Imagine waking up from a dream with a song in your head — not just any tune, but one that would become one of the most beloved songs in history.
That’s exactly what happened to Paul McCartney.
The result?
A timeless classic called “Yesterday.”
But believe it or not, the original lyrics weren’t poetic, deep, or emotional.
They were about… breakfast.
The Song That Came From Sleep
In 1964, Paul McCartney was just 22 years old and living at his girlfriend Jane Asher’s house in London.
One morning, he woke up with a melody playing in his mind — complete and fully formed.
It was so perfect that he was convinced he must have heard it somewhere before.
He rushed to a piano to play it, making sure he didn’t forget the tune.
But since he hadn’t written any lyrics yet, he filled in placeholders to match the rhythm.
His temporary lyrics?
🎶 “Scrambled eggs… Oh my baby how I love your legs…” 🎶
Yes, seriously. That’s what “Yesterday” started as.
Was It Original?
Paul spent weeks asking friends, fellow musicians, and producers if they recognized the melody.
“I thought, if someone else already wrote this, I’ll look like an idiot,”
he later recalled.
But no one recognized it. It was original. It was his.
And once he realized that, he got to work transforming his breakfast jingle into a ballad about lost love and longing.
A Beatles Song Like No Other
When “Yesterday” was finally recorded in 1965, it stood out — and not just because of the lyrics.
It was the first Beatles track to feature a single member performing solo.
Just Paul McCartney, backed by a string quartet, with no drums, no guitars, and no other Beatles on the track.
The result was haunting, emotional, and unlike anything the band had done before.
It was so unique that it almost didn’t make it onto the album.
Producer George Martin was nervous about releasing a Beatles song that didn’t sound like, well… The Beatles.
But once it hit the airwaves, there was no turning back.
A Record-Breaking Legacy
“Yesterday” went on to become one of the most covered songs in music history, with over 2,000 recorded versions by artists around the world.
It’s been praised by critics, loved by fans, and performed in every corner of the globe.
Not bad for a song that started with the words “Scrambled eggs.”
Final Thought
Paul McCartney’s story is a reminder that creativity can strike in the strangest ways — even in your sleep.
So the next time you wake up humming a tune you don’t recognize, don’t ignore it.
It might just be your “Yesterday.”
