Subject: PBS Show Theme Song From: parhdone@hotmail.com Date: 08 Aug 99 - 11:38 PM Would like any information about the artist, and where I could get a copy of it. Tks Parothdone |
Subject: Lyr Add: AS TIME GOES BY (Herman Hupfeld) From: Allan C. Date: 09 Aug 99 - 08:07 AM This song has been a "standard" for years and years. Therefore, you will probably find it by any number of artists including Johnny Mathis, Johnny Nash, Bing Crosby and many others.
AS TIME GOES BY |
Subject: Hoagy Carmichael in "Casablanca"! From: Sourdough Date: 09 Aug 99 - 01:05 PM About thirty years ago, I was working at a Boston television station on a new children's television series called "Hoagy Carmichael's Music Shop" starring the movie actor and composer of the same name. Until I began working on the series, I hadn't met Hoagy and it was during the time we were getting to know each other that I took him out to dinner at a small restaurant in Cambridge. Because of his work as a movie actor, he was recognized and soon we had people coming over to the table with menues, paper scraps and the like for him to autograph. They always had something to say, "I will never forget you in "Young Man With a Horn", "We had 'Stardust' played at our wedding", "I think 'Lazy Bones' is a great song". There was almost a rhythmn to the requests, "Mr. Carmighael, I loved........, Would you please sign this ......? It would mean so much to ...." The reason I thought of this particular evening is that among the people who came up to our table that evening was a man who said, "Mr. Carmichael, I loved you in Casablanca playing 'As Time Goes By'" and then went on with the rest of the litany - asking for an autograph and saying how much it would mean. I was amazed. Carmichael is most cetainly Caucasian. He was a slender man with a very individual look. He has absolutely no physical resemblance to the actor who played Sam in the classic film. As soon as things quieted down and the autograph requests were completed, each one filled graciously, I asked Hoagy about the "As Time Goes By". He didn't understand it either but he said, "This happens every couple of months!" Sourdough |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Peter T. Date: 09 Aug 99 - 01:11 PM Dear Sourdough, you do meet interesting people. But this story isn't that perverse, given that Hoagy played exactly the same role as Sam in "To Have and Have Not" with Bogart and Bacall. yours, Peter T. |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Sourdough Date: 09 Aug 99 - 10:21 PM You're right about the "sidekick" angle. That is the role he played in many films. It is the fact that Sam was not only black, it was a part of his personality in the film. An odd part of the story is that in real life, Hoagy cast himself as a piano-playing best friend. When a young man, Hoagy and Bix Beiderbecke were inseperable companions. After Beiderbecke's unexpected death, Hoagy remained Bix's friend, helping to keep his memory alive. He even named one of his sones after the cornet player. In his home, he had on display, the mouthpiece from Bix's horn. (I guess this isn't a story, just some memories shaken loose by Parothdone.) Sourdough |
Subject: ADD Tune: As Time Goes By From: alison Date: 10 Aug 99 - 04:52 AM Hi - here is the tune: slainte alison MIDI file: ASTIMEGO.MID Timebase: 480 Name: As time goes by This program is worth the effort of learning it. To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here ABC format: X:1
|
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Lucius Date: 10 Aug 99 - 07:14 PM The actor that played "Sam" (Dooley WIlson, I believe) was not a pianist. His parts were dubbed, but I forgot by who. Allan C: What a great intro. Perchance, do you have the notes for it (Midi, ABC or otherwise)? Lucius |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Rick Fielding Date: 10 Aug 99 - 09:22 PM Sourdough, that was a marvelous story. Thank you so much. Dig Hoagy share anything with you about Bix's personality or character? Makes me think of another fine music maker who became a "sidekick" in films - Oscar Levant. Rick |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Sourdough Date: 11 Aug 99 - 12:52 AM Rick, He really didn't talk much about Bix's personality. He did like to talk about playing with him. He had some photos of them from back in Indiana, I think it was. My impression was that he really felt close to Bix. I guess it was forty years after his friend's death but he spoke of him with such warmth and appreciation that it was as though he had died far more recently. It must have been quite a friendship. He told me a wonderful story about another song that he wrote. It was a while ago and some of the details may have been distorted by time but the story is accurate. The story came up at a party I gave him at the beginning of production of this childrens' series, "Hoagy Carmichael's Music Shop". The purpose of the get-together was to introduce him to the kids who would be "the regulars" in the series. The television station had rented Hoagy a trim little house in Cambridge and had gotten him a rented