Ella Fitzgerald - Sings the Johnny Mercer Songbook
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CD Details
Artist: Ella FitzgeraldEdition: Music CD
Format: Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 1997-10-28
Music Label: Polygram Records
Soundtracks:
- Too Marvelous for Words
- Early Autumn
- Day In - Day Out
- Laura [From Laura]
- This Time the Dream's on Me
- Skylark
- Single-O
- Something's Gotta Give
- Trav'lin' Light
- Midnight Sun
- Dream
- I Remember You
- When a Woman Loves a Man
Music reviews of Sings the Johnny Mercer Songbook
Music Review: Too Marvelous For Words (Pure magic)
Rating: 5 Stars
I first came across the voice of Ella Fitzgerald via the 1988 movie Torch Song Trilogy. The movie was eye opening and life changing for me on so many levels. In a way, although of course I was unaware of it at the time, it was also a glimpse into my future. I wept for hours afterwards even though I didn't fully realise what I was weeping about. If only I knew then what I know now.
Anyway, Ella's "This Time The Dream's On Me" was used more than once during the course of the film and it also accompanied the closing credits. I fell in love with the song immediately. I was out searching for the soundtrack soon after but to my dismay when I eventually found it, the song was not listed. (I learned later that legal complications meant that the song couldn't be included). Further research and searching led to this songbook and I immediately bought it on vinyl. I couldn't get enough of Ella's voice after that and have since bought a considerable number of her albums on both vinyl and CD (I love the Songbooks especially) but somehow, this is the one I always keep coming back to. I've now finally got it on CD and while the cover art is different to what was on my LP version (although it is noted as the "original cover art"), I'm pleased to see that they have at least kept the songs in the same running order.
According to the sticker label on the front of the CD, "Johnny Mercer is the only only lyricist Ella saluted in her celebrated Songbook series. Benefiting from the brilliant arranging skills of Nelson Riddle, she once again summons her peerless gift for interpreting song - a lovely, and telling, album." This was also the last of Fitzgerald's songbooks for Verve.
As usual, it's the ballads that do it for me the most: "Early Autumn", "Day In, Day Out", "Laura", "This Time The Dream's On Me", "Skylark", "Single-O", "Trav'lin' Light", "Midnight Sun", "Dream", "I Remember You" and "When A Woman Loves A Man" all have to be heard to be believed. I simply don't have the words to adequately describe the magic on offer here. What I can say though, is that one of my favourite things about this album, aside from Ella's perfect pitch, exquisite phrasing and faultless timing, is the way she improvises on the melodies during the course of the songs. She was obviously much more than a singer; she was a jazz musician and her voice was her instrument. Nowhere is that more evident to me, than on this album.
As one might expect from Mercer songs, it's the lyrics that are especially worth looking out for here. "You're much too much, and just too very very/ To ever be, in Webster's dictionary," she sings in "Too Marvelous For Words", another of my favourites. But my best-loved song of all on here is "I Remember You". As someone who's suffered bereavement in the past, the lyrics have a personal significance. Ella sings: "When my life is through/ And the angels ask me to recall, the thrill of them all/ Then I shall tell them, I remember you."
Reduces me to tears every time.
Flawless production from Norman Granz and Nelson Riddle's orchestration is almost of another world. This is without a doubt, one of my favourite albums ever. Pure magic.
Also worth checking out is With My Lover Beside Me, an album Nancy Wilson did back in 1991, singing the lyrics of Johnny Mercer along to the music of Barry Manilow. It's a different kind of magic but magic nonetheless. Highly recommended.
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