For decades, Vertinsky’s work was largely suppressed in the USSR. The 1990 edition published by Pravda was one of the first major attempts to gather his significant literary legacy in one volume.
While Vertinsky is famously associated with it, the song was actually composed by with lyrics by Konstantin Podrevsky around 1924.
It became a staple of Russian emigrant culture. In the West, it is most famous as the melody for the 1968 hit "Those Were the Days" by Mary Hopkin, produced by Paul McCartney.
The lyrics evoke deep nostalgia, loss of youth, and the imagery of a "troika" (a traditional Russian carriage) speeding through the night.
The phrase (By the Long Road) primarily refers to two major cultural works: the world-famous Russian romance song and the collection of memoirs by the legendary singer and performer Alexander Vertinsky . 1. The Book: Dorogoy Dlinnoyu... (Memoirs)
Александр Вертинский - Дорогой длинною... читать онлайн
