Always (Irving Berlin song) explained

Always
Cover:	File:Always (1925) sheet music.pdf
Caption:	Sheet music, 1925
Written:	1925
Genre:	Pop^[1]

"Always" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin in 1925, as a wedding gift for his wife Ellin Mackay, whom he married in 1926, and to whom he presented the substantial royalties.

Background

Although legend (and Groucho Marx) claimed Berlin wrote the song "Always" for The Cocoanuts, he never meant the song to be included in that musical, and it was not.^[2] 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.^[3]

Lyrics

Everything went wrong,And the whole day longI'd feel so blue.For the longest whileI'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 AlwaysWith a love that's true Always.When the things you've plannedNeed 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.

Popular culture

• The song is an important plot element in Noël Coward's play Blithe Spirit.^[4]
• It also features in the 1944 film Christmas Holiday, in which it is sung by Deanna Durbin.
• The song is featured in the 1942 Lou Gehrig biopic The Pride of the Yankees, starring Gary Cooper and Teresa Wright. During a nightclub scene, it's played by Ray Noble and His Orchestra and sung by Bettye Avery.^[5]
• An instrumental version of the song is used as a frequent background theme for episodes of Jackie Gleason's TV series, The Honeymooners (1955-56).
• In the 1980 "Father and Daughter Night" episode of Archie Bunker's Place, Stephanie, Archie, and Murray perform the song.

Notes and References

1. Book: Stanley, Bob . 2022 . Let's Do It - The Birth of Pop Music: A History. Doing What Comes Naturally: Irving Berlin. Pegasus Books. New York. 47.
2. Book: Bader, Robert S.. Four of the Three Musketeers: The Marx Brothers on Stage . 2016. Northwestern University Press. Evanston, IL. 309. 9780810134164.
3. News: Party Like It's 1925 On Public Domain Day (Gatsby And Dalloway Are In). NPR. 1 January 2021.
4. Web site: Blithe Spirit. Wolf. Matt. 28 March 2004. Variety. 24 January 2022.
5. Web site: Always by Irving Berlin .