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Johnny Mercer

John Herndon Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American lyricist, songwriter, and singer, as well as a record label executive who co-founded Capitol Records with music industry businessmen Buddy DeSylva and Glenn E. Wallichs.

He is best known as a Tin Pan Alley lyricist, but he also composed music, and was a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as songs written by others from the mid-1930s through the mid-1950s. Mercer's songs were among the most successful hits of the time, including "Moon River", "Days of Wine and Roses", "Autumn Leaves", and "Hooray for Hollywood". He wrote the lyrics to more than 1,500 songs, including compositions for movies and Broadway shows. He received nineteen Oscar nominations, and won four Best Original Song Oscars.

Birth and Death Data: Born November 18, 1909 (Savannah), Died June 25, 1976 (Hollywood)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1967

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, songwriter, vocalist, composer, author

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 226-250 of 285 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor D5VB-1127 10-in. 9/10/1945 That old black magic City Slickers ; Carl Grayson ; Spike Jones Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor D6VB-1366 10-in. 3/21/1946 You must have been a beautiful baby Perry Como ; Russ Case Orchestra ; The Satisfiers Male vocal solo, with vocal group and jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor PD6VB-1589 10-in. 1/21/1946 That old black magic Jack Lowe ; Russ Case Orchestra ; Arthur Austin Whittemore Piano duet with instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor D6VB-1606 10-in. 1/31/1946 Come rain or come shine Sy Oliver ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor D6VB-2064 10-in. 5/6/1946 Laura City Slickers ; Spike Jones ; Other Orchestra [Spike Jones] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo, sound effects, and comic interjections lyricist  
Victor PD6VB-2540 10-in. 7/29/1946 Dream Moon Maids ; Vaughn Monroe's Orchestra Male vocal solo, with female vocal group and instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor D6VB-2644 10-in. 8/12/1946 When a woman loves a man Dardanelle Trio Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio lyricist  
Victor D6VB-3015 10-in. 10/15/1946 And so to bed Vaughn Monroe's Orchestra Male vocal solo, with female vocal ensemble, and jazz/dance band lyricist  
Victor D7VB-0235 10-in. 4/3/1947 Fine thing Charlie Spivak Orchestra ; Charlie Spivak Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor D7VB-0258 10-in. 4/14/1947 You must have been a beautiful baby Bob Smith Male vocal solo, with piano, guitar, and bass lyricist  
Victor D7VB-0488 10-in. 3/24/1947 Love's got me in a lazy mood Page Cavanaugh Trio Male vocal solo, with guitar, bass, and celeste lyricist  
Victor D7VB-0500 10-in. 4/18/1947 Too marvelous for words Tony Martin Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor D7VB-0575 10-in. 6/29/1947 Every so often Delta Rhythm Boys ; Frank Comstock Orchestra Male vocal quartet, with instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor D7VB-1835 10-in. 10/29/1947 Forever Amber Earle Hagen Orchestra ; Tony Martin Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor D7VB-1843 10-in. 11/7/1947 My shining hour Andre Previn Piano solo, with guitar, string bass, and drums lyricist  
Victor D8VB-3423 10-in. 12/14/1948 That old black magic Buzz Adlam ; Masked Spooner Recitation, with instrumental ensemble author  
Victor D9VB-2786 10-in. 12/16/1949 The yodel blues Rosalie Allen ; Elton Britt ; Skytoppers Female-male vocal duet, with string band and yodeling lyricist  
Columbia W149533 10-in. 12/5/1929 Welcome stranger Leroy Williams Cornet solo, with piano composer  
Columbia [W]150793 10-in. 9/12/1930 Out of breath (And scared to death of you) Bill Coty ; Hotel Pennsylvania Music [Lloyd Keating and his Music] Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia W152420 10-in. 6/22/1933 Lazybones Ted Lewis and his Band Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia W152495 10-in. 9/12/1933 Life's so complete Joe Green Novelty Orchestra ; Harold van Emburgh Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Columbia W152575 10-in. 12/4/1933 Riffin' the Scotch Benny Goodman Orchestra Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Columbia W152613 10-in. 6/4/1934 Fool that I am Dot, Kay and Em ; Henry Busse Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal trio lyricist  
Columbia W152650 10-in. 12/18/1933 Riffin' the scotch Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Billie Holiday Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo songwriter  
Columbia W152656 10-in. 12/20/1933 You have taken my heart Freddie Rich and his Orchestra ; Phil Regan Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
(Results 226-250 of 285 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Mercer, Johnny," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103688.

Mercer, Johnny. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103688.

"Mercer, Johnny." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103688

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