England's one-man answer to Ferrante and Teicher, Aldrich churned out a ste… Read Full Bio ↴England's one-man answer to Ferrante and Teicher, Aldrich churned out a steady stream of albums featuring his "Twin Pianos" for London's Phase 4 label, starting in 1961--most of them no more distinguished than F&T's post-"prepared piano" recordings. Aldrich studied at the Guildhall School of Music in London and played and arranged for the RAF Dance Orchestra during World War Two. After the war, he remained associated with the group as it mutated into "The Squadronaires" and became one of the most popular groups in England. Aldrich eventually became the band's leader and conductor, and stayed in that role until the group dissolved in 1964. He also worked as musical director for Thames Television.

Aldrich's albums are usually pretty , easy listening,but if you haven't heard one, it's worth spending up to three bucks to own your own little bit of authentic 60s experience. Not the Haight-Ashbury-Woodstock-Jimi Hendrix kind of experience, but the experience most people had. What he produced entertained millions, although obviously not cutting edge music. Put on Ronnie's take on "Music to Watch Girls By" and you can imagine yourself strolling down the aisle at the A&P or shopping for school clothes at J.C. Penney. Or riding an elevator to your dad's office. Or waiting at the Omaha Airport. Who needs Eastern philosophy to get blissed out?

Born at Erith , Kent, U K, 15th February 1916, educated in Folkestone and proved musically talented as he learnt to play the piano aged only 3 !!! After his musical career he retired to the Isle of Man, where he died, from prostate cancer, aged 77, on the 30th September 1993.

Long Ago And Far Away
Ronnie Aldrich Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Long ago and far away
I dreamed a dream one day
And now that dream is here beside me

Long the skies were overcast
But now the clouds have passed
You're here at last

Chills run up and down my spine
Aladdin's lamp is mine
The dream I dreamed was not denied me

Just one look and then I knew
That all I longed for long ago was you

Long ago and far away
I dreamed a dream one day
And now that dream is here beside me

Long the skies were overcast
But now the clouds have passed
You're here at last

Chills run up and down my spine
Aladdin's lamp is mine
The dream I dreamed was not denied me

Just one look and then I knew
That all I longed for long ago was you

Just one look and then I knew

That all I longed for long ago
Was you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ronnie Aldrich’s song ‘Long Ago and Far Away’ speaks about a dream that was dreamt long ago and now has finally come to fruition. The opening lines, “Long ago and far away, I dreamed a dream one day, and now that dream is here beside me,” perfectly set up the narrative of the song. The song follows an individual who had a dream, and now, that dream has come true. The person he dreamed of is finally here with him, and he is overwhelmed with emotions he never thought he would feel. As he looks back to the days when the skies were overcast, he realizes that all he ever longed for was this person beside him.

The lyrics evoke emotions that anyone who has longed for something, and has finally achieved it, can relate to. The lyrics paint a picture of someone who had a dream, a vision for their life, and then ultimately achieved it. The song speaks of the power and perseverance of a dream, no matter how long ago it was dreamt. It reminds us that even though things may have seemed dim, the clouds eventually will pass, and the sun will shine again. The lyrics are a beautiful reminder that we should never stop dreaming or striving for our deepest desires.

Line by Line Meaning

Long ago and far away
In a distant past and a faraway location

I dreamed a dream one day
Once upon a time, I had a dream

And now that dream is here beside me
That dream has come true and is now next to me

Long the skies were overcast
For a long time, the skies were gloomy

But now the clouds have passed
But now the clouds have gone away

You're here at last
And finally, you are here

Chills run up and down my spine
I feel a shiver down my back

Aladdin's lamp is mine
It feels like I have a magical lamp like Aladdin

The dream I dreamed was not denied me
The dream I wanted was not rejected

Just one look and then I knew
After just one glance, I understood

That all I longed for long ago was you
That you were what I have been yearning for all along