Those Were The Days (Mary Hopkins) - Dorogoi dlinnoyu - Gene Raskin - Acoustic Guitar Cover

"Those Were the Days" is a song credited to Gene Raskin, who put a new English lyric to the Russian romance song "Dorogoi dlinnoyu" [ru] ("Дорогой длинною", literally "By the long road"), composed by Boris Fomin (1900–1948) with words by the poet Konstantin Podrevsky. It deals with reminiscence upon youth and romantic idealism.

Mary Hopkin's 1968 debut single of "Those Were the Days", which was produced by Paul McCartney of the Beatles, became a number one hit on the UK Singles Chart and on the Canadian RPM Magazine charts. The song also reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, behind "Hey Jude" by the Beatles. The Russian origin of the melody was accentuated by an instrumentation that was unusual for a top-ten pop record, including balalaika, clarinet, hammered dulcimer or cimbalom, tenor banjo and children's chorus, giving a klezmer feel to the song. Mary Hopkin played acoustic guitar on the recording, and Paul McCartney also played acoustic guitar and possibly percussion.
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Capo III

Em
Once upon a time, there was a tavern
E7 Am
Where we used to raise a glass or two
Em
Remember how we laughed away the hours,
F#7* B7
Think of all the great things we would do

Em
Those were the days, my friend
Am
We thought they'd never end
D D7 G
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
Am
We'd live the life we'd choose
Em
We'd fight and never lose
B7 Em
For we were young and sure to have our way

B7 Em
La La La La La La La La
Am
La La La La La La
B7 Em
La La La La La La La La La La

Em
Then, the busy years went rushing by us
E7 Am
We lost our starry notions on the way
Em
If, by chance, I'd see you in the tavern,
F#7* B7
We'd smile at one another and we'd say

Em
Those were the days, my friend
Am
We thought they'd never end
D D7 G
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
Am
We'd live the life we'd choose
Em
We'd fight and never lose
B7 Em
For we were young and sure to have our way

B7 Em
La La La La La La La La
Am
La La La La La La
B7 Em
La La La La La La La La La La

Em
Just tonight, I stood before the tavern
E7 Am
Nothing seemed the way it used to be
Em
In the glass, I saw a strange reflection
F#7* B7
Was that lonely woman really me?

Em
Those were the days, my friend
Am
We thought they'd never end
D D7 G
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
Am
We'd live the life we'd choose
Em
We'd fight and never lose
B7 Em
For we were young and sure to have our way

B7 Em
La La La La La La La La
Am
La La La La La La
B7 Em
La La La La La La La La La La

Em
Through the door, there came familiar laughter
E7 Am
I saw your face and heard you call my name
Em
Oh, my friend, we're older but no wiser
F#7* B7
For in our hearts, the dreams are still the same

Em
Those were the days, my friend
Am
We thought they'd never end
D D7 G
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
Am
We'd live the life we'd choose
Em
We'd fight and never lose
B7 Em
For we were young and sure to have our way

Em
La La La La La La
Am
La La La La La La
B7 Em
La La La La La La La La La La 2x