It all started with a dream. Paul McCartney woke up with a melody playing in his head, and in a panic that it might slip away, he hurried to capture it on paper and bring it to life musically. That fleeting nocturnal inspiration would eventually become "Yesterday" — one of the most beloved songs the Beatles ever put out.

The Beatles dropped "Yesterday" as a single in August 1965, featuring it on their album Help! Paul McCartney penned the track, though it was released under the banner of the full band.

Here's where things get interesting: while Paul McCartney received the songwriting credit for the composition, the song still went out into the world as a Beatles release — a curious distinction that blurred the line between solo effort and group identity.

Topping charts on both sides of the Atlantic in the US and UK, "Yesterday" was a massive commercial triumph. Yet Paul McCartney reportedly felt a sense of embarrassment about the release, perhaps because he alone had written it. The song's legacy only grew with time, becoming one of the most covered tracks in all of recording history, with more than 2200 artists putting their own spin on it. Talk about a record-breaking achievement.

Fun Facts:

  • "Yesterday" literally came to Paul McCartney in a dream. Worried the melody would vanish from his memory, he jumped out of bed the following morning and headed straight to his piano to play it out.
  • An astonishing 2200 artists have recorded their own versions of "Yesterday."
  • Paul McCartney stands as one of the most successful solo artists and live performers in music history, measured by both records sold and concert attendance.
  • In a 1999 radio poll conducted by BBC, listeners voted "Yesterday" the best song of the 20th century.
  • The officially released recording features only Paul McCartney from the band — no other members appear on it.
  • McCartney was so convinced the melody sounded familiar that he worried he had plagiarized someone else's work. He spent the following month canvassing the music industry, searching for any existing composition that matched it.