It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday
Encyclopedia
"It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" is an R&B
song written by Motown
husband-and-wife songwriting team Freddie Perren
and Christine Yarian for the 1975 film Cooley High
. In the film, the song is performed by Motown artist G.C. Cameron, whose rendition peaked at number 38 on the Billboard R&B singles
chart that same year. Perren also composed the instrumental score for Cooley High, and the B-side
to "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" features two of his score compositions from the film.
The composition fared better when covered in an a cappella
rendition by contemporary R&B
Motown group Boyz II Men
16 years later. Boyz II Men's recording of "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" peaked at number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
and number two on the Billboard Hot 100
on December 21, 1991. The song also reached number five on the Hot 100 Airplay
on December 7, 1991 and number two on the Hot Singles Sales on November 23, 1991. "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" was included on Boyz II Men's first album, Cooleyhighharmony
, its name a reference to the film from which the song originated.
The song was also featured in the films Lethal Weapon 3
(1992) and as the center of gags in Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008), and in episodes of the television series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
, Psych
and Martin
. It was also performed on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
immediately after Conan O'Brien
's final Tonight Show
in 2010, with Jimmy Fallon
and The Roots
singing it in the studio O'Brien had occupied when he hosted Late Night (now home of The Dr. Oz Show
).
Singer Jacky Cheung
recorded a Cantonese version of "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" entitled "偷闲加油站" in 1993.
The Notorious B.I.G.
humorously refers to the song in the song "Gimme the Loot," from his 1994 album Ready to Die
, indicating that if a potential robbery victim tried to resist his efforts, the victim's bereaved mother would be left singing "It's so haaaard."
In 1995, Barrio Boyzz
dedicated the song in spanish to Selena
after her death on March 31, 1995.
In 2001, Boyz II Men
re-recorded a version of "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" entitled, "The Aaliyah Song
" dedicated to fellow R&B singer Aaliyah
, who died in August of that year.
In 2002, Busch Stadium
played the song while showing a memorial video of late pitcher Darryl Kile
.
In 2007, the Irish pop group Westlife
, covered the song and released it as a single from the Deluxe Edition from the Back Home
album.
In 2008, Jamelody covered the song on his debut album, "Be Prepared".
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
song written by Motown
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
husband-and-wife songwriting team Freddie Perren
Freddie Perren
Frederick "Freddie" Perren was an American songwriter, record producer, arranger, and orchestra conductor best known for as a co-songwriter and co-producer of such mega-hits as "Boogie Fever" by the Sylvers, "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, and "Shake Your Groove Thing" by Peaches &...
and Christine Yarian for the 1975 film Cooley High
Cooley High
Cooley High is a 1975 American film based upon the real high school located on the near north side of Chicago produced and released by American International Pictures and written by Eric Monte...
. In the film, the song is performed by Motown artist G.C. Cameron, whose rendition peaked at number 38 on the Billboard R&B singles
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart that same year. Perren also composed the instrumental score for Cooley High, and the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
to "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" features two of his score compositions from the film.
The composition fared better when covered in an a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
rendition by contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
Motown group Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary...
16 years later. Boyz II Men's recording of "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" peaked at number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
and number two on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
on December 21, 1991. The song also reached number five on the Hot 100 Airplay
Hot 100 Airplay
The Hot 100 Airplay chart is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It measures radio airplay, and is one of the three component charts, along with the Hot Singles Sales and the Hot Digital Songs charts, that determine the chart positions of singles on the Billboard...
on December 7, 1991 and number two on the Hot Singles Sales on November 23, 1991. "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" was included on Boyz II Men's first album, Cooleyhighharmony
Cooleyhighharmony
Cooleyhighharmony is the 1991 debut album by Motown group Boyz II Men. Executive produced by Michael Bivins of New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe, the album features the hit singles "Motownphilly" and "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday", a G.C...
, its name a reference to the film from which the song originated.
The song was also featured in the films Lethal Weapon 3
Lethal Weapon 3
Lethal Weapon 3 is a 1992 American action film directed by Richard Donner and starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo and Stuart Wilson. It is a sequel to Lethal Weapon and Lethal Weapon 2, and it is part of the Lethal Weapon film series.The movie is set in 1992, six years after...
(1992) and as the center of gags in Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008), and in episodes of the television series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an American television sitcom that premiered on FX on August 4, 2005. New episodes continue to air on FX, with reruns playing on Comedy Central, general broadcast syndication, and WGN America—the first-ever cable-to-cable syndication deal for a sitcom...
