Those were the days (The original Russian song) - Дорогой длинною

[rjwarde]

beautiful...

[trisiti]

The real original lyrics were Trololololol...

[youtship]

I guessed it right.

When i first heard the English version

I knew the melody was from Russian.

[Helena2893]

I love Russia :x

[JERICE56]

Beautifull Song and video. I love russian art.

[TheShizue777]

What a terrific find! I just happened t look over to the right while I was playing another YT video and saw this one. I was a teenager when Mary Hopkins had a hit with "Those Were the Days." I can't remember anyone ever mentioning that this was originally a Russian song. It's seems almost downright spiritual when you hear it sung in Russian by that woman soloist. Do we have her name? Many thanks for sharing, BobsArtGallery!

[fantasticeed]

Where is the photo from 3:08 taken from?? 

[BobsArtGallery]

@fantasticeed It´s the State Hermitage museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

[fantasticeed]

@BobsArtGallery oh really i haven't seen it from that point of view thank you for the info

[forsasare3a]

i love vodka

[iguana177]

Знай наших!!!

[BobsArtGallery]

@ElenaShares ...Please read my description...

[ohmproduct]

Ovo je ubedljivo najbolja verzija koju sam cuo.Jedino ovako izvodjenje ima smisla i znacaja.Dali neko zna ime pevacice?

[PanicusVulgaris]

@ohmproduct ovo je staaaara, stara ruska ciganska pjesma. Ne znam koja je ovo pjevacica, ali ima mnogo ruskinja koje ovo super pjevaju. Lijepu verziju u aranzmanu koji naginje ka klasicnoj muzici je snimila slovenka Manca Izmajlova.

[mariomaponte]

amazing!

[amjed5841]

Will some body be kind enough to send the English lyrics. Many thanks

[amjed5841]

Anybody will be good enough to send the English version! I know the song but miss the words.

Thanks

[joemclellan1]

@amjed5841 I don't know how to send you the lyrics on YouTube, but if you search for Mary Hopkin, you will see that one of the videos has a karaoke-style rendering of the English lyrics accompanying her singing. Her song is the way that Americans learned this tune.

[andor20001]

When I came to the States in 1977, there was no internet, naturally, and people told me it was an American songs, and that we, Russians, stole it as we steal everything else, and made our own version of the songs. I even found a vinyl record of the songs, and true enough, the credits were given only to G.Raskin and Mary Hopkins. I truly resented it at the time... Internet is the great equalizer )))

[Dons166]

Who is performing this version?

[jazzfunkful]

Arizona...LOL...never heard that one before...LOL!!

[SessionPiano]

I love it! I love it far more than the Mary Hopkins remake version. Is this available on iTune?

[BobsArtGallery]

@SessionPiano ...Unfortunately not !!

[SzaryWilkSamotnik]

Russian music - the most beautiful music In the world.

[osklaufdal]

Хорошая песня - Приятно видеть все фотографии <- Flott lag - gaman að skoða myndirnar - kveðja frá Íslandi <- Привет из Исландии

[ArizonaKnightWolf]

As a kid in the 1970's, I hated Mary Hopkins version of this song. that hasn't changed in the intervining forty years. But this original version is a whole lot better. Being of Sub-Carpathian heritage, I grew up surrounded by Russian (and the surrounding middle European) music. My Father and my My Mom's father used to speak in Slovak when they didn't want us kids to listen in their conversations!!!

[ksp7653]

@ArizonaKnightWolf Don't hate Mary Hopkins. I'm Irish and english, and I happen to like her version as well.

[get2rog]

@ArizonaKnightWolf well tickle my tits till Friday!"

[mcfrdmn]

Wonderful musical performance!

[carlosafgomes]

Maravilhosa música que já faz parte da história.

[Zeppelinguy666]

I love russian culture

[JoeKGB1945]

Lot's of love to my Mother Russia. Slava!

[franciscojavierm]

Russia is such a fascinating country. 

[rambler651]

@franciscojavierm oh, really? go live there. then tell us about commerade Stalin's perfect paradise.

