Added: 3 years ago
From: richpat
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  • how will I forget this song, I have sang this during my 2nd year high school in Pambujan, a duet number with Teresita " Baby" Diaz...a song to remember as days go-by!

  • great tune!!!

  • whatever happened to her ,she seems to have completely disappeared

  • @david1953ization Take a look at her own website at maryhopkinDOTcom, she has been releasing her back catalogue since 2005 and also brought out a brand new cd with her son Morgan Visconti

  • @david1953ization I checked Wikipedia because I too was interested in this sweet voiced woman. She was married and divorced to a man named Visconti. They had a daughter who also sings. She has been involved as a singer in many groups and many project. Because she is not USA centered, we of course hear nothing of her

    talent and many albums. What I'd like to know (from Paul McCartney) is what the heck did he and she break up? Was she also involved with George Harrison as well?

  • One of my favourites thanks.

  • not my cuppa tea - but the chick's hot :D

  • Forgot all about this song. One of my favourites as a teen. Loved the song and voice thankyou.

  • Thoughtful adults, my parents, aunts, uncles and their contemporaries embraced this song circa 1968. The majority of these folks were in their early 30s. Personally, at 12 years old I was drawn to Mary's trilling, warbling style and I threw over my early '60s crush on Haley Mills for Mary. There's still something about Mary.

  • @TralfazConstruction I must have been 14 and she must have been a few years older. All those around my age loved her. Beautiful memories for sure.

  • Wow this brings back such pleasant memories.....Thanks so much for uploading this.

  • A beautiful song. Unfortunately, Mary went the same way as many other artists attached to the Apple label when The Beatles went down the pan in 1970. The Beatles owned the Apple label.

  • @MrMoggyman Not entirely. Her absence from the music scene was her own doing to raise her family. It was hardly the tragic story that befell Badfinger. She continues to record today under her own label run in part by her daughter.

  • I always thought this sounded Russian!

  • @cumomsandcureloms ..

    i also always believed this is a russian song.

  • Oh yeah, Those were the days!.

  • I remember liking this song when I was a kid; I haven't heard it since. Thanks for the upload. Cheers.

  • One of my all time favorite songs. Thanks for the video. This seems to be a shorter version of the original, but Mary's voice is beautiful all the same. thanks,

  • @ArizonaKnightWolf Then why did you hunt it down? Just to comment about how much you're hated it for 40 years? Do something with your life. The greatest possible gift and you're wasting it on bullshit.

  • @ArizonaKnightWolf - thank you for your comment MinotauroSG but really we shouldn't feed the trolls now should we...BTW have you taken a look at the videos this clown watches and uploads, any comment from someone like this has to be laughed at, its probably just a teenager anyway, We are really in trouble if its old enough to vote.

  • @ArizonaKnightWolf So, what would you rather listen to if you have the choice...THIS or (C)RAP?

  • @ArizonaKnightWolf If you 'hate' it so mutch, WHY ARE YOU HERE!!!!

  • @ArizonaKnightWolf and again I say 'well tickle my tits till Friday!', Get over yourself. You like your version, others like this one, and some like both.

  • @ArizonaKnightWolf It hardly surprises me that a guy who goes by the name of ArizonaKnightWolf would not be a huge fan of Mary Hopkin. As a child, back in the 70's you could be forgiven for giving this title to yourself. 40 years later though...it really makes you out to be, for lack of better description, a TW@T!

  • Me too, but this is often the  case thank goodness.

  • Ykes! Another song that was always on the radio in '68......Melanie, John Sebastian...Tom Jones......Sly...............s­o many others

  • Great song. Love her vocals.

    Frank

  • Lovely musical performance!

  • 2012

  • Yes Mary Hopkin, those were the days. :/

  • This song just cuts too deep during a recession. Don't listen

  • @naganokumas its also over 5 mins long this was edited for the show ...

  • My little brother and I used to perform this for my Mom and Dad when we were kids . We'd dance and hold hands in a circle. We enjoyed singing and reciting for them .. yes those were the days...... hte good mold days...