piano from Steinway (choosing a piano with Hoagy Carmichael was an interesting process in itself). The piano was for the house and that is where the party was given. Hoagy had a good time as the (deserved) center of attention but after a while, that afternoon, he realized he wasn't getting to know the kids and that was the point of the festivities. Meanwhile, two kids had seated themselves at the piano and were playing fourhand "Chopsticks". As sure as Monday follows Sunday, when they tired of that tune they began playing the other four-hand tune learned, almost in a folk-process by kids around the country, "Heart and Soul". This was enough to get Hoagy up and talking. "Did you know I wrote that?" Now, you have to understand that these kids, age eight or nine, I think, didn't really have a clue as to who Hoagy Carmichael was. They looked up at this old man who was making the outrageous claim of having written "their" song. They knew that no one could possibly have written that song. To them, it was like someone saying he had written "Happy Birthday" or "Farmer in the Dell". Their faces showed exactly what they thought of Hoagy's claim, and, I guess, of his character. What sort of adult would make up a lie like that? Hoagy was hurt and retreated to the other side of the room. It happened that I was with him. He changed the subject by telling the story of "Body and Soul". He had written it for a movie and it therefore was owned by the production studio, Paramount, I think. As the picture took shape, the director decided to cut the song. The sheet music was put into a filing cabinet and it sat there for several years. The studio had a young actor under contract. Despite his promise, he wasn't turning out to be much of an investment. Studio executives started looking for ways to get some return on the contractual salary they were paying out. Since this actor was also a singer, the thought was, "Let's put together an act for him and see if he can work in nightclubs." They needed material so they searched the files and found "Body and Soul". It became a part of his act and that is why the evergreen song, "Heart and Soul" was introduced by that great singer, Anthony Quinn. PS: I just remembered something, I think he said that he had written a song called, "Muggins". Muggins is Twenties argot meaning marijuana. |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: alison Date: 11 Aug 99 - 02:01 AM lucius, Follow the link I gave above and you'll get ABC and the software you need to change it to MIDI. slainte alison |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Tony Burns Date: 11 Aug 99 - 07:43 AM HELP! (I just can't figure it out.) What are the chords? |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: alison Date: 11 Aug 99 - 09:12 AM Here you go... they aren't easy and there's a lot of them... chords in front of the words they fall on... Taken from "From Broadway to Piccadilly - Curtain Raisers" slainte alison
This (Eb)day and age we're (Cm)living in
(SAME AS PREVIOUS VERSE)
(SAME AS "YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS)
Well, it's still the same old story
|
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Lucius Date: 11 Aug 99 - 09:33 AM Thanks alison-- Haven't done the conversion yet, but I can't wait. I'm especially interested in the intro, as they are so often lost. If I get this one down, I'll have place a search for "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling". Lucius (Bob Jovi) |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Tony Burns Date: 11 Aug 99 - 07:03 PM Alison, THANKS! Great chords. I'm going to print it off and try it right now. |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Peter T. Date: 12 Aug 99 - 12:27 PM To talk to someone who talked to Bix (talked to!! The guy was his best friend, for cripes sake!!). How do you do shaking your head in amazement in emoticons? We are talking God here. Did anyone say Stardust? Stardust!!!!!Georgia on my Mind!!!!!!!!Be still my beating heart. yours, Peter T. |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Rick Fielding Date: 12 Aug 99 - 12:44 PM Sourdough, how can I thank you for that? Like Peter T, I'm "plotzing"! (one of my students gave me a Jewish phrase book - and I love it! Pretty soon I'll have earned a yarmulke!) Reminds me of something that happened in Toronto a few years ago. There was a big folk concert at Massey Hall with Tom Paxton and Pete Seeger headlining. A choir made up of young black children was rehearsing back stage with "We Shall Overcome". Pete went over to them and said that he had introduced that song to the world. They were quizzical and disbelieving that this old white guy would make such a claim, and pooh poohed him. I'm told that Pete produced from his wallet a photo of he and Martin Luther King at the giant rally in Washington, with the Rev. King signing it to his "dear friend in struggle" Pete. The kids knew who MLK was and were impressed! Actually the thing that impressed me about this was that Pete has been SO self-effacing over the years..it's nice to see a little bit of an ego surface occasionally.
