As Long as I Live
Anderson Ernestine Lyrics


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Maybe I can't live to love you as long as I want to.
Life isn't long enough baby, but I can love you as long as I live.

Maybe I can't give you diamonds and things like I want to,
But I can promise you, baby, I'm gonna want to as long as I live.

I never cared, but now I'm scared, I won't live long enough.
That's why I wear my rubbers when it rains and eat an apple every day then see
the doctor anyway.

What if I can't live to love you as long as I want to.
Long as I promise you, baby, I'm gonna love you as long I live.

I'll even wear long underwear, when winter breezes blow
I'm gonna take good care of me because, a sneeze or two might mean the flu,
And that would never never do





What if I can't live to love you as long as I want to.
Long as I promise you, baby, I'm gonna love you as long I live.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ernestine Anderson's song "As Long as I Live" convey the sentiment that life may not be long enough to accomplish all that one hopes for, but it is possible to love someone for the entirety of one's lifetime. The first two lines of the song reflect this idea, as the singer admits that they may not be able to love someone as long as they want to due to the limitations of life. Despite these limitations, however, the singer promises to love their partner for as long as they live.


The second stanza speaks to material possessions and the singer's inability to give their partner everything they desire. However, the singer promises to want to provide these things for their loved one as long as they live. The third stanza takes a turn, as the singer expresses fear about their own mortality. While they may not be able to guarantee a certain length of time to love their partner, they vow to take care of themselves in an effort to extend their time together.


Overall, "As Long as I Live" is a song that acknowledges life's limitations while expressing a deep desire to love in spite of those limitations. It's a song about making the most of the time we have and cherishing the relationships that matter most.


Line by Line Meaning

Maybe I can't live to love you as long as I want to.
Life isn't long enough baby, but I can love you as long as I live.


Maybe I can't give you diamonds and things like I want to,
But I can promise you, baby, I'm gonna want to as long as I live.


I never cared, but now I'm scared, I won't live long enough.
That's why I wear my rubbers when it rains and eat an apple every day then see the doctor anyway.


What if I can't live to love you as long as I want to.
Long as I promise you, baby, I'm gonna love you as long I live.


I'll even wear long underwear, when winter breezes blow
I'm gonna take good care of me because, a sneeze or two might mean the flu, And that would never never do.


What if I can't live to love you as long as I want to.
Long as I promise you, baby, I'm gonna love you as long I live.




Lyrics © S.A. MUSIC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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