  • People ought to remember that Wales is known for more than just coal & rugga players !

  • @BigDon62 Shirley not.

  • @naganokumas Rather fancy both Ms. Hopkin & Ms. Bassey have very distinctive voices, if you were referring to another Shirley I to do apologise. Wouldn't have thought there would be too many other Shirley's you could have been thinking of from that particular Principality though ?

  • @BigDon62 Sorry.

  • One can feel a bit of Russian nostalgia in the melody of this tune. Mary Hopkins was a great singer ( like todays's young Dido !) and this song does bring back to me "reflections" of better times lived....those were ithe days, indeed !

  • @VIRIATO1942 I would say a lot of Russian nostalgia, no just a bit.

  • Wow! Those were the days!

  • i didnt know the birth of this song and tune, it does have an "old timey" sound and i love this version and mary does it justice ty for posting and thank those making comments you have enriched my knowledge ty

  • how ever it is the best

  • A video about Friends Lost, Dictatorship, and Roast Chicken got me here...

  • Who's been brought here by Nando's Dictator/Robert Mugabe advert? ;)

  • @markus1357 100th thumbs up, your welcome.

  • I was born, 6th August, 1950, as was my Twin Brother.

    We both agree, in this instance, Mary Hopkin excells.

    In every instance.

  • This was one of my first 45's back in the day. I played it over and over and figured out how to play it on the piano - but could imagine it being Russian originally - beautiful

  • I would kill for the bass tabs to this song. I would do it by ear but it's really hard to hear.

  • Gene Raskin plagiarised the song, stole it from the Russian composer Fomin. One of the first singer who sang it was Aleksandr Vertinsky. Fomin died in 1948 in poverty. Raskin, who wrote only English text and plagiarised the melody, became rich.

  • @artistelenaringo @artistelenaringo , The song Vertinsky sang was written by Boris Fomin/Konstantin Podrevskii called Dorogoy Dlinnoyu (Дорогой длинною) "By a long road" When Gene Raskin recorded the song "those were the days" with his group the limeliters the composer of the music was unknown and when Mary recorded it in 1968 Essex Music were under the impression that the melody was a traditional piece. and it wasnt until many years later that the identity of the composer became known

    Pat

  • Even if Raskin had not known the author of the melody, it was not his melody. He put copyright on the tune and collected royalties,of which the relatives of the real composer Fomin never got a penny. The song is a part of the Russian culture and copyright for the melody must be taken away of Raskin.He wrote the lyrics. That's it.

  • @artistelenaringo With all due respect, how could the PUBLISHERS. not Gene Raskin, pay any monies owed if they did not know WHO to pay the monies too.

  • @richpat The issue is that the original music was not copyrighted, it was in the public domain, therefore anyone could use it with no monies due to the author. Raskin has claimed the music as his own work, supposedly altered from the original, which it clearly isn't. (or if it is, any change is insignificant to justify it as a new piece). He has even pursued legal action against others using this music. Using the tune with new lyrics is fine, but taking credit for writing it is not.

  • @haggismn Fed up repeating myself the composer of the music was unknown to raskin when he put his words to the music.....

  • @richpat I understand he wasn't aware who wrote it at the time. How much truth there is in that in another matter. Regardless, how does not knowing the composer give him the right to claim the music as his own work? Do you understand the issue here? The music has been subject to massive commercial exploitation, with Raskin's name put in the place of author so he could take the credit. Had Raskin stated the music as being of an unknown source this song would still have been successful.

  • @haggismn He NEVER claimed the music as his own. The publishers are responsible

  • This song takes me back to when I was a young child. Life was so easy, when your parents are there for you

  • mary hopkin , whats she doing now please anyone?

  • @garrycollett lots and lots, she has her own label and has re;eased some wonderful stuff, go to maryhopkinDOTcom,

  • in 1977 she sang backing vocals on bowie,s sound and vision hit

  • @n0rt0nj4zZ Yes she did, and if your only 13 what are you doing up at this time??

