Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book
Studio album by Ella Fitzgerald
Released	1964
Recorded	October 19–21, 1964 Los Angeles
Genre	Vocal jazz
Length	43:58
Label	Verve Records
Producer	Norman Granz
Ella Fitzgerald chronology
Hello,Dolly! (1964)Hello,Dolly!1964 Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book (1964) Ella at Juan-Les-Pins (1964)Ella at Juan-Les-Pins1964

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Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book is a 1964 studio album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, focusing on the songs of Johnny Mercer. It was recorded in Los Angeles, California. This is Fitzgerald's fifth and final collaboration with Riddle during her years on the Verve label.

The album is notable as Fitzgerald's only songbook to concentrate on the work of a lyricist. Riddle's lush arrangements interact most beautifully with Fitzgerald on ballads like "Midnight Sun" and "Skylark". Fitzgerald's impeccable swing is most evident on "Something's Gotta Give" and "Too Marvelous for Words".

Track listing

For the 1964 Verve LP release; Verve V6-4067; Re-issued in 1984 on CD, Verve-PolyGram 823 247-2

Side One:

1. "Too Marvelous for Words" (Richard A. Whiting) – 2:31
2. "Early Autumn" (Ralph Burns) – 3:51
3. "Day In, Day Out" (Rube Bloom) – 2:49
4. "Laura" (from the film Laura) (David Raksin) – 3:43
5. "This Time the Dream's on Me" (Harold Arlen) – 2:54
6. "Skylark" (Hoagy Carmichael) – 3:12
7. "Single-O" (Donald Kahn, Johnny Mercer) – 3:19

Side Two:

1. "Something's Gotta Give" (Mercer) – 2:33
2. "Trav'lin' Light" (Jimmy Mundy, Trummy Young) – 3:47
3. "Midnight Sun" (Francis J. Burke, Lionel Hampton) – 4:55
4. "Dream" (Mercer) – 2:58
5. "I Remember You" (Victor Schertzinger) – 3:38
6. "When a Woman Loves a Man" (Bernie Hanighen, Gordon Jenkins) – 3:51

All lyrics by Johnny Mercer, composers between brackets.

Personnel

Recorded October 19–21, 1964 at Radio Recorders Studio 10-H, Hollywood:

• Ella Fitzgerald - Vocals
• Nelson Riddle, arranger and conductor
• Paul Smith on piano
• Plas Johnson on tenor sax
• Willie Smith on alto sax
• Buddy DeFranco on clarinet
• Frank Flynn on vibes
• Val Valentin, recording engineer

References