As Long As I Live
Dick Hyman & Ruby Braff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was kissed by my sisters, my cousins, and my aunties.
Sad to tell, it was hell, an inferno worse than Dante's.
So my dear I swore,
"Never, never more!"
On my list, I insisted that kissing must be crossed out.
Now, I find I was blind, and oh my!
I could cry salty tears,
Where have I been all these years?
Little wow, tell me now,
How long has this been going on?
There were chills up my spine,
And some thrills I can't define.
Listen, sweet, I repeat,
How long has this been going on?
Oh, I feel that I could melt,
Into Heaven I'm hurled!
I know how Columbus felt,
Finding another world.
Kiss me once, then once more.
What a dunce I was before.
What a break!
For Heaven's sake!
How long has this been going on?
Dear, when in your arms I creep,
That divine rendezvous,
Don't wake me, if I'm asleep,
Let me dream that it's true!
Kiss me twice, then once more.
That makes thrice, let's make it four!
What a break!
For Heaven's sake!
How long has this been going on?
How long has this, been going on?
"As Long As I Live" is a bittersweet song about realizing that something you've avoided for years is actually quite pleasurable. The singer opens with a memory from childhood, a time when kissing was something to be avoided at all costs. The experience was so bad, they swore never to do it again. But now, looking back, the singer realizes they were wrong to write off kissing altogether. The emotions they're feeling now are so rich and intense that they seem to justify the hellish childhood experiences.
The song's language is particularly effective at conveying this bittersweet quality. The imagery of "little velvet panties" and "aunts, cousins, and sisters" kissing the singer is both innocent and unsettling, underscoring the fact that childhood experiences can shape adult desires. And when the singer recounts their current feelings ("There were chills up my spine/And some thrills I can't define"), the words themselves have a dark, sensual undertone. The chorus, which asks "How long has this been going on?" is both a rhetorical question and a plea for a partner to explain why they've been hiding their feelings for so long. Overall, "As Long As I Live" is a song about the ways in which we suppress our desire in order to feel in control, and about the pain that can come from trying to ignore our deepest longings.
Line by Line Meaning
As a tot, when I trotted in little velvet panties
I was just a young child wearing soft clothing
I was kissed by my sisters, my cousins, and my aunties
My relatives would show their love by giving me lots of kisses
Sad to tell, it was hell, an inferno worse than Dante's.
Unfortunately, it was a terrible experience and caused me great discomfort
So my dear I swore, "Never, never more!"
As a result, I told myself that I would never allow myself to be kissed again
On my list, I insisted that kissing must be crossed out.
I wrote down my decision and made it clear that I was cutting out kissing altogether
Now, I find I was blind, and oh my!
Looking back on it now, I realize that I was naive and misguided
How I lost out!
I missed out on a lot by not allowing myself to be kissed
I could cry salty tears,
I feel so strongly about this that I could cry
Where have I been all these years?
Why did it take me so long to see how great kissing can be?
Little wow, tell me now,
Please, explain to me how I've missed out for so long
How long has this been going on?
How long have people been kissing like this and enjoying it?
There were chills up my spine,
The experience is so thrilling that I get goosebumps
And some thrills I can't define.
There are some sensations that are impossible to put into words
Listen, sweet, I repeat,
Please pay attention, my love, I'm saying it again
Oh, I feel that I could melt,
The feeling is so intense that I feel like I could just dissolve
Into Heaven I'm hurled!
It's a transcendent experience that feels like being transported to paradise
I know how Columbus felt,
I can relate to the wonder and amazement Columbus must have felt discovering new worlds
Finding another world.
The intense pleasure of kissing feels like discovering a whole new world
Kiss me once, then once more.
Please give me two kisses, to start with
What a dunce I was before.
What a fool I was for not realizing how great kissing can be
What a break! For Heaven's sake!
This is such an incredible opportunity, I can hardly believe it!
Dear, when in your arms I creep,
When I snuggle up to you in a loving embrace
That divine rendezvous,
Such a special, heavenly moment
Don't wake me, if I'm asleep,
Please, let me stay here in this moment, even if I fall asleep
Let me dream that it's true!
I want to live in this dreamland where everything is perfect
Kiss me twice, then once more.
One more kiss, and then another, please
That makes thrice, let's make it four!
With these additional kisses, that will make four in total
How long has this been going on?
I'm just amazed that I've been missing out on this wonderful feeling for so long
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind