This song was written by two russian authors in the 1920`s (Boris Fomin and Konstantin Podrevsky). At the 1924 the great russian singer Alexander Vertinsky performed the new version named “By the long road”. After that time the song was prohibited in Soviet Union untill the late 50`s. The song came to the Western world in the 50`s (adopted and translated to English by Gene Ruskin). Sir Paul McCartney heard this song once and ask Mary Hopkin to sing it (approx in 1968-1969). So this is the story
“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. On most 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.
Gene Raskin frequented the White Horse Tavern in New York’s Greenwich Village in the 1960s.
Although the song was popularized in the early 1960s by The Limeliters, Welsh singer Mary Hopkin made the best known recording, released on 30 August 1968, shortly after Hopkin had been signed to the Beatles’ newly created Apple label. Hopkin’s recording was produced by Paul McCartney and became a #1 hit in the UK singles chart. In the US, Hopkin’s recording reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Billboard Easy Listening charts for six weeks. The Russian origin of the melody was accentuated by an instrumentation which was unusual for a top ten pop record, including clarinet, hammer dulcimer and children’s chorus, giving a klezmer feel to the song.
Paul McCartney, who produced the session, also recorded Hopkin singing “Those Were The Days” in four other languages for release in their respective countries:
In Spain, Que Tiempo Tan Feliz
In West Germany, An jenem Tag
In Italy, Quelli Erano Giorni
In France, Le temps des fleurs
All four non-English sets of lyrics were also recorded by Dalida and Sandie Shaw with Shaw recording the English lyrics as well.
The UK and US recording’s B-side was Pete Seeger’s “Turn! Turn! Turn!”, which had been a U.S. #1 hit for The Byrds in 1965.
“Those Were the Days” was given to the unreleased version of ‘The Lady is a tramp’ by Frank Sinatra, recorded especially in 1968 for Maureen Starkey as Ringo Starr’s gift for her 22nd birthday, under the name of “The Lady is a Champ”).
Hopkin’s version was released on the back of her success on the television talent show Opportunity Knocks and around the time of its release popular singer Sandie Shaw was also asked to record the song by her management, feeling that it should be done by a “real” singer. Shaw’s version was released as a single but did not beat the success of Hopkin’s version.
In the mid 1970s, after Hopkin’s contract with Apple ended, “Those Were the Days” and “Goodbye” were re-recorded with producer Tony Visconti. Only these re-recorded versions can be found on music compilation discs because Apple never allows its original recordings to be used.
On Christmas 1975, the President of Equatorial Guinea, Francisco Macías Nguema, had 150 alleged coup plotters executed in the national stadium while a band played Those Were the Days.
In 2005, Dolly Parton released a cover of “Those Were the Days,” which featured backing vocals by Mary Hopkin. That year, the song became the title track of Dolly Parton’s album Those Were The Days.

By Mary Hopkin

Lyrics