Before teaching music today I'm going to put "In a Mist" on for the millionth time and listen to how Bix combined old time barrel-house with modern and classical chord structures. Maybe even a little bit of "Singin' The Blues" as well! |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Charlie Baum Date: 12 Aug 99 - 02:01 PM Rick--Are you sure you're not "kvelling" instead. --Charlie Baum |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Rick Fielding Date: 12 Aug 99 - 03:55 PM Kvelling? Kvelling? Charlie, what's this Kvelling? I can't find my book. Rick |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Sourdough Date: 12 Aug 99 - 10:21 PM I was as surprised as those black kids when, while watching a television program featuring Pete Seeger this song came up. Apparently, he is very proud of this particular song. I think he said something like within a matter of weeks after singing it for the first time in public (I think MLK was there), it took off and was in the "front lines" all ver the country. I imagine what it must have felt like for him to hear a million poeople singling it in Washington during The March. I saw Pete Seeger for the first time in 1959 in Western Massachusetts in concert. One thing I remember was that he talked a lot about a friend of his, Woody Guthrie, who was very sick. He encouraged us to write to him. I never did but years later I did a feature story on his widow and about her work on Huntington's Disease. For millions of people, it was the first time they'd ever heard of the disease even if they knew Woody's songs. It helped hundreds of people find each other, find help and information. In some lives, it made a difference. I think I may have decided to do the story because of Pete Seeger's eloquent (and ignored by me) plea from years before. He wouldn't have been surprised. He believes that you put good things out into the world and when it is their time, they bear their fruit. Later I worked briefly with him a couple of times. Once he did an entire television program based on the idea that we are links in a chain through time, carrying the songs with their messages onward. It's a simple thought but like so many simple thoughts, it can be accepted profoundly. On a different (if you'll pardon the expression) note, I liked listening to him warm up playing Bach. I guess a lot of people do it now but I have only heard Seeger and a guy who's name I haven't heard in decades, Sandy Bull, play Bach on banjo. I think Bach would have like it. Sourdough |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Rick Fielding Date: 12 Aug 99 - 11:34 PM Sourdough, pete does an absolutely awesome Beethoven's 7th on the banjo as well. Thanks to this thread and some of your thoughts, I was humming "As time goes by" when Peter T. got here for his session tonight and we spent the better part of two hours on it. By the way, we both want to meet you. Please tell us you don't live in Southern New Zealand! Rick |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Sourdough Date: 13 Aug 99 - 03:38 AM Rick - No, not Southern NZ. I'm in SOnoma County, CA, north of San Francisco. I expect to be heading to Winfield, KS for the Walnut Valley Folk Festival (shipping my guitar and autoharp and taking harmonicas and dulcimer on the motorcycle.) If our paths cross somewhere, I'd be interested in sitting down with either or both of you. I'll be lookig forward to it. Sourdough |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Peter T. Date: 13 Aug 99 - 09:23 AM I also trashed "Georgia on My Mind" in Hoagy's honour! No song is too good to survive my Guitarator ("This Guitar Sets Back Music!!). I recall that Pete Seeger tells the stoy about adapting the song in his Incomplet Folksinger book. I don't remember him claiming that is was all his original stuff. yours, Peter T. P.S. I echo Rick in hopes that we might cross paths sometime. |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Sourdough Date: 13 Aug 99 - 12:19 PM I don't know whether it is still available anywhere but there is a double album of music from the television series I did with Hoagy - "Hoagy Carmichael's Music Shop", Songs for Children by Hoagy Carmichael played by Stark Reality. It was published by Ahmad Jamal. It is interesting because it is a group of about a dozen songs by Carmichael that you will never hear anywhere else. Now that I think of it, the songs were published as sheet music in a softcover book. I have them but the book's in storage (i.e. impossible to get at - might as well be in another galaxy). The title was, I think "Hoagy Carmichael's songs for Children". He wrote them for his own kids when they were