Complete Johnny Mercer Songbook [Box set]

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 3, 1998)
• Original Release Date: November 3, 1998
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B00000DLUK
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,589 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #15 in Music > Jazz > Dixieland
  • #18 in Music > Blues > Jump Blues
  • #25 in Music > World Music > Latin Music > Brazilian > Bossa Nova

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Blues In The Night (My Mama Done Tol' Me) - Louis Armstrong

2. I Thought About You - Billie Holiday

3. Come Rain Or Come Shine - Anita O'day

4. Hit The Road To Dreamland - Mel Torme

5. Dearly Beloved - Margaret Whiting

6. Goody Goody - Buddy Rich

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Something's Gotta Give - Ella Fitzgerald

2. That Old Black Magic - Shirley Horn

3. P.S. I Love You - Billie Holiday

4. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive - Buddy Rich

5. I'm Old Fashioned - Margaret Whiting

6. Midnight Sun - Ella Fitzgerald

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. I Remember You - Charlie Parker

2. Out Of This World - Gerry Mulligan/Concert Jazz Band

3. Too Marvelous For Words - Lester Young

4. Come Rain Or Come Shine - Bill Evans

5. Mandy Is Two - Stan Getz

6. Jeepers Creepers - Benny Carter

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mercer???, July 12, 2008

By 

george daicoff (st petersburg, fl USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Complete Johnny Mercer Songbook (Audio CD)

All three discs are great, but the third (instrumental and jazzy)is outstanding. Old enough to be exposed to the popular Mercer tunes and understandingly biased regarding the commercialization of his stuff, I was thrilled to hear these renditions by the great artists selected for this disc. Worth the price for just the last disc-so consider the other two as bonuses.

39 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you have the music, he has the words, June 6, 2006

By 

Shalom Freedman "Shalom Freedman" (Jerusalem,Israel) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Complete Johnny Mercer Songbook (Audio CD)

Among Johnny Mercer's greatest songs are: "P.S. I Love You" (1934, Gordon Jenkins), "Goody Goody" (1936, Matt Melneck), "I'm An Old Cowhand" (1936, words and music), "Bob White (Whatcha Gonna Swing Tonight?)" (1937, Bernie Hanighen), "Too Marvelous For Words" (1937, Richard Whiting), "Jeepers Creepers" (1938, Harry Warren), "Hooray For Hollywood" (1938, Richard Whiting), "Day In--Day Out" (1939, Rube Bloom), "I Thought About You" (1939, Jimmy Van Heusen), "Fools Rush In" (1940, Rube Bloom), "Blues In The Night" (1941, Harold Arlen), "Skylark" (1941, Hoagy Carmichael), "I Remember You" (1942, Victor Schertzinger), "I'm Old Fashioned" (1942, Jerome Kern), "That Old Black Magic"(1942, Harold Arlen), "Hit The Road To Dreamland" (1942, Harold Arlen), "My Shining Hour" (1943, Harold Arlen), "One For My Baby" (1943, Harold Arlen), "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive" (1944, Harold Arlen), "Let's Take The Long Way Home"(1944, Harold Arlen), "G.I. Jive" (1944, words and music), "Laura" (1945, David Raskin), "Out Of This World" (1945, Harold Arlen), "Early Autumn" (1949, Woody Herman and Ralph Burns), "Autumn Leaves" (1950, English version of a French song, music by Joseph Kozma), "Here's To My Lady" (1951, Rube Bloom), "Something's Gotta Give" (1955, words and music), "Satin Doll" (1958, Duke Ellington), "Charade" (1963, Henry Mancini), "Summer Wind" (1965, Henry Mayer), and "How Do You Say Aug Wiedersehn?" (1967, Tony Scibetta).
This collection does not include them all but contains enough to show why he is considered one of the greatest lyricists popular American song ever produced.
One oddity with Mercer is that many of his greatest hits came from melodies, music which had been pre- produced and which he was asked to write the words for. So for instance the beautiful haunting 'Autumn Leaves' was given lyrics after it had come to America from France.
Mercer is also the only lyric writer to have been honored by an 'Ella Fitzergald Songbook' collection.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Listen and dream, November 10, 2006

By 

Hermann Hrdlicka "H&H" (Sao Paulo, Brazil) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Complete Johnny Mercer Songbook (Audio CD)

An excellent album. The best of Mercer performed by the best musicians and singers. The instrumental album is magnific, with names like Charlie Parker, Gerry Mulligan, Quincy Jones, Oscar Peterson, Stan Getz performing songs that sensibilize our reflections. An invitation for a dream.