[Strophe]
      Gm             C 
Yesterday when I was young 
                      F                     Bb 
The taste of life was sweet as rain upon my tongue 
                       Gm                A 
I teased at life as if it were a foolish game 
                    Dm 
The way the evening breeze may tease a candle flame.
[Strophe]
                      Gm                             C 
The thousand dreams I dreamed, the splendid things I planned 
                 F                         Bb 
I always built, alas, on weak and shifting sand 
                     Gm                         A 
I lived by night and shunned the naked light of day 
               Dm 
And only now I see how the years ran away
[Refrain]
      Bb              C 
Yesterday, when I was young 
                 F                        Bb 
So many drinking songs were waiting to be sung 
                Gm                         A 
So many wayward pleasures lay in store for me 
                    Dm 
And so much pain my dazzled eyes refused to see 
                   Bb                         C 
I ran so fast that time and youth at last ran out 
                   F                       Bb 
I never stopped to think what life was all about 
                Gm                 A 
And every conversation I can now recall 
                      Dm 
Concerned itself with me, me and nothing else at all.
[Strophe]
      Gm               C 
Yesterday the moon was blue 
                F                            Bb 
And every crazy day brought something new to do 
                Gm                  A 
I used my magic age as if it were a wand 
                  Dm 
And never saw the waste and emptiness beyond.
[Strophe]
    Dm             Gm                        C 
The game of love I played with arrogance and pride 
                  F                        Bb 
And every flame I lit too quickly, quickly died. 
                       Gm                       A 
The friends I made all seemed somehow to drift away 
              Dm 
And only I am left on stage to end the play.
[Outro]
                  Bb                        C 
There are so many songs in me that won't be sung 
                  F                      Bb 
I feel the bitter taste of tears upon my tongue 
                      Gm                  A 
The time has come for me to pay for yesterday 
             Dm 
When I was...young 
A 
Young 
Dm 
Young