"Always" is a popular song written by
Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin (born Israel Beilin; yi, ישראל ביילין; May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Russian-American composer, songwriter and lyricist. His music forms a large part of the Great American Songbook.
Born in Imperial Russ ...
in 1925, as a wedding gift for his wife
Ellin Mackay, whom he married in 1926, and to whom he presented the substantial
royalties.
Although legend (and
Groucho Marx) claims Berlin wrote the song "Always" for ''
The Cocoanuts'', he never meant for the song to be included in that musical, and it was not. Thematically, it serves as a sequel to Berlin's earlier song "
When I Lost You," which pertained to the death of his first wife Dorothy.
The song entered into the public domain on January 1, 2021.
The song is an important plot element in
Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time (magazine), Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combina ...
's play ''
Blithe Spirit Blithe Spirit may refer to:
* ''Blithe Spirit'' (play), a 1941 comic play written by Noël Coward
* ''Blithe Spirit'' (1945 film), a British comedy film based on the play
* ''Blithe Spirit'' (2020 film), a British-American comedy film based on th ...
''.
It also features in the 1944 film ''
Christmas Holiday'', in which it is sung by
Deanna Durbin
Edna Mae Durbin (December 4, 1921 – April 17, 2013), known professionally as Deanna Durbin, was a Canadian-born actress and singer, who moved to the USA with her family in infancy. She appeared in musical films in the 1930s and 1940s. With th ...
.
Lyrics
Everything went wrong,
And the whole day long
I'd feel so blue.
For the longest while
I'd forget to smile,
Then I met you.
Now that my blue days have passed,
Now that I've found you at last -
I'll be loving you Always
With a love that's true Always.
When the things you've planned
Need a helping hand,
I will understand Always.
Always.
Days may not be fair Always,
That's when I'll be there Always.
Not for just an hour,
Not for just a day,
Not for just a year,
But Always.
I'll be loving you, oh Always
With a love that's true Always.
When the things you've planned
Need a helping hand,
I will understand Always.
Always.
Days may not be fair Always,
That's when I'll be there Always.
Not for just an hour,
Not for just a day,
Not for just a year,
But Always.
Not for just an hour,
Not for just a day,
Not for just a year,
But Always.
References
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1925 songs
Songs written by Irving Berlin
Pop standards