Yesterday Once More (song)

"Yesterday Once More"
Artwork for U.S. vinyl single
Single by The Carpenters
from the album Now & Then
B-side	"Road Ode"
Released	May 16, 1973
Recorded	1973
Studio	A&M Studios, Los Angeles, California
Length	3:56
Label	A&M 1446
Songwriters	Richard Carpenter, John Bettis
Producers	Richard Carpenter, Karen Carpenter
The Carpenters singles chronology
"Sing" (1973) "Yesterday Once More" (1973) "Top of the World" (1973)
Official audio
"Yesterday Once More" on YouTube

"Yesterday Once More", written by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis, is a hit song by The Carpenters from their 1973 album Now & Then . Thematically the song concerns reminiscing about songs of a generation gone by. It segues into a long medley, consisting of eight covers of 1960s tunes incorporated into a faux oldies radio program. The work takes up the entire B-side of the album.

The single version of the song peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, kept from the number 1 spot by "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" by Jim Croce. ^[1] It also became The Carpenters' ninth top-ten and fifth single to reach No. 2. in the Billboard Hot 100. The song also peaked at number 1 on the easy listening chart, becoming their eighth number 1 on that chart in four years. ^[2] It is The Carpenters' biggest-selling record worldwide and their best-selling single in the UK, peaking at number 2. ^[3]

According to Cash Box , on June 2, 1973, "Yesterday Once More" was the highest-debuting single at No. 71. By August 4, it had reached No. 1. ^[4]

Richard Carpenter stated, on a Japanese documentary,^{[ when? ]} that it was his favorite of all the songs that he had written. He has performed an instrumental version at concerts.^{[ citation needed ]}

Reception

Cash Box said that the "hook will knock everyone out." ^[5]

Personnel

• Karen Carpenter – lead and backing vocals, drums
• Richard Carpenter – backing vocals, piano, Wurlitzer electronic piano, Hammond organ, orchestration
• Joe Osborn – bass guitar
• Tony Peluso – electric guitar
• Earl Dumler – English horn
• Uncredited – tambourine

Cover versions

• Japanese idol trio Candies covered the song on their 1974 album Abunai Doyōbi: Candies no Sekai . ^{[6] [7]}
• Japanese singer Yurica Nagasawa covered the song in 1995. ^[8]
• Redd Kross, a rock/punk band from Hawthorne, California covered the song on the 1994 Carpenters tribute album, If I Were a Carpenter . This cover was also released as a double A-side single with Sonic Youth's cover of "Superstar" to promote the album. It reached No. 45 on the UK Singles Chart ^[9] and No. 84 on the Australian ARIA Charts.
• The Spinners covered the song in 1981, reaching No. 52 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and No. 45 on the Adult Contemporary chart. As with many of the Spinners' records from that period, their cover of the song included an additional bridge composed by Michael Zager, "Nothing Remains the Same," and was billed as a medley.^{[ citation needed ]}
• Hong Kong singer Priscilla Chan covered the song at her 1989 farewell concert. ^[10]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1973) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report) 9 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [11] 5 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [12] 15 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [13] 1 Canada Adult Contemporary ( RPM ) [14] 1 Ireland (IRMA) [15] 8 Oricon International Singles Chart 1 Oricon (Japanese) Singles Chart 5 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [16] 7 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [17] 5 New Zealand (RMNZ) [18] 2 Norway (VG-lista) [19] 6 Quebec (ADISQ) [20] 3 UK Singles (OCC) [3] 2 US Billboard Hot 100 [21] 2 US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [22] 1 US Cash Box Top 100 1 US Cashbox Radio Active Airplay Singles 1 West Germany (Official German Charts) [23] 21

Year-end charts Chart (1973) Rank Australia (Kent Music Report) [24] 65 Belgium (Ultratop Flanders) [25] 54 Canada Top Singles (RPM) [26] 23 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [27] 60 Netherlands (Single Top 100) [28] 63 US Billboard Hot 100 [29] 70 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) [30] 10 US Cash Box [31] 43

Certifications

Sales and certifications for Yesterday Once More

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Japan	—	600,000 [32]
United Kingdom (BPI) [33]	Silver	354,000 [34]
United States (RIAA) [35]	Gold	1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

• List of Billboard Easy Listening number ones of 1973
• List of number-one singles of 1973 (Canada)

References

1. "The Hot 100 Chart". Billboard .
2. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001. Record Research. p. 47.
3. "Carpenters Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
4. Cash Box Top 100 Singles, August 4, 1973
5. "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. June 2, 1973. p. 12. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
6. "危い土曜日/キャンディーズの世界 - キャンディーズ". Oricon . Archived from the original on November 26, 2023. Retrieved November 26, 2023. 9. イエスタディ・ワンス・モア (1991 CD reissue of 1974 vinyl Abunai Doyōbi: Candies no Sekai album)
7. "キャンディーズ". Idol.ne.jp. December 24, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2023. 『危い土曜日／キャンディーズの世界』 CBS/Sony LP:SOLL-72　74.06.21 (June 21, 1974)... 3.イエスタディ・ワンス・モア　Richard Carpenter・John Bettis／Richard Carpenter・John Bettis／竜崎孝路
8. "Dakishimete yo / Yurica Nagasawa". vgmdb. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
9. "Redd Kross | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts .
10. "Yesterday Once More（昨日重现）陈慧娴89告别演唱会版本_哔哩哔哩_bilibili". Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2025.
11. "Carpenters – Yesterday Once More" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
12. "Carpenters – Yesterday Once More" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
13. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4853". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
14. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 4863". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Yesterday Once More". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
16. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 32, 1973" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
17. "Carpenters – Yesterday Once More" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
18. Hung, Steffen. "charts.nz – Forum – 1973 Chart (General)". charts.nz. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
19. "Carpenters – Yesterday Once More". VG-lista. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
20. "Palmarès de la chanson anglophone et allophone au Québec" (PDF) (in French). BAnQ. June 23, 1973. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 29, 2015. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
21. "Carpenters Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard . Retrieved September 20, 2017.
22. "Carpenters Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard . Retrieved September 20, 2017.
23. "Italiancharts.com – Carpenters – Yesterday Once More". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
24. Steffen Hung. "Forum – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
25. "Jaaroverzichten 1973". Ultratop. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
26. "RPM Top 100 Singles of '73 - December 29, 1973" (PDF).
27. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1973". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
28. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1973". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
29. "Top 100 Hits of 1973/Top 100 Songs of 1973". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
30. "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 1973". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
31. "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1973". Cashbox Magazine . Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
32. Murrells, Joseph (1985). Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s : an illustrated directory. Arco Pub. p. 361. ISBN   0668064595. In addition to the U.S.A. million-plus sale, it sold well over 250,000 in Britain and over 600,000 in Japan by mid-1974
33. "British single certifications – Carpenters – Yesterday Once More". British Phonographic Industry.
34. "From the Music Capitals of the World - London" (PDF). Billboard. October 20, 1973. p. 60. Retrieved April 22, 2023– via American Radio History.
35. "American single certifications – Carpenters – Yesterday Once More". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved April 21, 2023.