Those Were The Days
ERIC CLAPTON &/THE CREAM Lyrics
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Long time before our time when the world was free,
Those were the days.
Golden cymbals flying on ocarina sounds,
Before wild Medusa's serpents gave birth to hell
Disguised as heaven.
Those were their ways, miracles everywhere are they now?
They're gone.
Those were their ways, yes they were, those were their ways.
Those were the days, yes they were, those were the days.
Tie your painted shoes and dance, blue daylight in your hair,
Overhead a noiseless eagle fans a flame.
Wonder everywhere.
Those were the days, yes they were, those were the days.
Those were their ways, miracles everywhere are they now?
They're gone.
Those were their ways, yes they were, those were their ways.
Those were the days, yes they were, those were the days.
The song "Those were the days" by Eric Clapton & The Cream is a nostalgic reflection on a mythical past in which Atlantis, an idyllic ancient city, existed above the sea long before the current world with all its problems and complications. The lyrics transport the listener to an era in which everything was beautiful, magical, and full of wonder, a time when miracles were commonplace, and the world was free from the grips of hell.
As the song continues, the lyrics talk about how this past was full of golden cymbals flying on ocarina sounds and the "blue daylight" in people's hair. The reference to Medusa's serpents gives birth to hell, disguised as heaven, is a symbolic way of saying that the world, in its contemporary state, is plagued by darkness, despair, and evil. The noiseless eagle, fanning a flame overhead, represents the idea of wonder and mystery in the past.
The song's central message is that there was a time when the world was beautiful and pure, and people lived freely without the weight of the world's troubles. The lyrics also lament how those days are gone, and the world has lost its magic, beauty, and wonder.
Line by Line Meaning
When the city of Atlantis stood serene above the sea,
In a time long ago, a mythical city known as Atlantis existed above the sea in a peaceful and calm manner.
Long time before our time when the world was free,
This city existed in a time long before our current age, when the world was free and unencumbered.
Those were the days.
These were a bygone era of peacefulness and freedom.
Golden cymbals flying on ocarina sounds,
Musical instruments, such as cymbals and the ocarina, were used to create beautiful sounds that soared.
Before wild Medusa's serpents gave birth to hell
Before the serpents of Medusa, which are symbols of evil, corrupted the world.
Disguised as heaven.
These evil forces may have appeared as heaven, but were actually hellish.
Those were the days, yes they were, those were the days.
This era of peace and beauty is missed dearly.
Those were their ways, miracles everywhere are they now?
People during this time period believed in miracles, but are they still common now?
They're gone.
These miraculous times and beliefs are no longer present.
Those were their ways, yes they were, those were their ways.
Believing in miracles and awe-inspiring beauty was a common mindset of the people during this time.
Tie your painted shoes and dance, blue daylight in your hair,
People were able to revel in life's simple pleasures, such as dancing and feeling the sun in their hair.
Overhead a noiseless eagle fans a flame.
The natural world was full of wonders, even an eagle flapping its wings could be a beautiful sight.
Wonder everywhere.
During this era, everything seemed wondrous and beautiful.
Those were the days, yes they were, those were the days.
This era was truly special and missed dearly.
Those were their ways, miracles everywhere are they now?
People believed in miracles and eager to see and experience it.
They're gone.
These times and beliefs have become history.
Those were their ways, yes they were, those were their ways.
Believing in the miracles of life and having a sense of wonder was a common mindset of the people in this era.
Those were the days, yes they were, those were the days.
These times were truly special and missed greatly.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Walt Disney Music Company
Written by: KEVIN BASSINSON, HOWARD ASHMAN, THOM SHARP, DREW NEUMANN, MARK WATTERS, MICHAEL SILVERSHER, JAMES STEMPLE, JEROME GRANT, PATRICIA SILVERSHER, ALAN MENKEN, JOHN BEASLEY, STEPHEN JAMES TAYLOR, ED FOURNIER, CRAIG GARFINKLE, ALBERT OLSON, JOHN VESTER, CARL JO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ethanhodges7278
Awesome tune 🔥🔥🔥
@Sharps.50
From the first moment I heard Cream became an instant fan & will be a Cream fan forever , just the best ... R.I.P Jack Bruce .
@bluemarlin2u
Certainly one of my favorites Cream songs. Pity it was never a hit or was it ever performed live.
@bunnybgood411
My favorite too.
@jackoboyle2833
It was the flip side of another Cream A-release. Can’t remember which one.
@jackoboyle2833
Flip side of “White Room.”
@maximillianvermontsuperbik2624
Ginger Baker lays down a super human barrage of precision and virtuosity on this track, that is unmatched. Plays the drums as a lead instrument.
@AndyOakleaf
The tuned bells make it unique. Long live Ginger Baker. Those were the days.
@rubensjunior8586
I heard once that Felix Pappalardi played the bells in this track
@AndyOakleaf
@Rubens Júnior I looked him up on Wikipedia, poor guy got shot and killed by his wife in 1983. He was a bassist among other notable things, and he could have played the bells on this cut, talented guy that he was.