Young at Heart

~ featured in the 1955 film "Young at Heart"

Music by Johnny Richards and lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, 1954

Cherio Music Pub., Inc. BMI

Arranged by O.B. Masingill

With Mitchell Ayres' Orchestra ( and Chorus )

Produced by Hugo & Luigi

Recorded in Webster Hall, New York City

Recording Engineer: Bob Simpson

Recording Time 2:53

Recorded October 26th, 1960 ~ Matrix No. L5PT-5125 Take 4

SESSION MUSICIANS & CHORAL

October 26, 1960

A Hugo & Luigi Production

Orchestra

Leader: Mitchell Ayres

Contractor: Henry "Hank" Ross

Trumpet ~ James Maxwell

Trumpet ~ Bernie Glow

Trumpet ~ Melvin Davis

Trumpet ~ James Milazzo

Trombone ~ Urban Green

Trombone ~ Robert Byrne

Trombone ~ Robert Alexander

Trombone ~ John D'agostino

Sax ~ Stanley Webb

Piano ~ Henry Rowland

Guitar ~ Anthony "Tony" Mottola

Guitar ~ Danny Perri

Drums ~ Terry Snyder

Drums ~ Ted Sommer

Bass ~ Robert Haggart

Choral

Contractor: Hugo & Luigi

Chorus members not identified

Album issue: RCA-LP12 "For the Young at Heart" LSP-2343 STEREO JANUARY 1961

Album issue: RCA-UK "For the Young at Heart" RD-27206 & SF-5089 STEREO 1961

Notes: ~ the 1954 lyric for this song was written to a melody called "Moonbeam" composed by Johnny Richards fifteen years earlier. Frank Sinatra's recording with Nelson Riddle's Orchestra established the song as a standard and the title was given to the 1955 film "Young at Heart" starring Sinatra and Doris Day. Sinatra sang it under the titles and in the last scene. Perry Como's rendition in 1960 is from his first album compilation produced by Hugo & Luigi with special arrangements and musical adaptations by O.B. Masingill and this song forms the title of the album.

Several writers tried and failed to put words to this lovely tune by bandleader-arranger Johnny Richards. Carolyn Leigh took the assignment while her father lay seriously ill in the hospital. 'I wrote the words for him, using some of his own philosophy to cheer him up', she recalled. 'When the song became No. 1, he was the most happy fella in the hospital'. Frank Sinatra had a million-seller with it, and it inspired a film starring Sinatra and Doris Day. Perry's version has a happy, zesty, full-of-life sound that is exactly right for the song's upbeat flavour.

( notes from "The Incomparable Como" Readers Digest UK compilation 1975 )