Recording "Those Were The Days" in other languages

Mary Hopkin’s debut single “Those Were The Days” was released on August 30, 1968, and swiftly rose to the top of the UK Singles Chart. She recorded the song in various languages for international releases:

• In Spain, Qué tiempo tan feliz
• In West Germany, An Jenem Tag
• In Italy, Quelli erano giorni
• In France, Le temps des fleurs

We haven’t found any definitive evidence regarding the recording dates of the various language versions of Mary Hopkin’s “Those Were The Days.” The English version was released in the UK on August 30, 1968, reached #7 in the UK Single Chart on September 11, and climbed to number one by September 25. It is speculated that Paul McCartney and Mary Hopkin would not have begun recording other language versions before its success in the UK, likely not before early September 1968.

French singer Dalila recorded the French version of “Those Were The Days”, named “Le Temps Des Fleurs” on September 20, 1968. From Wikipedia:

Two weeks after the release of Those were the days [by Mary Hopkin], while it was still unknown that it was plagiarism as the Gene Raskin took over the credits of melody’s composer Boris Fomin, Eddie Barclay obtained the melody from Raskin legally. In 1973, after it was discovered that Raskin was just a songwriter and not a composer, Barclay stopped giving Raskin a portion of the song’s annual profit, but abandoned the lawsuit and didn’t receive a refund. […] The French lyrics were written by renowned French Jewish lyricist Eddy Marnay, and the song was recorded on 20 September 1968

Mary Hopkin’s version of “Le Temps Des Fleurs” entered the Belgium Single Chart on October 5, suggesting a late September 1968 recording and release for the French version.

The Italian version was released on October 25, 1968. The release dates for the German and Spanish versions remain unclear, although the Spanish version may have been released in September 1968, as per a 45cat listing.

The Beatles Monthly Book, October 1968 issue, indicates that “the songstress has recorded Those Were The Days in Italian, French and German“, leading to the assumption that these recordings were made sometime in September 1968.

MARY’S NEXT FOR APPLE by J. & P.

Mary Hopkin, already a first time Apple Records chart winner in more than a dozen countries with “Those Were The Days”, will record her next single very soon. Paul will again produce the new recordings and there is a strong likelihood that at least one of the tracks will be a specially written Lennon – McCartney composition.

Meanwhile, the songstress has recorded “Those Were The Days” in Italian, French and German and has started work on her first Apple LP album.

From The Beatles Monthly Book, October 1968, N°63

Session activities

1. Que Tiempo Tan Feliz

   Written by Boris Fomin, Gene Raskin, José Carreras Moysi, Arturo Kaps Schoenfeld

   Recording

2. An Jenem Tag

   Written by Boris Fomin, Gene Raskin, Heinz Korn

   Recording

3. Quelli Erano Giorni

   Written by Boris Fomin, Gene Raskin, Daiano

   Recording

4. Le Temps Des Fleurs

   Written by Boris Fomin, Gene Raskin, Eddy Marnay

   Recording

Staff

Musicians

Production staff

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