After Guy Mitchell caught his set at one club, Jerry Vale began recording demonstration discs for Columbia. When A&R supremo Mitch Miller heard his excellent voice, however, he signed Vale to his own contract. Vale first hit the charts in 1953 with "You Can Never Give Me Back My Heart" (arranged by Percy Faith), and continued during the mid '50s with "Two Purple Shadows," "I Live Each Day," and his biggest hit, "You Don't Know Me." Though his first explicitly Italian recording, "Innamorata (Sweetheart)," finally appeared in 1956, it wasn't until 1962 that Vale convinced the notoriously conservative Miller to record a full album of Italian songs. "I Have But One Heart" proved a big seller and was followed one year later by "Arrivederci, Roma" and a continental LP, "The Language of Love," both of which placed even higher than the first on the album charts.
Though the mid '60s were a trying time for traditional pop singers, Vale continued to be successful, with singles like "Have You Looked Into Your Heart" and "For Mama," and Top 40 LPs like "There Goes My Heart" and "It's Magic." Even after his albums began failing to make the charts in the early '70s, Vale remained a popular name in clubs and on television throughout the '70s and '80s. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
Those Were the Days
Jerry Vale Lyrics
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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 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
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
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'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
Through the door there came familiar laughter
I saw your face and heard you call my name
Oh my friend we're older but no wiser
For in our hearts the dreams are still the same
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
Jerry Vale's song "Those Were The Days" is a timeless classic that captures the essence of youth and nostalgia. The song takes us back in time to a tavern where the singer and his friends used to hang out, laugh and dream about their future. They thought that those days will never end and they can live the life they choose, fight and never lose because they were young and so sure to have their way. They thought they had their whole lives ahead of them, free from responsibilities, problems, and worries.
The second part of the song talks about how the busy years went rushing by them, and in their way of life, they lost their starry notions along the way. They no longer go to the tavern as much as before, and if by any chance, they did see each other there, it would only be smiles and reminiscing the great times that they had. The last part of the song takes us back to the tavern again, where the singer, standing before it, sees a lonely woman in the reflection of the glass. She realizes that time has passed them by, things have changed, and they are no longer the young and carefree people they once were. However, through the door comes familiar laughter and the singer sees his friend's face, and together they acknowledge that they are older but not wiser, and although things have changed, they still carry the same dreams in their hearts as they did those days.
Overall, "Those Were The Days" is a beautifully written song that reflects on the joys and sorrows of youth, friendship, and growing up. It highlights the bittersweet memories of the past that many of us can relate to, and it reminds us to cherish those moments and people that made our lives special.
Line by Line Meaning
Once upon a time there was a tavern
In the past, a tavern existed
Where we used to raise a glass or two
We used to drink at this tavern
Remember how we laughed away the hours
We would laugh and have a good time together
And dreamed of all the great things we would do
We discussed our grand ambitions and aspirations
Those were the days my friend
It was a time of nostalgia and fond memories
We thought they'd never end
We believed that this time in our lives would last forever
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We were carefree and enjoyed singing and dancing without any worry of the future
We'd live the life we choose
We were confident and believed we could lead the life we wanted
We'd fight and never lose
We were determined to overcome any obstacles we faced
For we were young and sure to have our way.
We were young and confident in our ability to succeed
La la la la
A musical interlude with no lyrics
Then the busy years went rushing by us
As time passed, we became more engrossed in the demands of life
We lost our starry notions on the way
Our idealistic and unrealistic expectations faded as we matured
If by chance I'd see you in the tavern
If I coincidentally encountered you at the same tavern
We'd smile at one another and we'd say
We would exchange greetings and reminisce
Just tonight I stood before the tavern
Recently, I was standing outside the tavern
Nothing seemed the way it used to be
The tavern and our past experiences were no longer the same
In the glass I saw a strange reflection
I observed a peculiar reflection in the glass
Was that lonely woman really me
I questioned whether the despondent woman reflected in the glass was me
Through the door there came familiar laughter
I heard familiar laughter coming from inside the tavern
I saw your face and heard you call my name
I recognized your face and heard you say my name
Oh my friend we're older but no wiser
We have aged, but we haven't necessarily become wiser
For in our hearts the dreams are still the same
We still hold onto the same dreams and aspirations
La la la la
A musical interlude with no lyrics
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days
An expression of nostalgia and fond memories
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Gene Raskin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind