| Composer | Harold Arlen |
| Lyricist | Yip Harburg |
| Year Written | 1935 |
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” 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 wonderful and introspective song that is much beloved by singers.
Recordings
1959
Tony Bennett recorded “Last Night When We Were Young” on November 12, 1959. Frank DeVol wrote the arrangement,
CO 63981
Release History
| 1960 | Columbia LP 12″: CS 8226 — To My Wonderful One |
| 1960 | Columbia LP 12″ (Mono): CL 1429 — To My Wonderful One |
| 1994 | Smithsonian CD: RD 048-5 — American Songbook Series: Harold Arlen |
| 1994 | Smithsonian Collection CD: A 23653 — American Songbook Series: Harold Arlen |