Was an American compo… Read Full Bio ↴Harold Arlen (February 15, 1905 – April 23, 1986)
Was an American composer of popular music. Having written over 400 songs, a number of which have become known the world over, Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the Great American Songbook. His 1938 song "Over the Rainbow” was voted the twentieth century's No. 1 song by the Recording Industry Association of America
Biography
Arlen was born Hyman Arluck, in Buffalo, New York, the child of a Jewish cantor. His twin brother died the next day. He learned the piano as a youth and formed a band as a young man. He achieved some local success as a pianist and singer and moved to New York City in his early 20s. He worked as an accompanist in vaudeville.[1] At this point, he changed his name to Harold Arlen. He performed on record with the "Buffalodians" orchestra, as well as those of Red Nichols, Henny Hendrickson and Arnold Johnson.
Between 1926 and about 1934, Arlen appeared occasionally as band vocalist on records by The Buffalodians, Red Nichols, Joe Venuti, Leo Reisman and Eddie Duchin, usually singing his own compositions.
In 1929, Arlen composed his first well-known song: "Get Happy" (with lyrics by Ted Koehler). Throughout the early and mid-1930s, Arlen and Koehler wrote shows for the Cotton Club, a popular Harlem night club, as well as Broadway musicals and Hollywood films. Arlen also continued to perform with some success, most notably on records with Leo Reisman's society dance orchestra.
Arlen's compositions have always been popular with jazz musicians because of his facility at incorporating a blues feeling into conventional American popular songs.
Arlen and Koehler wrote several hit songs during the early and mid-1930s.
In the mid-1930s, Arlen married, and spent increasingly more time in California, writing for movie musicals. It was at this time that he began working with lyricist E.Y. "Yip" Harburg. In 1938, the team was hired by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to compose songs for The Wizard of Oz. The most famous of these is the song "Over the Rainbow" for which they won the Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song. They also wrote "Down with Love", a song later featured in the 2003 movie Down with Love.
Arlen was a longtime friend and former roommate of actor Ray Bolger who would star in The Wizard of Oz, the film for which "Over the Rainbow" was written.
In the 1940s, Arlen teamed up with lyricist Johnny Mercer, and continued to write hit songs like "Blues in the Night" ("My Mama Done Tol' Me") and "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive".
As Long as I Live
Harold Arlen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As long as I want to
Life isn't long enough, baby
But I can love you as long as I live
And maybe I can′t give you diamonds
And things like I want to
But I can promise you, baby
Well, I never cared, now I'm scared
I won′t live long enough
That′s why I wear my rubbers when it rains
And eat an apple everyday, see the doctor anyway
And what if I can't live to love you
As long as I want to
Long as I promise you, baby
I′m gonna want to as long as I live
Maybe I can't live to love you
As long as I want to
Life just isn′t long enough, baby
But I'm gonna love you as long as I live
And 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
Well, I never cared, 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, 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'm gonna love you, love you
Love you long as I live
Just long as I live
Love you as long as I live
Yeah, I′m gonna love you, love you, love you long as I live
I'm gonna love you, love you, I′m gonna love you
Love you
The lyrics of Harold Arlen's song "As Long As I Live" speak of a love that is lasting, despite the limitations of time and human mortality. The singer acknowledges that they might not be able to love their partner for as long as they want to, simply because life is not long enough. However, they reassure their partner that they will love them for as long as they live, and promise to continue wanting to love them even if they can't give them material possessions like diamonds.
The song is poignant in expressing the fear of not being able to love someone enough because of the inevitability of death. The line "I never cared, now I'm scared" reveals the vulnerability of the singer who has come to realize the fleeting nature of life. Their actions, such as wearing rubbers in the rain and seeing the doctor regularly, reflect their desire to prolong their life so that they can continue loving their partner. The repetition of the phrase "love you" at the end of the song serves to emphasize the singer's commitment to their partner, and their determination to love them for as long as possible.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe I can't live to love you
Perhaps I won't have enough time to love you
As long as I want to
For as long as my heart desires
Life isn't long enough, baby
Life is too short
But I can love you as long as I live
But I can promise to love you for the rest of my life
And maybe I can't give you diamonds
Maybe I won't be able to provide you with precious things
And things like I want to
Or the nice things that I want to
But I can promise you, baby
But I can assure you, my dear
I'm gonna want to as long as I live
I will always have the desire to provide for you as long as I am alive
Well, I never cared, now I'm scared
I used to not worry, but now I am afraid
I won't live long enough
I might not live long enough
That's why I wear my rubbers when it rains
That's why I take precautions like wearing boots in the rain
And eat an apple every day, see the doctor anyway
And take care of myself by eating well and seeing the doctor regularly
What if I can't live to love you
What if I am not able to live long enough to love you
As long as I want to
As much as I would like to
Long as I promise you, baby
But I promise you, my dear
I'm gonna love you as long as I live
I am going to love you until the end of my life
I'm gonna love you, love you
I am going to love you deeply and truly
Love you long as I live
Love you for all of my days
Yeah, I'm gonna love you, love you, love you long as I live
Yes, I truly am going to love you forever
I'm gonna love you, love you, I'm gonna love you
I am going to love you endlessly
Love you
Love you
Writer(s): Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
Contributed by Alice D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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