Mary Hopkin was born on this day in 1950 so, according to my shaky arithmetic, she is now seventy four years old. At the tender age of eighteen, the shy Welsh folk singer was catapulted to stardom after recording "Those Were The Days". Here it is:-
Mary Hopkin was one of the first artists to sign up for The Beatles' Apple label back in 1968. Based upon a Russian love song, Mary's version of "Those Were The Days" was produced by Paul McCartney and it seemed to quickly resonate with British pop fans for it soon shot up to Number One in our charts.
I think you can detect the song's Russian heritage through the accordion and the song's early folk dance rhythm and the "La-la-la-da-da-da" chorus.
I suspect that most people can still easily identify with the nostalgic notion that things were probably better in the past. We laughed more or so it seemed. We were more carefree and what on earth happened to those that we once knew? Oh yes, "Those were the days my friend":-
Once upon a time there was a tavern
Where we used to raise a glass or two
Remember how we laughed away the hours
Think of all the great things we would do?
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 choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way
La-la-la-da-da-da
La-la-la-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da, la-da-da-da-da
I remember hearing my parents play this tune every so often.
ReplyDeleteIt made Number 2 in the US Billboard Charts - beaten by "Hey Jude".
DeleteYes , I remember this song. It had a way of stopping and starting and loud and quiet.
ReplyDeleteYes. An unusual structure Red.
DeleteSuch a great song and one of only a couple I knew all of the lyrics.
ReplyDeleteWhen you hear it you might think of Ray from now on.
Delete(tears welling)
DeleteShe was very sweet and innocent looking.
ReplyDeletePossibly what you see in a mirror JayCee?
DeleteDid she forget the words for the last bit?
ReplyDeleteAt 74, memory may start to fade.
DeleteAnother song that I had forgotten about until now. Looking back, things did seem much more simple and easy when we were young, I think probably because we had the youth and energy on our side then.
ReplyDeleteI think this is how people have always been - imagining that what has passed by was better. Nostalgia is a trickster.
DeleteI remember it well. And her album Earth Song, Ocean Song (1971) was among the few LPs I owned back in my teens, and played over and over and over... And still love! (Haven't owned a vinyl record player in decades; but had all my old favourites transferred to CD/mp3.)
ReplyDeleteThat was clever of you to have your old albums transferred to CD. I wish I had done that too.
DeleteI was lucky in that my brother had the equipment to help me with that!
DeleteI remember being young, when anything was possible and the days were endless, especially the summer days:) We did think they'd never end.
ReplyDeleteI remember that song, altho, I don't remember her singing it. Now it makes me feel old!
ReplyDeleteAh yes. You have triggered a memory. How could I have forgotten? I loved that song.
ReplyDeleteI know this song, but not the Mary Hopkin version. The Fifth Dimension put it on their "Age of Aquarius" album in 1969. I think a lot of people covered it after Mary's version became a hit.
ReplyDeleteNow I shall be singing that all evening!
ReplyDeleteYes, perhaps life was simpler then, perhaps the world was a better place. There were no such things as computers or smart phones, and not the self obsession that many youngsters seem to have now. I think that we only had two or three TV Channels too!
I remember her on Opportunity Knocks.
ReplyDeleteOne of my very favorites!! Both the singer and the song.
ReplyDelete