About The Song
One of the earliest compositions penned by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards was this song. Their manager, Andrew Oldham, entrusted it to Marianne Faithfull, an artist under his management, who subsequently released it in 1964. Originally intended as the B-side for her debut single, the record company decided to promote it as the A-side, resulting in her first chart-topping success. The Rolling Stones themselves recorded their version of the song a year later.
In 1966, Marianne Faithfull entered into a tumultuous romantic relationship with Mick Jagger, which endured for three years. During this period, she played a role in co-writing “Sister Morphine” and introduced Jagger to the book that inspired “Sympathy For The Devil.” Initially titled “As Time Goes By,” the song’s title was altered to prevent any confusion with the famous track from the movie Casablanca.
At the time Mick and Keith crafted this song, The Rolling Stones were predominantly performing Blues covers during their live shows. This composition didn’t quite align with their rowdy image, but it did serve to showcase The Stones as a band capable of delivering the occasional heartfelt ballad.
During the recording, Mick Jagger assumed vocal duties, while Keith Richards skillfully played acoustic guitar accompanied by a string arrangement. Remarkably, no other members of The Rolling Stones participated in the rendition of this particular song.
In the United States, this song was issued as a single because ballads were enjoying widespread popularity at that particular juncture. However, its release in England encountered a delay of six months, primarily due to the band’s intention to avoid competing with “Yesterday” by The Beatles, a song that was dominating the charts. When The Rolling Stones eventually released it in the UK, it was as the B-side of their single “19th Nervous Breakdown.”
In addition to “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” and “19th Nervous Breakdown,” this song was one of the three tracks that The Rolling Stones showcased during their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 13, 1966. Notably, this performance marked the band’s debut in color on a US broadcast.
Marianne Faithfull’s rendition of “As Tears Go By” achieved notable chart success, reaching the #9 position on the UK singles chart in 1964 and securing the #22 spot on the Hot 100 chart in the United States. This accomplishment played a pivotal role in catapulting her career as a prominent and influential singer.
Video
Lyrics
It is the evening of the day
I sit and watch the children play
Smiling faces I can see
But not for me
I sit and watch
As tears go byMy riches can’t buy everything
I want to hear the children sing
All I hear is the sound
Of rain falling on the ground
I sit and watch
As tears go byIt is the evening of the day
I sit and watch the children play
Doin’ things I used to do
They think are new
I sit and watch
As tears go by