<P> Mary Hopkin 's 1968 version of the song , produced by Paul McCartney , became a number one hit on the UK Singles Chart . The song also reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 , behind McCartney 's own band The Beatles ' hit `` Hey Jude '' . In France the song was at no . 1 in the very first edition of the singles sales chart launched by the Centre d'Information et de Documentation du Disque in October 1968 . </P>
who sang those were the days my friend we thought they 'd never end
Mary Hopkin