这首悲切凄凉的歌源于20世纪初前苏联的政治流亡者之间,表达了这些政治流民在西方对祖国的深切怀念,以后传到各国,歌词也发生了改变。
1968年英国歌星Mary Hopkin演唱这首歌时,歌名改为“those were the days ”,但在英文歌詞中我们依然可以看到其中充满着坚定的政治理想和斗志。
“those were the days ”
Once upon a time there was a tavern
Where we used to raise a glass or two
Remember how we laughed away the hours
And dreamed 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 la...
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days
Then the busy years went rushing by us
We lost our starry notions on the way
If by chance i'd see you in the tavern
We'd smile at one another and we'd say
Those were the days my friend...
Just tonight i stood before the tavern
Nothing seemed the way it used to be
In the glass i saw a strange reflection
Was that lonely shadow really me... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5pkkAhETYg