While We're Young (song)

"While We're Young" is a 1943 song with music composed by Alec Wilder and Morty Palitz, to lyrics by Bill Engvick, which was popularized by Don Cherry, Tony Bennett and other artists.[1] Wilder quoted his Algonquin neighbour, James Thurber, as saying that Engvick's lyrics to “While We're Young” was “the finest piece of English writing he knew”.[2] The lyric Thurber refers to begins:

"We must fulfill This golden time When hearts awake So shyly, Softly.
Songs were made to sing While we're young. Ev'ry day is spring While we're young..."

The song was included by Art Garfunkel as a bonus track in the Barnes & Noble-exclusive edition of his 2007 tribute album to the Great American Songbook, Some Enchanted Evening.

Versions

References

  1. Alec Wilder Letters I Never Mailed: Clues to a Life p13 1580462081 - 2005 "A year later, in 1943, another songwriting success came from Wilder's collaboration with WILLIAM ENGVICK and with songwriter and producer Morty Palitz, resulting in "While We're Young." Wilder was to develop a long partnership with the ..."
  2. Philip Lambert Alec Wilder 2013 34 0252094840 "Engvick also wrote lyrics for three songs composed by Wilder in collaboration with Morty Palitz, the record ... little trifle,” says Wilder (Life Story, 57).26 The trio's most distinguished effort was “While We're Young,” which began with a melodic phrase that Engvick had in his ear as he wrote a different lyric, “Everywhere I Look” (I 94.5). ... Engvick created the new lyric.27 Wilder was fond of quoting an Algonquin acquaintance, the writer James Thurber, saying that the lyric to “While We're Young” was “the finest piece of English writing he knew” (Songs Were Made to Sing, 6)."
  3. Billboard 1951 August 25


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