• Home
  • About
    • About This Blog
    • About the Authors
  • Song of the Day
  • Album of the Week
  • Music and Art
    • Tony Live!
    • Music
      • Viva Duets
      • Songs
      • Albums
    • Art
  • And More
    • Collaborator of the Month
    • Songwriter of the Month – 2016
    • News
      • Cheek To Cheek
      • Bennett & Brubeck -The White House Sessions Live 1962
      • Life is a Gift
      • Viva Duets
      • Zen of Bennett
      • Other News
    • About His Collaborators
    • Musings
    • Extras
      • Books
      • Interviews
      • Media
  • The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography

The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

February 16, 2014 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: While We’re Young

The song of the day for February 16, 2014 is “While We’re Young.”

About This Song

“While We’re Young” was composed by Alec Wilder with Morty Palitz, with lyrics by William Engvick, in 1944. It was first recorded in 1944 by the Fred Waring Singers and again in 1949 by Meredith Willson (who wrote The Music Man) and his Orchestra. Peggy Lee also recorded the song in 1949, but not to Wilder’s liking. Marian McPartland quotes Wilder as telling Miss Lee that “The next time you come to the bridge (of the song), jump off!” “While We’re Young” remains popular in the American songbook, having been recently recorded by Jane Monheit and Ben Sidron.

We choose “While We’re Young” in the memory of Alec Wilder, who was born in this day, February 16, in 1907.

About This Version

“While We’re Young” was the first Alec Wilder song that Tony Bennett recorded. Bennett’s producer, Mitch Miller, attended The Eastman School of Music in the same time period, which may explain why Bennett first recorded “While We’re Young” in 1951. This arrangement is by Percy Faith. Tony Bennett went on to record several of Wilder’s best songs, including “It’s So Peaceful in the Country” and “A Child Is Born.”

http://open.spotify.com/track/2Ww8qiPB4maEhv1q0FUqYv
“While We’re Young,” as well as all the songs on The Columbia Singles, Volume 1, is available from iTunes.

Share this:

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Print
  • More
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Alec Wilder, Morty Palitz, William Engvick

Please feel free to leave a comment Cancel reply

Subscribe to The Year of Tony Bennett

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Current Reader Favorites

  • Duke Ellington and the Harlem Renaissance
  • Song of the Day: Can't Get Out Of This Mood
  • Song of the Day: The Right To Love
  • Song of the Day: La Vie En Rose
  • Song of the Day: Are You Having Any Fun?
  • Song of the Day: It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Aint' Got That Swing)
  • Home
  • About
  • Song of the Day
  • Album of the Week
  • Music and Art
  • And More
  • The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography

Copyright © 2023 The Year of Tony Bennett · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress