Yesterday Once More (song)



"Yesterday Once More", written by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis, is a hit song by the Carpenters from their 1973 album Now & Then. Composed in the key of E and as originally presented on the album, "Yesterday Once More" 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. It was the duo's fifth number two hit and made them the act with the second-most number two hits on the chart behind Madonna. The song also peaked at number 1 on the easy listening chart, becoming their eighth number 1 on that chart in four years. It is The Carpenters' biggest-selling record worldwide and their best-selling single in the UK, peaking at number 2. Richard Carpenter stated, on a Japanese documentary, that it was his favorite of all the songs that he had written. He has performed an instrumental version at concerts.

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.

Personnel

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

Notable cover versions

 * 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.
 * The Spinners covered the song as a medley with "Nothing Remains the Same" in 1981, reaching #52 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and #45 Adult Contemporary.
 * Renee Cologne covered the song on her 2019 release Coverlings.