Mary Hopkin tops UK charts, unseating The Beatles

In October 1968, Mary Hopkin reached the top of the British music charts with her slow waltz, ‘Those Were the Days’, unseating The Beatles’ ‘Hey Jude’ from the number one position.

Hopkin’s success was closely linked to The Beatles through their own record label, Apple Records. After being discovered on the talent show ‘Opportunity Knocks’ and introduced to Paul McCartney by Twiggy, the then-teenage singer signed with the label. McCartney supported the release of the Gene Raskin song, which helped establish Hopkin as a significant figure in the pop landscape of the era.