Mabel Mercer (3 February 1900 – 20 April 1984) was an English-born cabaret … Read Full Bio ↴Mabel Mercer (3 February 1900 – 20 April 1984) was an English-born cabaret singer who performed in the United States, Britain, and Europe with the greats in jazz and cabaret. She was a featured performer at Chez Bricktop in Paris, owned by the legendary hostess Bricktop, and performed in such clubs as Le Ruban Bleu, Tony's, the RSVP, the Carlyle, the St. Regis Hotel, and eventually her own room, the Byline Club. Among those who frequently attended Mercer's shows was Frank Sinatra, who made no secret of his emulating her phrasing and story-telling techniques.
Mercer was born in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England. Her mother was a young, white English music hall performer, and her father was a black American jazz musician whom Mabel never knew. At age fourteen, she left her convent school in Manchester, and toured Britain and Europe with her aunt in vaudeville and music hall engagements.
In 1928, she was an unknown member of the black chorus in the London production of Show Boat, but she had become the toast of Paris by the 1930s, with admirers who included Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Cole Porter.
When World War II broke out, she traveled to America to sing in the finest supper clubs in New York City. She also made many concert appearances across the U.S. In the late 1960s, she gave two legendary concerts with Bobby Short at Town Hall in New York City. Both were released by Atlantic Records: Mabel Mercer & Bobby Short at Town Hall, in 1968, (Atlantic SD 2-604) and Mabel Mercer & Bobby Short Second Town Hall Concert, in 1969 (Atlantic SD 2-605). In 1969, she made two appearances on the television program Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
Her original and reissued albums are collector's items. Atlantic Records reissued four of her early LPs in a boxed set in 1975, in honor of her 75th birthday. She was awarded Stereo Review Magazine's first Award for Merit, for her lifetime achievement and for "outstanding contributions to the quality of American musical life." This award was officially renamed the Mabel Mercer Award in 1984.
A photograph of Mercer in later life, from the archives of The Mabel Mercer Foundation.
When Mercer returned on 4 July 1977 for her first performance in England in 41 years, the BBC filmed three evenings' performances and later broadcast it in a week-long late-night television program, a BBC first for an entertainer.
In 1978, "Midnight at Mabel Mercer's," her 1956 album on Atlantic, was praised as "one of the best recordings of the past twenty years" by Stereo Review. That same year, Mercer played at San Francisco's Club Mocambo to sold-out audiences, in celebration of her 78th birthday.
Mercer was born in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England. Her mother was a young, white English music hall performer, and her father was a black American jazz musician whom Mabel never knew. At age fourteen, she left her convent school in Manchester, and toured Britain and Europe with her aunt in vaudeville and music hall engagements.
In 1928, she was an unknown member of the black chorus in the London production of Show Boat, but she had become the toast of Paris by the 1930s, with admirers who included Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Cole Porter.
When World War II broke out, she traveled to America to sing in the finest supper clubs in New York City. She also made many concert appearances across the U.S. In the late 1960s, she gave two legendary concerts with Bobby Short at Town Hall in New York City. Both were released by Atlantic Records: Mabel Mercer & Bobby Short at Town Hall, in 1968, (Atlantic SD 2-604) and Mabel Mercer & Bobby Short Second Town Hall Concert, in 1969 (Atlantic SD 2-605). In 1969, she made two appearances on the television program Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
Her original and reissued albums are collector's items. Atlantic Records reissued four of her early LPs in a boxed set in 1975, in honor of her 75th birthday. She was awarded Stereo Review Magazine's first Award for Merit, for her lifetime achievement and for "outstanding contributions to the quality of American musical life." This award was officially renamed the Mabel Mercer Award in 1984.
A photograph of Mercer in later life, from the archives of The Mabel Mercer Foundation.
When Mercer returned on 4 July 1977 for her first performance in England in 41 years, the BBC filmed three evenings' performances and later broadcast it in a week-long late-night television program, a BBC first for an entertainer.
In 1978, "Midnight at Mabel Mercer's," her 1956 album on Atlantic, was praised as "one of the best recordings of the past twenty years" by Stereo Review. That same year, Mercer played at San Francisco's Club Mocambo to sold-out audiences, in celebration of her 78th birthday.
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Mabel Mercer & Bobby Short Lyrics
All Of You I never had this feeling before I never wanted anyone more A…
Bojangles Of Harlem Ask anyone up Harlem way Who that guy Bojangles is. They may…
Gimme A Pigfoot And A Bottle Of Beer Twenty-five cents, hah, no, no I wouldn't pay twenty-five ce…
I Can't Get Started I've flown around the world in a plane I've settled…
I Like The Likes Of You Only last Saturday, Or was it yesterday? I was rehearsing a …
Mama's Little Girl Poor little rich girl, You're a bewitched girl, Better take …
Not A Care In The World Though hope is low, I'm aglow when you smile at…
These Foolish Things Oh! Will you never let me be? Oh! Will you never…
We also have lyrics for these tracks by Mabel Mercer:
Ace in the Hole Sad times, may follow your tracks Bad times, may bar you…
After You Though with joy I should be reeling That at last you…
Blame It On My Youth If I expected love when first we kissed, Blame it on…
Both Sides Now Bows and flows of angel hair And ice cream castles in…
By Myself The party's over, the game is ended, the dreams I…
Down In The Depths Manhattan-I'm up a tree The one I've most adored Is bored W…
Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye Every time we say goodbye, I die a little Every time…
Experiment Before you leave these portals To meet less fortunate mortal…
From This Moment On From this moment on You for me, dear Only two for tea,…
Gimme A Pigfoot And A Bottle Of Beer Twenty-five cents, hah, no, no I wouldn't pay twenty-five ce…
I Can't Get Started I've flown around the world in a plane I've settled…
I Like The Likes Of You Only last Saturday, Or was it yesterday? I was rehearsing …
I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore Poor boy! Poor boy! Down-hearted and depressed and in a spin…
If Love Were All Please please play my music for me, I'm not sure of…
It's Delovely The night is young, the skies are clear So if…
Just One Of Those Things It was just one of those things Just one of those…
Not A Care In The World Though hope is low, I'm aglow when you smile at…
Once In A Blue Moon Once in a blue moon You will find the right one Once…
So in Love Strange dear, but true, dear When I'm close to you, dear T…
The Best Is Yet to Come Out of the tree of life I just picked me…
These Foolish Things Oh! Will you never let me be? Oh! Will you never…
We also have lyrics for these tracks by Bobby Short:
Ace In The Hole Now this town is full of guys Who think they're mighty…
All Of You I never had this feeling before I never wanted anyone more A…
Bojangles Of Harlem Ask anyone up Harlem way Who that guy Bojangles is. They may…
Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye Every time we say goodbye, I die a little Every time…
From This Moment On From this moment on, You for me dear, Only two for tea…
Gimme A Pigfoot And A Bottle Of Beer Twenty-five cents, hah, no, no I wouldn't pay twenty-five ce…
I Can't Get Started I've flown around the world in a plane I've settled…
I Like The Likes Of You Only last Saturday, Or was it yesterday? I was rehearsing a …
If Love Were All Please please play my music for me, I'm not sure of…
Just One of Those Things It was just one of those things Just one of those…
Not a Care in the World Though hope is low, I'm aglow when you smile at…
On The Amazon There's a danger zone, not a stranger zone Than the little…
The Best Is Yet To Come Out of the tree of life I just picked me…