, Psych
Psych
Psych is an American detective comedy-drama television series created by Steve Franks and broadcast on USA Network. It stars James Roday as Shawn Spencer, a young crime consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department whose "heightened observational skills" and impressive detective instincts...
and Martin
Martin (TV series)
Martin is an American sitcom produced by HBO Independent Productions that aired for five seasons, from August 27, 1992 to May 1, 1997 on Fox...
. It was also performed on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
immediately after Conan O'Brien
Conan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....
's final Tonight Show
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show that featured Conan O'Brien as host from June 1, 2009 to January 22, 2010 as part of NBC's long-running Tonight Show franchise...
in 2010, with Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Fallon
James Thomas "Jimmy" Fallon, Jr. is an American actor, comedian, singer, musician and television host. He currently hosts Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, a late-night talk show that airs Monday through Friday on NBC...
and The Roots
The Roots
The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
singing it in the studio O'Brien had occupied when he hosted Late Night (now home of The Dr. Oz Show
The Dr. Oz Show
The Dr. Oz Show is an American syndicated television talk show, hosted by Dr. Mehmet Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon and teaching professor at Columbia University who became famous for his appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show from 2004 until 2009....
).
Singer Jacky Cheung
Jacky Cheung
Jacky Cheung is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actor. The Chinese language media refers to him, Aaron Kwok, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings , with more than 60 million records sold as of 2000....
recorded a Cantonese version of "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" entitled "偷闲加油站" in 1993.
The Notorious B.I.G.
The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
humorously refers to the song in the song "Gimme the Loot," from his 1994 album Ready to Die
Ready to Die
Ready to Die is the debut album of American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released September 13, 1994 on Bad Boy Records. The first release on the label, it features production by record producer and Bad Boy founder Sean "Puffy" Combs, Easy Mo Bee, Chucky Thompson, DJ Premier, and Lord Finesse,...
, indicating that if a potential robbery victim tried to resist his efforts, the victim's bereaved mother would be left singing "It's so haaaard."
In 1995, Barrio Boyzz
Barrio Boyzz
The Barrio Boyzz were a Latin pop group. The group were made up of Puerto Rican American and Colombian Americans who grew-up in New York City. They gained popularity during the 1990s, especially when they became label-mates with the Mexican-American singer-songwriter Selena, and landed their first...
dedicated the song in spanish to Selena
Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez , known simply as Selena, was a Mexican American singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits...
after her death on March 31, 1995.
In 2001, Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary...
re-recorded a version of "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" entitled, "The Aaliyah Song
Think of Laura
"Think of Laura" is the title of a popular song by the American Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Christopher Cross. Released as a single in late 1983 from Cross' second studio album, Another Page, "Think of Laura" became the singer's fourth single to reach the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100...
" dedicated to fellow R&B singer Aaliyah
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton , who performed under the mononym Aaliyah , was an American R&B recording artist, actress and model. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of 10, she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside...
, who died in August of that year.
In 2002, Busch Stadium
Busch Stadium
Busch Stadium is the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, of MLB...
played the song while showing a memorial video of late pitcher Darryl Kile
Darryl Kile
Darryl Andrew Kile was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1991-2002 for three different teams in his career. In his first season for the Cardinals, he won 20 games in 2000 as the team reached the postseason for the first time in four years. They advanced to the...
.
In 2007, the Irish pop group Westlife
Westlife
Westlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
, covered the song and released it as a single from the Deluxe Edition from the Back Home
Back Home (Westlife album)
Back Home is the eighth studio album and ninth album overall by Irish boy band Westlife and it was released on 5 November 2007. The album debuted at #1 on the Official UK Album Charts, selling 132,000 copies in its first week of release and remained in the top three spots for eight consecutive weeks...
album.
In 2008, Jamelody covered the song on his debut album, "Be Prepared".
G.C. Cameron version
| Chart (1975) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
38 |
Peak positions
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
1 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1992) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 37 |
See also
- R&B number-one hits of 1991 (USA)R&B number-one hits of 1991 (USA)These are the Billboard magazine R&B singles chart number one hits of 1991:-Chart history:-Chart comparisons:*Seven songs have reached number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: "The First Time," "Gonna Make You Sweat ," "All the Man That I Need," "I Like the Way These are the Billboard magazine...