small which wold have been in the Fifties. They really are very nice, simple songs that children respond to. Musically, they are more complex than three chords but not so much that kids can't enjoy singing (along with) them. They do have HC's laid back signature style though. Sourdough |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Bob Landry Date: 13 Aug 99 - 12:41 PM Sourdough, thanks for the stories. I've been a fan of Hoagy Carmichael's music for a lot of years but knew very little about him. This is a great thread. Peter T, I can only trash Georgia on my Mind when I try to finger pick the melody. Truth be told, I trash any tune that I try to finger pick. I'd better stick to chords and background rhythms ... that I can do passably. Bob |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Rick Fielding Date: 13 Aug 99 - 12:46 PM Now hold on there Bob. What key are you playing the melody in? If I could get you in my clutches for an hour we'd have that melody NAILED! Rick P.S. Sourdough, I was kind of hoping you might live within a mile or two of Toronto! |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Bob Landry Date: 13 Aug 99 - 12:57 PM Dat's a good question Rick. The sheet music is at home and I'm in my office. My problem is stiff, unco-ordinated fingers. But if you're ever in th Edmonton area, let's get together and see if you can teach me anything about finger picking. But watch it with the clutches ... I don't go for that kind of thing unless my Sweetie, Carol, is involved. :-)) Bob |
Subject: As Time Goes By From: Trevor Date: 16 Nov 01 - 06:27 AM Can anybody point me in the right direction for a tab for this please? Cheers Click for related thread |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: GUEST Date: 16 Nov 01 - 08:10 AM Go in this direction |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: Gary T Date: 16 Nov 01 - 09:48 AM Hoo boy! I've got the sheet music, and it's a 14 chord song. Not all that tough in the key of A, but I had to learn several new (to me) chords that I haven't seen in other songs. I might be able to post it sometime next week. |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: Sorcha Date: 16 Nov 01 - 09:59 AM You don't need to Gary. Just follow the yellow brick road........(or blue as it may be) |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: Tiger Date: 16 Nov 01 - 10:01 AM You know, Gary, old sheet music is just a wonderful source of chords. They generally don't write in those passing chords anymore, and there are some neat sounds available. It may be a little tricky (and too busy) to chord each one, but you can always pick up a couple of strings on your way between A and B. |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: Trevor Date: 16 Nov 01 - 10:31 AM Thanks a lot - anything helps. |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: GUEST,Fiver Date: 16 Nov 01 - 11:58 AM That arrangement isn't a very interesting one, and it is basically a classical type piece, which means you can't use it to accompany a singer very well. Tell me what key you want, and how complicated you want the chords to be, and I'll post them-- |
Subject: Lyr Add: AS TIME GOES BY (Herman Hupfeld) From: Willa Date: 16 Nov 01 - 03:37 PM As Time Goes By "Sam" (Dooley Wilson) Written by: Herman Hupfield This day and age we're living in Gives cause for apprehension With speed and new invention And things like fourth dimension Yet we get a trifle weary With Mr. Einstein's theory So we must get down to earth at times Relax relieve the tension And no matter what the progress Or what may yet be proved The simple facts of life are such They cannot be removed You must remember this A kiss is still a kiss A sigh is just a sigh The fundamental things apply As time goes by And when two lovers woo They still say, "I love you" On that you can rely No matter what the future brings As time goes by Moonlight and love songs Never out of date Hearts full of passion Jealousy and hate Woman needs man And man must have his mate That no one can deny Well, it's still the same old story A fight for love and glory A case of do or die The world will always welcome lovers As time goes by Oh yes, the world will always welcome lovers As time goes by
|
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: Lin in Kansas Date: 16 Nov 01 - 06:16 PM Lyrics and Music by Herman Hupfeld; © 1931 Warner Bros. Music Corp., ASCAP ...and no, Sam never did "play it again." :>) Great song. Great movie. "We'll always have Paris." Lin |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: Mark Clark Date: 17 Nov 01 - 12:59 AM Right, Lin. This is from the Internet Movie Data Base.