[franciscojavierm]

@rambler651 1. Russia is not communist anymore 2. Stalin is long dead, It's Putin's "paradise" now 3. The fact that I think it's fascinating doesn't mean neither I wish to live there nor that I think too high about it. 4. You should move on from the cold war mindset, what you just said sounds as misinformed as if someone thinks Germany is still a Nazi country.

[jimb987]

This had me in tears - how can I hear more from this wonderful voice?

[gefet]

YARRAMI YE FENER :):)

[leokertz]

It is the pathos of the Russian culture, so strongly influenced it's music through the ages. A deep sense of tragedy belies some harmoneous chords. That's why the music is so stirring, reaching deep into our hearts, touching deep feelings. One conjures up visions of Rasputin, Catherine the Great and the hapless Romanovs.

Real tragedy is reflected in this type of music, deeply felt, wonderfully executed and forever bonded to mother Russia. It's music you'll never forget.

[paullubliner]

There are DOZENS of fabulous color photos of Russia taken in 1909-1915 or so that would really go well in this video. They're now in the property of the U.S. in public domain. Just Google Images: Russian Color Photos 1909. When the Mary Hopkin song came out my mother insisted it was a much older song she remembered as a girl in Europe. She was correct I now see.

[latykai]

beautiful and great videos ty

[ohsodeep1]

where did you get this specific song from? i would like to download the song? can u please send it to me or tell me where to find this song? she sings it with such a russian passion and sadness in her voice- its really beautiful!

[BobsArtGallery]

@ohsodeep1 ...Whe I was in Russia few years back, I asked a guy in a music shop to record for me different Russian folk songs, and he handed me a CD with 20 songs with no titles, and I´m lost really myself, and I don´t know who is who and what !!...Sorry pal.

[ohsodeep1]

@BobsArtGallery is there any way i could get a copy of that CD or just this song? PLEASE?

[BobsArtGallery]

@ohsodeep1 ...Just wrote you that I can send you the song by mail. There is no specific CD for this song.

[ohsodeep1]

@BobsArtGallery could u take a picture of the song list for me and post it? i could have it translated PLEASE?

[BobsArtGallery]

@ohsodeep1 ...I have a homemade blank CD with no titles.

[bunelik]

Terrific performance - but who are the performers????

[SantasHelperWithStuf]

WHERE IS EDUARD KHIL?

[ScotsmanRex]

Check out Mary Hopkin version with English lyrics. Is a very touching and moving song.

[museack]

This song was originally written on saturn in the 1st century & was stolen from a poor innocent alien when it had to make an emergency landing in russia because of a flat thruster while enroute to the sun on a "sunny" weekend jaunt.

[solaccursio]

there is also an italian version, "quelli eran giorni " (those were the days", literally) sung by Dalida

[GoweExile]

I know it's bias but Mary Hopkin sang her version better than this singer (something about the clear purity of the voice)

[BlackopsBeardies]

Russians are bog headed pricks that try to control everyone and nick there oil

[azerioilman]

Please, correct me, if I am wrong, I think there is also Turkish version of this song performed by Ajda Pekan.

[azerioilman]

That's right. This is an old gypsy song. I also know that this song was very popular in French restaurants where the Russian immigrants were gathering.

[Prelat13]

Интересно хохлы здесь причем?

[av10010]

one of the best russians songs. i'm loving it!!!

[JanRaBang]

I close my eyes and listen to this song and can imagine that I'm walking through the streets of Moscow even I never go to russia before.

Love this version!!!

[BH206L3]

This is one of the many things Russians do very very well!

[davidwalach]

how interesting! i knew it wasn't english when it was covered by mary hopkin in the 60s. i knew just from hearing it that it was ethnic. LOVE IT!

[RokThe2k]

"great version this is.. love russian music"

[oldguitardude]

What is that big triangular guitar called?

[BobsArtGallery]

@oldguitardude ...This is a Russian "Balalaika". The big one you saw in the first

picture, is a base Balalaika.

[milaslava]

@BobsArtGallery its a contrabase, the equivalent to the bass guitar so to speak, you have the alto (smaller) and the prima which is the main balalaika used. a good example of this is a very good musician called Bibs Ekkel. he is definately worth checking out.

[oddballsok]

@BobsArtGallery

The big question is does the triangular shape in itself is responsible for its sound or is it simply a cultural development and would an epilips/circular/etc shape make the same sound (and thus it comes down to the strings disposition) ?

