Customer Reviews

Skylark: The Life and Times of Johnny Mercer

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A true example of why they don't write 'em like they used to, Johnny Mercer has written some of the catchiest, longest remembered and honored songs of the 20th century, many of which the average listener has little clue as to who put the words to the tunes that remain timeless in their appeal. As a collaborator with some of the finest tunesmiths ever (Harold Arlen, Hoagy Carmichael to name two) Mercer could dance with words as effortlessly and as beautifully as a prima ballerina while maintaining a roots, folksy manner both charming and disarming in its playfulness.

Philip Furia's biography is well recearched and referenced, using the recollections of friends, family, and cohorts, and finds a treasure trove in Mercer's own unreleased autobiography. Mercer's bouts with feelings of unworthiness as a composer were unexplained periods of doubt in a career that spanned the thirties through the sixties. While not the financial or acclaimed success of friend and rival Bing Crosby, Mercer became a standard for composition that has yet to be matched even by modern contemporaries like McCartney (who, the book indicates, explored a partnership in Mercer's latter years).

This book explores as best it can the song writing magic of Mercer, although the explanations of his seemingly effortless method of composition appears (as the author indicates) a tad glib and self-effacing. Were they available, additional tales of his creative inspirations would have been appreciated; any man who comes up with a couplet like "If for the stork you pine, consider the porcupine" deserves to be studied if only for the glee apparent in coming up with such delicious bits of rhyme and rhythm, certainly at a level equal or surpassing today's best.

Mercer's life was also painted in broad strokes of unhappiness, and the contrast between the joyous singer of "Zip-a dee-doo-dah" with the alcoholic and unsatisfied husband provides a remarkable set of circumstances.

This book was an enjoyable read in exploring the life and career of Johnny Mercer. Like the subject of these pages, I think I could have easily been fascinated with the book had it been twice as long, as this southern gentleman's tales and stories, against the background of his life and times, would have been captivating reading for any fan of the genre of the popular song and of show business personalities (and Johnny certainly had personality to spare). I would recommend this book along with an accompanying copy of "Capitol Collector Series - Johnny Mercer" or any good compilation of his songs. Be they his renditions or the more popular cover versions, Johnny Mercer is timeless, priceless, and almost "Too Marvelous for Words". Thank you Philip Furia.

Furia is a good storyteller with great love and understanding of the Great American Songbook. Having read two of his previous books, Ira Gershwin: the Art of the Lyricist and The Poets of Tin Pan Alley, I expected an entertaining informative read and that's what I got.

This biography also has a darker and deeper dimension, as the author delves into the underlying human tragedy behind the lyricist. While the writer does not gloss over Mercer's paradoxical unsavory side, he avoids being judgmental, and waits until the end to speculate, quite convincingly, on the childhood origins of his troubled Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde personality. As I listened again to Mercer songs (a short discography would have been welcome) while reading the book, I re-assessed his lyrics, appreciating not only their wit but also their poignancy in relation to the circumstances under which they were written.

Furia is not only a fine biographer and cultural historian; he also explains concisely and in non-technical terms what makes a good lyric tick, making the book a valuable tool for aspiring songwriters. I was surprised to learn that at the end of his life there were plans for Mercer to work with Paul McCartney, a lost opportunity, as Furia points out, for this "might have spanned the gap between the eras of Tin Pan Alley and rock, a gap that remains impassable to this day." (p. 265). It would have perhaps comforted Mercer, and may reassure Furia, to know that some of the musical icons of the Sixties have indeed recognized Mercer's talents. On their best-selling "Riding with the King" album, B.B. King and Eric Clapton covered "Come Rain or Come Shine". And more recently Dr. John, a legend in his own right, has released a tribute to Mercer called "Mercernary."

I attended Kevin Spacey's sold out concert at the new Jazz At Lincoln Square Theater here in NYC last Tuesday (Dec. 14) and listened to his incredibly beautiful voice sing not only Bobby Darin songs, but classic Johnny Mercer songs. Not everyone remembers Bobby Darin & Johnny Mercer's album from the 60s; Two Of A Kind, but I do.

Johnny Mercer's business manager, Marshall Robbins, sent me a photo taken at one of their rehearsals, which is framed on my living room wall. Uncle Johnny (he was my godfather) and Bobby Darin (and Mr. Robbins) are eating Eskimo Pies as they look over sheet music.

Johnny Mercer was not only an American original, but a good human being. Savannah continues to hold him up as 'First Son' and probably always will. This is a wonderful book that makes him human with all the happiness, sadness and life's ups and downs. As I get older (I'm in my 60's now) I find myself going back to those glorious, sunny, happy days of Savannah where I grew up, and those wonderful Mercer songs we used to sing at cookouts on Tybee Island and Wilmington Island. This book brought back the old Savannah that lives only in the hearts and memories of those who are old enough to remember.

It is incomprehensible to me that we are only five years ago from Johnny Mercer's 100th Birthday. He and my dad grew up together. This book is for music lovers and people who want to know more about America's greatest song writers. It does not disappoint.

