▁list ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁American ▁musical ▁works ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁as ▁compiled ▁by ▁N PR ' s ▁music ▁edit ors . ▁The ▁song ▁is ▁a ▁popular ▁reflection ▁of ▁nost alg ia ▁and ▁often ▁used ▁in ▁films ▁and ▁series ▁reflect ing ▁this ▁feeling . ▁ ▁Background ▁H erman ▁H up feld ▁wrote ▁" As ▁Time ▁Go es ▁By " ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁Broadway ▁musical ▁Every body ' s ▁Welcome . ▁In ▁the ▁original ▁show , ▁it ▁was ▁s ung ▁by ▁Frances ▁Williams . ▁It ▁was ▁recorded ▁that ▁year ▁by ▁several ▁artists , ▁including ▁Rud y ▁Vall ée ▁and ▁B inn ie ▁H ale , ▁and ▁orch est ral ▁record ings ▁were ▁made ▁by ▁Jacques ▁Ren ard ▁and ▁Fred ▁Rich . ▁In ▁terms ▁of ▁popular ity ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁mod est ▁hit . ▁Elisabeth ▁Wel ch ▁included ▁the ▁song ▁in ▁her ▁cab aret ▁act ▁soon ▁after ▁it ▁was ▁released . ▁ ▁The ▁song ▁was ▁re - int rodu ced ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁film ▁Cas ab lan ca ▁where ▁it ▁was ▁s ung ▁by ▁Sam , ▁port rayed ▁by ▁Do ole y ▁Wilson ; ▁Sam ' s ▁piano ▁accompan iment ▁was ▁played ▁by ▁pian ist ▁Elli ot ▁Car p enter . ▁The ▁mel ody ▁is ▁heard ▁throughout ▁the ▁film ▁as ▁a ▁le it mot if . ▁Wilson ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁commercial ▁recording ▁of ▁the ▁song ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 2 –