[alabader741]

@BobsArtGallery like in the Scorpion song ,

[ohsodeep1]

@BobsArtGallery where can i download this song from? specifically this one cuz i found many versions of this song but i LOVE this one! can u please assist?

[BobsArtGallery]

@ohsodeep1 You can use YouTube downloader to download the song...or send your e-mail to my account, and I´ll send it to you.

[mfrancuzik]

This is A contrabass Balalaika

[leloochlover101]

@oldguitardude your mom

[54MURAI]

@oldguitardude I'm not sure, but it may be the original Russian gypsy version of what we now call a "toblerone". But I may be wrong.

[himiko240]

I's this central "Those were the days" ? fantastic!!

[CHThorneSF]

I don't know the version that was popular in Russia in 1967 or who sung it, but several Russian people (thousands of them that I met in the 80s) told me of this song that was number one in Russia in 1967 (with the Russian name of it "Дорогой длинною") when I played Mary Hopkin's version for them.

[BobsArtGallery]

@CHThorneSF ..."Дорогой длинною" means "Along the road", but was titled "Those were the days"...

[HERUNDINO]

@BobsArtGallery when i heard this song in the sixties, i suspect that it is not an english song , thanks for the information

[NihlistNif]

@CHThorneSF Nani Bregvadze version maybe

[omalila]

ich habe wieder geheult ...das ist das schönste seelenreinigung dem es gibt...danke

[ExEverest10]

@IFeelASongCominOn In Russia, you mean? There are two common ways to refer to your home country; Rodina or Otechestvo. The first is very common, is roughly translated as a 'birthplace', happens to be feminine [grammatically], and is typically personified as a mother. Otechestvo is very formal, and hence, quite uncommon, but is roughly translated as the 'father-country'.

[groundman2570]

Браво

[funbun2409]

sorry but i find the english version better :/

[Natalija787]

@funbun2409 its because you listened to the wrong version.. :P

[funbun2409]

@Natalija787

aha okay,where is the original version??

[Natalija787]

@funbun2409

unfortunately I cannot give you link here.. try to find "Нани Брегвадзе Дорогой длинною"

[exakdev]

Great song, really, a lot richer than the Mary Hopkin's. I always doubted this song is taken from russian folk culture, now I'm sure :)

[mihankhah]

I love you Mother Russia! 

[guscabo777]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWEEEEEEEEEEEEEE­SOMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

[000Vesna]

Beautiful song! Beautiful people! Beautiful and a great country!!!! I love you, Russia!!!!!!!

[zorro4l]

very beatiful russian song. i love it.

[zorro4l]

very beatiful russian song. i love it.

[Paxtoranious]

Great video and incredible folk music, thanks for this culture very much

[iggnattius]

Beautiful! Woud it be possible someone translate what she is singing?

[Ruk8mini]

This song is about old good times with friends-English version is almost about the same, just in the original we can find the typical Russian pictures: driving in a coach-and-three, playing guitar.

This song was composed in some years after revolution in Russia (1917) and can be also interpreted as the border between old Russian way of life and "new red order": "If we finished with our old way of life, those nice nights will never come again".

But mostly it's just nostalgie song about past.

[Kbitza]

@iggnattius hey.....is a english version.....on youtube....

listen this song........Mary Hopkin - those were the days........

[EithanTLV]

@iggnattius It's gypsy song about traveling down the road with the guitar:)

[EithanTLV]

@iggnattius It's gypsy song about traveling down the road with the guitar:)

[iggnattius]

@EithanTLV Thank you very much for the information

[dbeatlefreak]

Is this the Russian song that Those Were The Days was drawn from, or is it a Russian version of the Americanized Those Were The Days? I suspect the latter.

[BobsArtGallery]

@dbeatlefreak "Those Were the Days" a song is credited to Gene Raskin, who put English lyrics to the Russian gypsy song "Dorogoi dlinnoyu" lit. "By the long road"), written by Boris Fomin (1900-1948) with words by the poet Konstantin Podrevskii. The first known recording of the song was by Alexander Vertinsky in the 1920s. The song is best remembered for Mary Hopkin's 1968 recording, which was a top-ten hit in both the U.S. and the U.K.

