Those Were the Days

這首在1963年風行一時的歌曲，
乃是俄國歌曲"Dorogoi dlinnoyu" ("遙遠的路途"),改編，
原作曲者是Boris Fomin，
歌詞則是出自詩人Konstantin Podrevsky 之手，
是一首懷念青春時光的懷舊歌曲。
美國劇作家及音樂家Gene Raskin喜愛之餘，
把它另行填了英文歌詞，並把歌詞歌曲都註冊在自己名下，
1962年最先由The Limeliters灌唱， 但是最出名的是1968年Mary Hopkin的版本，
在當年的英國排行榜上奪冠，
在美國的流行歌曲排行榜上可惜跟披頭四的"Hey Jude"碰頭，
連續三個星期都排在第二名。
（後來在1968全年的排行榜，"Hey Jude"是第一名，
而“Those Were the Days”則是第三十名。）
這首歌又翻成二十幾國的語言，翻唱無數，
讓Gene Raskin靠著這首歌的版權，過著優渥的生活。

Mary Hopkin是英國威爾斯人，
早期以威爾斯語唱歌，並發行單張，
在贏得英國一家電視臺的歌唱比賽之後，
名女模崔姬（Twiggy）把她推薦給披頭四的Paul McCartney，
成為披頭的蘋果唱片旗下最早簽約的歌星之一。

Those Were the Days

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 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 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 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 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

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 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