Yesterday
by The Beatles
🌟 Must-Learn Songs
Difficulty
★★★☆☆
Tuning
Standard
Capo
None
Paul McCartney's timeless 1965 ballad is the most covered song in recorded music history, featuring a beautifully melancholic melody over sophisticated chord changes that move through F major with poignant descending bass lines like Dm-Dm/C-Bb and chromatic passing chords like Em7 and A7. This fingerpicking arrangement captures both the vocal melody on the upper strings and the harmonic richness of the original string quartet accompaniment, making it an essential study in combining melody and harmony on a single guitar.
[Intro - Melody Statement]
(Standard tuning, no capo)
F
e|---1-------1-------1-------1---------|
B|-----1-------1-------1-------1-------|
G|---2---2-------2-------2-------2-----|
D|-3-------3-------3-------3-------3---|
A|---------3-------3-------3-----------|
E|-1-------1-------1-------1-----------|
Em7 A7
e|---0-------0---------|---0-------0-------|
B|-----3-------3-------|-----2-------2-----|
G|---0---0-------0-----|---0---0-------0---|
D|-2-------2-------2---|-2-------2-------2-|
A|---------------------|---0-------0-------|
E|-0-------0-------0---|-------------------|
Dm Dm/C Bb C7
e|---1---------|---1------|---1------|---0------|
B|-----3-------|-----3----|-----3----|-----1----|
G|---2---2-----|---2---2--|---3---3--|---3---3--|
D|-0-------0---|-0--------|-3--------|-2--------|
A|-------------|---3------|-1--------|---3------|
E|-------------|----------|----------|----------|
F
e|---1-----------1~-----------------------|
B|-----1-----------1~--------------------|
G|---2---2-----------2~-------------------|
D|-3-------3-----------3~-----------------|
A|-------------------------------------------|
E|-1-----------------------------------------|
[Verse 1]
"Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away..."
F Em7 A7
e|---1-------1---------|---0------|---0------|
B|-----1-------1-------|-----3----|-----2----|
G|---2---2-------2-----|---0---0--|---0---0--|
D|-3-------3-------3---|-2--------|-2--------|
A|---------------------|----------|-0--------|
E|-1-------1-------1---|-0--------|----------|
"Now it looks as though they\'re here to stay..."
Dm Dm/C Bb C7
e|---1---------|---1------|---1------|---0------|
B|-----3-------|-----3----|-----3----|-----1----|
G|---2---2-----|---2---2--|---3---3--|---3---3--|
D|-0-------0---|-0--------|-3--------|-2--------|
A|-------------|---3------|-1--------|---3------|
E|-------------|----------|----------|----------|
"Oh, I believe in yesterday..."
F F
e|---1-------1-------1------------|---1---------|
B|-----1-------1-------1----------|-----1-------|
G|---2---2-------2-------2--------|---2---2-----|
D|-3-------3-------3-------3------|-3-------3---|
A|---------------------------------|-------------|
E|-1-------1-------1-------1------|-1-----------|
[Verse 2]
"Suddenly, I\'m not half the man I used to be..."
F Em7 A7
e|---1-------1---------|---0------|---0------|
B|-----1-------1-------|-----3----|-----2----|
G|---2---2-------2-----|---0---0--|---0---0--|
D|-3-------3-------3---|-2--------|-2--------|
A|---------------------|----------|-0--------|
E|-1-------1-------1---|-0--------|----------|
"There\'s a shadow hanging over me..."
Dm Dm/C Bb C7
e|---1---------|---1------|---1------|---0------|
B|-----3-------|-----3----|-----3----|-----1----|
G|---2---2-----|---2---2--|---3---3--|---3---3--|
D|-0-------0---|-0--------|-3--------|-2--------|
A|-------------|---3------|-1--------|---3------|
E|-------------|----------|----------|----------|
"Oh, yesterday came suddenly..."
F F
e|---1-------1-------1------------|---1---------|
B|-----1-------1-------1----------|-----1-------|
G|---2---2-------2-------2--------|---2---2-----|
D|-3-------3-------3-------3------|-3-------3---|
A|---------------------------------|-------------|
E|-1-------1-------1-------1------|-1-----------|
[Bridge 1]
"Why she had to go..."
Dm G7 Bb F
e|---1---------|---1------|---1------|---1------|
B|-----3-------|-----0----|-----3----|-----1----|
G|---2---2-----|---0---0--|---3---3--|---2---2--|
D|-0-------0---|-0--------|-3--------|-3--------|
A|-------------|----------|---1------|-----------|
E|-------------|---3------|---------|-1--------|
"I don\'t know, she wouldn\'t say..."
Dm G7 Bb F
e|---1---------|---1------|---1------|---1------|
B|-----3-------|-----0----|-----3----|-----1----|
G|---2---2-----|---0---0--|---3---3--|---2---2--|
D|-0-------0---|-0--------|-3--------|-3--------|
A|-------------|----------|---1------|-----------|
E|-------------|---3------|---------|-1--------|
"I said something wrong..."
