As Time Goes By (song)

"As Time Goes By" is a song written by Herman Hupfeld in 1931. It gained enduring popularity and iconic status due to its prominent inclusion in the 1942 film Casablanca, where it is performed by Dooley Wilson as the character Sam.

Composition and History

Hupfeld originally wrote "As Time Goes By" for the Broadway musical Everybody's Welcome, which premiered in 1931. The song was relatively obscure until its revival in Casablanca.

Casablanca and Lasting Fame

The song's significance in Casablanca stems from its association with the characters Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman). Ilsa requests Sam to play the song, evoking memories of their romance in Paris. Rick's emotional response to the song and the memories it stirs drives much of the film's plot and themes of love, sacrifice, and nostalgia. While the film uses only portions of the original song, its impact was so profound that it catapulted "As Time Goes By" to international fame.

Legacy

Since its appearance in Casablanca, "As Time Goes By" has been recorded by countless artists across various genres. It is considered a classic of the Great American Songbook and is often featured in films, television shows, and other media. The song's lyrics, particularly the lines "You must remember this, a kiss is still a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh," are widely recognized and quoted. The phrase "As Time Goes By" itself has become a common idiom used to indicate the passage of time and the enduring nature of certain memories or feelings.