As Tears Go By (song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "As Tears Go By" | ||
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| Single by Rolling Stones | ||
| from the album December's Children (And Everybody's) | ||
| Released | 1965 | |
| Format | 7" | |
| Recorded | October 26, 1965 | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 2 min 45 s | |
| Label | ABKCO | |
| Producer(s) | Andrew Loog Oldham | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Rolling Stones singles chronology | ||
| "Get Off of My Cloud" (1965) |
"As Tears Go By" (1966) |
"19th Nervous Breakdown" (1966) |
"As Tears Go By" is a song written by The Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards and most popularly recorded by British singer Marianne Faithfull in 1964.
The song is considered to be the first original composition by Jagger and Richards. Up until that point they had been performing covers of blues standards. The myth surrounding the songs genesis has it that Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham locked Jagger and Richards in a kitchen forcing them to write a song together, even suggesting what type of song he wanted: “I want a song with brick walls all around it, high windows and no sex.” The result was initially named “As Time Goes By” the title of the song Dooley Wilson sings in the film Casablanca. It was Oldham who changed “Time” for “Tears.” Oldham subsequently gave the ballad (a format that the Stones were not yet known for) to Faithfull, then 17, for her to record as a B-side. The success of the recording caused the record company, Decca, to switch the song to an A-side, where it became a very popular single. It reached number 4 in the English charts and launched Fathfull's career as a major singer.
The Stones recorded their own version a year later. It appeared as a B-side to "19th Nervous Breakdown." This recording is notable for its heavy string arrangement. It was one of the three songs the band performed during their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.
It was played live for the first time in November 2005 on the Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour. Other live versions include a rendition by French pop star Vanessa Paradis and Marianne Faithfull accompanied by guitarist Johnny Marr during a tribute concert to Linda McCartney at the Royal Albert Hall in April 1999.
It was covered by British bubblegummers The Primitives on the 12" of Sick of It and as a regular part of their live show. It has also been recorded (in Catalan) by the Mallorquina singer Maria del Mar Bonet.
It was also covered by Psychic TV on their album Pagan Day.
