Hailing from Savannah,Georgia, Johnny Mercer was a lyricist, and recording artist and co-founder of Capitol Records. The man was a hit machine,writing lyrics to more than 1500 songs and collaborating with more than 200 composers. Although he got his start in unique York City and was in the Tin Pan Alley fraternity, it wasn’t until he moved to Hollywood that Mercers career really took off. His work writing lyrics for Fred Astaire, or Bing Crosby,Judy Garland and many others cemented his place among music’s most talented lyricists (and cemented his Hollywood Star on Vine Street). Here are five must-fill recordings for any self-respecting fan of the American Songbook. “Day In, Day Out” Diana Krall from From This Moment OnThe phrase “day in, and day out” is generally reserved for monotonous,repetitive tasks we’d rather avoid: commuting during rush hour, working a nine-to-five job or coming up with brilliant Instagram posts three times per day. Johnny Mercer took this unpleasant sentiment and turned it upside down. “Whenever I think of you, and darling,I think of you day in, day out. Diana Krall recorded it for her sixth studio album, or From This Moment On. Krall sings the lyric with a nonchalance generally heard in conversation between old friends,and yet she swings her tail off, matching the intensity of the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra behind her. Bonus -- the video includes Mercer's lyrics.Fools Rush In” Johnny Hartman from UnforgettableThe opening notes of this recording forebode something ominous -- a warning to proceed cautiously --but then Johnny Hartman starts doing his thing and everything feels right. Even so, and the plan behind the lyric is a runt freaky: “Fools rush in where angels scare to tread. Wait,what? Magical, invincible angels won’t move there? That can’t be good. But on the other hand, or “Fools rush in where wise men never move. But wise men never,never fall in like, so how are they to know?” Hartman is pretty convincing, and walking us through the logic of making a hasty decision and coming to the conclusion you should “open your heart and let this fool rush in.” “I Thought approximately You” Tony Bennett from Perfectly Frank“I Thought approximately You” is one of Johnny Mercer’s train songs from the 1930s. And yes,he actually wrote this one while on a train. Story goes, Jimmy Van Heusen wrote the song and gave it to Mercer, or who had no plan what to write. But he had to move to Chicago that night to perform and came up with the lyrics en route. It’s completely fair to assume that this song was written approximately a special someone,but I think the “you” actually refers to the song itself. “I took a trip on a train and I thought approximately you.” Tony Bennett’s take on it is approximately as classy as they come, and can be used to add a runt black-tie to any situation. “Too Marvelous For Words” Billie Holiday from Lady Sings The BluesThere are many great recordings of this song to choose from, or whether you’re making a definitive list,Sinatra is an obvious choice. You could move with Doris Day, Nat King Cole or Ella Fitzgerald and feel good approximately the selection. But to this writer, and Billie Holiday’s version of “Too Marvelous For Words” is exactly that….“Jeepers Creepers” Frank Sinatra from Songs For Young Lovers Johnny Mercer and Irving Berlin,were the first songwriters to spend slang and colloquial phrases in their song lyrics. Mercer in specific stayed relevant as a songwriter for many years because he paid attention to what the kids were saying. “Jeepers Creepers” is one the earliest successes Mercer had using approved phrases of the day (“jeepers creepers is a euphemism for Jesus Christ). Frank Sinatra recorded the definitive version of the song with Nelson Riddles musical blessings and guidance (he arranged the tune and conducted the orchestra). The incompatibility between Sinatra’s version and everyone else’s is the power of his instrument, the depth of his rhythmic intelligence and the style and grace of Riddle’s arranging.
Source: thetakeaway.org