While We're Young (1943 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...

Other recordings

• Peggy Lee on Rendezvous with Peggy Lee (1949)
• Tony Bennett, B-side to Hank Williams' "Cold, Cold Heart" (1951),^[3] and also from debut album Because of You (1952)^[4]
• Single by Don Cherry (1951)^[5]
• Perry Como with Mitchell Ayres and His Orchestra (1952) and re-recorded for the album For the Young at Heart (1960)
• Judy Garland on Miss Show Business (1955)
• Percy Faith and His Orchestra with Mitch Miller – It's So Peaceful in the Country 3×7″ EP set (1956)
• Rosemary Clooney – Sings Songs for the Young at Heart EP (1956)
• Johnny Mathis on his 1957 Warm LP and 1958 While We're Young EP
• Don Rondo on his Rondo, No. 2 EP (1959)
• André Previn and David Rose from Secret Songs For Lovers No.3 EP (1960)
• Mike Douglas, B-side to "Here's to My Jenny" (1966)
• Art Garfunkel – Some Enchanted Evening (2007)