Yesterdays

By Jerome Kern & Otto Harbach
1933

One of several hits to emerge from Kern & Harbach's Broadway smash Roberta. With its roots in Kern's operetta background, the song was introduced on stage by Fay Templeton (pictured), once a beloved young starlet of the 19th century who was now at the end of her career. The first recording of the tune was by Leo Reisman's orchestra (vocal by Frank Luther). It would also be included in the 1935 film version of the show.

Lyrics:

Yesterdays, yesterdays,
Days are new as happy sweet
Sequestered days.

Olden days,
Golden days,
Days of mad romance and love.

Then gay youth was mine.
Truth was mine,
Joyous be, and flaming life,
And sooth was mine.

Sad am I,
Glad am I,
For today I'm dreaming of
Yesterdays.

Recorded By:

Billie Holiday
Ella Fitzgerald
Frank Sinatra
Buddy Rich & Max Roach
Charles Mingus