It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday
"It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" is an R&B song written by Motown husband-and-wife songwriting team Freddie Perren and Christine Yarian for the 1975 film Cooley High. In the film, the song is performed by Motown artist G.C. Cameron, whose rendition peaked at number 38 on the Billboard R&B singles chart that same year. Perren also composed the instrumental score for Cooley High, and the B-side to "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" features two of his score compositions from the film.
"It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Single by G.C. Cameron | ||||
from the album Cooley High: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack/G.C. Cameron | ||||
B-side | "Haulin' + Cold Blooded (Instrumental)" by Freddie Perren | |||
Released | September 1, 1975 | |||
Recorded | 1975 | |||
Genre | Soul | |||
Length | 3:25 | |||
Label | Motown | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | Freddie Perren | |||
G.C. Cameron singles chronology | ||||
|
Boyz II Men cover
"It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() U.S. commercial cassette single | ||||
Single by Boyz II Men | ||||
from the album Cooleyhighharmony | ||||
Released | August 20, 1991 | |||
Recorded | Fall 1990 | |||
Genre | A cappella, soul | |||
Length | 2:47 | |||
Label | Motown 2136 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Freddie Perren Christine Yarian | |||
Producer(s) | Dallas Austin, Boyz II Men, Rex Salas | |||
Boyz II Men singles chronology | ||||
|
The composition was recorded in an a cappella rendition by contemporary R&B Motown group Boyz II Men 16 years later. Released as a single, Boyz II Men's recording of "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number one on the Hot R&B Singles chart in December 1991. The track was included on Boyz II Men's first album, Cooleyhighharmony, its name a reference to the film from which the song originated.
The music video for the song featured archive footage of Jim Henson, Sammy Davis Jr. and Gilda Radner, who'd all passed away one to two years before.
Track listings
US cassette single
- A It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday (LP Version)
- Album Snippets
- B1 Under Pressure
- B2 Please Don't Go
- B3 Lonely Heart
- B4 Uhh Ahh
- B5 It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday
Europe Maxi-CD
- It's Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday (Radio Version) 3:06
- It's Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday (A capella Version) 3:49
- Album Snippets
- 3a Under Pressure 0:48
- 3b Please Don't Go 1:00
- 3c Lonely Heart 1:00
- 3d Uhh Ahh 1:03
Other versions
The Flex covered "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" for the House Party 2 soundtrack album, released in October 1991.[1]
Charts and certifications
G.C. Cameron version
Chart (1975) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard Hot Soul Singles[2] | 38 |
Boyz II Men version
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
New Zealand (RMNZ)[12] | Gold | 5,000* |
United States (RIAA)[13] | Gold | 500,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
See also
References
- "Various – House Party 2 Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack". Discogs. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 99.
- Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
- "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2048." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
- "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 5, 1993" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
- "Boyz II Men – It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
- "Boyz II Men – It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
- "Boyz II Men Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
- "Boyz II Men Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
- "End of Year Charts 1991". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
- "Billboard Top 100 - 1992". Archived from the original on January 17, 2010. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
- "New Zealand single certifications – Boyz II Men – It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
- "American single certifications – Boyz II Men – It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 9, 2019.