My Huckleberry Friend
Encyclopedia
"...My Huckleberry Friend": Johnny Mercer Sings the Songs of Johnny Mercer is an album by singer/composer Johnny Mercer
, released in 1974.
Recorded just two years before his death, ...My Huckleberry Friend features, by and large, updated, funky arrangements of most of Mercer
's most popular tunes as interpreted by the author himself. The instrumentation relies heavily (but not exclusively) on a flute-lead horn section, electric piano and funk
/R&B-tinged percussion. Some of the songs, however, such as "One For My Baby", "Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home" and "Midnight Sun" feature more classic arrangements in the ballad style.
The album's title comes from the song responsible for relaunching Mercer's career, "Moon River
".
All songs co-written by Johnny Mercer
unless otherwise noted.
Johnny Mercer
John Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
, released in 1974.
Recorded just two years before his death, ...My Huckleberry Friend features, by and large, updated, funky arrangements of most of Mercer
Johnny Mercer
John Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
's most popular tunes as interpreted by the author himself. The instrumentation relies heavily (but not exclusively) on a flute-lead horn section, electric piano and funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
/R&B-tinged percussion. Some of the songs, however, such as "One For My Baby", "Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home" and "Midnight Sun" feature more classic arrangements in the ballad style.
The album's title comes from the song responsible for relaunching Mercer's career, "Moon River
Moon River
"Moon River" is a song composed by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini in 1961, for whom it won that year's Academy Award for Best Original Song. It was originally sung in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's by Audrey Hepburn, although it has been covered by many other artists...
".
Track listing
- "You Must Have Been a Beautiful BabyYou Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby"You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" is a popular song with music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Johnny Mercer, published in 1938. It was featured in the movie Hard to Get, released November 1938, where it was sung by Dick Powell....
" (Harry WarrenHarry WarrenHarry Warren was an American composer and lyricist. Warren was the first major American songwriter to write primarily for film. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song eleven times and won three Oscars for composing "Lullaby of Broadway", "You'll Never Know" and "On the Atchison,...
) – 2:54 - "Little Ol' Tune" (Johnny MercerJohnny MercerJohn Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
) – 3:05 - "Moon RiverMoon River"Moon River" is a song composed by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini in 1961, for whom it won that year's Academy Award for Best Original Song. It was originally sung in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's by Audrey Hepburn, although it has been covered by many other artists...
" (Henry ManciniHenry ManciniHenry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards , plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995...
) – 3:43 - "I Wanna Be In Love Again" (Johnny MercerJohnny MercerJohn Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
) – 2:34 - "Days of Wine and RosesDays of Wine and Roses (song)"Days of Wine and Roses" is a popular song, from the 1962 movie of the same name.The music was written by Henry Mancini with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. They received the Academy Award for Best Original Song for their work...
" (Henry ManciniHenry ManciniHenry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards , plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995...
) – 3:16 - "Talk to Me BabyTalk to Me Baby"Talk to Me Baby", also known as "I Can't Hold Out", is a blues song written by Willie Dixon and recorded by Elmore James in 1960. Called a classic and a "popular James standard", it has been interpreted and recorded by a variety of artists....
" (Robert E. DolanRobert E. DolanRobert Emmett "Bobby" Dolan was a Broadway conductor, composer and arranger beginning in the 1920s. He moved on to radio in the 1930s, and then went to Hollywood in the early 1940s as a musical director for Paramount. He scored, arranged, and conducted many musical and dramatic films in the 1940s...
) – 3:19 - "Goody GoodyGoody Goody"Goody Goody" is a 1936 popular song composed by Matty Malneck, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer.Benny Goodman and his Orchestra recorded this song. Frankie Lymon performed this song live on television on several occasions, including in 1957 on The Ted Steele Show...
" (Matt Melnick) – 2:31 - "Summer WindSummer Wind"Summer Wind" is a 1965 song, with music by Heinz Meier and lyrics by Johnny Mercer, Original german lyrics by Hans Bradtke. The song is a nostalgic tale of a fleeting romance, first recorded by Wayne Newton who had the first national chart hit with the song in 1965, peaking at number 78."Summer...
" (Heinz MeierHeinz MeierHeinz Meier is a Swiss bobsledder who competed in the late 1970s. He won a gold medal in the two-man event at the 1977 FIBT World Championships in St. Moritz.-References:*...
, Hans Bradtke) – 3:39 - "Little Ingenue" (Johnny MercerJohnny MercerJohn Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
) – 3:19 - "Something's Gotta GiveSomething's Gotta Give (song)"Something's Gotta Give" is a popular song with words and music by Johnny Mercer in 1954. It was published in 1955. It was written for and first performed by Fred Astaire in the 1955 musical film Daddy Long Legs....
" (Johnny MercerJohnny MercerJohn Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
) – 2:34 - "Satin DollSatin Doll"Satin Doll" is a jazz standard written by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Written in 1953, the song has been recorded countless times, by such artists as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, 101 Strings, and Nancy Wilson...
