"As Tears Go By" is a song written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Rolling Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham. Marianne Faithfull recorded and released it as a single in the United Kingdom in 1964. Her song peaked at number nine on both the UK and Irish singles charts. Later, the Rolling Stones recorded their own version, which was included on the American album December's Children (And Everybody's). London Records released it as a single, which reached number six in the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[4]
History
"As Tears Go By" was one of the early compositions by Jagger and Richards; previously the Rolling Stones had chiefly been performing American blues and rhythm and blues tunes. By one account, Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham locked Jagger and Richards in a kitchen to force them to write a song together, even suggesting what type of song he wanted: "I want a song with brick walls all around it, high windows, and no sex." The result initially was named "As Time Goes By", the title of the song Dooley Wilson sings in the film Casablanca. Oldham replaced "Time" with "Tears". Richards said:
Personnel
Marianne Faithfull versionAccording to musicologist Walter Everett,[18] except where noted:
|
Rolling Stones versionAccording to authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon,[21] except where noted: The Rolling Stones
Additional musicians
|
Charts
Marianne Faithfull version
| Chart (1964–65) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[23] | 35 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[24] | 2 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[25] | 9 |
| UK Singles (Official Charts)[26] | 9 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[27] | 22 |
| US Cash Box Top 100[28] | 30 |
| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Israel International Airplay (Media Forest)[29] | 19 |
| UK Single Sales (OCC)[30] | 18 |
| UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[30] | 18 |
Rolling Stones version
| Chart (1966) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[31] | 16 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[32] | 1 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[33] | 5 |
| New Zealand (Listener)[34] | 10 |
| Rhodesia (Lyons Maid)[35] | 7 |
| Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[36] | 5 |
| U.S. Billboard Easy Listening[37] | 10 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[38] | 6 |
| US Cash Box Top 100[39] | 3 |
| Chart (1966) | Peak Rank |
|---|---|
| US Cash Box[40] | 100 |
Cover versions
- Nancy Sinatra on her number 1 1966 Boots album.
- Esther Phillips on her album "Esther Phillips Sings" in May 1966.
- The Primitives, from the 1994 compilation album Bombshell.
- Avenged Sevenfold released a version on the deluxe edition of their album The Stage in 2017.[41]
References
- 1 2 Gendron 2002, p. 343n59.
- ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "The Rolling Stones – As Tears Go By". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 16 February 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
- ↑ Lanza, Joseph (1 February 2005). "The Doodletown Dimension". Vanilla Pop: Sweet Sounds from Frankie Avalon to ABBA. Chicago Review Press. p. 154. ISBN 1-55652-543-5.
- ↑ Mick Jagger interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1969)
- ↑ Richards, Keith (2010), Life, p. 172
- ↑ Philip Norman, Mick Jagger, biography, 2012, p. 143, Dutch translation
- ↑ "Mick Jagger Remembers". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 18 August 2020.
- ↑ Everett, Walter, 2009, The Foundations of Rock : From "Blue Suede Shoes" to "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes", Oxford: OUP, ISBN 0-1953-102-41 p. 95
- ↑ "RPM Magazine". RPM Weekly. 17 July 2013.
- ↑ Mark Hodkinson, As Tears Go By
- ↑ "Nasjonalbiblioteket". www.nb.no. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
- ↑ "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. 18 December 1965. p. 22. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ↑ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 18 December 1965. p. 10. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ↑ Prato, Paolo (2007). "Selling Italy by the sound: cross-cultural interchanges through cover records". Popular Music. 26 (3): 441–462. doi:10.1017/S0261143007001377. S2CID 146167230.
- ↑ "The Rolling Stones cover The White Stripes!". NME News. New Musical Express. 12 July 2006. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
- ↑ youtube
- ↑ Blistein, Jon (4 June 2013). "Taylor Swift Joins Rolling Stones for 'As Tears Go By'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 9 June 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
- ↑ Everett 2001, p. 302.
- 1 2 Babiuk & Prevost 2013, p. 102.
- ↑ Everett 2001, p. 302: twelve-string acoustic; Williamson 2007, p. 11: played by Page.
- ↑ Margotin & Guesdon 2016, pp. 162–163.
- ↑ Babiuk & Prevost 2013, p. 193.
- ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (doc). Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Image 5785". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
- ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Marianne Faithfull". Irish Singles Chart.
- ↑ "Marianne Faithfull Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
- ↑ "Marianne Faithfull Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
- ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles: January 9, 1965". Cashbox. Archived from the original on 28 February 2013. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
- ↑ "מדיה פורסט – המצעד הבינלאומי השבועי – Week 6 – 02/02 – 08/02/2025" [Media Forest – International Weekly Chart – Week 6 – 02/02 – 08/02/2025] (Select the year 2025 and the option "06 02-02-25 08-02-25" from the stretched lists, then click "שירים מובילים - רדיו - בינלאומי" to see the chart.) (in Hebrew). Media Forest. 9 February 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
- 1 2 "AS TEARS GO BY". Official Charts. 19 August 1964. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
- ↑ "The Rolling Stones – As Tears Go By" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
- ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Image 5695". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
- ↑ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. p. 240. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
- ↑ http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=NZ%20listener%20charts&qyear=1966&qmonth=May&qweek=13-May-1966#n_view_location
- ↑ Kimberley, C (2000). Zimbabwe: Singles Chart Book. p. 32.
- ↑ Hallberg, Eric (1993). Eric Hallberg presenterar Kvällstoppen i P 3: Sveriges radios topplista över veckans 20 mest sålda skivor 10. 7. 1962 - 19. 8. 1975. Drift Musik. p. 243. ISBN 9163021404.
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 208.
- ↑ "The Rolling Stones Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
- ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles: January 22, 1966". Cashbox. Archived from the original on 28 February 2013. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
- ↑ "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 24, 1966". Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
- ↑ "The Stage Deluxe Edition - AVENGED SEVENFOLD". Blabbermouth.net. 6 January 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
Sources
- Babiuk, Andy; Prevost, Greg (2013). Rolling Stones Gear: All the Stones' Instruments from Stage to Studio. Milwaukee: Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-1-61713-092-2.
- Everett, Walter (2001). The Beatles as Musicians: The Quarry Men through Rubber Soul. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-514105-4.
- Gendron, Bernard (2002). Between Montmartre and the Mudd Club: Popular Music and the Avant-Garde. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-28737-8.
- Margotin, Philippe; Guesdon, Jean-Michel (2016). The Rolling Stones All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers. ISBN 978-0-316-31774-0.
- Williamson, Nigel (2007). The Rough Guide to Led Zeppelin (1st ed.). London: Rough Guides. ISBN 978-1-84353-841-7.