  • yer thats my great grandama there u all see singing she very beautiful 

  • Welsh women are so-o-o-o-o beautiful!

  • Thank you uploader for taking the time and making the effort to convert this to youtube. I'm sure mary hopkin would not wish us all to squabble about the quality of the sound, so let's all be grateful and enjoy this 'old' footage of her and sing with her.... la, la , la , la , la , la :)

  • Sometimes something happens, maybe something little, something that takes me back to different times in my life. Times we thought we could take for granted. Times that it seemed would never end. But, of course they did. This song captures how that feels.

  • How crazy. A song from simpler days, expressing how nice things used to be. An old concept by no means limited to this little song, fulfills its own prophesy by attracting a bitter fued over the sound quality! Nasty.

    A live transmission from 30 years ago, on the domestic technology of the day, was nearly always woeful. The quality is typical and it is better available to everyone with its imperfections, rather than being left forgotten in someones attic. Post as many of these gems as possible.

  • When this song came out in the late 60's I was a child of about 4 years old, but it made a great impression on me. I still love hearing it.

  • She is Welsh and lives in Cardiff, Wales

  • man his song takes me back i was living in santa rita guam such a great time for me

  • Very nice! But it's a short version, it starts with the third strophe.

  • i like the song but the sound quality is brutal

  • @jonathanfromtheblock Well thanks very much, this was recorded onto a VHS recorder in the early 1980's played to death for many years then transferred to computer then uploaded to youtube, I am just grateful it has survived at all ...

  • @richpat lol ya thats funny

  • @jonathanfromtheblock

    I dislike people like you. If you have a better version, upload it. If not, shutup and acknowledge the fact that the owner uploaded the vid in the first place.

    I can hear it perfectly btw. This person must have something wrong with his/her ears/speakers. :)

  • @qrUnqestyLe I dislike people like you, richpat responded to what i said, i even thumbed up richpats comment when i saw it as i liked it, what surprised me was the video has 1.4 million hits and the sound quality is poor, its unusual on youtube, thats why i commented, maybe brutal is a 'poor' choice of words, there was no offence intended, i doubt if many took offence bar yourself.

  • @jonathanfromtheblock

    Lol I love how you use my own sentences against me, shows your lack of vocab and ability to create a sentence.

    I think, if you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say it at all. Especially when the owner of the video took the time to upload the video for your viewing pleasure.

  • @qrUnqestyLe I think there is wisdom in your message, if you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say it at all. I made a comment about the video richpat has uploaded not about the person who uploaded, you have made two personal attacks on me within two messages even though you don't know me. I think this is a poor reflection on you. If you disagree with what I'm saying please tell me why?

  • @jonathanfromtheblock

    I have been telling you why I disagree with you for the past day. Is there any need for me to repeat myself?

    The comment about the video still reflects on the uploader, hence he uploaded it, he tok the time to convert the file and upload it, again, I can't believe I'm repeating myself, for your viewing pleasure. Why are you making me repeat myself?

  • is everyone commenting on this drunk or something?

  • @yipeokia1 Nothing. I like it.

  • I was serving in Viet Nam when I heard this song, love it, i was only 18, now I'm 66 and still love it.

  • Yes! It always sounded like an old folk song.... Thank you for all that info....ejl

  • Those most certainly were the days, my friend... but they didn't end... they just changed a bit... and those dreams still fit.

  • @davehorne but face and voice!!!!---never mind the legs

  • This song has a very Yiddish bent.

  • A beautiful song, lovely singer. Bu oh ! the nostalgia from so many of you. They were great days, but they're done & dusted. I checked out this song because I want to play it on piano or guitar (I'm relearning the keyboard, and just started guitar - at 65 years of age;- ever the optimist !). Anyway, from time to time turn off your computer and pop down your local pub, club or whatever, where there might be live music. Then you can rekindle "the days". Oh, and leave your mobile at home.

  • @davehorne When our memories outweigh our dreams, we have grown old ...