"As Time Goes By" was written by lifelong bachelor Herman Hupfeld and debuted in 1931's Broadway show "Everybody's Welcome", sung by Frances Williams. It had been a personal favorite of playwright and high school teacher Murray Burnett who, seven years later, visited Vienna just after the Nazis had entered. Later, after visiting a cafe in south France where a black pianist had entertained a mixed crowd of Nazis, French and refugees, Burnett was inspired to write the melodrama "Everybody Comes To Rick's," which was optioned for production by Martin Gabel and Carly Wharton, and later, Warners. Aftr the film's release, "As Time Goes By" stayed on radio's "Hit Parade" for 21 weeks. However, because of the coincidental musicians' union recording ban, the 1931 Rudy Vallee version became the smash hit. (It contains the rarely-sung introductory verse, not heard in the film.) Max Steiner, in a 1943 interview, admitted that the song "must have had something to attract so much attention." - Mark |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: Lin in Kansas Date: 18 Nov 01 - 01:40 PM Thanks, Mark-- I hadn't known it was done prior to Casablanca--interesting! Lin |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: GUEST,Vintage Martin Date: 08 Dec 01 - 01:24 AM Gary T., I'd like to take you up on your offer to post a relatively simple guitar chord progression, if you wouldn't mind. I, too, have the sheet music, but I haven't got around to transposing it (from E minor or whatever gawdawful key it's in) and simplifying it to chords that require less than a 4-inch/5-finger contortion. (I have very small hands and arthritis in a joint or two, to boot.)
If you have a workable chord pattern, by all means, please post it. Or, if this song is not Mudcat material, please email me at vintagemartin@aol.com.
Thanks, |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: Mark Clark Date: 08 Dec 01 - 05:44 PM Lin, You had that information, you just didn't realize it. You correctly listed the copyright date as 1931. Casablanca was released in 1942, eleven years later. Does anyone have a URL to the chords for “As Time Goes By"” - Mark |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: Justa Picker Date: 08 Dec 01 - 09:20 PM Here. |
Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: AS TIME GOES BY (Herman Hupfeld) From: Gary T Date: 10 Dec 01 - 01:05 AM Sorry about the delay. I was going to post this Thanksgiving weekend, only to find the Mudcat shut down. Vinnie, I believe it was Fiver who offered a simple progression. I wouldn't call this one simple, in fact I had to look up a few in my chord dictionary. Still, in the key of A, even the unfamiliar ones could be done in a fairly easy form. I don't have anything for the introduction Willa shared, in fact I've never heard it. Here are the chords I have:
Upper case=accented (1 beat & 3 beat) word or syllable you/NOTES: The first A#dim ("no one can deny"), I used to do Adim, now I'm thinking the A#dim is OK/better. The second A#dim ("welcome lovers as...") I use Adim, the A#dim sounds bad to me. In the last measure, first time around, I just stay on A. The F#m-B7-E7 turnaround sounds too busy for my taste. I do the final line like this: Bm7 - E7 E7+5/ A - G7 /A |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: Mark Clark Date: 10 Dec 01 - 01:20 PM I found this on the JustJazz board at Yahoo and decided to post it here in case there is interest. The chord notation uses the jazz conventions where a minus sign indicates minor and a small circle “o” indicates diminished. I've taken the trouble to make the first few chords clickable in order to show possible fingerings for a descending rhythm line. There is a problem with the F#o7 diagram though. I've indicated the fingering as (string-fret) 6-2,5-X,4-1,3-2,2-1,1-X but the Online Guitar Chord Dictionary at the University of Virginia doesn't seem to honor that fingering for F#o7, I'm not sure why. The post refers to “The Real Book” which is a popular jazz fake book. For more detail on theory, refer to the thread Scared of Music theory? Faggggedaboudit! which includes a wealth of information including detailed explanations by Gary T.
