Ace - how long has this been going on lyrics meaning

"How Long Has This Been Going On?" is a song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, for the musical Funny Face in 1927.

History[edit]

According to Ira Gershwin in his book Lyrics on Several Occasions, after the premiere of Funny Face in Philadelphia he received a call from the then professional manager of Shapiro, Bernstein and Co. asking him to remove the song because “It doesn't mean anything” and because “Well, we've bought a song with the same title and we're about to publish it. Yours doesn't get you anywhere, so how about taking it out of the show?” Eventually the song was deleted as Ira Gershwin indicates, “Well, he had his wish. A couple of weeks later on the road (either in Atlantic City or Washington) "How Long..." was out, replaced by "He Loves and She Loves"”.

Replaced by "He Loves and She Loves" in Funny Face, it was eventually introduced in the musical Rosalie (1928) by Bobbe Arnst as Mary O'Brien.[1] The lyrics used as first released by Gershwin started with the introductory verse: "As a tot, when I trotted in little velvet panties, / I was kissed by my sisters, my cousins, and my aunties. / Sad to tell, it was hell, an inferno worse than Dante's." In the subsequent version of the lyrics as performed by Ella Fitzgerald ten years later, the lyrics of this introductory verse were changed to the melancholy reflections of a worker in evening "bazaars" reflecting on the differences between kisses for money and romantic kisses from someone with emotional ties, which had previously eluded her. She reflects with "salty tears" about the differences between the two types of kisses.

The introductory verse as performed by Fitzgerald was:

'Neath the stars, at bazaars
Often I've had to caress men
Five or ten, dollars then, I'd collect from all those yes-men
Don't be sad, I must add, that they meant no more than chess-men

Darling, can't you see?
'Twas for charity?
Though these lips have made slips, it was never really serious
Who'd have thought, I'd be brought to a state that's so delirious?[2]

In the original Gershwin version of the song, somewhat more upbeat, it is sung by a young woman comparing kisses among family members and friends at holidays, to how different they turn out to be when experienced while expressing romantic affections; she is surprised to find that romantic kisses are very different. The two verses describe her previous negative experiences of kissing: first the childhood attentions of older female relatives, and second while working in a kissing booth. The two choruses describe the excitement of then experiencing a first romantic kiss, and regret at not having experienced it before: "I could cry salty tears; where have I been all these years? / Little wow, tell me now, how long has this been going on?"

Bing Crosby recorded the song in 1955[3] for use on his radio show and it was subsequently included in the box set The Bing Crosby CBS Radio Recordings (1954-56) issued by Mosaic Records (catalog MD7-245) in 2009.[4]

"How Long" is the debut single by the English band Ace, from their 1974 debut album Five-A-Side. It reached No. 3 in the US and Canadian charts, and No. 20 on the UK Singles Chart.[4]

In a 1981 issue of Smash Hits, Phil Collins named the song as one of his top 10 favourites, describing it as a "classic single".[5]

Background[edit]

Although widely interpreted as being about adultery, the song was in fact composed by lead singer Paul Carrack upon discovering that bassist Terry ("Tex") Comer had been secretly working with the Sutherland Brothers and Quiver.[6] The ‘friends with their fancy persuasions’ cited in the lyrics are said to be in reference to the Sutherland Brothers and Quiver's management.[6]

The guitar solo is by lead guitarist Phil Harris. Alan 'Bam' King was the band's rhythm guitarist, formerly with the Action.

The band had originally tried to record the song as a "Motown"-type single for Anchor Records, but gave up in favour of recording their first album at Rockfield Studios in Wales. The song was recorded for the album.[7]

Ace lead singer Paul Carrack wrote the song; when he appeared on the BBC Breakfast news programme on June 29, 2009 he was asked about the inspiration. Rather than being about a two-timing lover it was, he said, about another band who were "trying to nick our bass player."

"How Long?" was one of the first songs he ever wrote and remains one of his biggest hits. It was released on the Anchor label in 1974, backed by "Sniffin' About" and produced by John Anthony for Neptune Productions. It has been recorded many times since. Terry Comer, the bass player a rival band were trying to "nick," returned in time to play on the original recording.

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