Be’, their output has since dominated lists of the greatest songs of all time.
Despite facing fierce competition from the rest of their discography, ‘Yesterday’ is a solid contender for the band’s most beloved hit. Written by Paul McCartney and released on Help! in 1965, the contemplative ballad was never put out as a single in the band’s home country, but it would still go on to become one of their most famous releases.
Accompanied by a soft acoustic guitar and rousing string arrangements, the short, sorrowful song followed McCartney’s tender musings on longing and loss. It was a far cry from the singles the band did select for the record – the jangly ‘Ticket to Ride’ and the iconic ‘Help!’ – but, somehow, it would still outshadow them with time.
Over half a century later, ‘Yesterday’ has become one of the most covered songs in history, with everyone from Aretha Franklin to Billie Eilish providing their take on the melancholic track. ‘Yesterday’ may have amassed a mammoth legacy since its release, but McCartney’s bandmates were less laudatory towards his songwriting feat.
Understandably, the songwriter was particularly proud of the track, a trait which earned him mockery from his fellow Beatles. “I am proud of it,” he maintained in The Beatles Anthology, “I get made fun of because of it a bit. I remember George saying, ‘Blimey, he’s always talking about ‘Yesterday,’ you’d think he was Beethoven or somebody.’ But it is, I reckon, the most complete thing I’ve ever written.”
Alongside mocking McCartney’s admiration for his own creation, the band were also embarrassed by the track at first, seemingly believing it wasn’t cool enough to live up to their rock and roll reputation. “In fact, we didn’t release ‘Yesterday’ as a single in England at all,” McCartney recalled, “because we were a little embarrassed about it – we were a rock’n’roll band.”
Despite their initial embarrassment and the mockery of McCartney, the songwriter’s pride in ‘Yesterday’ was well-founded. Garnering chart success, critical acclaim, and covers for years to come, the melancholic album track remains just as beloved as the Beatles’ biggest rock and roll singles.
Revisit ‘Yesterday’, the Beatles hit that Paul McCartney was mocked for, below.
