Short Description: The sheet music is an arrangement of "Those Were The Days" (Mary Hopkin) for piano & vocal
(note-for-note) incl. lyrics
and chord symbols. Arranged close to the original recording.
Licensed Territory: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Eastern Europe. You are not allowed to purchase the sheet music out of these regions!
Instrumentation: Piano & Vocal incl. chord symbols
Interpreter: Mary Hopkin
Music by: Gene Raskin
Words by: Konstantin Podrevskii (Original Russian Lyrics), Gene Raskin (English Lyrics)
Level: 2 (of 5)
Pages: 9
Order No. 101-505-8004d
Guarantee: yes
Video: Please click on the video icon above!
Songfacts:
The original version comes from Russia (just before the October Revolution) and in 1917 was very popular there. The original title was Dorogoi Dlinnoyu, which could be translated as ‘Down the Long Road’. It was popularized in the west through the 1953 British film Innocents in Paris, in which Those were the days is sung in a Variety scene. It was first released on record by the folk duo Gene & Francesca, with the text translated into English by Gene Raskin.
Paul McCartney heard this song in a nightclub performed by Gene & Francesca. He invited the young singer Mary Hopkins, winner of the 1968 TV talent show Opportunity Knocks, into the studio to sing for him. He produced the song with her in Abbey Road Studios, and recorded the guitar part himself. Founded by the Beatles, it was Apple Records’ second single. Interestingly, Those Were the Days ranked higher on the English charts than the Beatles’ Hey Jude after its release on Apple Records, and shortly after took the American and German charts by storm. Since then it has been covered in many different genres. Here is a small selection: Petula Clark, Leningrad Cowboys, Alexandra, and Dalida.
A more detailed history of Those Were the Days can be found on Wikipedia. A version for female choir with the original Russian text is also available on jazzinotes.
Transposition:
We can transpose this score for you. This is how it works:
1. Order it in the original version.
2. Order our article Transposition A.
3. Send an informal email to info@jazzinotes.com (subject: “Transposition”). In the text of the email please indicate the title of the original as well as the key desired.
You’ll receive the transposition within a couple of days as a pdf file you can open using your password for the original version.