Musical Peeve

[stickmaker]

Most folks have at least heard "As Time Goes By," from seeing _Casablanca_ if nothing else. However, the song is actually older than the movie. Also, the movie version starts right in with "You must remember this" which is not the first part of that song. There is a lead-in, to a different theme, which goes:

This day and age we're living in
Gives cause for apprehension
With speed and new invention
And things like fourth dimension.

Yet we get a trifle weary
With Mr. Einstein's theory.
So we must get down to earth at times
Relax relieve the tension

And no matter what the progress
Or what may yet be proved
The simple facts of life are such
They cannot be removed.

Now, leaving off the lead-in is not the peeve. It's that about half the versions I've heard (and I like this song, so I've heard several versions) which do include it get one word wrong. There, in the fourth (appropriately) line, they say "third dimension" instead of "fourth dimension" even though the next verse talks about Einstein's Theory! *That's* my peeve! Not only do some folks use the wrong word, they use a word which is out of context for the song! Don't they ever think about what they're singing?!

Comments

[donsimpson.livejournal.com]

I've managed to miss anyone getting it wrong, probably because I don't hear the song with the intro that often. I was surprised, many years ago, when I found it even had an intro. But I like the intro, and I would be annoyed if I heard it done wrong.

[beamjockey.livejournal.com]

Now you've got me curious. Can you link to a Youtube clip, perhaps, where someone sings the intro?

[stickmaker.livejournal.com]

Better than that. The song is one of NPR's Top 100. Just go here:

http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/vote/list100.html

...and scroll down to "As Time Goes By."

[stickmaker.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't you know it? I can't get anything for RealPlayer to play, and their online help is offline. I've reinstalled, reset and cursed fulminously. Nothing helping. And I liked not only that segment, but several others on that page. Argh.

[purpleranger.livejournal.com]

Apparently, they don't. Thinking would be too much work.