"Ac-cent-tchu-ate The Positive"
Johnny Mercer In Hollywood:
A Centennial Tribute
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Centennial Celebration and Concert Review
Johnny Mercer Movie Song Hits
Centennial Commemorative CD
Recommended Books and CDs with Johnny Mercer
YouTube Videos
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Centennial Celebration
2009 marks the centennial of the birth of
one of the most popular and prolific songwriters from the past,
John Herndon Mercer
born: Savannah, Georgia on November 18, 1909.
died: Bel-Air, California on June 25, 1976.
Best known as Johnny Mercer,
he wrote over 1,200 songs,
including 18 Oscar nominations
and
he was awarded 4 Oscars
for his song lyrics
(1946, 1951, 1961, 1962)
He was also one of the founders
(along with B.G. (Buddy) DeSylva and Glenn Wallichs)
of Capitol Records in 1942.
1946 Capitol Records ad
Concert Review:
"Pardon My Southern Accent:
A Johnny Mercer Celebration"
Follen Community Church
Lexington, Massachusetts
November 13, 2009
There are many concerts being presented this year to celebrate the Mercer centennial.
One of these was a delightful program from the performers who are part of the ongoing group now in their 14th Season and known as, American Classics. This Mercer concert featured a generous sampling of 25 of his greatest songs. Among the movie songs performed by the trio of very talented women vocalists
(Mary Ann Lanier, Valerie Anastasio, Heather Peterson)
were:
"Too Marvelous for Words"
"You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby"
"Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive"
"Something's Gotta Give"
"Jeepers Creepers"
"I'm an Old Cowhand (from the Rio Grande)"
"Hooray for Hollywood"
"Days of Wine and Roses"
"Blues in the Night"
"This Time the Dream's on Me"
There were also a few songs that might be unfamiliar to some listeners:
"You Grow Sweeter as the Years Go By"- a beautiful song with music & lyrics by Johnny Mercer; and a later song, "When October Grows," with music by Barry Manilow.
The accompanist for this concert was Robert Humphreville, who added just the right amount of pianistic brilliance to the superb song arrangements.
This was a wonderful concert performed by three stellar women vocalists and a brilliant accompanist, who all sang the praises of one of America's greatest songwriters in what can be best described as...
"just too marvelous for words!"
-- Roger Lee Hall, Editor, Film Music Review
More information about their current season is found at this link:
American Classics
Read the Mercer songs that were picked for
National Carry a Tune Week 2009
See the six Mercer songs on the list at
A Century of American Songs, 1861-1961
Do you have any favorite Johnny Mercer songs?
Send in your favorite Mercer song titles to
Johnny Mercer Favorites
For More Information...
Johnny Mercer Centennial in Savanah, Georgia
Johnny Mercer's 100th Birthday Tribute on Turner Classic Movies
The Johnny Mercer Educational Archives
Johnny Mercer - The Internet Movie Database
Johnny Mercer - Wikipedia article
Johnny Mercer - Songwriters Hall Of Fame
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Twenty Johnny Mercer Movie Song Hits
Many of his best known song lyrics were featured in movies, including
the first time a songwriting team had received back-to-back Oscars
for their songs in dramatic films (1961-62).
Among them are these twenty great movie songs:
"I'm An Old Cowhand (From The Rio Grande)
from RHYTHM ON THE RANGE (1936)
music and lyrics by Johnny Mercer
"Hooray For Hollywood" from HOLLYWOOD HOTEL (1937)
music by Richard Whiting
"Too Marvelous For Words" from
READY, WILLING AND ABLE (1937)
music by Richard Whiting
"Jeepers Creepers" from GOING PLACES (1938)
music by
Harry Warren -- Oscar nominee
"Blues In The Night" from film of same title (1941)
music by Harold Arlen -- Oscar nominee
"This Time The Dream's On Me" from BLUES IN THE NIGHT (1941)
music by Harold Arlen
"Dearly Beloved" from
YOU WERE NEVER LOVLIER
(1942)
music by Jerome Kern
"Tangerine" from
THE FLEET'S IN (1942)
music by Victor Schertzinger
"Hit The Road To Dreamland" from
STAR SPANGLED RHYTM
(1942)
music by Harold Arlen
"My Shining Hour" from
THE SKY'S THE LIMIT (1943)
"That Old Black Magic" from
STAR SPANGLED RHYTHM (1943)
music by Harold Arlen -- Oscar nominee
"Ac-cent-tchu-ate The Positive" from
HERE COME THE WAVES (1944)
music by Harold Arlen-- Oscar nominee
"Laura" from film of same title (1945)
music by David Raksin
"On The Atcheson, Topeka And The Santa Fe"
from THE HARVEY GIRLS (1946)
music by Harry Warren
--- Oscar-winning song
"In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening" from
HERE COMES THE GROOM (1951)
music by Hoagy Carmichael
-- Oscar-winning song
"Something's Gotta Give" from
DADDY LONG LEGS
(1955)
music and lyrics by Johnny Mercer--
Oscar nominee
"Moon River" from
BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY (1961)
music by Henry Mancicni -- Oscar-winning song
(#4 on The Top 100 Movie Songs from American Film Institute)
"Days Of Wine And Roses" from film of same title (1962)
music by Henry Mancini -- Oscar-winning song
(#39 on The Top 100 Movie Songs from American Film Institute)
"Charade" title song from film of same title (1963)
music by Henry Mancini-- Oscar nominee
"Whistling Away the Dark" from
DARLING LILI (1970)
music by Henry Mancini-- Oscar nominee
Forty years after his Oscar-winning song lyrics for "Moon River"
and 15 years after his passing, Johnny Mercer was named for a
Lifetime Achievement Sammy Award in 1991
Read about Johnny's frequent collaborator in the 1960s at
Memories of Henry Mancini
Centennial Commemorative CD
by Roger Lee Hall
I paid tribute to Johnny's birthday
on several radio programs over the years where I had the pleasure of speaking about and playing some of his wonderful songs. I believe he was America's greatest lyricist.
Excerpts from several of these radio tributes are
available on a special private pressing Centennial CD.
For me, Johnny Mercer was a man who put his philosophy of life in his lyrics.
It didn't matter if his songs were happy or sad.
To quote from one of his best known songs,
he always did
"accentuate the positive."
-- Roger Hall, Editor, Film Music Review
Johnny Mercer On Radio And Records
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Recommended Books and CDs
The Complete Lyrics of Johnny Mercer
by Robert Kimball, Barry Day, Miles Kreuger
Too Marvelous For Words:
The Magic of Johnny Mercer
(Songbook)
CDs with Johnny Mercer
Capitol Collectors Series
Mercer Sings Mercer
YouTube Video Clips
"Ac-cent-tchu-ate The Positive" -- vocal by Johnny Mercer
"Hooray For Hollywood" -- 1937 soundtrack
"Moon River" -- soundtrack version
"Moon River" -- vocal by Audrey Hepburn
"Days Of Wine And Roses" --1962 trailer
"Days Of Wine And Roses" -- vocal by Andy Williams
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