As Tears Go By chords

The Rolling Stones
  • As Tears Go By was written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards & Andrew Oldham.
  • Recorded: IBC Studios, London on Oct 26, 1965
  • Released: Dec 18, 1965 (USA)
  • Album: December's Children (And Everybody's)
  • Music: Key of G Major in 4/4 time at 112 bpm (♩)
  • Easy Chords: G, A7 C, D, D7, Em
Chord Chart Legend
G Major D Major D7 C Major A7 Em
G Major D Major D7 C Major A7 Em

As Tears Go By

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key
                G       A7      C       D
Intro: 4/4  ‖       |       |       |       ‖

 G           A7              C    D7
1. It is the eve-ning of the day 
 G           A7                   C    D7
   I sit and watch the child-ren  play
 C                 D7         G             Em
   Smil-ing fa-ces I can see    But not for me
 C                             D     D7
   I sit and watch as tears go by


 G            A7               C    D7
2. My ri-ches can't buy ev’-ry-thing
 G           A7                 C    D7
   I want to hear the child-ren sing
 C            D7            G                  Em
   All I hear is the sound    Of rain fall-ing on the ground
 C                                 D     D7 
   I sit and and watch as tears go by


          G     A7     C     D7     G     A7     C     D7
Instr: ‖     |      |     |      |     |      |     |       ‖

          C     D7     G     Em     C     C      D     D7  
       ‖     |      |     |      |     |      |     |       ‖


 G           A7              C    D7
3. It is the eve-ning of the day 
 G           A7                  C    D7    
   I sit and watch the child-ren play
 C                D7          G                Em
   Doin’ things I used to do    They think are new
 C                             D     D7
   I sit and watch as tears go by   

          G     A7     C     D7     G     A7     C     D7
Outro: ‖     |      |     |      |     |      |     |      ‖... fade out 

Song Facts

  • Written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards & Andrew Oldham and was originally recorded by Marianne Faithfull in 1964.
  • Written for Marianne Faithfull as Andrew Oldham, the Rolling Stones' manager wanted to write a song that would showcase Faithfull's voice and that would be different from the kind of music that the Rolling Stones were playing at the time.
  • Released by Marianne Faithfull as a single in the United Kingdom in 1964 which reached number nine on the UK Singles chart.
  • Later recorded by The Rolling Stones in 1965 and was released as a single in the United States in 1966.
  • The Rolling Stones' version reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and number 1 on the Canada Top Singles chart.
  • Often interpreted as being about a woman who is grieving the loss of a lover, but it can also be interpreted as being about a woman who is simply feeling lost and adrift in life.
  • Covered by many other artists, including: Nancy Sinatra, Esther Phillips, Shula Chen (Hebrew version), The Royal Guardsmen, Melanie, Katy Rose, Vitamin String Quartet, Noah Gundersen, Avenged Sevenfold.
  • Originally titled "As Time Goes By", but the title was changed to avoid confusion with the song from the film Casablanca.
  • The Rolling Stones' version of the song was produced by Andrew Oldham and was recorded at Olympic Studios in London.
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