A5            D5 
Yesterday when I was young 
                      G5                C5 
The taste of love was sweet as rain upon my tongue; 
                   F#5                  B5 
I teased at life as if it were a foolish game 
                      E5         B+             E5 
The way the evening breeze may tease a candle flame. 
 
 
                       A5                             D5 
The thousand dreams I dreamed, the splendid things I planned-- 
                  G5                      C5 
I always built to last on weak and shifting sand; 
                     F#5                      B5 
I lived by night and shunned the naked light of day, 
               E5           B+        E5 
And only now I see how the years ran away. 
 
 
       A5            D5 
Yesterday when I was young, 
               G5                   C5 
So many happy songs were waiting to be sung, 
                A5                        B5 
So many wayward pleasures lay in store for me, 
                    E5             B+        E5 
And so much pain my dazzled eyes refused to see. 
 
 
                   A5                           D5 
I ran so fast that time and youth, at last, ran out, 
                    G5                   C5 
I never stopped to think what life was all about; 
                A5                 B5 
And ev'ry conversation I can now recall 
                      E5      B+               E5 
Concerned itself with me, and nothing else at all. 
 
 
      A5               D5 
Yesterday the moon was blue, 
                G5                       C5 
And ev'ry crazy day brought something new to do, 
                F#5                 B5 
I used my magic age as if it were a wand, 
                  E5         B+          E5 
And never saw the waste and emptiness beyond. 
 
 
                    A5                       D5 
The game of love I played with arrogance and pride, 
         G5   C5 
And ev'ry flame I lit too quickly, quickly died; 
                        F#5                    B5 
The friends I made all seemed somehow to drift away 
               E5       B+               E5 
And only I am left on stage to end the play. 
 
 
                    A5                      D5 
There are so many songs in me that won't be sung, 
                   G5                      C5 
I feel the bitter taste of tears upon my tongue; 
                          A5              B5 
The time has come for me to pay for yesterday  
(N/C/)       E5   A5   E5 
When I was young.