From the 1936 film “Limelight.”
Words and music by Maurice Sigler, Al Goodhart, and Al Hoffman.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
We’ve only been together for one fleeting hour
Each moment fill’d me with delight
It’s been refreshing like a cooling summer show’r
It’s much too soon to say “Good-night”
Chorus
The stars are saying “stay awhile”
They seem to say “Be gay awhile”
The night is young, don’t go away
Please stay awhile, stay awhile
The moon may never shine again
Your kiss may not be mine again
The night is young, don’t go away
Please stay awhile
Let’s make tonight a night
That you and I will not forget
Why throw away this chance
To find romance and then regret? Why regret?
So let our hearts be gay awhile
And let them have their way awhile
When hearts are young, don’t go away
Please stay awhile
Sung here by Vancha March: