dasan2005 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Thank you, richpat.I´ll go and find out.

richpat (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I have a page dedicated to the song on my site go to maryhopkindotnet

richpat (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

No one stole anything from anybody. The song "Dorogoy dlinnoyu" was written in the early 1920's by Fomin and Podrevski see below.Then in the early 1960's Gene Raskin heard the melody and wrote his own lyrics and put them to the music of FOMIN he called his song "those were the days"When translated Podrevskii's song talks about a carriage ride, and lost love etc for a full translation see my page at maryhopkindotnet

dasan2005 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Thank you for the data. Do you know, by the way, what it means?

Segelfliegerkamerad (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

This is a russian folk song the real name is: Dorogoj Dlinnoju

AntonIceChill (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

uhu *-) I think i didn't make myself clear, i do know that the lyrics are not the same and that it's not a translation, but i just couldn't find the right word:p anyway what i want to know is who wrote the song (melody) first, because as everybody can undoubtebly hear these 2 songs are very similar. And i was just wondering who "stole" it from who;)but you answered my question^^ thnx;)

richpat (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

This is not a translation.An American called Gene Raskin (who sang with the "limelighters" and who recorded it first) wrote the lyrics for the song "Those were the days" and used the melody only, this is not a translation from the Russian song "Dorogoy dlinnoyu" which means "By a long road" or "along a long road"The song in Russian Дорогой длинною ("Dorogoy dlinnoyu"), was written by Boris Fomin (1900-1948) with words by the poet Konstantin Podrevskii.

richpat (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

No not a translation

AntonIceChill (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

i think the russian one*-) so this song by Mary Hopkin is actually merely a translation?

AntonIceChill (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

whats was the first, original version: the english one by Mary Hopkin, or the russian one?