Written 1931 | Published 1931 | |
"As Time Goes By" is a song written by Herman Hupfeld in 1931. It became most famous in 1942 when part of it was sung by the character Sam (Dooley Wilson) in the movie Casablanca. The song was voted No. 2 on the AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs special, commemorating the best songs in film. (only surpassed by Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland). The song has since become the representative song of Warner Bros. and was also the title and theme song of the 1990s British romantic comedy series As Time Goes By.
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History
Herman Hupfeld wrote "As Time Goes By" for the 1931 Broadway musical Everybody's Welcome. In the original show, it was sung by Frances Williams. It was recorded that year by several artists, it was sung by Rudy Vallée and Binnie Hale, and orchestra recordings were made by Jacques Renard and Fred Rich. In terms of popularity at the time, it was a modest hit. Elisabeth Welch included it in her cabaret act as soon as it was released.
The song was re-introduced in 1942 in the film Casablanca. It was sung by "Sam" (Dooley Wilson); "Sam"'s piano accompaniment was played by pianist Elliot Carpenter. The song is heard throughout the film as a leitmotif. Wilson was unable to record his version of the song at the time due to the 1942–44 musicians' strike. So Brunswick reissued the Jacques Renard 1931 recording, and Victor re-issued Vallée's 1931 recording, giving Vallée a number one hit in 1942.
The AFI listed it among its "top 100" movie songs. National Public Radio included it in its NPR 100, a 1999 list of the most important American musical works of the 20th century as compiled by NPR's music editors.
Hupfeld lived his whole life in Montclair, New Jersey, and was a regular customer at the Robin Hood Inn, a tavern built in 1922 on Valley Road, then part of Upper Montclair. Hupfeld spent many hours at the piano and wrote several of his songs in this tavern, now the Valley Regency. A plaque on the second floor of the Valley Regency Catering Facility in Clifton, New Jersey, commemorates the song.
Versions
The song has been performed by many artists. Notable versions include:
Other recordings: Spike Jones 1943, Ray Anthony 1952, Nat King Cole 1953, Liberace 1954, Perry Como 1955, Johnny Nash 1958, Billie Holiday 1959, Johnny Mathis 1959, Vic Damone 1959, Cliff Richard 1960, Peggy Lee 1961, Vera Lynn 1961, Barbra Streisand 1963, Andy Williams 1962, Julie London 1965, Jack Jones 1967, Paul Anka 1968, Ella Fitzgerald 1970, Tony Bennett 1975, Dick Haymes 1978, Shirley Bassey 1978, Sammy Davis, Jr. 1979, Willie Nelson & Julio Iglesias 1983, Carly Simon 1987, Natalie Cole 1993, Jerry Vale 1994, Tom Jones 1999, Kenny Rogers 2001, Rod Stewart 2004, Anne Murray 2005, Joni James 2008, Vov Dylan (2014),
Composition
The original song in the film as sung and played by "Sam" was recorded in D-flat major, but it has since been played in several keys, commonly C major, but also B-flat major, as in Frank Sinatra's recording, and others keys included including A major and E-flat major.