"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" | ||||
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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 (1975-09-01) | |||
Recorded | 1975 | |||
Genre | Soul | |||
Length | 3:25 | |||
Label | Motown | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Freddie Perren | |||
G.C. Cameron singles chronology | ||||
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"It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" | ||||
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![]() 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 | ||||
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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.[citation needed]
The song was used in the 1992 action film Lethal Weapon 3, in the funeral scene for Daryl, a 15-year-old gangbanger shot down by Murtaugh.
US cassette single
Europe Maxi-CD
The Flex covered "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" for the House Party 2 soundtrack album, released in October 1991.[1]
A Cantonese version of this "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" was covered by Jacky Cheung. The song is titled "偷閒加油站" in the 1992 album 真情流露.
Chart (1975) | Peak position |
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US Billboard Hot Soul Singles[2] | 38 |
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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New Zealand (RMNZ)[12] | Gold | 5,000* |
United States (RIAA)[13] | Gold | 500,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Boyz II Men | |
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Studio albums |
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Compilation albums | |
Singles |
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