A7 Dm
e|---0-------0-------0---|---1-------1---------|
B|-----2-------2---------|-----3-------3-------|
G|---0---0-------0-------|---2---2-------2-----|
D|-2-------2-------2-----|-0-------0-------0---|
A|-0-------0-------0-----|---------------------|
E|------------------------|---------------------|
"Now I long for yesterday..."
Dm/C Bb C7 F
e|---1---------|---1------|---0------|---1------|
B|-----3-------|-----3----|-----1----|-----1----|
G|---2---2-----|---3---3--|---3---3--|---2---2--|
D|-0-----------|-3--------|-2--------|-3--------|
A|---3---------|-1--------|---3------|-----------|
E|-------------|----------|----------|-1--------|
[Verse 3]
"Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play..."
F Em7 A7
e|---1-------1---------|---0------|---0------|
B|-----1-------1-------|-----3----|-----2----|
G|---2---2-------2-----|---0---0--|---0---0--|
D|-3-------3-------3---|-2--------|-2--------|
A|---------------------|----------|-0--------|
E|-1-------1-------1---|-0--------|----------|
"Now I need a place to hide away..."
Dm Dm/C Bb C7
e|---1---------|---1------|---1------|---0------|
B|-----3-------|-----3----|-----3----|-----1----|
G|---2---2-----|---2---2--|---3---3--|---3---3--|
D|-0-------0---|-0--------|-3--------|-2--------|
A|-------------|---3------|-1--------|---3------|
E|-------------|----------|----------|----------|
"Oh, I believe in yesterday..."
F F
e|---1-------1-------1------------|---1---------|
B|-----1-------1-------1----------|-----1-------|
G|---2---2-------2-------2--------|---2---2-----|
D|-3-------3-------3-------3------|-3-------3---|
A|---------------------------------|-------------|
E|-1-------1-------1-------1------|-1-----------|
[Bridge 2]
"Why she had to go..."
Dm G7 Bb F
e|---1---------|---1------|---1------|---1------|
B|-----3-------|-----0----|-----3----|-----1----|
G|---2---2-----|---0---0--|---3---3--|---2---2--|
D|-0-------0---|-0--------|-3--------|-3--------|
A|-------------|----------|---1------|-----------|
E|-------------|---3------|---------|-1--------|
"I don\'t know, she wouldn\'t say..."
Dm G7 Bb F
e|---1---------|---1------|---1------|---1------|
B|-----3-------|-----0----|-----3----|-----1----|
G|---2---2-----|---0---0--|---3---3--|---2---2--|
D|-0-------0---|-0--------|-3--------|-3--------|
A|-------------|----------|---1------|-----------|
E|-------------|---3------|---------|-1--------|
"I said something wrong..."
A7 Dm
e|---0-------0-------0---|---1-------1---------|
B|-----2-------2---------|-----3-------3-------|
G|---0---0-------0-------|---2---2-------2-----|
D|-2-------2-------2-----|-0-------0-------0---|
A|-0-------0-------0-----|---------------------|
E|------------------------|---------------------|
"Now I long for yesterday..."
Dm/C Bb C7 F
e|---1---------|---1------|---0------|---1------|
B|-----3-------|-----3----|-----1----|-----1----|
G|---2---2-----|---3---3--|---3---3--|---2---2--|
D|-0-----------|-3--------|-2--------|-3--------|
A|---3---------|-1--------|---3------|-----------|
E|-------------|----------|----------|-1--------|
[Verse 4]
"Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play..."
F Em7 A7
e|---1-------1---------|---0------|---0------|
B|-----1-------1-------|-----3----|-----2----|
G|---2---2-------2-----|---0---0--|---0---0--|
D|-3-------3-------3---|-2--------|-2--------|
A|---------------------|----------|-0--------|
E|-1-------1-------1---|-0--------|----------|
"Now I need a place to hide away..."
Dm Dm/C Bb C7
e|---1---------|---1------|---1------|---0------|
B|-----3-------|-----3----|-----3----|-----1----|
G|---2---2-----|---2---2--|---3---3--|---3---3--|
D|-0-------0---|-0--------|-3--------|-2--------|
A|-------------|---3------|-1--------|---3------|
E|-------------|----------|----------|----------|
"Oh, I believe in yesterday..."
