Lyrics For How Long? By Ace - Songfacts

Toggle navigation

• Home
• Categories
• Places
• Blog
  • Blogs Home
  • News
  • Lists
  • Features
  • Songwriter Interviews
  • Song Writing
  • Fact or Fiction
  • They're Playing My Song
  • Music Quiz
  • Songfacts Pages
  • Songwriting Legends
  • Songfacts Podcast
  • All Titles
  • Authors
    • Amanda Flinner
    • April Fox
    • Bruce Pollock
    • Carl Wiser
    • Corey O'Flanagan
    • Dan MacIntosh
    • Developer
    • Ed Pearce
    • Greg Prato
    • Jeff Suwak
    • Jess Grant
    • Laura Antonelli
    • Leslie Michele Derrough
    • Maggie Grimason
    • Nicole Roberge
    • Roger Catlin
    • Shawna Ortega
    • Stephanie Myers
    • Trevor Morelli
• Browse
  • Songs
  • Artists
  • Places
  • Years
  • Categories

Search

How Long?by Ace

Album: Five-A-Side (1974)Charted: 20 3 License This Song  songfacts ®

• How long has this been goin' onHow long has this been goin' onWell, if friends with their fancy persuasionDon't admit that it's part of a schemeBut I can't help but have my suspicions'Cause I ain't quite as dumb as I seemAnd you said you was never intendin'To break up our scene in this wayBut there ain't any use in pretendin'It could happen to us any dayHow long has this been goin' onHow long has this been goin' on---- musical interlude ----Oh, your friends with their fancy persuasionDon't admit that it's part of a schemeBut I can't help but have my suspicion'Cause I ain't quite as dumb as I seemOh, you said you was never intendingTo break up our scene in this wayBut there ain't any use in pretendin'It could happen to us any dayAnd how long has this been going onHow long has this been going onHow longHow long has this been going onHow long has this been going onHow long has this been going onHow longHow long has this been going o Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

• More songs from Ace
• More songs from one-hit wonders
• More songs that are commonly misinterpreted
• More songs about band dynamics
• More songs from 1974
• How Long? Songfacts

Your name as you would like it displayed Your Locaton Your Comment send your comment

Comments: 25

• Bill Ross from Atlanta, GaaA true classic of the 70’s. Ranks in top 5 favorites ever.
• La Zalewski from PaHow Long must have a billion radio plays by now. That song has been played and played on radio for close to 50 years now. Still going strong.
• Darryl Walker from QueenslandLove the song should be more like them love rods version too
• Bennie From Texas from TexasPaul Carrack also stated it was not about a boy girl relationship but a member of the band writing lyrics for another band.
• Ruth from CaliforniaI have always liked that song by Ace. It is one of my favorites! I did not know the lead singer's name until reading through the other comments.What I can't get is the commercial?? Is the guy cheating on her or using Amazon Prime to buy things against her wishes?? Or, for someone else & she doesn't like that? I don't get the commercial other than it's for Amazon Prime & Ace's song is great!! Then...in walks...is that Al Pacino? Oh well. Maybe, it's not suppose to make sense.
• Ted Nygard from Bonney Lake, Washington 98391Just a really goog song.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 27th 1975, Ace performed "How Long?" on the NBC-TV program 'The Midnight Special'...The week before this appearance on the show was their 16th and final week on the Top 100; the position was #49...Twenty-one years later in 1996 the band's frontman, Paul Carrack, released a solo version of the song, his version peaked at #32 in the United Kingdom... (See next post below for additional chart info).
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn March 2nd 1975, "How Long?" by Ace entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #89; and on May 25th it peaked at #3 (for 2 weeks) and spent 16 weeks on the Top 100...It also reached #3 in Canada and #20 in the United Kingdom...The group one other record to make the Top 100, "Rock and Roll Runaway", it stayed on the chart for 4 weeks, peaking at #71.
• David from Hazlet, NjSomeone commented the song peaked in April of that year. Scott from Harrisburg, PA was correct. It did peak at number 3 for two weeks. Why it didn't hit number one is beyond me-it is one of the best songs of the decade. Paul Carrack is an amazing singer and musician! I downloaded this and can't stop listening to it.
• Jim from Pleasant Hill, CaWithout the Net, I never would have guessed this was anything but a song about a woman cheating. Kind of disappointed somehow, but now I can infer why it starts with those bass (player) notes. The lyric, "break up our scene" makes a lot more sense now, too.
• Paul from Pittsburgh, PaThe first song I was aware of that Paul Carick sang on was "Tempted" when he was with Squeeze. I never put two and two together that it was his distinctive voice on "How Long", which was a favorite song of mine from years before. He also did great later on with "The Living Years". Thanks for your wonderful talent, Paul!
• Brian from Boston, MaPaul Carrack was Amazing. I seemed whenever he sang with a band they had a hit. Only recently did realize he sang this song.
• Bazzaman from Johnson, VtI've heard this tune a zillion times on classic rock radio stations over the years, and tonight I finally decided to figure out who the heck recorded it! It's certainly one of the better "one hit wonders" of the 70's.
• Mark from Springfield, MaWithout question, one of the best song's of the 70's!
• Patricia from Santa Barbara, CaI first head this song on KNX FM in Anaheim, CA when I was a mere Freshman in High school. Fell in love with Paul, his voice and the song. To this day I enjoy it! I also enjoyed Paul performing with Mike and the Mechanics. Fantastic voice. :-)
• Mike from Verona, VaOne of my favorite songs from 1975. I was 21 when this song came out. What memories this song brings back. Priceless!
• Becky from Box Springs, GaI love this song....it has one of the best bass lines ever....
• Scott from Harrisburg, PaIn America, this song peaked at #3 on May 31, 1975. That week the top two songs were both country crossovers: John Denver's "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" at #2, and Freddy Fender's "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" at #1.
• Mark from Des Moines, IaIt's truly sad they didn't have any other hits. This song is great!!!
• Scott from Columbus, OhMy initial perception of the song was that of a man singing to his lover as he discovers her infidelity.I'm quite glad it lends it's self to much more than that as it turns out, although there is nothing profound to say or feel about this song (unless maybe your a victim of a recent break-up) In most cases. it boils down to some catchy lyrics and fluid vocals... mostly akin to what I expect to hear from groups like Ambrosia.This and other songs will top the charts but most likely not make their way to the hearts of critical listeners.Though, on a personal scale, I loved it =)
• Derek from Cambridge, New ZealandI met Paul Carrack while working for a radio station in UK, and he is the most wonderful man I have ever met. He is a perfect gent, and a credit to the profession.
• Gina from Oakland, CaRod Stewart covered this song on the Tonight I'm Yours album in 1981.
• Silverado from Green Bay, WiThis song actually peaked in April 1975
• Ross from Independence, MoToo bad didn't do more stuff like this
• Pete from Nowra, Australiacovered by an Australian band in the late 70's i think they were called Scandal

