When We're Alone (Penthouse Serenade)
written by val burton & will jason
WHEN WE'RE ALONE (PENTHOUSE SERENADE)  -  McKINNY'S COTTON PICKERS
BETTY BOOP'S PENTHOUSE    (BETTY BOOP)   1933
Val Burton and Will Jason were both multi-talented songwriter/ composers that collaborated on several songs. Their wildly popular 1931 tune When We're Alone (Penthouse Serenade) was one of the most memorable songs of the decade. The song has maintained it's glamour and popularity since, and is still performed and recorded by many. Independently the two enjoyed numerous successes in screenwriting, directing and producing, and they both went on to become studio executives. In 1933, When We're Alone (Penthouse Serenade) was featured in, and was the basis of, the short Betty Boop's Penthouse. The recording for the film is considered to likely be Don Redman's Band - McKinney's Cotton Pickers. The film was the first Fleischer film to feature the voice of Jack Mercer (as the cat, the canary and the monster), Mercer would later go on to become the voice of Popeye.
1931

SMITH
​BALLEW
1931

TOM
GERUN
AND HIS
​ORCHESTRA
1932

ROY FOX
AND HIS BAND
with
​AL BOWLLY
1932

​ARDEN-
OHMAN
​ORCHESTRA
1932

D'ORSAY
DANCE
​ORCHESTRA
​(BEN SELVIN)
1932

SYLVIA
​FROOS
1932

DONALD
NOVIS &
LOYCE
​WHITEMAN
​
1932

​ROY FOX
AND HIS
​BAND
1932

RUTH
​ETTING
1932

FRANKIE
​CARLE
1932

CARROLL
GIBBONS
AND THE
SAVOY HOTEL
​ORPHEANS
1937

HARRY
JAMES
AND HIS
​ORCHESTRA
1937

COUNT BASIE
​SIDEMAN
1937

HARRY
JAMES
AND HIS
​ORCHESTRA
1938

​BOB
​HOPE &
SHIRLEY
​ROSS
1939

BOB
CROSBY
AND HIS
​ORCHESTRA
194?

AL SACK
AND HIS
​ORCHESTRA
19??

JIMMIE
GRIER
​ORCHESTRA
1944

​ANITA
O'DAY
WITH THE
KING COLE
​TRIO
1946

MARIE
GREENE
AND HER
MERRYMEN
1946

TEDDY
​WILSON
1948

SARAH
​VAUGHAN
1948

​BUDDY
DE FRANCO
SEXTETTE
1949

ERROLL
​GARNER
1949

RALPH
​FLANAGAN
1952

NAT KING
​COLE
1954

FRANK
​PARKER
1954

PATTI
​PAGE
1954

​JOHNNY
PARKER
1957

DOLORES
GRAY
1957

LOREZ
​ALEXANDRIA
1958

TONY
​BENNETT
1960

TERESA
​BREWER
1963

STAN
​GETZ
1964

DAVID
​ALLEN
1965

JIMMY
ROSELLI
1977

PETER
MINTUN
1977

​SUN RA
1987

​MARIANNE
FAITHFULL
1991

BO
THORPE
AND HIS
​ORCHESTRA
199?

KIM
JI-HOON
1997

VIC
DICKENSON'S
​QUINTET
1997

TOMMY
​TUNE
2000

MILDRED
BAILEY
2006

DOUBLE
​EXPOSURE
2011

DAN
LEMAIRE-
​BAUCH
2011

SUSAN
​DE JONG
2013

KIMBERLY
​HAWKEY
2014

QUORUM
​QUARTET
2015

WINELAND
BANJO
​BAND
WHEN WE'RE ALONE (PENTHOUSE SERENADE)
​
Picture a penthouse way up in the sky
With hinges on chimneys for stars to go by
A sweet slice of heaven for just you and I
When we're alone

From all of society we'll stay aloof
And live in propriety there on the roof
Two heavenly hermits, we will be in truth
When we're alone

We'll view life's mad pattern
As we view old Manhattan
Then we can thank our lucky stars
That we're living as we are

In our little penthouse we'll always contrive
To keep love and romance forever alive
In view of the Hudson, just over the drive
​When we're alone
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