Merrill's recording career has spanned six decades and she is popular with fans of jazz in Japan and Italy (where she lived for many years) as well as in her native United States. She has recorded and performed with some of the most notable figures in the American jazz scene.
Youth and early career in the states
Merrill was born in 1930 to Croatian immigrant parents. She began singing in jazz clubs in the Bronx at the age of fourteen. By the time she was sixteen, Merrill had taken up music full time. In 1952, Merrill made her recording debut when she was asked to sing "A Cigarette For Company" with the Earl Hines Band; the song was released on their Xanadu album. Etta Jones made her debut on the same album.
At this time she was married to musician Aaron Sachs. They divorced in 1956.
As a result of the exposure she received from "A Cigarette for Company" and two subsequent singles recorded for the Roost record label, Merrill was signed by Mercury Records for their new EmArcy label.
In 1954, Merrill recorded her first (and to date most acclaimed) LP, an eponymous record featuring legendary jazz trumpet player Clifford Brown and bassist/cellist Oscar Pettiford, among others. It was to be one of Brown's last recordings, as he was killed in a car accident just two years later. The album was produced and arranged by Quincy Jones, who was then just twenty-one years old. The success of Helen Merrill prompted Mercury to sign her for an additional four-album contract.
Merrill's follow-up to Helen Merrill was the 1956 LP, Dream of You, which was produced and arranged by bebop arranger and pianist Gil Evans. Evans' work on Dream of You was his first in many years. His arrangements on Merrill's laid the musical foundations for his work in following years with Miles Davis.
Success abroad
After recording sporadically through the late 1950s and 1960s, Merrill spent much of her time touring Europe, where she enjoyed more commercial success than she had in the United States. She settled for a time in Italy recording an album there, and doing live concerts with jazz notables Chet Baker, Romano Mussolini, and Stan Getz. Merrill returned to the U.S. in the 1960s, but moved to Japan in 1967 after touring there. Merrill developed a following in Japan that remains strong to this day. In addition to recording while in Japan, Merrill became involved in other aspects of the music industry, producing albums for Trio Records and hosting a show on a Tokyo radio station.
Later career
Merrill returned to the US in 1972 and has continued recording and regular touring since then. Her later career has seen her experiment in different music genres. She has recorded a bossa nova album, a Christmas album and a record's worth of Rodgers and Hammerstein, among many others.
Two albums from Merrill's later career have been tributes to past musical partners. In 1987, Merrill and Gil Evans recorded fresh arrangements of their classic Dream of You; the new recordings were released under the title Collaboration and became the most critically acclaimed of Merrill's albums in the 1980s.
In 1987 she co-produced a CD "Billy Eckstine sing with Benny Carter" and sing in duet with Mr.B two ballads.
In 1995 she recorded Brownie: Homage to Clifford Brown as a tribute to the late trumpeter.
One of Merrill's millennium released recordings draws from her Croatian heritage as well as her American upbringing. Jelena Ana Milcetic, a.k.a. Helen Merrill (2000), combines jazz, pop and blues songs with several traditional Croatian songs sung in Croatian.
Helen Merrill has been married three times, first to musician Aaron Sachs, second time to UPI vice president the late Donald J Brydon, and third to arranger-conductor the late Torrie Zito. She has one child, a son, Allan P Sachs, also a singer, who is professionally known as Alan Merrill.
Bewitched
Helen Merrill Lyrics
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Like a daisy Iâ??m awake.
With no Bromo Seltzer handy,
I donâ??t even shake.
Men are not a new sensation,
Iâ??ve done pretty well I think,
But this half pint imitation
I'm wild again, beguiled again
A whimpering, simpering child again
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
Couldn't sleep, wouldn't sleep
When love came and told me, I shouldn't sleep.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
I lost my heart, but what of it, he is cold I agree
He might laugh, but I love it, although the laugh's on me.
I'll sing to him, bring spring to him
And long, for the day when I'll cling to him.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
Heâ??s a fool and donâ??t I know it,
But a fool can have his charms,
Iâ??m in love and donâ??t I know it,
Like a babe in arms.
Loveâ??s the same old sad sensation,
Lately Iâ??ve not slept a wink,
Since this half pint imitation,
Put me on the blink.
Iâ??ve sinned a lot, I mean a lot,
But Iâ??m like sweet seventeen a lot,
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
Iâ??ll sing to him, each spring to him,
And worship the trousers that cling to him.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
When he talks, he is seeking,
Words to get,.off his chest.
Horizontally speaking
Heâ??s at his very best.
