'Yesterday': When Smokey Robinson sang a haunting cover of The Beatles' classic

13 March 2025, 08:20 | Updated: 13 March 2025, 08:24

It's the most-covered song of all time.

That's not just hyperbole, it's a stone cold fact according to the heads at Guinness Book Of World Records, with over 3,000 official recorded versions of it.

The song in question? 'Yesterday' by The Beatles, the melancholic ballad that appeared on the band's 1965 album, Help!

Released in August of that year as an album track, 'Yesterday' was released as a single in the US just a month later, and became an almost immediate number one hit on the US Billboard chart.

Understandably, the song - which details someone reminiscing and regretting the demise of a previous relationship - resonated with people around the entire world.

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It was the moment when the band were no longer considered an outfit for obsessive teenagers, but the adult market began to take note of the Fab Four's unique talents.

Since its initial release, 'Yesterday' has been covered by a series of prestigious musical talents.

Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Marianne Faithfull, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Tom Jones, The Supremes, Andy Williams, with countless others lending their voice to Paul McCartney's timeless words.

But one particularly notable version came from a young Smokey Robinson, who made the song a heart-wrenchingly mournful affair.

During the sixties, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles became one of the most impactful and influential groups in pop, R&B, and soul music.

It's safe to say the complexion of modern music wouldn't have looked the same without their harmonies and doo-wop style, after they became Motown Records' first genuine superstar act.

Their success changed the US public's attitudes towards rhythm and blues, and helped other acts of their ilk become widely accepted within the mainstream.

They paved the way for numerous Motown artists who followed to achieve similar success - Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5 and The Four Tops might not have broken through if it weren't for Smokey and co.

Regardless, Robinson recognised The Beatles' once-in-a-generation songwriting talent, so reworked 'Yesterday' in his own smooth, sultry, yet angelic style.

Smokey Robinson and The Miracles performed 'Yesterday' on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1968, leaving the television audience speechless.

With nothing but a solitary guitar in accompaniment, the four singers' voices weaved seamlessly in what was a breathtaking yet haunting performance.

Their cover version of 'Yesterday' appeared on the group's 1968 album Special Occasion, which also featured covers of Motown staple 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine' and 'Everybody Needs Love' which was made famous by Gladys Knight & The Pips.

Whilst they didn't release the cover as a single, choosing to perform the ballad indicated The Beatles' enormous crossover appeal.

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles "Yesterday" (The Beatles Cover) on The Ed Sullivan Show

Quite remarkably, Paul McCartney conceived and composed 'Yesterday' when he was just 23 years of age.

Naturally, in years gone by he's remained fairly glib about the song's legacy and how it put it together. "I did the tune easily and then the words took about two weeks," he once shrugged.

But 'Yesterday' was entirely unusual for The Beatles at the time, who were occupying the charts with zippy hits such as 'Help!', 'Ticket To Ride' and 'A Hard Day's Night'.

Despite it being credited to both Paul McCartney and John Lennon, it was McCartney who solely wrote 'Yesterday' after it came to him in a dream.

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Yesterday (With Spoken Word Intro / Live From Studio 50, New York City / 1965)

Macca was staying in London at the time with his then-girlfriend Jane Asher and slept with a piano by his bed.

One morning he woke up and the melody to 'Yesterday' was in his head, so immediately played it so he'd remember how it went.

It took him performing the melody to various music industry figures because he was entirely convinced he hadn't stolen the melody, before penning the gloomy lyrics in a matter of weeks.

The song's success marked a new direction for the band, whose principle songwriters began focusing on their individual songs.

But even today, 'Yesterday' remains as one of McCartney's greatest achievements as an artist.