As Time Goes By
The Roland Shaw Orchestra and Vera Lynn Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You must remember this
A kiss is still a kiss
A sigh is just a sigh
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by

And when two lovers woo
They still say I love you
On that you can rely
No matter what the future brings
As time goes by

Moonlight and love songs
Never out of date
Hearts full of passion
Jealousy and hate
Woman needs man
Man must have his mate
That no one can deny

It's still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by

It's still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die




The world will always welcome lovers
As time - goes - by...

Overall Meaning

The song “As Time Goes By” is a timeless classic, made famous by the 1942 film “Casablanca”. The song talks about how some things will never change no matter how time passes. The opening line, “You must remember this,” serves as both an invitation to the listeners to recall their own memories and a reminder that some things that might be lost to time can still be remembered. The song continues on to describe how love, passion, and jealousy are all fundamental things that will always apply, no matter how much time passes.


The second verse talks about how two lovers may change over time, but their love remains constant. The song mentions how moonlight and love songs are never out of date and how jealousy, passion, and the need for companionship are still fundamental to human nature. It's still the same old story, a fight for love and glory, and the world will always welcome lovers, as time goes by.


The Roland Shaw Orchestra and Vera Lynn have created a timeless masterpiece that speaks to the human condition. “As Time Goes By” has captured the hearts of millions of people all over the world with its timeless message that some things will never change no matter how much time passes.


Line by Line Meaning

You must remember this
It is important to recall and hold onto this information


A kiss is still a kiss
The act of kissing holds the same meaning


A sigh is just a sigh
The sound of a sigh is simply an expression of emotion


The fundamental things apply
These basic principles continue to hold true


As time goes by
As the years pass


And when two lovers woo
When two people court each other romantically


They still say I love you
The expression of love remains the same


On that you can rely
You can trust in the consistency of this behavior


No matter what the future brings
Regardless of what happens in the future


Moonlight and love songs
Traditional romantic settings


Never out of date
These themes continue to be relevant


Hearts full of passion
Emotions of intense desire


Jealousy and hate
Negative feelings associated with love


Woman needs man
The importance of romantic relationships


Man must have his mate
The need for companionship


That no one can deny
These truths are universally accepted


It's still the same old story
These themes continue to be common


A fight for love and glory
The struggle for romantic success and achieving greatness together


A case of do or die
A situation where one must succeed or face failure


The world will always welcome lovers
Society will continue to value romantic relationships


As time - goes - by...
As the years pass




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Herman Hupfeld

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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