THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

651-Dooley Wilson-As Time Goes By.

1942-It didn’t chart in the UK until 1977, when it reached Number 15.

Best Bit-At 1.31. Don’t forget, in the film nobody ever said, ‘Play it again Sam.’

‘As Time Goes By’ was originally written by the American songwriter Herman Hupfeld, (1894-1951) for the 1931 Broadway Musical ‘Everybody’s Welcome.’ In the show it was first sung by Frances Williams, (1905-1995) and first recorded by Rudy Vallée (1901-1986) on July 25, 1931, for ‘Victor Records,’ then also by Jacques Renard (1897-1973) and his Orchestra, on ‘Brunswick Records,’ with both recordings meeting with little commercial success at that time. Herman Hupfeld was born on February 1st, 1894, in Montclair, New Jersey, United States, he died on June 8th, 1951, after having a stroke, at the age of 57. Herman Hupfeld 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. ‘As Time Goes By,’ is by far the song that Hupfield is best remembered for, but he wrote in excess of 100 others, including ‘Let’s Put Out the Lights (and Go to Sleep,’) and ‘Sing Something Simple.’

‘As Time Goes By’ would probably have been forgotten in the annals of time, but 11 years later in 1942, it was re-introduced in the American romantic drama film ‘Casablanca,’ starring Humphrey Bogart, (1899-1957) and Ingrid Bergman, (1915-1982) where it was sung by ‘Sam,’ portrayed by Dooley Wilson (1886-1953.) In 2004 the ‘American Film Institute’ unveiled it’s list of the top 100 songs from the cinema from the 20th Century, and ‘As Time Goes By,’ was at Number 2, behind ‘Over the Rainbow,’ sung by Judy Garland (see also best songs 68.)

Arthur ‘Dooley’ Wilson was born on April 3rd, 1886, in Tyler, Texas, United States, he died on May 30th, 1953, of natural causes. Wilson earned his nickname ‘Dooley’ early on his career, for his ‘whiteface’ impersonation of an Irishman singing a song called ‘Mr. Dooley.’ Dooley Wilson was a drummer, and a singer who took up acting in the 1930’s, eventually signing a contract with ‘Paramount Pictures,’ which led to him being cast in the role of ‘Sam’ for the 1942 film ‘Casablanca.’ In the film Wilson is sat at a piano performing the song at the request of Ingred Bergman, who plays the part of Ilsa Lund. Dooley Wilson couldn’t actually play the piano to the standard required, so in the film it was overdubbed by the studio pianist Jean Vincent Plummer (1913-1989.) Such has been the impact of ‘Casablanca,’ and Wilson’s rendition of ‘As Time Goes By,’ that in 2014 the piano he played in the film was put up for auction at ‘Bonhams,’ in New York, and sold for £3.4 million. Dooley Wilson appeared in 19 films between 1939-1951, and then in the American situation comedy television series ‘Beulah,’ between 1951-1952.

Because of contractual stipulations, Dooley Wilson couldn’t release his recording of ‘As Time Goes By’ in the aftermath of the films success, so the record companies of the aforementioned cover versions by Rudy Vallee, and Jacques Renard, which had both been recorded in 1931 were both re-issued, with the Rudy Vallee version reaching Number 1, and the Jacques Renard version peaking at Number 3 in America. Eventually Jack Warner (1892-1978) of ‘Warner Bros,’ came to an agreement with Dooley Wilson, finally allowing him to issue his recording, under the stipulation that the studio would receive most of the profits, but the moment had gone, and Wilson’s version failed to chart. In 1977 Dooley Wilson’s version was re-released in some countries, and finally charted in the UK, where it peaked at Number 15 in January 1978.

‘As Time Goes By’ has been covered by many of the worlds top artists down the decades, with the majority, including the Dooley Wilson version, omitting the songs first verse, which begins,’This day and age we’re living in, gives cause for apprehension, with speed and new invention, and things like third dimension.’ Such is the esteem that ‘As Time Goes By’ is held in, that since 1999, an instrumental version of the song’s closing bars has accompanied the studio logo of many ‘Warner Bros. Pictures,’ and ‘Warner Bros. Television’ productions, in reference to the studio’s production of ‘Casablanca.’

‘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.’