Yesterday Man

Last updated
"Yesterday Man"
Yesterday Man - Chris Andrews.jpg
Single by Chris Andrews
B-side "Too Bad You Don't Want Me"
Released17 September 1965
Genre
Length2'20"
Label Decca F11536
Songwriter Chris Andrews
Producer Ken Woodman
Chris Andrews singles chronology
"Someone's Taken Maria Away"
(6.1965)		"Yesterday Man"
(1965)		"To Whom It Concerns"
(11.1965)
Performance video
"Yesterday Man" on Beat Club on YouTube

"Yesterday Man" is a song written by Chris Andrews and was his first single as a solo singer, released on 17 September 1965. [1] [2] It climbed to No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart, [3] and No. 1 in Ireland, [4] , Germany, [5] and Austria. [6] In England it sold 20,000 copies in its first day. [7] After a visit to England in September 1965, Jerry Wexler made a deal for Atco Records to release the single in the United States. [8] In the US, it reached No. 94 in 1966. [9] The Cash Box trade paper reported in its 5 February 1966 issue that it had passed 300,000 sales in Germany alone, and later over 800,000 as a final tally in that country (28 May 1966). Additionally, Andrews was awarded a silver disc for 250,000 sales of the single in the UK. [10]

Contents

Reception

In a contemporary review of the song, the Evening Sentinel wrote how: "Why write hits for Adam and Sandie all the time? says Andrews and sounds quite good on his own", further deeming it to be "Blue-beatish and good." [11] In 2014, Spin included the song in their list of "25 Major Moments in White Reggae History"; in the accompanying write-up, writer Chris Martins deemed it "the birth of White Reggae" and highlighted how the song "made [Andrews'] heart pitter and patter to an island riddim". [12] Mario Villanueva of The Greenville News included the song in a list of twelve exemplary "cod-reggae" songs. [13]

Reggae Mint of UDiscover Music wrote that the "ska-styled solo hit" was a musical predecessor to the Beatles' song "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" (1968). [14] Andrews' brass-heavy hit was also a partial inspiration for the oom-pah arrangement written by Johnny Marr for the Smiths' song "Frankly Mr. Shankly" (1986). [15]

A German-language version was also recorded. [16] Named "Alles tuʼ ich für dich", it was released on the label Deutsche Vogue. [7]

Robert Wyatt version

In 1974, the song was covered by Robert Wyatt (with production by Nick Mason) as the follow-up to his hit with Neil Diamond's "I'm a Believer" (released on Virgin Records). [17] However, it was never officially released, due to Virgin head Richard Branson deeming the version "a bit too gloomy". [18] In 1992, Wyatt recalled: "I did 'Yesterday Man', a major-key, upbeat, jolly pseudo-reggae thing. I bent all the chords out of shape and did the whole thing kind of sideways. And I was so happy with that. They said, 'We're not putting this out. It's too lugubrious.' I thought, 'That must be good,' but I got a dictionary, and it's not." [19] [20]

According to Wyatt in an interview with Uncut , "We never pretended to be reggae but it was obviously influenced by that feel, which was very much the heartbeat of London around that time." [21] Richard Cook of Mojo deemed the Wyatt version to be "heartbreakingly desolate and a complete antithesis to Chris Andrew's original". [22] Charles Shaar Murray of NME wrote: "Where Andrews' original was aggressively petulant, Wyatt's is wistfully surreal", noting that the musician performs the song "on assorted bits of percussion (including a bass-drum whomped by hand) and what sounds like a harmonium, but plays around the beat while the main rhythmic push comes from Windo and Feza." [23]

