From a book I have, with what I'm pretty sure are the correct lyrics. One thing I know, Roy Clark sang the WRONG lyric in this line "I always built to last on weak and shifting sand"--which doesn't even make SENSE, for Pete's sake. If you listen to Aznavour sing it, you hear "...built, alas, on weak...". Why the hell a PROFESSIONAL musician can't spring a few bucks to get the sheet music and SEE what the original words were before singing meaningless syllables just because that's what someone THOUGHT it sounded like--oh, excuse me, was I ranting?

In the key of Em:

Am7 D7 Yesterday when I was young Gmaj7 Cmaj7 The taste of life was sweet as rain upon my tongue F#m7-5 B7 I teased at life as if it were a foolish game Em Em The way the evening breeze may tease a candle flame Am7 D7 The thousand dreams I dreamed, the splendid things I planned Gmaj7 Cmaj7 I always built alas on weak and shifting sand F#m7-5 B7 I lived by night and shunned the naked light of day Em Em And only now I see how the years ran away Am7 D7 Yesterday when I was young Gmaj7 Cmaj7 So many drinking songs were waiting to be sung Am B7-9 So many wayward pleasures lay in store for me Em Em And so much pain my dazzled eyes refused to see Am7 D7 I ran so fast that time and youth at last ran out Gmaj7 Cmaj7 I never stopped to think what life was all about Am B7-9 And every conversation I can now recall Em Em Concerned itself with me and nothing else at all Am7 D7 Yesterday the moon was blue Gmaj7 Cmaj7 And every crazy day brought something new to do F#m7-5 B7 Iused my magic age as if it were a wand Em Em And never saw the waste and emptiness beyond Am7 D7 The game of love I played with arrogance and pride Gmaj7 Cmaj7 And every flame I lit too quickly, quickly died F#m7-5 B7 The friends I made all seemed somehow to drift away Em Em And only I am left on stage to end the play Am B7 There are so many songs in me that won't be sung Em A I feel the bitter taste of tears upon my tongue Am6 Em The time has come for me to pay for yesterday B7 Am Em Am Em When I was young