Songs:Those Were The Days (80471)

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1 Trivia, story behind the song, etc.
2 Lyrics
3 Listener comments about Those Were The Days (80471)
4 Tags

Trivia, story behind the song, etc.

The origins of the melody appear to be strongly claimed by the Russians and Russian gypsies consider it their song. The name of this song seems to be "Dorogo' Dlinnoyu" and translated means "By a long road (or way)" or "Along a long road (or way)" or "On a long way." Some sources claim it was written by two Russian composers - B. Fomin (music) and K. Podrevsky (lyrics) at the end of the 19th century or in the beginning of 20th century. There is another song, Russian title given as "Darogoi Dli Mayou." calling itself "Dear to Me." this too is supposed to be a version of "Dorogo Dlinnoyu," first recorded by Alexander Wertinsky in the 1920s. (thanks, Pat - www.maryhopkin.net) In the 1950s Annikki Tahtiand recorded this in her native Finnish language. In 1962, Gene Raskin took the melody and wrote English lyrics to it. It was popularized in the US by the folk trio The Limeliters. In 1965, Paul McCartney saw Raskin and his wife perform this in a London club. McCartney remembered the performance 3 years later, when The Beatles formed Apple Records. In 1968, British model Twiggy telephoned McCartney about a singer who performed on the UK TV program Opportunity Knocks (the US had a similar TV show in the '90s - Star Search). Three-time winner Mary Hopkin was a 17-year-old from Wales who had people talking about her performances. McCartney returned to London and auditioned Hopkin. He was impressed by her voice and recommended that she record "an American folk song" that he heard a few years earlier, "Those Were the Days." The single was released simultaneously with the Beatles' "Hey Jude." While "Hey Jude" was #1 for nine weeks in the US, "Those Were the Days" was #2 for four of them and knocked the Beatles out of #1 in the UK charts. Not bad for the first two single releases of Apple Records.

Lyrics

Once upon a time, there was a tavern
Where we used to raise a glass or two
Remember how we laughed away the hours,
Think 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'd choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way

La La La La La La
La La La La La La
La La La La La La La La La La

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'd choose
We'd fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days

La La La La La La
La La La La La La
La La La La La La La La La La

Just tonight, I stood before the tavern
Nothing seemed the way it used to be
In the glass, I saw a strange reflection
Was that 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'd choose
We'd fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days

La La La La La La
La La La La La La
La La La La La La La La La La
La La La La La La
La La La La La La
La La La La La La La La La La

Through the door, there came familiar laughter
I saw your face and heard you call my name
Oh, my friend, we're 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'd choose
We'd fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days

La La La La La La
La La La La La La
La La La La La La La La La La
La La La La La La
La La La La La La
La La La La La La La La La La

La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la la la

Listener comments about Those Were The Days (80471)

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Jazz
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Acoustic Guitar
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Violin
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Depressed
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Minor key
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The information below this box is from the Whole Wheat Radio databases and cannot be changed by editing this page. You can add to or edit everything above this box by clicking the "edit" link in the row of tabs at the top of the page. To add music to the library see information for artists.

Those Were The Days by Dayna Kurtz

SONG

on the album

Beautiful Yesterday

Buy Dayna Kurtz at CD-Baby

Any album (including Beautiful Yesterday)

Request this song: Those Were The Days (Only logged in and authenticated users can make requests.)
Overall rating: (46 votes)
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Length: 4:36
Times played: 58
People hearing: 1655
Times requested: 42
First played: Sep 21st, 2004
Last played: Aug 2nd, 2008
Previously played: Jul 12th, 2008
Song ID#: 80471