- Mark
|
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: Mark Clark Date: 11 Dec 01 - 12:26 AM J.P., Thanks for digging those out. It's interesting that whoever posted the information at your link thought the actor who played Sam was the composer of the song. I read somewhere that Dooley Wilson a very small sum—like $150 or so—for his work in the film. Wilson didn't actually play the piano and wasn't the studio's first choice for the part. Gary T., Nice chords. I had been off working on my post for a long time, trying to get all the HTML working, and didn't see yours until after I had submitted mine. You are certainly far more qualified than I am to judge the work that John Wilson left on the Yahoo board. - Mark |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: Gary T Date: 11 Dec 01 - 12:40 AM Thanks for the compliment, Mark, but I'm not sure how qualified I am. I learned that chord sequence from a book. I do agree that they're nice chords. I think they fit the song quite well, and they sure sound good to me. |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: Trevor Date: 12 Dec 01 - 08:37 AM Thanks for all the help with this - can't wait to get cracking. |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: M.Ted Date: 12 Dec 01 - 09:51 AM I will be curious as to how you manage to sort all of this stuff out, Trevor--it seems to confuse things more than anything else when people start posting chords in so many different keys-- For my money, the arrangement that GaryT posted is as good as the other, and, with a bit of tinkering, is very servicable(some of the chords are "ornamental" and can be cut out without changing the song)--the discussion thread that Mark Clark is, by it's nature, unresolved, and you don't need to go there to play the tune-- |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: Mrrzy Date: 12 Dec 01 - 10:39 AM At my wedding, we had wanted to dance our first dance to this, and could not for the life of us find a recording, not even a DVD of the film! Where can one find this already being sung/played? We'd have settled for an instrumental... |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: As Time Goes By From: GUEST,Ronno Date: 13 Dec 01 - 05:05 AM Mrrzy, Follow this link, it's the first CD I found on the net but there will be more I'm sure. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/REVIEWS/r0501_083.htm |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Amos Date: 17 Jan 07 - 06:18 PM What a wonderful thread -- the kind that is pure Mudcat gold. My thoughts go out to Sourdough, Hoagy, Rick, Peter T., Pete, and the songs that are evoked herein, with thanks. A |
Subject: RE: Tune Req: As Time Goes Buy From: Ron Davies Date: 19 Jan 07 - 12:03 AM Amos--It's true--wonderful stories. Thanks so much for bringing it up again. How did you come across it? My source for information about the song is a book called Round Up the Usual Supects, by Aljean Harmetz--which I'd recommend to anybody with the slightest interest in Casablanca. I hope the following information has not already been discussed to death. What I think is absolutely fascinating about As Time Goes By--so strongly identified with Casablanca, is that Max Steiner, who wrote the score for the movie, never intended to use it at all. It also appears that its use was due to a haircut. As noted in another thread, by 1942 it had been forgotten--but it had been a favorite of Murray Bennett, who wrote it into Everybody Comes to Rick's, the play on which the movie was based. It was written by Herman Hupfeld, who also wrote "When Yuba Plays the Rhumba on the Tuba", among others. After Casablanca was released, Hupfeld tried to get a contract at Warner--no go. As I said, Max Steiner got the job as composer of the score for Casablanca. He was an amazing guy. Child prodigy. Student of Mahler. Wrote over 300 movie scores, including Gone With the Wind. Steiner only liked to see a movie when the editing was done. When he saw Casablanca in a Warner Bros. projection room, "he decided to dump 'As Time Goes By' and replace it with a theme of his own". He had in fact just finished the score for "Now Voyager" which was to win him the 1942 Oscar. But Ingrid Bergman had managed to snag the role she was dying to have--in For Whom The Bell Tolls. For that role, she had already cut her hair. So Steiner could not have her sing a Steiner love song but had to take the one already on film---As Time Goes By. He did more than give in gracefully. He made the song a major character in the movie. As the book says "It functions in the plot. It ushers in the past. And, to some extent, it implies humanity in a world thrown out of kilter." Dooley Wilson sings the song. He was called Dooley due to having sung a song called "Mr. Dooley" in an earlier show while in whiteface. He was a drummer, not a pianist--the pianist was Elliot Carpenter. Curtiz found Carpenter unsuitable for the role of Sam--book does not say why. Hal Wallis, producer of Casablanca, had first intended to change Sam to a woman--one of the proposed actresses was Lena Horne. "How or by whom Wallis was talked out of turning Sam into a woman is not recorded". In May 1942 Warners borrowed Wilson from Paramount for a guaranteed 7 weeks, at $500/wk. Wilson's normal salary was $350/wk. Paramount kept the difference. As Time Goes By was #1 in the hit parade for 4 weeks in the spring of 1943. Normally Wilson would have recorded the song--and made a lot on it. But "the musicians' union was locked in a long strike with the record companies. So Rudy Vallee's record was rereleased instead". The book has a lot more information. |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune/Origins: As Time Goes By From: Jeremiah McCaw Date: 20 Aug 07 - 02:08 AM Jeez, I was well into the thread without having taken note of the dates of the first posts. Then I saw the posts from Rick. Actually a bit of a shock, bringing very much home how much we have lost. 'As Time Goes By', indeed. |
Share Thread: |
Subject: | Help |
From: | |
Preview Automatic Linebreaks Make a link ("blue clicky") |