The Definitive American Songbook: Johnny Mercer Pt. 1

Hailing from Savannah, Georgia, Johnny Mercer was a lyricist, 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 New York City and was in the Tin Pan Alley fraternity, it wasn’t until he moved to Hollywood that Mercer’s career really took off. His work writing lyrics for Fred Astaire, 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-have recordings for any self-respecting fan of the American Songbook.

“Day In, Day Out” Diana Krall from From This Moment On

The phrase “day in, day out” is usually 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, darling, I think of you day in, day out.” Diana Krall recorded it for her sixth studio album, From This Moment On. Krall sings the lyric with a nonchalance usually 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 Unforgettable

The 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, the idea behind the lyric is a little freaky: “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” Wait, what? Magical, invincible angels won’t go there? That can’t be good. But on the other hand, “Fools rush in where wise men never go. But wise men never, never fall in love, so how are they to know?” Hartman is pretty convincing, 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 About You” Tony Bennett from Perfectly Frank

“I Thought About 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, who had no idea what to write. But he had to go to Chicago that night to perform and came up with the lyrics en route. It’s completely reasonable to assume that this song was written about a special someone, but I think the “you” actually refers to the song itself. “I took a trip on a train and I thought about you.” Tony Bennett’s take on it is about as classy as they come, and can be used to add a little black-tie to any situation.

“Too Marvelous For Words” Billie Holiday from Lady Sings The Blues

There are many great recordings of this song to choose from, and if you’re making a definitive list, Sinatra is an obvious choice. You could go with Doris Day, Nat King Cole or Ella Fitzgerald and feel good about the selection. But to this writer, 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 use slang and colloquial phrases in their song lyrics. Mercer in particular 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 popular phrases of the day (“jeepers creepers” is a euphemism for Jesus Christ). Frank Sinatra recorded the definitive version of the song with Nelson Riddle’s musical blessings and guidance (he arranged the tune and conducted the orchestra). The difference 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.