Yesterday when I was young 
The taste of life was sweet as rain upon my tongue. 
I played at life as if it were a foolish game 
The way the evening breeze plays with a candle flame. 
The thousand dreams I dreamed, the splendid things I planned 
I always built to last on weak and shifting sands 
I lived by night, declined the naked light of day 

And only now I see the years that ran away 
Yesterday when I was young 
So many crazy songs were waiting to be sung 
So many crazy times that lay in store for me 
And so much pain inside, my heart 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 that I can now recall 
Had all to do 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 it were a wand 

And never saw the waste and emptiness beyond 
The games of love I played with arrogance and pride 
And every flame I lit, so quickly quickly died 
The friends I made all seemed somehow to drift away 
And only I am left on stage to end the play 
Yesterday when I was young