[standupEFC]

@BobsArtGallery Are they Roma Gypsies or are they the Russian Version of gypsies.

[PhillySouth]

The story I heard, maybe in Europe a few years after the Hopkin international hit, was that a Finnish folk singer, had added the (Russian) song to his repertoire listening to Tallin (Soviet Estonia) radio across the narrow Gulf of Finland, and gone to England where Paul McCartney saw him singing in a folk club. McCartney saw possibilities for the song, and had it given to one of his proteges at in the Apple stable, and the rest is history, as they say...

[paunovicpn]

@dbeatlefreak This is the original. All other versions are drown from it.

[CHThorneSF]

@dbeatlefreak Your suspicion is unfounded, it was a number one in Russia in 1967 (of an old composition from the 1920's), then an english version was adapted by Gene Raskin which was recorded by Mary Hopkin in 1968 (on The beatles Apple label)... You just have to feel the Russian soul in the song even when sung in english. It has an unmistakable Russian flavor in it!. So give to the Cesar what belongs to the Cesar!

[dbeatlefreak]

@CHThorneSF So, this particular recording is from 1967? I was asking about this particular recording, not the song itself.

[royalcourtier]

@dbeatlefreak Anglicised rather than Americanised. Mary Hopkin is British.

[royalcourtier]

@dbeatlefreak Not Americanised, but Anglicised!

[museack]

@dbeatlefreak  I suspect the latter also. I believe that you're absolutely correct. Enough of these whiners.

[Esperu2008]

i love this music

[Chameleon569]

first time i heared this was by turisas and than remix by Gigi'D'Agostinio but the original version is the best

[glennirish]

wow this is great,first time hearing it in russian,,original,,a real treat,nostrovia

[nikovagkidis]

prekrasnaya pesnya

[afghanelvis]

Ahmad Zahir sang this song WAY WAY better. He was the king of music

[Elyascool]

@afghanelvis lolll ur the man!! zeba negaram is much better then this shit!!

[Europa4life]

This isn'T the original one?

I thought "Le temps des fleurs" by Dalida the french singer was the first who sung the melody?

MAybe I'm wrong. Good music btw.

[BobsArtGallery]

"Those Were the Days" a song is credited to Gene Raskin, who put English lyrics to the Russian gypsy song "Dorogoi dlinnoyu" lit. "By the long road"), written by Boris Fomin (1900-1948) with words by the poet Konstantin Podrevskii. The first known recording of the song was by Alexander Vertinsky in the 1920s. The song is best remembered for Mary Hopkin's 1968 recording, which was a top-ten hit in both the U.S. and the U.K.

[siberiano1981]

i have The first known recording

[MaeNotEast]

@BobsArtGallery This is great, thank you so much for all the wonderful pictures! I too thought Mary Hopkin's hit was a translation of a non-English song. My guess was Russian, being obsessed with all things Russian from a very young age. I was 9 during Montreal's Expo 67 and was given only a few dollars to buy souvenirs. The only souvenirs I bought (and still have today) were the painted wooden spoons from the Russian pavilion!

[EcKoWR]

@BobsArtGallery So its actually a Gypsy song?

[thedove67]

@Europa4life Dalida sang it in 1968 same year as but after Mary Hopkins.

[Volokhov]

Спасибо! Я искал эту песню очень долго! Наконец!

Спасибо от Санкт-Петербурга

[mpigmpig]

thank you for your information of the great song.

[Sabilla89]

Who sings this song / version?

It's great! :)

Spasibo :)

[BobsArtGallery]

Sorry I wish I knew !!..I bought a CD few years back from Moscow with Gypsy music, and none was mentioned.

[Zalley66]

Valentina Govtovtseva?

[wa4lrm]

I really like this song being sung in Russian. It's originally the Russian Gypsy Music.

Я действительно люблю эта песня будучи пенным в русском. Первоначально русское цыганское нот.

[esllearner]

@wa4lrm

This song was written by Russian composer Boris Fomin.

And yes, Gypsys in Russia like to sing this song.

[lslavychecker]

SPASUJE....

