Yesterday's Hero (John Paul Young song)
"Yesterday's Hero" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by John Paul Young | ||||
from the album Hero | ||||
Released | 10 February 1975 | |||
Recorded | 1974 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:43 | |||
Label | Albert Productions. Ariola | |||
Songwriter(s) | Harry Vanda, George Young | |||
Producer(s) | Harry Vanda, George Young | |||
John Paul Young singles chronology | ||||
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"Yesterday's Hero" is a pop song by John Paul Young. The song was written by George Young and Harry Vanda and was released in February 1975 as the lead single from Young's debut studio album, Hero (1975).
The song became a worldwide hit, peaking at No. 8 in Australia, No. 1 in South Africa and No. 42 in the United States.
Overview
"Yesterday's Hero" is a song about the fleeting nature of pop stardom. It drew on Vanda & Young's own experiences as former
The song gave Young his first top ten hit,
One of the key factors in the Australian success of "Yesterday's Hero" was the film clip made to promote it, which enabled the song to be given heavy exposure on
Reception
In April 1975, Molly Meldrum wrote in his Listener In-TV column "Now, if this record is not a hit all over Australia then I'll burn my Beatles collection".[1]
Track listing
7" (AP-10688) / (Ariola 16631 AT)
- Side A "Yesterday's Hero" - 3:43
- Side B "The Next Time" - 3:30
Charts
Weekly charts
Chart (1975–77) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[3] | 8 |
Canada RPM Top Singles [4] | 54 |
South Africa [5] | 1 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[6] | 10 |
US Billboard Hot 100[7][8][9] | 42 |
Year-end charts
Chart (1975) | Position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[3] | 32 |
South Africa [10] | 10 |
Bay City Rollers versions
Bay City Rollers covered the song in 1976.
Charts
Chart (1975-76) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austria | 15 |
Canada RPM Top Singles [11] | 33 |
Germany | 13 |
Japan | |
US Billboard Hot 100[12] | 54 |
US Cash Box Top 100
|
49 |
Other cover version
- Paul Nicholas (1979)
- Laki Pingvini (as "Ne, nisam tvoj heroj", 1984)
- Ignatius Jones (1992)
References
- ISBN 978-1-76011-205-9.
- Cash Box. 25 October 1975. p. 21. Retrieved 15 November 2021 – via World Radio History.
- ^ a b "National Top 100 Singles for 1975". Kent Music Report. 29 December 1975. Retrieved 15 January 2022 – via Imgur.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - February 14, 1976" (PDF).
- ^ "South African Rock Lists Website – SA Charts 1969–1989 Acts (Y)". South Africa's Rock Lists. South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
- ^ "John Paul Young – {{{song}}}". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
- ISBN 0-89820-089-X
- ^ "John Young – Yesterday's Hero (1975, Vinyl)". Discogs. 10 February 1975.
- ^ Australian Music Database
- ^ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1977". Retrieved 26 March 2020.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - January 22, 1977" (PDF).
- ISBN 0-89820-089-X