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.
Nobody Knows
Helen Merrill Lyrics
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Now you'd think that I'd be happy with the life I got
Nobody knows, nobody sees
Ain't nobody really knows the inner side o'me
I may seem secure, I could have it made
You might think you see a lucky man who made the grade
Nobody knows what dreams I see
But everybody has a place and time
A chance to live, a need to find
We all got somethin' that we care about
I propose you find it out
It's not in a book, or a magazine
Or the stars who guide our fortunes on the silver screen
Nobody knows, it's up to me
Ain't nobody who can say it like it ought to be
I see my future at the rainbow's end
Happy hours, timeless friends
And if I ever chance to find my way
Rest assured, I will stay
You may see your life as a compromise
You may live to find the promise dancin' in your eyes
Nobody knows, it's meant to be
Let the magic of the moment say it all to me
In Helen Merrill's song "Nobody Knows,” she reflects on the complexities of life and how nobody truly knows another person's inner thoughts, dreams, or struggles. The song starts by painting a picture of a person who is seemingly happy and content with their life, but nobody truly knows what is going on inside their mind. The lyrics indicate that we all have a private inner world that nobody can understand completely, no matter how close we are to someone. The use of the repeated phrase "nobody knows" emphasizes the idea that even people who seem to have it all together still have secrets and struggles that they keep hidden from the world.
The song goes on to explore the idea that everyone has their own path in life and their own unique dreams and desires. It suggests that it's not always easy to discover what we truly care about or what we want to pursue, but it's important to seek out that passion and follow it. The lyrics encourage listeners to find their own magic and to let the moments in life speak for themselves.
Overall, "Nobody Knows" is a reflective and contemplative song that encourages listeners to cherish the moments in life and to be true to themselves, even if nobody else understands their inner world.
Line by Line Meaning
I may get around, I may laugh a lot
Despite my outward appearance of happiness and sociability, my true feelings remain unknown to those around me.
Now you'd think that I'd be happy with the life I got
Based on my circumstances, one might expect me to be content with my life, but that is not necessarily the case.
Nobody knows, nobody sees
My innermost thoughts and feelings remain concealed from the world.
Ain't nobody really knows the inner side o'me
No one truly understands the complexities of my personality.
I may seem secure, I could have it made
Outwardly, my life may appear to be stable and successful.
You might think you see a lucky man who made the grade
Perhaps others view me as fortunate and accomplished.
Nobody knows what dreams I see
Despite others' perceptions of me, my innermost aspirations remain unknown to them.
Ain't nobody really sure just who they wanna be
No one can be certain about their true desires and goals in life.
But everybody has a place and time
Everyone has a purpose and an opportunity to fulfill it.
A chance to live, a need to find
The prospect of living and discovering one's life's purpose lies before everyone.
We all got somethin' that we care about
All people have something that they value and are passionate about.
I propose you find it out
I suggest that individuals discover what they truly care about and pursue it.
It's not in a book, or a magazine
One's true passion cannot be found in the pages of a publication.
Or the stars who guide our fortunes on the silver screen
The famous individuals portrayed in movies do not provide direction for one's life journey.
Nobody knows, it's up to me
The responsibility for discovering one's passion rests solely on oneself.
Ain't nobody who can say it like it ought to be
No one can tell another person what they should be passionate about or how they should live their life.
I see my future at the rainbow's end
I envision a future filled with hope and possibility.
Happy hours, timeless friends
A future filled with joyful experiences and lifelong companionship lies ahead.
And if I ever chance to find my way
Should I discover my true passion in life,
Rest assured, I will stay
I will commit to pursuing it with all my heart and staying true to myself.
You may see your life as a compromise
Others may view their life as a series of concessions or sacrifices.
You may live to find the promise dancin' in your eyes
Others may exist to achieve the hopes they hold dear.
Nobody knows, it's meant to be
One's life journey is a mystery, unfolding as it was meant to.
Let the magic of the moment say it all to me
Embrace the present moment and one's journey to discover what truly ignites their passion.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ALAN BERGMAN, MARILYN BERGMAN, MICHEL LEGRAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind