They are best-known during the late 1960s and early 1970s for popularizing the hits "Up, Up and Away", "Wedding Bell Blues", "Stoned Soul Picnic", "One Less Bell to Answer", "(Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All", and "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In", as well as the eponymous 5th Dimension and The Magic Garden LP recordings.
The five original members were Billy Davis, Jr., Florence LaRue, Marilyn McCoo, Lamonte McLemore, and Ron Townson. They have recorded for several different labels over their long careers. Their first work appeared on the Soul City label, which was started by Imperial Records/United Artists Records recording artist Johnny Rivers. The group would later record for Bell/Arista Records, ABC Records, and Motown Records.
Some of the songwriters popularized by The 5th Dimension later went on to careers of their own, especially Ashford & Simpson, who wrote "California Soul". The group is also notable for having more success with the songs of Laura Nyro than Nyro did herself, particularly in the cases of "Wedding Bell Blues", "Stoned Soul Picnic", and "Save the Country" The group also covered music by well known songwriters such as the song "One Less Bell to Answer", written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. And perhaps best of all, they became great interpreters of the songs and music of Jimmy Webb, who penned their original mega-hit "Up, Up, and Away", including an entire recording of memorable Webb songs called The Magic Garden.
Those Were the Days
The 5th Dimension 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
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
The lyrics to The 5th Dimension's song "Those Were The Days" evoke nostalgia for a time long gone. The song is about looking back on one's youth, when life was full of promise and anything was possible. The imagery in the opening lines of the song sets the scene for the reminiscing that follows. The reference to the tavern suggests a time of conviviality, when friends would gather to share stories and drinks, and to dream of the future. The lyrics convey the sense that such times were carefree and enjoyable. The use of the word "dreamed" suggests that the young people in the song even had grand aspirations and were full of hope for the future.
As the song progresses, the lyrics convey that the intervening years have taken their toll. The "busy years" have changed the perspective of the singers, who now look back on their youth with a little sadness. The nostalgia is shaded with regret, as the dreams of the past have not all been realized. The line "Nothing seemed the way it used to be" suggests that the world has moved on, and that the magic of the past is gone. However, as the song draws to a close, there is a glimmer of hope. The familiar laughter and the recognition of an old friend hint that the sense of possibility that characterized youth may still be present.
The theme of the song is universal and relatable, appealing to those who have lived long enough to experience the passage of time. The lyrics capture the fleeting nature of youth and the wistfulness that accompanies nostalgia. The 5th Dimension's interpretation of the song imbues it with a sense of longing that is palpable.
Line by Line Meaning
Once upon a time there was a tavern
There was a time when there was a particular tavern.
Where we used to raise a glass or two
We often drank together at the tavern.
Remember how we laughed away the hours
We spent time telling jokes and having fun to pass the time.
And dreamed of all the great things we would do
We had hope and aspirations for the future.
Those were the days my friend
Those were the times when we were happy and carefree.
We thought they'd never end
We believed the good times would last forever.
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We enjoyed music and dancing and thought it would never end.
We'd live the life we choose
We had dreams, and we thought we could make them come true.
We'd fight and never lose
We were determined to succeed and not give up.
For we were young and sure to have our way.
We were young and believed we could accomplish anything we set our minds to.
La la la la
A repeated nonsensical phrase.
Then the busy years went rushing by us
Years passed by us quickly and we were busy with life.
We lost our starry notions on the way
We lost some of our idealism as we got older and went through difficult experiences.
If by chance I'd see you in the tavern
If I happened to see you at the tavern.
We'd smile at one another and we'd say
We would acknowledge each other with a smile and some words.
Just tonight I stood before the tavern
Recently, I was standing in front of the tavern.
Nothing seemed the way it used to be
Things had changed and were different from how we remembered them.
In the glass I saw a strange reflection
I saw a reflection of myself that appeared unfamiliar or unexpected.
Was that lonely woman really me
I found myself feeling lonely and wondered if I had changed so much.
Through the door there came familiar laughter
I heard laughter that sounded familiar coming from inside the tavern.
I saw your face and heard you call my name
I saw your face and heard you call out my name inside the tavern.
Oh my friend we're older but no wiser
We've gotten older, but we don't necessarily have more wisdom.
For in our hearts the dreams are still the same
The dreams and aspirations we had when we were younger still remain in our hearts.
La la la la
A repeated nonsensical phrase.
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days
We miss the times when we were carefree and happy.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Gene Raskin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind