The Beatles' “Yesterday” Turns 60 Today: Paul McCartney's Dream and Lessons on the on the Power of Words
Sixty years ago today, on September 13, 1965, The Beatles released “Yesterday” in the United States. It went straight to No. 1 and has since become the most recorded song in history, with over 2,200 cover versions.
But what fascinates me more than the stats is how the song came into the world.
Paul McCartney told Terry Gross in a 2001 Fresh Air interview that the melody came to him in a dream. He woke up with the tune running through his head, hurried to the piano by his bed, and played it before it slipped away.
At first, the words to the song running through McCartney’s head as he played the song were nonsense: “Scrambled eggs, oh my baby, how I love your legs.”
For months, he carried that melody around, convinced he must have stolen it.
Only later, while driving through France with Jane Asher, his long-time girlfriend, did the real words arrive: “Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away.”
That gap between melody and meaning has always stayed with me. Sometimes the music of what we feel is crystal clear, but the words fail us.
I know that from experience.
I once told a woman I loved for forty years that “truth is overrated.” In my mind, it was simple: nobody likes being told they’re fat, or old, or anything else cruel in the name of honesty.
What I meant was that kindness matters more than bluntness.
But what she heard was different. She thought I meant I wouldn’t hesitate to lie to her.
One sentence, and the meaning I intended was lost in the words that came out.
That’s what “Yesterday” captures so perfectly. McCartney never tells us what was said, only that something was spoken, something wrong, and now it can’t be unsaid. “Why she had to go, I don’t know, she wouldn’t say.”
The vagueness is the point. Each of us fills in the blank with our own story, our own regret.
Sixty years later, the song is still haunting because it isn’t about one breakup. It’s about the universal ache of wishing you could go back, not to rewrite history, but simply to catch the right words before they slip away.
That’s the enduring power of “Yesterday.” It reminds us that words matter, that they can bend meaning in ways we never intend, and that sometimes the distance between what we mean and what is heard is the real story.
The same holds true in our careers. Misunderstandings don’t just strain personal relationships; they can derail projects, weaken trust, and stall opportunities.
I’m still learning this myself, but here are five ways I’ve found to make sure my words at work are received with the meaning I intend:
Prepare, don’t wing it. Whether it’s a meeting or a one-on-one, taking a moment to choose words carefully helps prevent misspoken words and sentences.
Know your audience. What feels clear to you might sound vague, or even threatening, to a colleague, client, or boss. Tailor your message to the person or audience you’re speaking with.
Be concise. Long explanations leave room for confusion. Short, clear statements land more accurately.
Confirm understanding. Don’t just assume your message stuck. Ask questions or invite feedback to ensure you’ve been heard as intended.
Balance honesty with tact. In professional settings, truth matters, but delivery matters just as much. Frame feedback in a way that builds trust instead of eroding it.
Sixty years after McCartney’s dream, “Yesterday” still echoes because it reminds us of the power and fragility of language. At work and in life, our words are remembered long after we speak them.
Choosing them with care makes all the difference.
Source: Ken Knickerbocker/philadelphia.today
