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Mary Hopkin
"Those were the days"
composer: Gene Raskin
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Once upon a time there was a tavern
where we used to raise a glass or two
Remember how we laughed away the hours
and dreamed of all the great things we would do
Those were the days my friend
we thought they'd never end
we'd sing and dance, forever and a day
We'd live the life we chose
we'd fight and never lose
for we were young and sure to have our way
La la la la lala
lalalala lala
lalalala
lalalalalala
lalalala lala
lalalala lala
lalalala lalalalalala
Then the busy years went rushing by us
We lost our starry notions on the way
If by chance I'd see you in the tavern
we'd smile at one another and we'd say
Those were the days my friend
we thought they'd never end
we'd sing and dance, forever and a day
We'd live the life we chose
we'd fight and never lose
Those were the days oh yes
those were the days
La la la la lala
lalalala lala
lalalala
lalalalalala
lalalala lala
lalalala lala
lalalala lalalalalala
Just tonight I stood before the tavern
Nothing seemed the way it used to be
In the glass I saw a strange reflection
?Was the lonely woman really me
Those were the days my friend
we thought they'd never end
we'd sing and dance, forever and a day
We'd live the life we chose
we'd fight and never lose
Those were the days oh yes
those were the days
La la la la lala
lalalala lala
lalalala
lalalalalala
lalalala lala
lalalala lala
lalalala lalalalalala
Through the door there came familiar laughter
I saw your face and heard you call my name
Oh my friends were older but no wiser
for in our hearts the dreams are still the same
Those were the days my friend
we thought they'd never end
we'd sing and dance, forever and a day
We'd live the life we chose
we'd fight and never lose
Those were the days oh yes
those were the days
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Those Were the Days is a song credited to Gene Raskin, who put English lyrics to the Russian song "Dorogoi dlinnoyu" ("Дорогой длинною", lit. "By the long road"), written by Boris Fomin (1900–1948) with words by the poet Konstantin Podrevskii. It deals with reminiscence upon youth and romantic idealism. The Georgian Tamara Tsereteli (1900–1968) in 1925 and Alexander Vertinsky in 1926 made what were probably the earliest recordings of the song. However, it is best remembered for Mary Hopkin's 1968 recording, which was a top-ten hit in both the U.S. and the U.K. Mostly on records of the song, Gene Raskin is credited as the writer of the song, even though he just wrote the English lyrics and not the melody