[szkaradnik]

Girls from Russia are very hot :)

[GraefinVonSalamanca]

Russian melodies, russian language, russian soul - how I love it all !!!

Spasiba from Vienna!

*****

[beaulahHadassah]

spectacle of seasons!

[perla51]

Splendid video!!!!!!  Perla.

[richpat]

The melody is Russian, but the song was not translated, an American called Gene Raskin wrote the lyrics for the song "Those were the days" this is not a translation from the Russian song "Dorogoy dlinnoyu" which means "By a long road" or "along a long road" The song in Russian Дорогой длинною, was written by Boris Fomin in the early 1900's with words by the poet Konstantin Podrevskii.

.

Pat

maryhopkindotnet

[BobsArtGallery]

Thanks for the xtra information...I mentioned Gene Raskin in my "more info"...and I knew it´s titled " by the long road"...My wife is Russian !...but thanks a lot richpat.

[richpat]

OK, but you have the title on the top of your video as "those were the days" but the singers are singing the song "Dorogoy dlinnoyu" which is a different song??!!

[BobsArtGallery]

It´s easier to title it "those were the days", so people can find the song !!..but thanks anyway.

[richpat]

Sorry but i am amazed...

Konstantin Podrevskii wrote the words to the song these people are singing called "Dorogoy dlinnoyu"

Thats a bit like attending "Hamlet" and stating Charles Dickens wrote it!

[Anulik96]

@richpat The song was originally in Russian. (This is the original song. NOT the origianal recording) LAter different lyrics were put to the same tune in several different languages including English and Italian. Technically Those Were The Days and this song are the same one. The Italian version is titled, Quelli Erano Giorni.

[richpat]

@Anulik96 The song here is "Dorogoy dlinnoyu" This and "Those were the days" are two different songs, only the melody is the same. An American called Gene Raskin (who sang with the "limelighters" and recorded it first) wrote the lyrics for the song "Those were the days", This is not a translation from the Russian song "Dorogoy dlinnoyu" which means "By a long road" The song in Russian Дорогой длинною ("Dorogoy dlinnoyu"), was written by Boris Fomin with words by the poet Konstantin Podrevskii

[Anulik96]

@richpat I ever said the lyrics were translated but I guess you could argue that since the lyrics are different the song is diferent but my point was as i did said, technically its the same song. But in reality it really isnt. (Sorry I wasnt clear about that) And I speak russian too lol =) So i know its not a translation. Actually the italian version is pretty close to a translation. Im not sure if it is because I dont speak italian but i heard some key words.

[richpat]

@Anulik96 have you heard the original Vertinsky recording of "Dorogoy dlinnoyu" from the 1920's ? the songs are very different. The poster of this video BobsArtGallery has written the title of the song as 'Those were the days', when the song being sung is "Dorogoy dlinnoyu" These are 2 different songs, and there can be no argument over that. They share only the melody nothing else.

[Anulik96]

@richpat yes i have. I never denied that all they share is the melody. But the melody is a very key part of the song. When two songs share the same melody it automatically makes them related in some way. And if I were to hum this melody and ask someone what song it was both answers would be right. They are not the same song (as I did say) but they are not entirely to different songs either. Another example is the english version of "Dragostea Din Tei" Same melody different lyrics.

[richpat]

@Anulik96 THis is where we will have to agree to differ,

TO me and lots of other people, the lyrics to those were the days are the most important , they mean so much to so many. therefore I cannot agree with you, If you were to speak the words of "Dorogoy dlinnoyu" in russian or english they would mean very little, there are few songs where the lyrics are known without the music and "...Days" is one of them.

[richpat]

CONTD

That is why posters like BobsArtGallery NEED to use Those were the days to attract listeners because to put "Dorogoy dlinnoyu" in no one would search for it.

[Anulik96]

@richpat I agree that "Those Were the Days" is a very good song and i also agree that the lyrics are extremely meaningful. One would have to be an idiot to argue that they're not. Something I would also like to point out is that "...Days" is a very literal song. Whereas "Dorogoy Dlinnoyu" is more symbolic. It also has a lot of meaning to me and other people. But my original point was you cannot forget that "Those Were the Days" is based off of the original Russian song, Dorogoy Dlinnoyu."