"Those were the days" is a famous hit by Mary Hopkin from 1968. Gene Raskin (1909-2004) wrote the first English lyrics for this originally Russian folk tune. Paul McCartney heard the song, sung by Gene Raskin and his wife Francesca in a club in 1966. Two years later Mary Hopkin won a TV talent show and McCartney asked her to record this song. So the great success of "Those were the day" began, it was covered more than 50 times and still is very popular.
The lyrics of the refrain:
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'd choose.
We'd fight and never lose.
For we were young and sure to have our way!
Serie Sound Classics No. 12