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Yesterday When I Was Young Lyrics
Artist: Roy Clark
Album: Yesterday When I Was Young
Yesterday when I was young
the taste of life was sweet as rain upon my tongue.
I teased at life as if it were a foolish g ame,
the way the evening breeze may tease a candle fl ame.
The thousand dreams I dreamed, the splendid things I planned
I always built alas on weak and shifting sand.
I lived by night and shunned the naked light of the day
and only now I see how the years ran away.
Yesterday when I was young
so many drinking songs were waiting to be sung,
so many wayward pleasures lay in store for me
and so much pain my dazzled eyes refused to see.
I ran so fast that time and youth at last ran out,
I never stopped to think what life was all about
and every conversation I can now recall
concerned itself with me and nothing else at all.
Yesterday the moon was blue
and every crazy day brought something new to do.
I used my magic age as if itwere a wand
and never saw the waste and emptiness beyond.
The g ame of love I played with arrogance and pride
and every flame I lit too quickly quickly died.
The friedns I made all seemed somehow to drift away
and only I am left on stage to end the play.
There are so many songs in me that won't be sung,
I feel the bitter taste of tears upon my tongue.
The time has come for me to pay for yesterday when I was young.
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Roy Clark Lyrics
Roy Clark Yesterday When I Was Young Lyrics
Comments/Interpretations
Greatest song by Roy Clark and yet they always play Greyhound on the radio!
There are those who can relate to these lyrics as they may be old enough to look back at their wasted pasts and feel sorry for themselves, but there are always those who find Roy Clark's voice warm, soothing and profoundly true.
I frist heard this song in 1969 when i was 17. Back then it was just a nice song.Then life happened and i didn,t have time for music. Now i'm 56 and heard the song again It hit me like a ton of bricks it was like Roy Clark was singing about me.
Roy Clark sung this at Micky Mantle's funeral at his request so I always think about him. They had a video clip and matched the wand with his batting,etc. Great and sad video at t he same time.
I like this song.I truly love it it has a lot of messages specially to the youngsters.
Actually the first time I heard it was by the composer Charles Aznevour(sp) way back when. Roy does a pretty good job also.
I used to sing this song back in the days. Today while I was driving I started humming it for no reason at all and I got nostalgic. Thank you for free lyrics.
When I'm alone sometimes & reflective on my life , my children , the future , the words to this song always come into my heart. It grounds me to my soul & back to reality. Thank you so much for making the lyics available.
The words ofthe song and roy clarks voice brings back the sins of my youth and hit home like a jack hammer. Now that Im in the autumn of my years, I often reflect on now and then, and how lucky you become with age. but life must have regrets to have lived. Man what a trip and to know you were alwayts driving.
i always loved the song by roy clark and would like it played at my funeral as mickey mantle had.
WATED 50 YEARS TO MEET ROY CLARK. WE TALKED FOR 20 MINUTES.CHY WY THEN WENT TO HIS SHOW HE DID'T DO"MALAQUENA" OR TIPS OF MY FINGERS"
i love the songs arrangement of thought. it really reflects the life of someone who in later years of his life have realized what a wasted life he had spent. wish that all listen to this song once in a while. not only on those noise masquerading as music!
This is the reality of life. I love every word of this song that depicts one's wasted time the way he spent his life.
I'm very proud to say that I am a teenager that knows this song. I first saw on the Tenth Anniversary of Hee Haw, a favourite of mine, and I was quick in downloading it from itunes. What I like so much about it the fact that even though I am young I can still understand what Roy Clark is talking about. A truly good song should connect with people of all ages, no matter the generation. But, then again we live in the 21st century, and rap/pop/dance music seems to own the airwaves. If only music like this was still around! I wish people would just listen to the message rather then then think about how "old" and "outdated" it is. The beauty of this song is so great that I am unable to fully express how I feel about it. When I have children, I swear to hammer this song in their heads!! Ya!!
quite a few errors in the lyrics posted but the song is hauntly melodic and sings the heartstrings of too many young people today
Just beautiful. Did Roy Clark write the words & music? You can see why Mickey Mantle liked it so much. As great of a career and life that he had, his lifestyle choices certainly diminished what he could have done, besides killing him.
