Song of the Day: Last Night When We Were Young

The song of the day for Wednesday, May 5, 2021, is “Last Night When We Were Young.”

Yesterday I was listening to an interview on the radio and the interviewer asked the guest (sorry, forgot who) if they could only listen to one song for the rest of their life, what would that song be? I pondered this question while trying to get to sleep last night and decided that song would be “Last Night When We Were Young.” Harold Arlen-check. Yip Harburg-check. Lyrics like “Life was so new, so real, so right; ages ago last night.” Checkmate.

About This Song

“Last Night When We Were Young” was written in 1935 by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg. Arlen considered “Last Night When We Were Young” to be one of his favorite songs. In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder calls it a “most remarkable and beautiful song … (that) goes far beyond the boundaries of popular music.” Yip Harburg has said that he doesn’t know exactly where the title came from but that “the juxtaposition of those two phrases is almost a whole world of philosophy.” All in all, it’s a very beautiful and introspective song that is much beloved by singers. Frank Sinatra included on his wonderful album In The Wee Small Hours. It has also been recorded by Judy Garland, Mel Tormé, Carmen McRae, and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “Last Night When We Were Young” in 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the very fine arrangement.

“Last Night When We Were Young,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from Apple Music.