  • paul macartney didnt write this song he produced it

  • @andrew34430 And where do I say he did?

  • This was our Class Song during the Graduation of Venice High, 1980. Those days of youth, imagination and fervent expectation seem not so far removed and yet an eternity. The Song haunts me because it reminds me that the vitality of our youth which defines so much of our formative years is fleeting. Those first love affairs, those idealistic passions are like gas on a fire, flaring high, burning hot, but dying down all too quickly.

  • I don't know why but this song popped into my head a few minutes ago and I was actually surprised to find it!! I was pretty young when it came out but now as I read the lyrics, I feel like it fits me. Those were definitely the best days ever!!! I think everyone has a time in their life they can remember and agree that "those were the days".

  • has youtube ever had such a time adding suggestions?

  • Who cares who wrote it! It's an amazing song! Every time I hear it I'm transported into the 1700's! (It sounds older than the 1960's!)

  • @MultiGabbyG The words are from the 1960's the melody is from the 1920's

  • @richpat it`s Russian folksong, translated into English 1960s, became populare due to Macartney.

    Russian version sounds like "Дорогой длинною да ночкой лунною....", try to listen to it on youtube

  • @Vasjona No it's not, the music was written by a Russian composer called Boris Fomin in the early 1920's, his song called "Dorogoy dlinnoyu" (Дорогой длинною) had words by the poet Konstantin Podrevskii. Gene Raskin wrote the lyrics "those were the days" in 1962 and used Fomins music only

  • @MultiGabbyG : This may be a little surprising. The original song is Russian It seems to me that he original name is "The long road" . You can find it in YouTube. Its a folkloric chantic.

  • @tripleang1 chantic? what language is that?

  • Mary Makes Music Magic.

    Time Turning-Tavern

    Reflections To Remember.

  • @AbeniSisterSnake well said, well sung, well spirit :)

  • The tune is an old Ukrainian folk song believe it or not

  • @levatation1 No it's not, the music was written by a Russian composer called Boris Fomin in the early 1920's, his song called "Dorogoy dlinnoyu" (Дорогой длинною) had words by the poet Konstantin Podrevskii. Gene Raskin wrote the lyrics "those were the days" in 1962 and used Fomins music only

  • Comment removed

  • @Wilson96HUN oh no it's not ...

  • @Wilson96HUN Go away your just being a Buda....pest ! There's a good fellow.

  • @Wilson96HUN sorry, but this is russian from 1967

  • "Those Were the Days" when music was actually not about drugs and women yep, "those were the days"

  • perfeeeect!!!!

  • nice song

  • It haunts, it pains, it brings tears to think how I wasted so many of 'those days," and now those days, those loves, those riche times are gone. Thank God at least the memories still gush forth and this music can still make those memories.

  • There comes a time in any persons life when the sound of this song will bring tears to their eyes and make them think to themselves ... Those were the days.

    We are so caught up with our everyday problems that life just passes us by and one day we see our reflection in the mirror and think "is that really me? where did my childhood/ youth/ life go?".

    Time is so merciless...

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  • always know she was a redhead rather than a blonde, with those sparkling blue eyes that could capture the devil.

  • The Simpsons used to be good.

    Those were the days.

  • This song was composed in some years after revolution in Russia (1917)

  • @slaviusful "Dorogoy dlinnoyu" (Дорогой длинною) was composed during the 1920's, BUT this song 'Those were the days' was written around 1962.

  • this song is old but also very very good and i was born in the 2000's lol i love old songs :)

  • This was number one in the uk charts on the day I was born (October 15th 1968)

  • Ha! Initially I thought it is translation from Russian, but it looks like it was actually stolen - lyric is quite different.

  • @nozh2002 ?? Nothing was stolen, Music is by Fomin lyrics are by Raskin ...

  • @richpat

    Music was stolen - it is old Russian song first recorder in 1920 by Vertinski - "Дорогой Дальнюю".

    See YouTube for - "Александр Вертинский Дорогой длинной....

