How Long Has This Been Going On
George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
| PROFILE | |
| Composer | George Gershwin |
| Lyricist | Ira Gershwin |
| Year Written | 1928 |
| ABOUT How Long Has This Been Going On? | |
| How Long Has This Been Going On? was written for the 1928 musical Funny Face (originally titled Smarty). However, it was cut from the production and replaced with He Loves and She Loves. The song was used the following year for Rosalie, reportedly because producer Florenz Zeigfeld was quite fond of the number. | |
Lyrics
I could cry salty tears
Where have I been all these years
Little wow, tell me now
How long has this been going on
There were chills up my spine,
And some thrills I can’t define
Listen, sweet, I repeat
how long has this been going on
Oh, I feel that I could melt
Into Heaven I’m hurled
I know how Columbus felt
Finding another world
Kiss me once, then once more.
What a dunce I was before.
What a break, for Heaven’s sake
How long has this been going on
Session / Album Information
1960
This song was recorded on February 29, 1960 and released in 1960 on the album Alone Together.
This recording released on:
- 1960: Columbia LP 12″: CS 8262 — Alone Together
- 1960: Columbia LP 12″ (Mono): CL 1471 — Alone Together
- 1960: Philips LP 12″: BBL 7452 — Alone Together (UK)
- 1990: CBS/Sony CD: 32DP-568 — Alone Together [Japan]
- 1993: Rhino/Wea CD: R2-71503 — Great American Songwriters, Vol. 1: George & Ira Gershwin
- 2011: Disc #17 in The Tony Bennett Complete Collection (88697874602-JK17) Alone Together
1964
“How Long Has This Been Going On?” was recorded on February 26, 1964; it was released in 2006 on the CD re-release of When Lights Are Low.
This recording released on:
- 2006: RPM/Columbia/Legacy CD: 69699 85807 2 — When Lights Are Low