see more comments

More Songfacts:

It's My PartyLesley Gore

One of the first teenage stars of the Rock Era was Lesley Gore, who was just 16 when she recorded "It's My Party," a huge hit in 1963. It gave us the iconic phrase, "It's my party, I'll cry if I want to."

I Want You BackThe Jackson 5

Michael Jackson was only 11 years and 5 months old when the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" became the group's first #1 hit. This made Jackson the youngest group member ever to top the Hot 100.

Thank YouDido

Eminem sampled Dido's "Thank You" for his song "Stan," and Dido appeared in his video as Stan's unfortunate wife.

I Want You To Want MeCheap Trick

Cheap Trick's original version of "I Want You To Want Me" was countrified and kind of hokey. When they sped it up for their Live At Budokan album, it became a huge hit.

Girls & BoysBlur

Damon Albarn found inspiration for Blur's Britpop classic "Girls & Boys" while on holiday in Majorca. He noted that in the club scene there was "no morality involved."

I Will Always Love YouDolly Parton

Don't play "I Will Always Love You" at your wedding - Dolly Parton wrote it about leaving someone behind to strike out on her own.

Editor's Picks

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"They're Playing My Song

When Dave recorded the first version of the song with his group the Blasters, producer Nick Lowe gave him some life-changing advice.

Julian LennonSongwriter Interviews

Julian tells the stories behind his hits "Valotte" and "Too Late for Goodbyes," and fills us in on his many non-musical pursuits. Also: what MTV meant to his career.

Dean PitchfordSongwriter Interviews

Dean wrote the screenplay and lyrics to all the songs in Footloose. His other hits include "Fame" and "All The Man That I Need."

Hawksley WorkmanSongwriter Interviews

One of Canada's most popular and eclectic performers, Hawksley tells stories about his oldest songs, his plentiful side projects, and the ways that he keeps his songwriting fresh.

Francesca BattistelliSongwriter Interviews

The 2011 Artist of the Year at the Dove Awards isn't your typical gospel diva, and she thinks that's a good thing.

Marc Campbell - "88 Lines About 44 Women"They're Playing My Song

The Nails lead singer Marc Campbell talks about those 44 women he sings about over a stock Casio keyboard track. He's married to one of them now - you might be surprised which.

Songfacts® Newsletter

A monthly update on our latest interviews, stories and added songs

What's your email? SUBSCRIBE

Information

• About Us
• Terms of Service
• Our Privacy Policy
• Google Privacy Policy
• Songfacts API
• Music History Calendar
• Song Licensing
• Affiliate Disclosure
• Contact Us
• Privacy Manager

Follow Us

• Facebook
• X (Twitter)
• YouTube

Contribution

• Message Boards
• Songfacts Writers

©2026 Songfacts, LLC