Yesterday Was Just the Beginning of My Life
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Yesterday Was Just the Beginning of My Life
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Mark Williams
| album = Mark Williams
| B-side = Jimmy Loves Marianne
| released = May 1975
| recorded = May 1974{{snd}}March 1975
| studio = EMI Studios, Wellington, New Zealand
| venue =
| genre = {{flat list|
| length = 3:54
| label = EMI Music
| writer = Vanda & Young
| producer = Alan Galbraith
| prev_title = Celebration
| prev_year = 1974
| next_title = Sweet Wine
| next_year = 1975
}}
"Yesterday Was Just the Beginning of My Life" is a song written by Vanda & Young and recorded by New Zealand-born singer songwriter, Mark Williams. The song was released in May 1975 as the second and final single from his debut studio album, Mark Williams (1975). The song peaked at number 1 on the New Zealand charts and was the highest selling single by a New Zealand artist in New Zealand in 1975.
Background
Williams' manager and music producer, Alan Galbraith had chosen a rock-pop number written by Australian songwriting duo Harry Vanda and George Young (aka Vanda & Young). Williams originally was not keen on the track, but backed down and recorded the song with an alternate rearrangement with a rhythm and blues-soul sound. Galbraith said, "The original demo was nothing like the end result."{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/10182376/Flashback-Yesterday-was-the-beginning-of-his-life|title=Flashback: Yesterday was the beginning of his life |publisher=Stuff |date= 23 June 2013|access-date=1 July 2017}}
Track listing
; 7" single (EMI – HR 538)
Side A: "Yesterday Was Just the Beginning of My Life"
Side B: "Jimmy Loves Marianne"
Chart performance
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| Chart (1975)
!Peak |
|---|
| {{singlechart|New Zealand|1|artist=Mark Williams |song=Yesterday Was Just the Beginning of My Life|rowheader=true|access-date=6 August 2014}} |
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| Chart (1975)
!Rank |
|---|
| scope="row"| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/1975-12-31|title= End of Year Charts 1975 |publisher=RIANZ|access-date=1 July 2017}}
|style="text-align:center;"| 8 |
| scope="row"| New Zealand Artist (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/1975-12-31|title= End of Year Charts 1975|publisher=RIANZ|access-date=1 July 2017}}
|style="text-align:center;"| 1 |