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Home > Conferences > POPULAR_MUSIC > 2009 > NOV14 > 2

Popular Music in the Mercer Era, 1910-1970
 

Event Title

Johnny Mercer and Louis Armstrong: A Story in Three Songs

Presenter Information

Joshua Berrett, Mercy College - Main Campus

Time/Date

11-14-2009 12:00 PM

Abstract

Given the fact that Armstrong's theme song was "When It's Sleepy Time Down South," it is not surprising that the titles in the Mercer songbook to which he gravitated most often were those evoking a Southern sensibility. The first of these, "Lazybones," which catapulted Mercer to international fame was one of Armstrong's staples. In the case of "Jeepers Creepers" we have the benefit of not only the recorded legacy, but also the movie Going Places in which the song was premiered. The third Mercer song is "Blues in the Night," characterized by Arthur Schwartz as "probably the greatest blues song ever written—and that includes 'St. Louis Blues.' " Although Armstrong recorded it only twice, each version is rich in terms of cultural context. Adding special resonance to the song is the fact that it was first heard as part of a jail sequence in a movie by the same name, a defining moment where a black musician uses it as a vehicle of protest against white exploitation in a nightclub.

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Noon luncheon talk.

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Nov 14th, 12:00 PM

Johnny Mercer and Louis Armstrong: A Story in Three Songs

Given the fact that Armstrong's theme song was "When It's Sleepy Time Down South," it is not surprising that the titles in the Mercer songbook to which he gravitated most often were those evoking a Southern sensibility. The first of these, "Lazybones," which catapulted Mercer to international fame was one of Armstrong's staples. In the case of "Jeepers Creepers" we have the benefit of not only the recorded legacy, but also the movie Going Places in which the song was premiered. The third Mercer song is "Blues in the Night," characterized by Arthur Schwartz as "probably the greatest blues song ever written—and that includes 'St. Louis Blues.' " Although Armstrong recorded it only twice, each version is rich in terms of cultural context. Adding special resonance to the song is the fact that it was first heard as part of a jail sequence in a movie by the same name, a defining moment where a black musician uses it as a vehicle of protest against white exploitation in a nightclub.

 
 

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