    But it was not stolen only by Americans - it was also stolen by French ...

    See - "DALIDA, LE TEMPS DES FLEURS"

  • @nozh2002 No nothing was stolen, here on my posting is a song called "those were the days" you are referring to a song called "Dorogoy dlinnoyu" (Дорогой длинною) music by Boris Fomin with words by the poet Konstantin Podrevskii. Gene Raskin wrote the lyrics "those were the days" in 1962 and used Fomins music only, if you listen to Vertinski's song the arrangement is quite different.

  • @richpat

    I am not quite sure about this notion of "using" someone else music, to me it looks like "borrowing".

    How many song written on music from "Yesterday" or "Michelle" or "Take it off" do you know.

    It does not seems like a usual practice.

    Do you think it would be OK to "use" music from other Russian songs - there quite a bit of them and they are really good as well.

  • @nozh2002 Using music and putting "other words" to said music has been done for many, many years, eg, Sinatra and My Way... What's the problem with that ...

  • @richpat

    Are you fool?

    The sign © is need in this situation. Or Raskin had to name the author of music of this song. He didn't do it!

  • @morrigann11 You are a very rude person. No I am not a fool. When Gene Raskin put his words to THIS music, neither he or the publisher knew who the composer was. When Mary recorded it again the composer was still not known, it wasn't until after it become a world wide hit did they find out Boris Fomin had written it the music.

  • Kiera Knightley's mother

  • @kelomike lol,

  • I remember this song as a kid and I liked it very much, but I prefer Goodbye. I never knew what she looked like till a couple of years ago, thanks to youtube and she turned out to be everything I imagined her to look like...BEAUTIFUL! . Youtube is fantastic for strolling down memory lane and can be depressing as well when you look back at the past and wonder, where did it all go?

  • MARY IS A FANTASTIC!!!! SINGER!!!!! I USE TO DANCE WITH MY FRIEND THEN DAYS IN THE STREET WE WERE SO YOUNG!!!!! THANK YOU FOR THE UPLOAD

  • when listening to her songs feels like i'm in a garden full of daffodils and roses having a cup of tea!

  • I Love Her!

  • I look back at those days and wish to return to the hope and simplicity of then. I also shudder at how naive and foolish I was, and how I miraculously survived. In fact, I couldn't have without the direct kindness and mercy of God. I made it through it all because God is good.

  • follow Mary Hopin on Twitter  @themaryhopkin

    She's still a dream.......and very funny.........

  • Comment removed

  • I'm a rocker and hate this type of music, but I love this song. All time classic!!

  • This is better quality than some of Marys earlier renditions, but i wish they hadn`t chopped up the verses and shortened the performance.

  • Who is this nice girl? Never heard of her. So cute, and her voice is so lovely and sonorous.

  • @Gemini1988I Hi Gemini...Mary Hopkins was one of the early success stories for the Beatles' manager Brian Epstein.. I think her career really flew the Beatles' Apple Corp. was created.

    They advertised for young talent to produce and she was one of them. Paul McCartney arranged this song for her to sing. It became an instant hit in the 60's. Her voice is just lovely isn't it? btw they also produced a young James Taylor! Thank God!

  • @cindyamcbride Almost right, Brian had sadly passed away some time before.Mary released an EP of Welsh language songs for a local label called Cambrian before signing to the Beatles Apple Label in 1968. Model Twiggy saw her winning a TV talent show and recommended her to Paul McCartney.

  • @cindyamcbride Thank you

  • Comment removed

  • I use to dance in my street with my friend we were so little but we Loved the song thank for the upload

  • Thanks a lot for uploading :)

  • Wie immer waren die Fab4 die Trendsetter.

    Frauen und Popmusic-unvorstellbar.

    Dann sagten sich die 4-lasst mal eine Frau ran.

    Der Rest ist Charts-Geschichte.

    DANKE!

  • I remember when I was kid listening to this song when playing cards with my grandma and sister during the school holidays. Funnily enough, we seemed to think that those days would never end.