If you've lived a while and remember the music of the '30s through the '60s, hum a tune and the chances are it will be one of Mercer's -- either lyrics or lyrics and music. The man was a phenomenon! Furia gives an even-handed account of Mercer's life, including the good, the bad, and the ugly. When he was sober, he was a prince, a genius. When he was in his cups, he was someone else. Furia gives us Mercer's Savana upbringing as a "southern boy," and that was always part of his persona. This is a book you will want to read and to skim as an encyclopedic account of his myriad works. "Skylark" is the perfect title.

All in all this was an excellent biography of arguably America's greatest lyricist. It was a fascinating read and showed the reader how the process of songwriting was done for the 40 years of Mercer's professional career. The only issue I had with the book was the rambling repetitive quotes the author used from his sources. Obviously he interviewed people and recorded their responses. Unfortunately, the author quoted them verbatim instead of editing them for sloppy grammar, syntax and repetition. Otherwise, an enjoyable read.

Reading this book was like taking a long train ride through Johnny Mercer's world full of love, laughter and most of all music. I've always loved old Hollywood black and white movies and most of these are filled with the songs of Johnny Mercer. Skylark: The Life and Times of Johnny Mercer was a book I read in one weekend and look forward to reading again and again. The touching love story between Johnny and Judy Garland tugs at your heart as only star crossed lovers can. The heartache, firey passion and longing that pours out of his songs tells the whole story of their ill fated love affair that didn't stop even with her death. How bitter sweet must it have been for her to sing those beautiful love songs that he wrote just for her. And how deep was the pain for him to listen to her records when he knew she could never be his. I've enjoyed his music for many years and now to know the life behind the words makes it even more meaningful. No wonder the Angels Sing!

At last! A real biography of arguably the best lyricist in popular music. Sadly for me it is a"warts and all" book. I admire him so much that I felt hurt to see how human he was. After some time passed, I realized those "warts" were probably responsible for the quality of his later masterpieces. I am now listening " I Remember You " and "One for My Baby" and "This Time the Dream's on Me" with much more insight. Thanks Mr. Furia.

This book was a good read, very informative, but contains a bit too much psychoanalysis. And I found the misspelling of Al Capp's name to be quite offputting.

An excellent biography of one of the greatest lyricist of mid-Twentieth Century American Music. It's amazing how he was able to fit his lyrics to a composer's melody so poeticaly. Johnny Mercer had an interesting life with some disappointments and many successes and no doubt his music will be part of the Great American Songbook forever. It was a great "read" by his biographer.

I bought this book on the basis of having read Philip Furia's excellent IRA GERSHWIN - THE ART OF THE LYRICIST. In fact, I probably wouldn't have taken Johnny Mercer very seriously if Philip Furia hadn't deemed him worthy of biography. I found this book very informative and insightful, but unfocused. The book is at its best when Furia analyzes Mercer's lyrics. Mr. Furia is a diligent student of the lyricist's craft and has the ability to express his criticism in a clear and logical way. He nailed Mercer's lyrics as "untheatrical," which I think is why I never really took to them. It explains Mercer's lack of having a hit song come from one of his Broadway scores. When Furia writes of Mercer's professional life, the book is interesting and insightful. The story of his personal life is only intermittently interesting and the amateur psychoanalysis is laughable. I found it odd that considering how effeminate Mercer was and how his life fits the homosexual case history in many ways (close to the mother, went into showbiz, married the first woman he had sex with) that there is no mention of his having been at least bi-sexual. Instead the book seems to go out of its way to butch him up. Where the book really jumps the track is when it touches upon the long-running, on-again-off-again love affair between Mercer and Judy Garland (who, Furia doesn't mention, often had affairs with homosexuals and, as Furia does mention, whose father and first husband were gay). At this point Furia jumps into HOLLYWOOD BABYLON territory and goes into a rather detailed and sleazy depiction of Judy Garland's sex life. It's enough to know that Mercer and Garland had an affair. I don't want to speculate on what they did in bed.

The backstage stories of the Broadway, Hollywood and British work are so good that I wish there were more of them and that they were more detailed. I also found the story of the creation of Capitol Records a fascinating one. Very interesting too were the descriptions of Mercer's work habits and his working relationships with his collaborators. SKYLARK is a Jeckyll-and-Hyde kind of book. The professional part of the story is excellent. The personal story is murky and questionable. Furia obviously dislikes Mrs. Mercer and depicts her as a gold-digging, spendthrift manipulator. There are too many unasked questions, for example, Why did Johnny Mercer put up with her if she was so awful? He must have been getting something out of the deal, despite the fact that they had separate bedrooms and adopted their children. Furia draws too many conclusions based on nebulous evidence. I don't know what audience this book is aimed at. Those interested in the craft of the song and the musical may be turned off by the sleazy elements. Those interested in the sleaze might be bored by the song analyses.