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'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       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