Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Casablanca Marianne Faithfull As Tears Goes By

How is the 1942 hit movie Casablanca, starring Humphrey Bogart, connected to rock group, The Rolling Stones? What's more popular than this rock group? And how does Marianne Faithfull fit into the picture?

The link that binds is the hit song, As Tears Go By. According to Wikipedia, the myth surrounding the song's genesis has it that Rolling Stones manager Andrew Oldham requested Mick Jagger and Keith Richards to get together and write a song, even suggesting what type of song he wanted.

The result was initially named As Time Goes By, the title of the song Dooley Wilson sings in the film Casablanca. But strangely, it wasn't popularised by the Stones but by Marianne Faithfull and the song reached number 9 in the British charts in 1964 and launched her career as a pop star at 17 years young (watch introduction by Paul Anka and interview with Brian Epstein, YouTube sidebar). The Stones recorded their version in 1965, the most subdued Stones blogger has seen in his life (YouTube sidebar).

Blogger loves the song. Marianne Faithfull's version is pleasant to the ears and as our local singers say, delivery on stage is not demanding. This song has been covered by others including Singapore's Naomi And The Boys.

Any comment about this beautiful classic?

Song Information: Wikipedia.

Original article: Andy Lim Collection.

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6 comments:

  1. Teoh6.1.10

    This is a beautiful song that I like too.

    Thanks for telling an interesting story behind the song.

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  2. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©6.1.10

    Thanks BC. Yes, it's truly one of the 60s songs worth remembering and playing.

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  3. Dr Mark Emmanuel6.1.10

    Dear Andrew, I came across your site and find it very fascinating. I am interested in meeting up and talking with you about the music scene in Singapore. I am a history professor at NUS and am currently teaching a course on the Popular Culture of Singapore. I hope that you will contact me at hismve@nus.edu.sg. I sincerely look forward to hearing from you.

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  4. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©6.1.10

    Hi Mark,
    Thank you very much for the note. Will contact you as soon as I can.

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  5. Victor7.1.10

    Wow, she not only "sit and watch the children play", she sat ABSOLUTELY still throughout the song! I couldn't believe that only her eyes and mouth moved throughout the few minutes of the song. If she were a Singapore or American Idol contestant, I think neither Ken Lim nor Simon Cowell would have been so kind as to limit their stinging criticism to just "delivery on stage is not demanding". But that was in the 1964 when singers were probably "not so active" on stage.

    Having said that, nobody can deny how beautiful the song (and singer) is.

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  6. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©7.1.10

    Actually she is great at 17 years young. Yes the song will live on too.

    ReplyDelete