  • i love this songs sooooo much!!!!!! cant stop listening to this i think i must've broken the like and replay button!

  • Bravo!!! Beatiful smooth voice!!! Beatiful singing!!! Great charm!!!! Congratulations!!

    Greetings from Brazil.

  • This makes the U.S. music sound bad I love music like these that make you think of the past/future The music from the U.s. surely is stupid.

  • it's not about the history of the song, the rendition, Mary Hopkin, great stuff

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  • I also understood that this melody is originally Russian.In a way this music makes me think of the Jewish people.Don't ask why...Maybe this melancholy typically for these people.It is very beautiful

  • @555Nato Correct. It's an old Russian song called Along the Snowy Road. The English lyrics are by Gene Raskin, and are not a translation of the Russian song.

  • @tigranvartanovitch ,is it the one i have just put in my favourites list..This one by Mary Hopkin is also a very fine I have to say.Normally covers of originals arent nice to listen to,but this one is also very good..What are the lyrics of the original Russian version,what is the text about.Can you tell ?

  • @555Nato I have a page dedicated to this song on my website maryhopkDOTnet

  • @richpat thank you.The original text fits the melancholic melody very much.Very beautiful.Another Russian song I like also very much is what i know called "Volga man"or "The Volga Burlack's song".That song gives me the shiver along my spine.So strong ...One of the most beautiful songs i have ever heard.

  • @555Nato Yes, it's the one by Victor Klimenko. The melody of the first line is slightly different from Those Were the Days, and Klimenko sings the original melody. The song is about a troika ride in the snow. It is not connected at all with Gene Raskin's lyrics. Occasionally, one hears a popular song, and it can be traced back to a folk song or a piece of classical music. The Seekers' The Carnival Is Over is another Russian song. It's "Stenka Razin", but the melody of the last line is different

  • @tigranvartanovitch Hi,yes I saw the original text on the website of richpat,on maryhopkindotnet ,he has the Russian ,original version shown too.Which is very nice of him..You're right on that many popular songs have their origins in folk and classic songs.I love the song Stenka Rasin by the way.What a voice !!

  • @plavusha208 - Figures it comes from a Russian song...they're the most sentimental people on the planet, out-sentimentaling even the Germans.

  • @theBaron0530 ,The Germans sentimental?That's new to me.I live in a country neighbouring Germany,but never seen anything like you say.I do know their work 'ethics'.Had a German girlfriend who worked 12,5 hours a day.Remember the saying "Arbeit macht frei" ?Now THAT is German.For sentiment I more think of Italy.Russia ,yeah,definitely too.I've got several Russian Folk songs which shows it (Volga boat man).But Germany ...dont know ,but i have never seen it...

  • @555Nato - It's a stereotype, to be sure, but you can find examples of a maudlin sentimentality in a German, especially after a few beers.

  • @theBaron0530 ,ofcourse.In each folk there is every emotion :-)

  • tHANK YOU FOR POSTING'pAT. i WAS MARRIED TO A BEAUTIFUL GIRL WHO WAS A DEAD RINGER FOR mARY.tHEY WERE BOTH BORN IN 1950 AND MY WIFE WAS A FAN HERE IN cANADA. i WATCH SEVERAL OF THE VIDS THAT YOU AND OTHERS POST ALMOST EVERY NITE BECAUSE i FIND IT GIVES ME CONFORT AND JOY TO LOOK AT THE VIDS AND THE BEAUTIFUL, MELODIC MUSIC. mY DARLING WIFE DIED OF BREAST CANCER 3 YEARS AGO AND THANKS TO YOU AND yOUTUBE, i FEEL A CONNECTION THAT HELPS ME THROUGH THIS SEEMINGLY EVERLASTING GRIEVING PROCESS. tHANKS

  • @aknaturelvr "Dorogoy dlinnoyu" (Дорогой длинною) was NEVER translated. Gene Raskin in the 60's used the melody and wrote his own lyrics for Those were the days...