Cry everytime I hear this song, the memories of my dear sister.
This sounds like a type of song that someone damned to hell might sing; a woeful pean of utter repentance, known too late
I have lived this song.as a 16 year navy veteran i was away from home and my children has paid the price.I have chased the night like it was a run away light that i never was able to grasp.i am 56 years old not and wow where has the time gone.
Roy sang this song on the RFDTV oldtimer's Nsashville party last evening and I could almost hear his goodbye in it! God gave us a great talent in Roy. I was raised on the kind of country that was good from 1936 thru 1980, when true country died. I miss it!
Love the song... what a classic...thanx Roy
this song relates to all of us
A real classic sung by a real artist!! Roy Clark...a true legend. The best of the best. How fortunate I've been to have grown up when I did.
What a beautiful song. It touches the very essence of life today; not as it should be, but as it is.
When I was young, I didnt even knew what the lyrics meant. All I knew was I really admired the melody of the song. Up to now, this is one of the most unforgettable songs on my mind, from since I was young. And I'm 47 now.
Writing a story of my life, I had this song show up "accidently", how timely. I'm 67 and have been declared "terminal" 3 times. died once. I've looked and compared, and Roy's the best ever. Simply and well done.
My father is 75 yrs old now and is dying. He loved music and shared that live with me. When I was younger I recall him telling me when he died he wanted this song played at his funeral. I never forgot that request. It will be played when time comes. That song must have been written for him. Such a great song. I love you daddy.
when i hear these lyrics of a
cowboy i ask myself. All of us
who abuse the youthful age
doin crazy things. What be
come of us when we are 70.
Do we look back and smile or
just regret. Why not live right
n smile when we are 80
This song was remind me about someone who I loved but yet I know very well that we'll never apart.ni just like the Korean drama I watched with him,before I left him...;( now I miss him...
THIS SONG MAKES ME WANT TO GO BACK THRU THE YERAS WHEN REAL COUNNTRY MUSIC WAS ALIVE, THERE IS A REASON THE OLD COUNTRY WAS THE WAY IT WAS TO TOUCH PEOPLES SOUL NOT TO MAKE THEM DANCE LIKE IT IS ROCK AN D ROLL, WHY CAN'T WE HAVE OUR OLD COUNTRY MUSICE STYLE BACK... SIGN A TRUE COUNTRY GIRL
Great Song. I just saw Roy do this
on Hee Haw this past weekend...
My, My. this song touches the inner most degree of self. We are all guilty of the sins of youth...weather it be decisions we made or actions taken. I saw perform Roy sign this song last year and the audience gave a LONG and grateful standing ovation as Roy was in such discomfort he had to sit down (his back).
If only the young had the sight of the elderly when it came to looking forward in decisions and actions. There is no substitute for experience.....except to listen to the ones who have walked that way.
This song takes me back to when I was 17,young, carefree, and hopelessly in love. It lasted only 8mos,before she found someone else and was gone, but to this day I cant't stop thinking about her. That was 50 years ago!I am there in my heart.
This song very well worded and brings to me a wonderful carefree time as a youth when time itself was not a concern in the late 70's. Today, i miss my wife dearly and wished Icould have a second chance in doing things better and differently but alas this could never happen for she is no more of this world.
The search engine displayed "lyrics by Roy Clark," but they were merely a translation of the lyrics by French singer-composer Charles Aznavour, who wrote the original lyrics. I remember seeing him perform at the Concord Pavilion, in California.
Very depressing. Its great music but I hope I never hear it again
i really like this song too much..
i was rememeber that dayswhen i was young...
The writer wasted his youth on pleasure and fun; my youth had little of either; now I'm old and haven't even these memories.
Great song based loosely on Ecclesiastes 12
Give the lyrics as grad gift.
Roy Clark passed away yesterday and he will be missed by many of us. I love all his songs and "Yesterday When I Was Young" is certainly a favorite. Not many of the singers of my youth left and I do miss hearing good country music.