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On this day, Thursday, November 18, 1909, lyricist Johnny Mercer was born.
Johnny Mercer
Johnny Mercer, c. 1947
John Herndon Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American lyricist, songwriter, and singer. He was also a record label executive who co-founded Capitol Records with music industry businessman Buddy DeSylva and Glenn E. Wallichs.
He is best known as a Tin Pan Alley lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also 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 popular 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.
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Johnny Mercer, c. 1947
John Herndon Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American lyricist, songwriter, and singer. He was also a record label executive who co-founded Capitol Records with music industry businessman Buddy DeSylva and Glenn E. Wallichs.
He is best known as a Tin Pan Alley lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also 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 popular 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.
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Johnny Mercer was one of the founders of Capitol Records. He wrote the lyrics for a little tune that Nat King Cole performed.
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American jazz pianist and vocalist. He recorded over one hundred songs that became hits on the pop charts. His trio was the model for small jazz ensembles that followed. Cole also acted in films and on television and performed on Broadway. He was the first black man to host an American television series.
Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American jazz pianist and vocalist. He recorded over one hundred songs that became hits on the pop charts. His trio was the model for small jazz ensembles that followed. Cole also acted in films and on television and performed on Broadway. He was the first black man to host an American television series.
This is such a great song. It's a Capitol recording all the way, so it is especially well done. The songs recorded there were so wonderful.
I Remember You (1941 song)
"I Remember You" is a popular song, published in 1941. The music was written by Victor Schertzinger, the lyrics by Johnny Mercer.
"I Remember You" is a popular song, published in 1941. The music was written by Victor Schertzinger, the lyrics by Johnny Mercer.
Thu Oct 5, 2023: On this day, October 5, 1961, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was released.
1950s–1970s
In the 1950s, the advent of rock and roll cut deeply into Mercer's natural audience, and dramatically reduced venues for his songs. Mercer wrote for several MGM films, including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) and Merry Andrew (1958). He collaborated on three Broadway musicals in the 1950s—Top Banana (1951), Li'l Abner (1956), and Saratoga (1959).
His more successful songs of the 1950s include "The Glow-Worm" (sung by the Mills Brothers) and "Something's Gotta Give". In 1961, he wrote the lyrics to "Moon River" for Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's and for Days of Wine and Roses, both with music by Henry Mancini, and Mercer received his third and fourth Oscars for Best Song. The back-to-back Oscars were the first time a songwriting team had achieved that feat. Mercer, also with Mancini, wrote "Charade" for the 1963 romantic thriller of the same name. The Tony Bennett classic "I Wanna Be Around" was written by Mercer in 1962, as was the Frank Sinatra hit "Summer Wind" in 1965.
{snip}
In the 1950s, the advent of rock and roll cut deeply into Mercer's natural audience, and dramatically reduced venues for his songs. Mercer wrote for several MGM films, including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) and Merry Andrew (1958). He collaborated on three Broadway musicals in the 1950s—Top Banana (1951), Li'l Abner (1956), and Saratoga (1959).
His more successful songs of the 1950s include "The Glow-Worm" (sung by the Mills Brothers) and "Something's Gotta Give". In 1961, he wrote the lyrics to "Moon River" for Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's and for Days of Wine and Roses, both with music by Henry Mancini, and Mercer received his third and fourth Oscars for Best Song. The back-to-back Oscars were the first time a songwriting team had achieved that feat. Mercer, also with Mancini, wrote "Charade" for the 1963 romantic thriller of the same name. The Tony Bennett classic "I Wanna Be Around" was written by Mercer in 1962, as was the Frank Sinatra hit "Summer Wind" in 1965.
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Breakfast at Tiffany's (3/9) Movie CLIP - Moon River (1961) HD
6,429,850 views Oct 8, 2011
Movieclips
54.4M subscribers
Breakfast at Tiffany's movie clips: http://j.mp/1BcPMOI
BUY THE MOVIE: http://amzn.to/rVUTNN
Don't miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u2y6pr
CLIP DESCRIPTION:
Fred (George Peppard) hears Holly (Audrey Hepburn) singing on the fire escape below his apartment and goes out to listen.
{snip}
6,429,850 views Oct 8, 2011
Movieclips
54.4M subscribers
Breakfast at Tiffany's movie clips: http://j.mp/1BcPMOI
BUY THE MOVIE: http://amzn.to/rVUTNN
Don't miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u2y6pr
CLIP DESCRIPTION:
Fred (George Peppard) hears Holly (Audrey Hepburn) singing on the fire escape below his apartment and goes out to listen.
{snip}
Sat Oct 5, 2024: On this day, October 5, 1961, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was released.
Tue Oct 1, 2024: On this day, October 1, 1928, George Peppard was born.
Sat Nov 18, 2023: On this day, November 18, 1909, Johnny Mercer was born.
Thu Oct 5, 2023, 06:01 AM: On this day, October 5, 1961, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was released.
Thu Oct 5, 2023, 06:00 AM: On this day, October 5, 1961, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was released.
Wed Oct 5, 2022: On this day, October 5, 1961, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was released.
Hat tip, On This Day in Film and Television
1961 "Breakfast at Tiffany's" film, based on the novella by Truman Capote, directed by Blake Edwards, and starring Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, and Buddy Ebsen, premieres
Tue Oct 5, 2021: On this day, October 5, 1961, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was released.
Thu Nov 19, 2020: On November 18, 1909, Johnny Mercer was born.
Thu Jun 25, 2020: On this day, June 25, 1976, Johnny Mercer died.
Tue Jun 4, 2019: Happy 77th birthday, Capitol Records.
Thu Feb 15, 2018: Remembering Nat King Cole, who died 53 years ago today.