That Was Yesterday (Foreigner song)

"That Was Yesterday" is the second single taken from the album Agent Provocateur by the band Foreigner. This song was available in four versions, as a remixed single, an extended remix, an orchestral version, and the original mix. The song was written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones, and the B-side "Two Different Worlds" is also of note for being the first solo-written Lou Gramm song to appear on a single. The single reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and also reached #4 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and #24 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[1][2][3] It also reached the Top 40 in the UK (#28), the Netherlands (#19), Switzerland (#29) and Germany (#31).[4][5]

"That Was Yesterday"
Single by Foreigner
from the album Agent Provocateur
B-side"Two Different Worlds"
ReleasedFebruary 1985 (1985-02)
Recordedearly 1984
GenreRock
Length3:50 (single), extended version - 6:23 (single)
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)Lou Gramm, Mick Jones
Producer(s)Alex Sadkin, Mick Jones
Foreigner singles chronology
"I Want to Know What Love Is"
(1984)		 "That Was Yesterday"
(1985)		 "Reaction to Action"
(1985)
Music video
"That Was Yesterday" on YouTube

The extended remix added additional lyrics in its intro, and these lyrics can be heard in the live version from the DVD All Access Tonight - 25 - Live In Concert.

Reception

AllMusic critic Bret Adams later called the song "a terrific hit single," citing its "catchy chorus" and "nifty synthesizer lick."[6] Billboard Magazine described it as a "gothic ballad" and compared it to Foreigner's previous single "I Want to Know What Love Is" by stating that "That Was Yesterday" has "thrumming synths...rather than soaring choristers."[7] Indianapolis Star critic Scott Miley say that it "adeptly reflect[s] despair with tantalizing synthesizers."[8] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Jeff Giles regarded "That Was Yesterday" as one of Foreigner's "better singles."[9]

Gramm disagreed with the decision to release "That Was Yesterday" as the second single from Agent Provocateur because that meant that the first two singles were ballads. Gramm stated "I always thought our rock songs upheld a tradition of good rock and roll and here we release two ballads in a row."[10]

Music video

A music video was created for "That Was Yesterday," directed by Jim Yukich.[11] As with "I Want to Know What Love Is," the music video for "That Was Yesterday" is based on a live performance of the song.[12] The video was filmed at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center in Birmingham, Alabama. The band had intended the video for "That Was Yesterday" to be "flashier" than that for "I Want to Know What Love Is."[13] Jones has stated that he pleased with the "warmth" of the song in the video.[12]

Charts

Weekly charts
Chart (1987-88)[14] Peak
position
Netherlands[5] 19
Switzerland[5] 29
Germany[5] 31
Belgium[5] 25
UK Singles Chart[15] 28
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[16] 12
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary[17] 24
U.S. Billboard Album Rock Tracks[18] 4
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References
  1. "Foreigner Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  2. "Foreigner Mainstream Rock Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  3. "Foreigner Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  4. "Foreigner singles". The Official Chart Company. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  5. "Foreigner - That Was Yesterday". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
  6. Adams, B. "Agent Provocateur". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
  7. "Pop Picks" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. March 9, 1985. p. 79. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  8. Miley, Scott L. (January 27, 1985). "After three years, Foreigner returns with a strong album". Indianapolis Star. p. 8E. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  9. Giles, Jeff (March 2, 2017). "Foreigner Albums Ranked Worst to Best". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  10. Shaw, Ted (April 19, 1985). "Foreigner riding high again". The Windsor Star. p. 21. Retrieved 2020-06-09 – via newspapers.com.
  11. "New Video Clips" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. May 4, 1985. p. 37. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  12. Weil, Nancy (April 12, 1985). "Foreigner: Not flashy, just great". Southern Illinoisan. p. 7. Retrieved 2020-06-09 – via newspapers.com.
  13. Vare, E.A. (March 31, 1985). "Video Revolution Finally Nabs Foreigner". Daily Press. p. 62. Retrieved 2020-06-09 – via newspapers.com.
  14. Lescharts.com - Say You Will (Retrieved on November 3, 2008)
  15. "Foreigner singles". The Official Chart Company. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  16. "Foreigner Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  17. "Foreigner Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  18. "Foreigner Mainstream Rock Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-06-08.


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