Customer Reviews

Johnny Mercer:: The Life, Times and Song Lyrics of Our Huckleberry Friend

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This updated, paperback version of Johnny Mercer: The Life, Times and Song Lyrics contains many newly released photographs as well as stories written and illustrated by Mercer and some of his childhood friends. In addition, the lists of Mercer's songs (including songs he contributed to the movies) have been reviewed, updated, and expanded. Other new sections in this book list the songs Mercer wrote for theatrical productions and the songs he wrote that are currently available on compact discs. The volume of both of these is well worth the purchase price alone. It is amazing what influence Johnny Mercer had on America through his music and how that influence is still alive and well (and being used!) today.

This newly re-published collection of pictures, lyrics, and memorabilia was released just in time to commemorate Mercer's 100th birthday November 18, 2009. This book covers Mercer's life from his Savannah childhood through his Hollywood days. It documents the birth of the Capitol Records label and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, both of which Mercer co-founded. It takes stock of Mercer's personal highs (like winning four Academy Awards) and his lows (including several Broadway shows that actually failed).

There are SO many familiar songs: "Hooray for Hollywood," "Moon River," "I'm an Old Cowhand (from the Rio Grande)," "Accentuate the Positive," and "It's a Woman's Prerogative" just to name a few. The actual song lyrics and jacket covers are reprinted next to interesting behind-the-scenes facts and photos about the songs as well as Christmas cards, letters, and an interview with Mercer.

Not only a great reference guide, but a really interesting peek into Mercer's life and Hollywood from the 1930s-1970s. Just a few of the people that Johnny was associated with: Frank Sinatra, Henry Mancini, Debbie Reynolds, Walt Disney, Louis Armstrong, Jo Stafford, Benny Goodman, Phil Silvers, Bing Crosby, Satchmo, Pearl Bailey, Hoagy Carmichael, Harold Arlen, Lionel Hampton, Judy Garland, Nat "King" Cole, Peggy Lee, Betty Hutton, and Fred Astaire. Stories and pictures can be found in this terrific book.

One day some sage will write a comprehensive biography of Johnny Mercer. Until then we'll have to settle for this tripe. Part coffee-table book, part biography, part social history, part songbook for the karaoke-impaired.... This book pursues all these goals, but really succeeds in none. The lack of focus is disorienting, and all the elements are thereby diluted. Still, it's a nice book to have about the house...along with Fowler and the Communist Manifesto....not entirely uninformative, but simply not truly satisfying. And let's face it, it's the best we'll get for a long time.

From the dustjacket flaps of the U.S. hardcover edition:

"Moon River," "Blues In The Night," "Laura," "That Old Black Magic" and "Satin Doll" are only a handful from the enormous catalogue of hit songs written by Johnny Mercer. His wit and talent with words made him the peer of Cole Porter, Lorenz Hart, Ira Gershwin and Oscar Hammerstein II, giants in the pantheon of songwriters. Many have compared him with his idol, W.S. Gilbert.

Our Huckleberry Friend is a collection of Mercer's lyrics and memorabilia. It covers Mercer's life from his Savannah, Georgia, childhood through his Hollywood days and the remarkable productive period of the thirties, forties and fifties.

We see the birth of the lively Capitol Records label, and Mercer's association with Nat "King" Cole, Peggy Lee, Betty Hutton, and many others. Mercer went on to win four Academy Awards and to experience the shattering disappointment of several Broadway shows that failed.

It is all here, the successes and the failures, written by Mercer's widow and his close friend Bob Bach. The handsome volume is illustrated with more than a hundred photographs, many from Mrs. Mercer's private albums.

Bob Bach's name became nationally known among television audiences as the producer of the long-running and very successful panel show "What's My Line." He produced other game shows and musical specials featuring such greats as Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton and Mel Torme. Before entering the video field he wrote for Down Beat, Metronome and Billboard magazines.

Ginger Mercer, who was a dancer on the Broadway stage before marrying Johnny Mercer in 1931, is currently [1982] carrying on the traditions of her late husband. She is a member of the council of The American Guild of Authors and Composers and recently formed the Johnny Mercer Foundation for Children.

I am a Mercer Fanatic! I have 24 CDs , Clint Eastwood's
100th anniversary video and 3 biographies. This has facts and
stories new to me. It's an easy read (can be read a few pages
at a time). A few of his Christmas cards were incredible!
I can highly recommend it.