As Time Goes By (song)

"As Time Goes By"
from the musical Everybody's Welcome
Song by Frances Williams
Written	1931
Published	1931
Writer(s)	Herman Hupfeld

"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.

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.

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