JustSheetMusic
Portrait of Johnny Mercer

Composer

Johnny Mercer

American lyricist, songwriter, singer and record executive (1909–1976)

1909–1976

91 works in the index

Born
1909
Died
1976
Birthplace
Savannah
Citizenship / historical state
United States
Period (estimated from birth year)
Modern

Biography

a popular U.S. composer and lyricist through the period of the Second World War and well beyond – into the 1960s. He was born in Savannah, Georgia, the son of a prominent attorney. Mercer wrote either the music or the lyrics (more often the latter) for many songs that have become both ubiquitous and immortal. He wrote the lyrics for example to “Hooray for Hollywood” in 1937, “Tangerine” in 1941, “That Old Black Magic” in 1942, and “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive” in 1944.

He was also a successful musical entrepreneur, creating Capitol Records in 1942. In 1961, ATCO Records issued a duet album teaming Mercer up with Bobby Darin, Two of a Kind. Also that year,

Paramount Pictures released the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, in which Audrey Hepburn memorably sang the song “Moon River,” for which Mercer had written the lyrics to music composed by Henry Mancini. As a team, Mercer and Mancini received an Academy Award for Best Original Song that year.

In this catalogue

Common listed instruments
Piano, Guitar, Voice, Vocal, Saxophone
Genres represented
Jazz, pop, Broadway, Classical, Country
Works with composition dates
0 of 91

These details describe the indexed sheet music, including arrangements.

Catalogue

Works page 1 of 2

Years are composition dates where known. Instruments describe editions in our catalogue and may include arrangements. A dash means the detail is not recorded.

Works and available sheet music details
WorkYear composedCatalogue / opusKey in titleListed instrumentsGenreEditions
Tangerine — —— Piano, Guitar, Voice, ChoirJazz, pop 25
Autumn Leaves — —— Piano, TrumpetJazz 15
Satin Doll — —— Piano, Guitar, Voice, bass, Vocal, HornJazz, pop 31
Moon River — —— Piano, Guitar, Cello, Flute, violin, Voice, Clarinet, Trumpet, Saxophone, AccordionJazz 25
Skylark — —— Piano, Guitar, Voice, ChoirJazz, pop 18
Come Rain Or Come Shine — —— Piano, Guitar, Voice, TrumpetJazz, pop 19
I'm an Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande) — —— Piano, Guitar, Voice, VocalJazz, Country, pop 10
Hit The Road To Dreamland — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz 12
Dearly Beloved — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz 13
Lazy Bones — —— Piano, Guitar, VocalJazz, Country, Classical, Pop 16
Laura — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz, pop 13
That Old Black Magic — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz, pop 13
Something's Gotta Give — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz, pop 11
Midnight Sun — —— Piano, VocalJazz 6
I'm Old Fashioned — —— VoiceJazz 12
Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home — —— Piano, VocalJazz 10
Dream — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz, Rock, pop 9
I Wanna Be Around — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz, pop 10
P.S. I Love You — —— Guitar, VoiceJazz 9
Blues In the Night — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz, pop 13
Emily — —— Piano, Guitar, Voice, VocalJazz 9
G.I. Jive — —— Piano, Guitar, Voice, VocalJazz, pop 9
Charade — —— Piano, Guitar, Cello, Flute, violin, Voice, Vocal, Clarinet, Trumpet, SaxophoneJazz, pop 11
In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz 8
Days Of Wine And Roses — —— PianoJazz, pop 7
Bob White (Whatcha Gonna Swing Tonight?) — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz, pop 8
I Remember You — —— GuitarJazz 4
One For My Baby And One More For The Road — —— Piano, Clarinet, Trumpet, SaxophoneJazz, Classical 5
The Glow Worm — —— Piano, Guitar, Voice, VocalJazz, Classical, Pop, Children 8
On The Atchison, Topeka And The Santa Fe — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz, pop 8
Summer Wind — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz, pop 6
Goody Goody — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz, pop 5
Arthur Murray Taught Me Dancing In A Hurry — —— Guitar, VoiceJazz 5
I Thought About You — —— PianoJazz 7
Out Of This World — —— SaxophoneJazz 4
Jeepers Creepers — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz, pop 8
Too Marvelous For Words — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz, pop 5
Bless Yore Beautiful Hide (from "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers") — —— Piano, VocalJazz 4
The Old Music Master — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz 3
Early Autumn — —— —Jazz 3
Jamboree Jones — —— Piano, Guitar, Voice, VocalJazz, pop 3
Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz, pop 7
Beat Me Daddy, Eight To The Bar — —— PianoJazz 3
Hooray For Hollywood — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz, pop 8
You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz, pop 6
The Inspector Clouseau Theme — —— —Jazz 3
It Had Better Be Tonight — —— Piano, Guitar, VoiceJazz 3
Twilight World — —— —Jazz 2

Biographical record: Wikidata, matched on name and checked against dates held in the catalogue. The period label is an estimate from birth year. Authority record: VIAF 79167222. Portrait: William P. Gottlieb, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.