Those Were The Days
Hermes House Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
Chorus:
Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd live the life we chose
We'd fight and never lose
'cause we were young and sure to have our way
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 chose
We'd fight and never lose
Those were the days
Oh yes 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
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...
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 fellow really me?
Those were the days...
The opening lyric "Once upon a time there was a tavern" sets the nostalgic tone for the rest of the song. The tavern is a symbol for a time when the singer and their friends were carefree and full of dreams for the future. They remember laughing and dreaming about their great plans.
The chorus highlights how the singer and their friends thought these days would never end. They felt invincible and believed they could achieve anything they set their minds to. They were young and sure to have their way.
Later in the song, time has passed, and the singer realizes that their youthful optimism and dreams have faded. They have lost their "starry notions," and the world is not as bright as it once seemed. The last verse is perhaps the most poignant as it shows the singer standing before the tavern, realizing that time has moved on, and they are not the same person they once were.
This song is a reflection on nostalgia and the passage of time. It captures the universal feeling of looking back on one's youth with both fondness and regret.
Line by Line Meaning
Once upon a time there was a tavern
At one point in the past, there existed a social establishment that functioned as a bar or pub
Where we used to raise a glass or two
It was a place where we would gather and drink alcoholic beverages in each other's company
Remember how we laughed away the hours,
We reminisce about a time when we would spend hours entertaining ourselves with laughter, merriment and socializing
And dreamed of all the great things we would do
Our imaginations would wander and we would envision performing magnificent acts or achieving great feats in the future
Chorus: 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 chose, We'd fight and never lose, 'cause we were young and sure to have our way, Those were the days, Oh yes those were the days
We remember that time with fondness, as we had an unbounded optimism and naivety at that period of our lives, anything seemed possible and we believed we could be anything we wanted to be, so long as we persevered with the strength of our youth
Then the busy years went rushing by us
As time passed, so too did our youth and that idyllic existence, and the daily grind of life took over us, with all its pressures and anxieties
We lost our starry notions on the way
We became disillusioned, and we stopped thinking positively and became more resigned to our circumstances and situation
If by chance I'd see you in the tavern
If fate would bring us together in that same old pub again
We'd smile at one another and we'd say
We would acknowledge each other and exchange heartfelt pleasantries
Just tonight I stood before the tavern
Recently, I was in the proximity of the tavern
Nothing seemed the way it used to be
The reality of the present felt starkly different from the rosy-colored memories of the past
In the glass I saw a strange reflection
As I looked at my reflection through the glass I was holding, it seemed unfamiliar
Was that lonely fellow really me?
This made me realize how far removed I was from that previous self, and the realization felt somewhat isolating and sad
Contributed by Noah G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@DreamGuys921
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 never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way
La la la la la la, la la la la la la
La la la la, la la la la la la
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
We thought they never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh, yes, those were the days
La la la la la la, la la la la la la
La la la la, la la la la la la
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 woman really me?
Those were the days, my friend
We thought they never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days
La la la la la la, la la la la la la
La la la la, la la la la la la
La la la la la la, la la la la la la
La la la la, la la la la la la
Through the door there came familiar laaughter
I saw your face and heard you call my name
Oh my friends we're older but no wiser
For in our hearts the dreams are still the same
Those were the days, my friend
We thought we never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes, those were the day
La la la la la la, la la la la la la
La la la la, la la la la la la
@michaelgabrievich
기~아의 김~주찬~ 기아의 김주찬
워어어 워어워우워우워어~
기아의 김주찬 기아의 김주찬
워어어 워어워우워우워~
기~아의 김~주찬~ 기아의 김주찬
워어어 워어워우워우워어~
기아의 김주찬 기아의 김주찬
워어어 워어워우워우워~
@felixramason384
I love it, perfect, good melody and rhythm
@johnandval1
Such a brilliant band
@DreamGuys921
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 never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way
La la la la la la, la la la la la la
La la la la, la la la la la la
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
We thought they never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh, yes, those were the days
La la la la la la, la la la la la la
La la la la, la la la la la la
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 woman really me?
Those were the days, my friend
We thought they never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes, those were the days
La la la la la la, la la la la la la
La la la la, la la la la la la
La la la la la la, la la la la la la
La la la la, la la la la la la
Through the door there came familiar laaughter
I saw your face and heard you call my name
Oh my friends we're older but no wiser
For in our hearts the dreams are still the same
Those were the days, my friend
We thought we never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes, those were the day
La la la la la la, la la la la la la
La la la la, la la la la la la
@a.katsarakis4268
Απίθανοι τύποι! Loved it!
@railwayman02
Holy shit! This was really really good 😮😃 Those were the days my friend when I didn't know about this version of it 😅
@gyanyna17
beautifull song ....i love hermes is my favorites !!
@juancamiloleal2160
I like this version it´s so cool
@joannacota
Cadê os brasileiros 🇧🇷?
Essa banda tem que ir ao programa Silvio Santos!!!
@davidwalsh3439
Very enjoyable...its party time. We need acts like this to stop us all taking life too seriously. Bring out the booze.
@djspanky1062
This is very reminiscent of the version they used to sing at Cafe Wha? in NYC. I wish they had included the 4th verse though. Anyway, Cafe Wha? - Good times!