Sings Select Johnny Mercer

Almost as far back as I can remember, I've been a fan of songwriter, Johnny Mercer and singer, Frank Sinatra. My father had a collection of 45 rpm Mercers, and all of Frank Sinatra's Capitol Records recordings (33 rpm), so it's no wonder this album, "Frank Sinatra Sings the Select Johnny Mercer" would appeal to me.A couple of this duo's best songs are recorded on this album: the rueful "One for my Baby;" and the darker, angrier "Blues in the Night." According to Mercer's biographer, Philip Furia, whom I quote extensively in this review, both were written after the breakup of the songwriter's affair with Judy Garland. This is the complete list of songs on this CD:"Too Marvelous for Words" - (1937 - 1938) Mercer was on contract with Warner Bros when he wrote these lyrics for the forgettable musical, "Ready, Willing, and Able.""Day In - Day Out (Ballad Version)" - (1939) Philip Furia, author of Mercer's biography, "Skylark" called this song one of Mercer's "most passionately driven lyrics." Music by Rube Bloom."Jeepers Creepers" - This song was featured in the 1938 film "Going Places" where Louis Armstrong (!) plays the part of Gabriel, the trainer of a race horse named Jeepers Creepers."Blues in the Night" - (1940 - 1941) Mercer supposedly wrote these lyrics after his affair with Judy Garland was abruptly terminated by the popular MGM singer/actress. The song was nominated for an Academy Award but was beaten out by Jerome Kern's "The Last Time I Saw Paris.""Something's Gotta Give" - (1954) According to Mercer himself, "I woke up in the middle of the night and wrote the whole thing...Words and music." It was composed for Fred Astaire in the movie, "Daddy Longlegs." You can hear Johnny singing his own song on YouTube (although I think Sinatra does a better job.)"Fools Rush In" - Originally recorded by Frank Sinatra and Glenn Miller in 1940. Another one of Johnny's hits in collaboration with Rube Bloom."P.S. I Love You" - (1934) The music for this foxtrot was written by Gordon Jenkins, and the song didn't really become popular until it was re-issued by the Hilltoppers Band in 1953."When the World Was Young" - (1951) The original French title of this song was "Le Chevalier de Paris." Johnny's lyrics had little to do with the French original, and he was flattered to learn that the Parisians preferred his version."That Old Black Magic" - (1940 - 1941) Friends of both Garland and Mercer felt this song was written about their affair. According to Furia, "Mercer came as close as a lyricist of his era could to writing about the raptures of sexual intercourse" in this song."Autumn Leaves" - (1949 - 1952) Originally a French song "Les Feuilles Mortes" composed by Joseph Kosma, who set a poem by Jacques Prévert (1900 - 1977). The original poem is okay but Johnny turned it into one of the most beautiful songs in English about the death of love. Sinatra sings it perfectly. I can't even imagine anyone else singing it as well. Absolutely haunting."I Thought about You" - (1939) One of the rare songs where Mercer wrote the lyrics before the music was composed. Furia says this song "evokes small-town America right down to its lovers' lane..." Sinatra's trademark wry and rueful rendition is perfect for these lightweight lyrics."Dream" - (1941 - 1944) A song composed for the Chesterfield Radio Show (hence the 'smoke rings' in the lyrics). Mercer composed both the music and the lyrics, but was eventually supplanted by Perry Como as the emcee of this radio show."Day In - Day Out (Swingin' Version)" - see above Ballad Version of this song."One for My Baby" - (1940 - 1941) According to Furia, this is the lyric "that cuts closest to the bone of Mercer's loss of [Judy] Garland...It is one of the most remarkable of popular song lyrics, conjuring up a time, a place, and a one-act dramatic monologue." A fitting close to this CD. Frank Sinatra captures every nuance of this haunting ballad. He really does deserve to be remembered as, in the words of the music critic John Rockwell, "the greatest singer in the history of American popular music."

Sinatra scored a number of hits with Mercer's songs on Capitol Records, which are all collected in "Frank Sinatra Sings the Select Johnny Mercer." Songs include "Too Marvelous for Words", "Laura", "Fools Rush In", "When The World Was Young", "That Old Black Magic", "Autumn Leaves", "Dream", and, of course, his two saloon classics, "Blues in the Night" and "One For My Baby (And One For the Road)". 15 songs in all; sung in Sinatra's inimical style.

For vinyl, it was in pretty good condition. Loved the album, being a big fan of Mercer and Sinatra, this album was a pleasant surprise.

hey, it's the Chairman of the Board!

I had this cd before and i lost it,i missed it alot,,,i love the music alot,,,,some great swing songs on it. i am glad I have it again.