Judy Garland - "Last Night When We Were Young", GE Theatre, 1956

From "General Electric Theatre", telecast live from Hollywood on April 9, 1956. Joe Bushkin is at the piano. Garland sings "Last Night When We Were Young", music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by E.Y. Harburg.
Trivia item: This song was recorded and filmed as a number for Garland's 1949 film "In the Good Old Summertime", costarring Van Johnson. The song was deemed too melancholy for the otherwise upbeat, happy musical and was cut. The excised musical number survives in its entirety today and was included as bonus material in some deluxe VHS releases of "That's Entertainment, Part III" and some DVD versions of the film.

[@sarakat76]

wow ... beautiful Judy and amazing voice!

[@saag111]

Good rendition, enjoyable. Tommy Flanagan and Helen Merrill rendition is also a must see of this beautiful balad.

[@coldocean]

If I'm not mistaken she had a head cold and sore throat the night of this performance. If that is the case. she is incredible! I agree the record version is superior. It's the recording Tony Bennett quoted to be the best recorded song he ever heard. But if she had a cold, she did just fine here. There is no one who comes close to her talent. I love her.

[@bouchardaanda4257]

what a woman i love her so much

[@grai]

she look beautiful here

[@NHWUSuuu]

Breathtaking.

[@jas026able]

Garyb3397 Sometimes history influences the way we hear a tune. Harold Arlen thought that Last Night...was his greatest melody; ditto for Yip Harburgh on the lyric. It was written for Judy but considered too melancholy to be included in In the Good Old Summertime. But the momento mori in the tune caught up with Judy, as did drugs and other personal pitfalls so that the lyric becomes all about her. Even her being in less than best voice, undescores the world weariness in the words.

[@janwintz8372]

Harold Arlen, Yip Harburgh !! This song, Judy's interpretation on this particular performance can resonate with anyone and is perfectly apropos in my world today...(and this too shall pass...)

[@jas026able]

There is truth in what you say about all things must pass. But what about the way singers "ruin" their instrument by their own decisions? Yes we can still admire them for trying, but we have to acknowledge that they also helped in going into decline. Sinatra is a case in point. Rosemary Clooney was urged by Igor Stravinsky to quit smoking, it was wrecking her voice. She couldn't or didn't. Notice how people on this youtube thread are saying that Judy's voice is all about a few sniffles, a passing cold. Oh really? Just a cold. The devout need to do a lot of dismissing.

[@janwintz8372]

Your observations are so insightful.. In my remarks here I am referring to a personal love lost (I think). I've listened to this moving video 25 times in a row this morning; what remarkable lyrics from Yip Harburgh. Thank you for your reply. 😌 Think I'll listen a few times more before looking for her singing Smile..another tear-jerking beauty.

[@jas026able]

Amazing how a ballad can put us in touch with the poignancy of lost love. Somewhere online there is an interview of Yip Harburgh where he says that Last Night When We Were Young was his greatest lyric; he says that Harold Arlen felt the same way about the melody.

[@janwintz8372]

May I call you James or Jim? Yes, I read yours and others' remarks here and found very interesting Arlen's and Yip's feeling about this song! 😌 Jan

[@OldHollywoodLove]

lovely!

[@MAKEOVERGUY]

Whomever Garyb3396 is... You are right about the makeup.

[@jadezee6316]

only 33 here...the incomparable judy garland...had not reached her emotional peak...while singing live..nor had her voice reached its power house peak....unfortunately how those 2 things coincide with her use of drugs and alcohol...are well known

[@mattmammone2338]

She looks so good when she isn't skinny. She's Irish. Irish women can be voluptuous and it looks good. She has the same build as my mom, who's "black Irish" too.

[@garyb3397]

THIS is how her makeup should've been in "A Star is Born." She would've looked so much better. Yes, she looks lovely here - almost as if to recapture her MGM look. I don't agree that she's in good voice here, though. Listen to her Capitol recording, or better yet, her MGM take from 1948. Both are superior to this.