As time goes by – Herman Hupfeld (piano solo) with sheet music download

“As Time Goes By“

is a song written by Herman Hupfeld in 1931. It became famous when it was featured in the 1942 Warner Bros. film Casablanca performed by Dooley Wilson as Sam. 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).

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The song has since become the signature tune of Warner Bros. and used as such in the production logos at the beginning of many Warner Bros. films since 1999, as well as the closing logos to most Warner Bros. Television Studios shows since 2003. It was also the title and theme song of the 1990s British romantic comedy series As Time Goes By.

“As Time Goes By” is most famous from the film Casablanca (1942). It was originally written for the Broadway show Everybody’s Welcome (1931), which ran for 139 performances. In 1931, the song was a modest hit, with versions issued on Victor, Columbia, Brunswick and the dime store labels. The song was featured in the unproduced play Everybody Comes To Rick’s, which was the basis for the Casablanca story and script.

Against Max Steiner‘s wishes (he wrote the music for the film), it was decided to feature the 1931 song in the 1942 film. It has been well documented that the producers considered dropping the song in post-production, but since Ingrid Bergman had been given the part of Maria in Paramount’s For Whom the Bell Tolls and had cut her hair for the part, it would not have been possible to reshoot any of her scenes with the song being performed, or to have her request that Sam play a different song.

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.

The song is a popular reflection of nostalgia and often used in films and series reflecting this feeling.

Lyrics

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You must remember this
A kiss is just a kiss
A sigh is just a sigh
The fundamental things apply
As time goes byAnd 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Never out of date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

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

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

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

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Herman Hupfeld

Herman Hupfeld (February 1, 1894 – June 8, 1951) was an American songwriter whose most notable composition was “As Time Goes By“. He wrote both the lyrics and music.

Hupfeld was born in Montclair, New Jersey, the son of Fredericka (Rader), a church organist, and Charles Ludwig Hupfeld. He was sent to study violin in Germany at age 9. Returning to the United States he served in the military during World War I, and he entertained camps and hospitals during World War II. He never wrote a whole Broadway score, but he became known as a composer who could write a song to fit a specific scene within a Broadway show.

His best-known songs include “As Time Goes By”, “Sing Something Simple”, “Let’s Put Out the Lights (And Go to Sleep)”, “When Yuba Plays the Rumba on the Tuba”, “I’ve Gotta Get Up and Go to Work”, “Are You Making Any Money?”, “Savage Serenade”, “Down the Old Back Road”, “A Hut in Hoboken”, “Night Owl”, “Honey Ma Love”, “Baby’s Blue”, “Untitled” and “The Calinda”.

While not known as a public performer, Hupfeld was featured on a Victor Young & His Orchestra 78 recorded on January 22, 1932, singing and playing piano on two of his compositions, “Goopy Geer (he plays piano and he plays by ear)” and “Down the Old Back Road”.

Hupfeld never married and, with rare exceptions, he remained living in the family home with his mother in his hometown of Montclair, New Jersey, only traveling as far as New York City in his entire life. He died in 1951 of a stroke at the age of 57 and was buried at Mount Hebron Cemetery in Montclair. His mother died 6 years later aged 90.

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