F F
e|---1-------1-------1------------|---1---------|
B|-----1-------1-------1----------|-----1-------|
G|---2---2-------2-------2--------|---2---2-----|
D|-3-------3-------3-------3------|-3-------3---|
A|---------------------------------|-------------|
E|-1-------1-------1-------1------|-1-----------|
[Instrumental Break - Melody on High Strings]
(Play the vocal melody as single notes)
F Em7 A7
e|---5--5--5---3--1---------|---0-----|---0--1---|
B|------------------3--1----|-----0---|------0---|
G|--------------------------|---0-----|---0------|
D|--------------------------|---2-----|---2------|
A|--------------------------|---------|---0------|
E|-1------------------------|-0-------|----------|
Dm Dm/C Bb C7
e|---3--1------|---1--0----|---1------|---0------|
B|--------3----|-----------|-----3----|-----1----|
G|---2---------|---2-------|---3---3--|---3---3--|
D|-0-----------|-0---------|-3--------|-2--------|
A|-------------|---3-------|-1--------|---3------|
E|-------------|-----------|----------|----------|
F
e|---1--3--1--0-------0---1~------------------|
B|---------------1h3-----1~------------------|
G|---------------------------2~---------------|
D|---------------------------3~---------------|
A|-------------------------------------------|
E|-1-----------------------------------------|
[Bridge 3 - With Melodic Fills]
"Why she had to go..."
Dm G7 Bb F
e|---1---3--1----|---1------|---1------|---1------|
B|-----3---------|-----0----|-----3----|-----1----|
G|---2-------2---|---0---0--|---3---3--|---2---2--|
D|-0-------0-----|-0--------|-3--------|-3--------|
A|---------------|----------|---1------|-----------|
E|---------------|---3------|---------|-1--------|
"I don\'t know, she wouldn\'t say..."
Dm G7 Bb F
e|---1---3--1----|---1------|---1------|---1------|
B|-----3---------|-----0----|-----3----|-----1----|
G|---2-------2---|---0---0--|---3---3--|---2---2--|
D|-0-------0-----|-0--------|-3--------|-3--------|
A|---------------|----------|---1------|-----------|
E|---------------|---3------|---------|-1--------|
"I said something wrong..."
A7 Dm
e|---0-------0-------0---|---1-------1---------|
B|-----2-------2---------|-----3-------3-------|
G|---0---0-------0-------|---2---2-------2-----|
D|-2-------2-------2-----|-0-------0-------0---|
A|-0-------0-------0-----|---------------------|
E|------------------------|---------------------|
"Now I long for yesterday..."
Dm/C Bb C7 F
e|---1---------|---1------|---0------|---1------|
B|-----3-------|-----3----|-----1----|-----1----|
G|---2---2-----|---3---3--|---3---3--|---2---2--|
D|-0-----------|-3--------|-2--------|-3--------|
A|---3---------|-1--------|---3------|-----------|
E|-------------|----------|----------|-1--------|
[Verse 5 - Final Verse]
"Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away..."
F Em7 A7
e|---1-------1---------|---0------|---0------|
B|-----1-------1-------|-----3----|-----2----|
G|---2---2-------2-----|---0---0--|---0---0--|
D|-3-------3-------3---|-2--------|-2--------|
A|---------------------|----------|-0--------|
E|-1-------1-------1---|-0--------|----------|
"Now it looks as though they\'re here to stay..."
Dm Dm/C Bb C7
e|---1---------|---1------|---1------|---0------|
B|-----3-------|-----3----|-----3----|-----1----|
G|---2---2-----|---2---2--|---3---3--|---3---3--|
D|-0-------0---|-0--------|-3--------|-2--------|
A|-------------|---3------|-1--------|---3------|
E|-------------|----------|----------|----------|
"Oh, I believe in yesterday..."
F F
e|---1-------1-------1------------|---1---------|
B|-----1-------1-------1----------|-----1-------|
G|---2---2-------2-------2--------|---2---2-----|
D|-3-------3-------3-------3------|-3-------3---|
A|---------------------------------|-------------|
E|-1-------1-------1-------1------|-1-----------|
[Outro - Gentle Humming]
(Softly, with feeling - slowing down)
Dm Dm/C Bb C7
e|---1---------|---1------|---1------|---0------|
B|-----3-------|-----3----|-----3----|-----1----|
G|---2---2-----|---2---2--|---3---3--|---3---3--|
D|-0-------0---|-0--------|-3--------|-2--------|
A|-------------|---3------|-1--------|---3------|
E|-------------|----------|----------|----------|
"Mm mm mm mm mm mm..."
F Em7 A7
e|---1-------1-----|---0------|---0------|
B|-----1-------1---|-----3----|-----2----|
G|---2---2-------2-|---0---0--|---0---0--|
D|-3-------3-------|---2------|-2--------|
A|-----------------|----------|-0--------|
E|-1-------1-------|-0--------|----------|
Dm Dm/C Bb C7
e|---1---------|---1------|---1------|---0------|
B|-----3-------|-----3----|-----3----|-----1----|
G|---2---2-----|---2---2--|---3---3--|---3---3--|
D|-0-------0---|-0--------|-3--------|-2--------|
A|-------------|---3------|-1--------|---3------|
E|-------------|----------|----------|----------|
(Ritardando - slowing to final chord)
F~
e|---1~-----------------------------------------|
B|-----1~---------------------------------------|
G|---2---2~-------------------------------------|
D|-3-------3~-----------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------|
E|-1~-------------------------------------------|
(Let ring and fade)