Yesterday when i was young The taste of life was sweet as rain upon my tongue I teased at life as if it were a foolish game The way the evening breeze may tease the candle flame A thousand dreams i dreamed The splendid things i planned I always built alas on weak and shifting sand I lived by night and shunned the naked light of day And only now i see how the years ran away Yesterday when i was young So many drinking songs were waiting to be sung So many wayward pleasures lay in store for me And so much pain my dazzled eyes 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 i can now recall Concerned itself with me, me, 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 That never saw the waste and emptiness beyond The game of love i played with arrogance and pride And every flame i lit too quickly quickly died The friends i made all seemed somehow drift away And only i am left on stage to end the play There are so many songs in me that won't be sung I feel the bitter taste of tears upon my tongue The time has come for me to pay For yesterday....when i was young, young, young,......young