" (Duke EllingtonDuke EllingtonEdward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, Billy StrayhornBilly StrayhornWilliam Thomas "Billy" Strayhorn was an American composer, pianist and arranger, best known for his successful collaboration with bandleader and composer Duke Ellington lasting nearly three decades. His compositions include "Chelsea Bridge", "Take the "A" Train" and "Lush Life".-Early...
) – 2:53 - "It's Great to Be AliveIt's Great to Be AliveIt's Great to Be Alive is a science fiction musical comedy film produced by Fox Film Corporation, is a remake of The Last Man on Earth , and later influenced the novel Mr. Adam by Pat Frank.-Synopsis:...
" (Robert E. DolanRobert E. DolanRobert Emmett "Bobby" Dolan was a Broadway conductor, composer and arranger beginning in the 1920s. He moved on to radio in the 1930s, and then went to Hollywood in the early 1940s as a musical director for Paramount. He scored, arranged, and conducted many musical and dramatic films in the 1940s...
) – 2:32 - "That Old Black Magic" (Harold ArlenHarold ArlenHarold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
) – 2:47 - "TangerineTangerine (1941 song)"Tangerine" is a popular song.The music was written by Victor Schertzinger, the lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The song was published in 1941.It was introduced in the 1942 movie, The Fleet's In, produced by Paramount Pictures, directed by Schertzinger, and starring Dorothy Lamour, William Holden, Eddie...
" (Victor SchertzingerVictor SchertzingerVictor L. Schertzinger was an American composer, film director, film producer, and screenwriter. His films include Paramount on Parade , Something to Sing About with James Cagney, and the first two "Road" pictures Road to Singapore and Road to Zanzibar...
) – 2:56 - "The What-Cha-Ma-Call-It" (Gene DePaul) – 2:44
- "Midnight SunMidnight sunThe midnight sun is a natural phenomenon occurring in summer months at latitudes north and nearby to the south of the Arctic Circle, and south and nearby to the north of the Antarctic Circle where the sun remains visible at the local midnight. Given fair weather, the sun is visible for a continuous...
" (Francis J. Burke) – 4:15 - "I'm Old FashionedI'm Old Fashioned"I'm Old Fashioned" is a 1942 song composed by Jerome Kern, with lyrics written by Johnny Mercer.It was written for the film You Were Never Lovelier , where it was introduced by Nan Wynn who dubbed for Rita Hayworth as part of a song and dance routine with Fred Astaire.According to Mueller:...
" (Jerome KernJerome KernJerome David Kern was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over 100 stage works, including such classics as "Ol' Man River", "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man", "A...
) – 3:18 - "Come Rain or Come Shine" (Harold ArlenHarold ArlenHarold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
) – 3:22 - "Too Marvelous For WordsToo Marvelous for Words"Too Marvelous for Words" is a popular song written in 1937. Johnny Mercer wrote the lyrics for music composed by Richard Whiting. It was featured in the 1937 Warner Brothers film Ready, Willing and Able, as well as a production number in a musical revue on Broadway...
" (Richard WhitingRichard A. WhitingRichard Armstrong Whiting was a composer of popular songs including the standards, "Hooray for Hollywood", "Ain't We Got Fun?" & "On the Good Ship Lollipop"....
) – 2:39 - "Autumn LeavesAutumn Leaves (song)"Autumn Leaves" is a much-recorded popular song. Originally it was a 1945 French song "Les Feuilles mortes" with music by Joseph Kosma and lyrics by poet Jacques Prévert. Yves Montand introduced "Les feuilles mortes" in 1946 in the film Les Portes de la Nuit...
" (Joseph KosmaJoseph KosmaJoseph Kosma was a Hungarian-French composer, of Jewish background.-Biography:Kosma was born József Kozma in Budapest, where his parents taught stenography and typing. He had a brother, Akos. A maternal relative was the photographer László Moholy-Nagy, and another relative was the conductor Georg...
, Andre Jacques Prevert) – 3:52 - "Any Place I Hang My Hat Is HomeAny Place I Hang My Hat Is HomeAny Place I Hang My Hat Is Home is a popular song with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Johnny Mercer.It was first introduced in 1946 in the musical St. Louis Woman. In the musical the song was sung by a female character of easy virtue, and the lyrics start out, "Free and easy"...
" (Harold ArlenHarold ArlenHarold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
) – 3:41 - "The Air-Minded Executive" (Bernard Hanighen) – 2:49
- "Pineapple Pete" (Harold David Aloma, Al Jacobs) – 2:44
- "I Thought About YouI Thought About You"I Thought About You" is a 1939 popular song composed by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It was one of three collaborations Van Heusen and Mercer wrote for the then recently established Mercer-Morris publishing company, started by Mercer and former Warner Bros. publisher Buddy...
" (Jimmy Van Heusen) – 2:54 - "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)"One for My Baby " is a popular song written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the musical The Sky's the Limit and first performed in the film by Fred Astaire. It was popularized by the American singer Frank Sinatra...
" (Harold ArlenHarold ArlenHarold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
) – 3:58
All songs co-written by Johnny Mercer
Johnny Mercer
John Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
unless otherwise noted.