Last Night When We Were Young

"Last Night When We Were Young" is a 1935 popular song about nostalgia and young love [1] composed by Harold Arlen, with lyrics by Yip Harburg. Arlen regarded it as the favourite of the songs that he had written.[2]

Lawrence Tibbett recorded the song on October 9, 1935.[2] It was cut from his film Metropolitan but performed instrumentally behind the credits.[3]

"Last Night When We Were Young" was highly regarded by Judy Garland, who recorded it twice, and frequently performed it.[2] Composer Alec Wilder called it a "most remarkable and beautiful song" that "goes far beyond the boundaries of popular music." Continuing, he stated that "[i]t is unlike any other Arlen song that I have heard. However, it is unmistakably his."[3] Harburg did not know where he acquired the title, saying, "the juxtaposition of those two phrases is almost a whole world of philosophy".[2]

Notable recordings

Frank Sinatra - In the Wee Small Hours (1955), September of My Years (1965)
Peggy Lee - Dream Street (1956)
Judy Garland - Judy (1956)
Cal Tjader (arr. Clare Fischer) - Cal Tjader Plays Harold Arlen (recorded 1960, released 1962; reissued 2002 on CD as Cal Tjader Plays Harold Arlen and West Side Story)
Mel Tormé and George Shearing - An Elegant Evening (1985)
Tony Bennett - To My Wonderful One (1959), Perfectly Frank (1992)
Carly Simon - Film Noir (1997)
Keith Jarrett Trio - Tokyo '96 (released 1998)
Carmen McRae - Torchy (1955)
The Hi-Lo's - On Hand (1956).[4]
Sarah Vaughan - Close to You (1960)
Vic Damone- Young and Lively (1962).[5]
Karin Krog / Jacob Young - Where Flamingos Fly (2002)[6]

References

Browne, Ray Broadus; Ambrosetti, Ronald J. (1993). Continuities in Popular Culture: The Present in the Past & the Past in the Present and Future. ISBN 9780879725938.
Jablonski, Edward (1998). Harold Arlen: Rhythm, Rainbows, and Blues. UPNE. p. 100. ISBN 978-1-55553-366-3. Google Book Search. Retrieved on March 20, 2010.
Wilder, Alec (1972). American Popular Song: The Great Innovators, 1900-1950. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 26. ISBN 0-19-501445-6.
"Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
"Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
"Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 6, 2020.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[1] Browne, Ray Broadus; Ambrosetti, Ronald J. (1993). Continuities in Popular Culture: The Present in the Past & the Past in the Present and Future. ISBN 9780879725938.

[google99-2] Jablonski, Edward (1998). Harold Arlen: Rhythm, Rainbows, and Blues. UPNE. p. 100. ISBN 978-1-55553-366-3. Google Book Search. Retrieved on March 20, 2010.

[Wilder-3] Wilder, Alec (1972). American Popular Song: The Great Innovators, 1900-1950. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 26. ISBN 0-19-501445-6.

[4] "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved January 22, 2018.

[5] "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved January 22, 2018.

[6] "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. Retrieved May 6, 2020.