"Yesterday's Men" is a song by the English

ska Ska (; , ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a w ...

and

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...

band

Madness Madness or The Madness may refer to: Emotion and mental health * Anger, an intense emotional response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat * Insanity, a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns * ...

, released on 19 August 1985 as the

lead single A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. A similar term, "debut ...

from their sixth studio album ''

Mad Not Mad ''Mad Not Mad'' is the sixth studio album by the English ska and pop band Madness. It was released on 30 September 1985, their first release on their own label Zarjazz, a sub-label of Virgin Records. The album was recorded over a perio ...

'' (1985). It was written by

Graham McPherson Graham McPherson (born 13 January 1961), known primarily by his stage name Suggs, is a British singer-songwriter, musician, radio personality and actor. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead singer of the ska band Madness, which ...

and

Chris Foreman Christopher John Foreman (born 8 August 1956), nicknamed Chrissy Boy, is an English musician, songwriter, and composer. In a career spanning 45 years, Foreman came to prominence in the late 1970s as the guitarist for the English band Madness. ...

, and produced by

Clive Langer Clive Langer (born 19 June 1954) is an English record producer and songwriter, active from the mid-1970s onwards. He usually works with Alan Winstanley. He composed the music for the films '' Still Crazy'' and '' Brothers of the Head''. Biog ...

and

Alan Winstanley Alan Kenneth Winstanley (; born 2 November 1952) is an English record producer and songwriter, active from the mid-1970s onwards. He usually works with Clive Langer. Early life He was born in Fulham in November 1952 to parents Ken and Doreen. ...

. The song spent 7 weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 18. The song was edited for release as a single, the album version being some thirty seconds longer. A

music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...

was filmed to promote the single, directed by Chris Gabrin.

Critical reception

Upon its release as a single, Paul Bursche of '' Number One'' described "Yesterday's Men" as "a grim portrait of a land without hope" and "a real grower that finally emerges into one of the best songs the group have ever done". He added that although it was "very

Sade Sade may refer to: People * Marquis de Sade (1740–1814), French aristocrat, writer, and libertine; namesake of the word ''sadism'' * Sade (singer) (born 1959, Helen Folasade Adu), British Nigerian musician and lead singer of the eponymous band * ...

-ish", "even the orchestration can't disguise a new lush Madness sound". Ian Cranna of ''

Smash Hits ''Smash Hits'' was a British music magazine aimed at young adults, originally published by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006, and, after initially appearing monthly, was issued fortnightly during most of that time. The name survived as a brand ...

'' wrote, This mournful little exhortation to hang on in there with gentle percussion and varied instrumental weaving must be quite satisfying to record after being so nutty for so long, but it's hardly soul-stirring stuff."

Paolo Hewitt Paolo Hewitt is a music journalist and writer from Woking in Surrey. Biography Hewitt was placed in care at a very early age, and went to live with a foster family. Following years of abuse he was sent to Burbank children's home in Woking at t ...

of ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

'' felt the song was "cast in a similar mould" to the band's 1984 song "

One Better Day "One Better Day" is a song by English ska band Madness from their fifth studio album '' Keep Moving'' (1984). The song, written by Suggs (Graham McPherson) and Mark Bedford, Retrieved on June 27, 2007. was released as a single in the United Kingdo ...

" and noted that Madness "have never sounded so wistful and yet so relaxed as this song of optimism and smashed dreams". He praised Suggs' vocals for "fast becoming the vehicle to carry off such sentiments" and noted the song's "lilting and haunting refrain". He concluded it was "assured, classy and irresistible music". The song was ranked number 7 among the "''Tracks of the Year''" for 1985 by ''

''. In a retrospective review of ''Mad Not Mad'', Darryl Cater of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

described the song as "dwell ngon themes of transience and aging". Terry Staunton of ''

Record Collector ''Record Collector'' is a British monthly music magazine focussing on rare and collectable records, and the bands who recorded them. It was founded in September 1979 and distributes worldwide. It is promoted as "the world’s leading authority o ...

'' noted, "The wacky humour of old, already on the wane in their previous outing, '' Keep Moving'', was almost totally eclipsed by sombre tones of resignation, best exemplified on 'Yesterday's Men'."

Track listing

* 7" single # "Yesterday's Men" – 4:07 # "All I Knew" – 3:07 * 12" single # "Yesterday's Men" (Extended Version) – 8:05 # "All I Knew" – 3:07 # "Yesterday's Men" (Demo Version) – 3:33 * 7" 'Picture disc and extra disc # "Yesterday's Men" – 4:07 # "All I Knew" – 3:07 # "Yesterday's Men" (Harmonica Version) – 4:37 # " It Must Be Love" (live) – 3:35

Charts

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Yesterday's Men 1985 singles Madness (band) songs Songs written by Suggs (singer) Songs written by Chris Foreman 1985 songs Song recordings produced by Clive Langer Song recordings produced by Alan Winstanley Zarjazz singles