Vexed again, perplexed again,
Thank god I can be oversexed again.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
Wise at last, my eyes at last,
Are cutting you down to your size at last,
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - no more.
Burned a lot but learned a lot,
And now you are broke so you earned a lot,
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - no more.
Couldnâ??t eat, was dyspeptic,
Life was so hard to bear,
Now my heartâ??s antiseptic,
Since you moved out of there.
Romance finis.
Your chance finis.
Those ants that invaded my pants finis.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - no more
The song "Bewitched" by Helen Merrill is a classic ballad about the all-consuming power of love. The singer starts by describing how she's feeling after drinking a whole quart of brandy, yet feels completely awake and unshaken - "like a daisy." She then goes on to reflect on her experiences with men, claiming that she's "done pretty well," but that this recent lover has put her "on the blink." Despite this, she finds herself "wild again" and "beguiled again" by his charms, even though she knows he's a fool.
Line by Line Meaning
After one whole quart of brandy,
I drank a lot and woke up feeling good.
Like a daisy Iâ??m awake.
I feel refreshed after a long sleep.
With no Bromo Seltzer handy,
I don't need medicine to feel good.
I donâ??t even shake.
I'm steady and calm.
Men are not a new sensation,
I've been around a long time and seen many men.
Iâ??ve done pretty well I think,
I've had successful relationships in the past.
But this half pint imitation
This new man is not like the others.
Put me on the blink.
He's made me feel confused and disorientated.
I'm wild again, beguiled again
I feel free and under his spell.
A whimpering, simpering child again
I feel like a helpless, innocent girl again.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
I am entranced, troubled and confused by love.
Couldn't sleep, wouldn't sleep
I can't stop thinking about him and can't sleep.
When love came and told me, I shouldn't sleep.
My feelings for him keep me up at night.
I lost my heart, but what of it, he is cold I agree
I have fallen for him, but he is not interested.
He might laugh, but I love it, although the laugh's on me.
Even though he doesn't feel the same way, I still love him.
I'll sing to him, bring spring to him
I will do anything to win his love.
And long, for the day when I'll cling to him.
I dream of being close to him and holding him.
Heâ??s a fool and donâ??t I know it,
I am aware that he is not the best partner for me.
But a fool can have his charms,
Despite his flaws, he has qualities that I find appealing.
Iâ??m in love and donâ??t I know it,
I am head over heels for him.
Like a babe in arms.
I feel dependent on him and helpless.
Loveâ??s the same old sad sensation,
Love is always painful and difficult.
Lately Iâ??ve not slept a wink,
He is causing me emotional distress and keeping me up at night.
Since this half pint imitation,
My new lover is causing me trouble and confusion.
Put me on the blink.
He's made me feel confused and disorientated.
Iâ??ve sinned a lot, I mean a lot,
I have made many mistakes in love.
But Iâ??m like sweet seventeen a lot,
I am still deeply romantic despite my experience.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - am I.
I am entranced, troubled and confused by love.
I'll sing to him, each spring to him,
I will serenade him and shower him with affection.
And worship the trousers that cling to him.
I admire him and find him attractive no matter what he wears.
When he talks, he is seeking,
He has something to tell me and is looking for the right words.
Words to get,.off his chest.
He has something weighing on him that he needs to express.
Horizontally speaking
He is best in bed.
Heâ??s at his very best.
He's most effective and pleasing when we are intimate.
Vexed again, perplexed again,
I am confused and frustrated again.
Thank god I can be oversexed again.
I am relieved to have found passion again.
Wise at last, my eyes at last,
I have learned from my experiences and know better now.
Are cutting you down to your size at last,
I am seeing you for who you really are.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - no more.
I am no longer entranced, troubled, and confused by love.
Burned a lot but learned a lot,
I have experienced pain but have gained valuable knowledge.
And now you are broke so you earned a lot,
Your actions have lead to your own downfall.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - no more.
I am no longer entranced, troubled, and confused by love.
Couldnâ??t eat, was dyspeptic,
I was unable to eat and felt sick.
Life was so hard to bear,
I was struggling to cope with the breakup.
Now my heartâ??s antiseptic,
My emotions have healed and I'm ready to move on.
Since you moved out of there.
My life has improved since our relationship ended.
Romance finis.
Our romantic relationship has come to an end.
Your chance finis.
You have lost your opportunity with me.
Those ants that invaded my pants finis.
The feelings of love and attraction I had for you are gone.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered - no more
I am no longer entranced, troubled, and confused by love.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, O/B/O DistroKid, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind