Flowers cut and brought inside
Black cars in a single line
Your family in suits and ties
And you're free
The ache I feel inside is where the life has left your eyes
I'm alone for our last goodbye, but you're free

I remember you like yesterday, yesterday
I still can't believe you're gone
Oh, I remember you like yesterday, yesterday
And until I'm with you, I'll carry on

Adrift on your ocean floor
I feel weightless, numb, and sore
A part of you in me is torn
And you're free
I woke from a dream last night
I dreamt that you were by my side
Reminding me I still had life in me, yeah

I remember you like yesterday, yesterday
I still can't believe you're gone
Oh, I remember you like yesterday, yesterday
And until I'm with you, I'll carry on
I'll carry on
Oh, I'll carry on

Every lament is a love song
Yesterday, yesterday
(A love song)
I still can't believe you're gone, oh
Every lament is a love song
Yesterday, yesterday
(A love song)
Oh, so long my friend, so long


Lyrics submitted by eltroyo11

Yesterdays song meanings
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25 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    Love song? I don't think so. Just recently, Switchfoot cancelled the European tour because of a family emergency of some sort, whether in the actual band or in the Switchfoot family. I'm pretty sure this song is about a death of some sort, either recently or maybe a while back before the cancellation. But anyway, this song really hits me in the heart everytime. I sometimes skip it cause I have also lost a friend in my early years and it makes me really sad (yet thankful, because it turned my life around) everytime I hear it. I really want to know who this song is about and I want to know what happened for the tour to cancel.

    Bredderson January 06, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I recently lost a friend and the first time I listened to the lyrics in this song it hit me pretty hard. It described my emotions pretty well. I too wondered what inspired them to write this song, it makes me very sad for them.

    MoreThanEternityon January 09, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    "Adrift on your ocean floor I feel weightless, numb, and sore" When you're under water just floating around it feels surreal, doesn't it? (Gravity has almost no effect and you can just float 'weightless'ly around, and if the water's cold enough it can 'numb' you.) Well with Jon singing "I still can't believe you're gone" it's still surreal to him that this person's gone . And I think those lines add great imagery and a bit of diversity to the lyrics in this song.

    Oh! Emilyon February 15, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I lost a good friend suddenly just a few days ago. The first song I listened to after I received the news was "Yesterdays." It perfectly sums up my past and current emotions over the death of my friend.
    For someone who hasn't experienced a close loss, this song is just a reminder of what happens to people all the time. And when it's you who is experiencing the loss, the song just comes alive. Kudos to Switchfoot for creating the perfect song to remember my friend with.

    nwc13on August 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    These are the clips on the website. I'm changing all these to the full songs when the CD comes out.

    eltroyo11on October 19, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    hey the tour cancellation had nothing to do with anyone's death, and everyone in their family is alright, but yes, this song IS about the death of a dear friend.

    born2xlon January 12, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song was written well before the europe tour.

    jon and tim wrote this one together and are actually coming from different experiences. and the song is about the death of a friend or family member.

    ThisSettingSunon January 15, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    what i get from this is that yeah there has been a death, but as there will be ppl who will weep over that person that has passed away they know that they are free. i believe that when Jon says free, he could have implied that that person was saved and now is living in freedom with God in his kingdom. and when Jon says "And until I’m with you, I’ll carry on" i think he implies that until he dies and meets the person in God's kingdom he will carry on with his life till that day comes.

    burreyeanton January 18, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    well if you exclude the first 3-4 lines it might as well be a love song...

    ipwnuon January 23, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song affects me, and yes, I think they experienced this in order to write it. If I really get into the lyrics, believe it or not, I begin to cry. Music is so incredibly powerful.

    ~1lb. of Obscure~on April 13, 2007   Link

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