Chart performance

References

  1. ↑ "Chris Writes Two More - For Himself" (PDF). Beat Instrumental . No. 10. October 1965. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2025– via WorldRadioHistory.
  2. ↑ "Stones, Chris Andrews Win Silver Discs" (PDF). Disc Weekly . 13 November 1965. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2025– via WorldRadioHistory.
  3. 1 2 "Yesterday Man by Chris Andrews". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 8 December 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  4. 1 2 Gogan, Larry. "Yesterday Man". Irish Singles Chart. Archived from the original on 26 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Yesterday Man" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Chris Andrews - Yesterday Man" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Archived from the original on 26 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  7. 1 2 Andreson, Omer (11 December 1965). "Music Capitals of the World". Billboard. Vol. 77, no. 50. p. 28. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  8. ↑ "Atl. to Release Andrews' Hit". Billboard. Vol. 77, no. 44. 30 October 1965. p. 6. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  9. 1 2 Anon. (1 January 1966). "Hot 100" (PDF). Billboard . p. 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 October 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026– via WorldRadioHistory.
  10. ↑ "Stones, Chris Andrews Win Silver Discs" (PDF). Disc Weekly . 13 November 1965. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2025– via WorldRadioHistory.
  11. ↑ Farmer, Bob (2 October 1965). "The Groove". Evening Sentinel: 4. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  12. ↑ Martins, Chris (19 December 2014). "Rude Awakening: 25 Major Moments in White Reggae History". Spin. p. 2. Archived from the original on 27 January 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2022. Behold, the birth of White Reggae. This young, kempt Caucasian was writing songs for the likes of future Moz fave Sandie Shaw and American upstarts the Mamas & the Papas when he composed this number that made his English heart pitter and patter to an island riddim. "Yesterday Man" hit No. 3 in the U.K., despite the confusion written on the faces of all those pale folks above, and their general lack of groove.
  13. ↑ Villanueva, Mario (17 April 2007). "Mix of the Week". The Greenville News: 75. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  14. ↑ Mint, Reggae (July 2022). "One Love: How Reggae Music Inspired The World". uDiscoverMusic. Retrieved 1 December 2022. ...in terms of musical style, "Oh-Bla-Di, Oh-Bla-Da" was similar to "Yesterday Man," the 1965 ska-styled solo hit by Chris Andrews, the musical brains behind Sandie Shaw's career.
  15. ↑ Rogan, Johnny (2012). "The Queen Is Dead". Morrissey & Marr: The Severed Alliance. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN   9780857127822 . Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  16. ↑ Hutchins, Chris (30 October 1965). "Music Capitals of the World". Billboard. Vol. 77, no. 44. p. 24. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  17. ↑ "Robert Wyatt - Solo". Disco-robertwyatt.com. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  18. ↑ Aston, Martin (October 1991). "Robert Wyatt". Q. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  19. ↑ Randall, Mac (August 1992). "Robert Wyatt & Bill Nelson: Tough Guys Don't Dance". Musician.
  20. ↑ Yesterday Man on YouTube
  21. ↑ Pinnock, Tom (27 January 2017). "Robert Wyatt and Nick Mason on 'I'm A Believer': "We made our own rules and did what we liked"". Uncut. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  22. ↑ Cook, Richard (August 1994). "Robert Wyatt: Going Back A Bit – A Little History of Robert Wyatt (Virgin)". Mojo. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  23. ↑ Murray, Charles Shaar (26 October 1974). "I Played Robert Wyatt At 78rpm And Saw God". NME. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  24. ↑ Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australia: Australian Chart Book. p. 76. ISBN   0-646-44439-5.
  25. ↑ "Chris Andrews – Yesterday Man" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Archived from the original on 26 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  26. ↑ "Chris Andrews– Yesterday Man" (in French). Ultratop 50. Archived from the original on 26 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  27. ↑ Anon. (31 January 1966). "R. P. M. Play Sheet" (PDF). RPM . p. 5. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026– via WorldRadioHistory.
  28. ↑ Anon. (15 January 1966). "Denmark's Best Sellers" (PDF). Cash Box . p. 51. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 November 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026– via WorldRadioHistory.
  29. ↑ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN   978-951-31-2503-5.
  30. ↑ "Accès direct à ces Artistes: Salvatore Adamo - Richard Anthony - Hugues Aufray - Charles Aznavour" [Access directly to Artists: Salvatore Adamo - Richard Anthony - Hugues Aufray - Charles Aznavour]. Infodisc. SNEP. Archived from the original on 13 November 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  31. ↑ Anon. (29 January 1966). "Hits Of The World" (PDF). Billboard . p. 32. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 December 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2026– via WorldRadioHistory.
  32. ↑ "Yesterday Man" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Archived from the original on 13 November 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  33. ↑ "Chris Andrews - Yesterday Man" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Archived from the original on 26 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  34. ↑ Tempest, John (27 January 1966). "Lever Hit Parade". Flavour of New Zealand. New Zealand Listener. Archived from the original on 6 February 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  35. ↑ "Yesterday Man" (in Norwegian). VG-Lista. Archived from the original on 8 January 2026. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  36. ↑ "SA Charts 1965 – 1989: Acts A". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Springbok Radio. 2000. Archived from the original on 27 July 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  37. ↑ Hallberg, Eric (1993). Eric Hallberg presenterar Kvällstoppen i P3[Eric Hallberg Presents Kvällstoppen on P3] (in Swedish) (1st ed.). Sweden: Drift. p. 78. ISBN   9-789-16-302-14-04. OCLC   186244613.
  38. ↑ Hallberg, Eric; Henningsson, Ulf (2012). Tio i Topp - med de utslagna "på försök" 1961–74[Tio I Topp With The Eliminated On Try 1961–1974] (in Swedish) (2nd ed.). Sweden: Premium. p. 446. ISBN   978-91-89136-89-2. OCLC   939611828.
  39. ↑ Anon. (15 January 1966). "Hits Of The World" (PDF). Billboard . p. 24. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 December 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2026– via WorldRadioHistory.
  40. ↑ Kimberley, C (2000). Zimbabwe: Singles Chart Book. Zimbabwe. p. 55. OCLC   499262382.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  41. ↑ Anon. (13 November 1965). "Disc Weekly Top 30" (PDF). Disc Weekly . p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 December 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2026– via WorldRadioHistory.
  42. ↑ Anon. (13 November 1965). "Pop 50". Melody Maker . p. 2.
  43. ↑ Anon. (29 October 1965). "NME Top Thirty" (PDF). New Musical Express . p. 5. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 January 2026. Retrieved 8 January 2026– via WorldRadioHistory.
  44. ↑ Anon. (22 January 1966). "Cash Box Top 100" (PDF). Cash Box . p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 December 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026– via WorldRadioHistory.
  45. ↑ Anon. (22 January 1966). "100 Top Pops" (PDF). Record World . p. 17. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 November 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026– via WorldRadioHistory.
  46. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1967" [Year Overview 1967] (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Archived from the original on 27 June 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  47. ↑ Anon. (5 January 1966). "Top 100 best-selling singles of 1965". Record Retailer . p. 11.
  48. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1966" [Year-end hit parade singles 1966] (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Archived from the original on 30 November 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  49. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1966" [Year Overview 1966] (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Archived from the original on 28 December 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  50. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1966" [Top 100 Annual Review of 1966] (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Archived from the original on 23 August 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  51. ↑ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1966". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Springbok Radio. September 2000. Archived from the original on 12 November 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  52. ↑ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts 1966" [Top 100 Singles Year Charts 1966] (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Archived from the original on 4 September 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
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