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.
If Love Were All
Mabel Mercer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm not sure of the words yet;
Huh, I'm not sure of anything!
Life is very rough and tumble for a humble siseuse;
One can betray one's troubles never, whatever occurs!
Night after night,
Have to be bright,
The people have to laugh their fill,
You mustn't sleep till dawn comes creeping.
Though I never really grumble,
Life's a jumble indeed!
And in my efforts to succeed
I've had to formulate a creed.
I believe in doing what I can,
In crying when I must
And laughing when I choose.
Heigh ho!
If love were all I should be lonely!
I believe the more you love a man,
The more you give your trust,
The more you're bound to lose;
Although, when shadows fall I think if only
Somebody splendid really needed me,
Somebody affectionate and dear,
Cares would be ended
If I knew that he wanted to have me near.
But I believe that, since my life began,
The most I've had is just a talent to amuse,
Heigh ho!
If love were all!
I believe the more you love a man,
The more you give your trust,
The more you're bound to lose;
Although, when shadows fall I think, I think if only
Somebody splendid really needed me,
Somebody affectionate and dear,
Cares would be ended
If I knew that he wanted to have me near.
But, ah-ha, I believe that, since my life began,
The most I've had is just a talent to amuse,
Heigh ho!
If love were all!
Mabel Mercer's song "If Love Were All" is a bittersweet reflection on the hardships of life as one tries to carve out a career in the entertainment industry. The first few lines of the song capture the sense of self-doubt and uncertainty that often accompany the creative process. Mercer sings, "Please please play my music for me, I'm not sure of the words yet; Huh, I'm not sure of anything!" This vulnerability is juxtaposed with the pressure to perform night after night and always be "bright", even when one is not feeling well.
Through the course of the song, Mercer's lyrics become increasingly reflective and introspective. She muses on the nature of love and how it can bring both joy and pain. "I believe in doing what I can, in crying when I must, and laughing when I choose," she sings. The line "if love were all I should be lonely" speaks to the idea that even though love is important, it is not always enough to sustain a person through the trials and tribulations of life.
Despite the somber tone of the song, there is a sense of resilience and determination that runs throughout. Mercer acknowledges the challenges that come with pursuing one's dreams, but ultimately chooses to focus on the things that bring her joy and fulfillment. As she sings in the closing lines, "But, ah-ha, I believe that, since my life began, the most I've had is just a talent to amuse, Heigh ho! If love were all!"
Line by Line Meaning
Please please play my music for me,
Mabel Mercer requests someone to play her music for her.
I'm not sure of the words yet;
She is unsure of the words to her own music.
Huh, I'm not sure of anything!
Mabel Mercer implies her general uncertainty.
Life is very rough and tumble for a humble siseuse;
Being an entertainer is challenging.
One can betray one's troubles never, whatever occurs!
She must always put on a brave face.
Night after night,
Performers must put on a show every night.
Have to be bright,
They must have energy and enthusiasm.
Whether you're well or ill;
They can't take days off for being unwell.
The people have to laugh their fill,
The audience expects to be entertained.
You mustn't sleep till dawn comes creeping.
Performers need to work hard and put in long hours.
Though I never really grumble,
She doesn't complain.
Life's a jumble indeed!
Life is confusing and difficult.
And in my efforts to succeed
Mabel is determined to succeed.
I've had to formulate a creed.
She has had to develop a personal belief system.
I believe in doing what I can,
She believes in doing what she can.
In crying when I must
She believes it's okay to show emotions.
And laughing when I choose.
She believes laughter is important.
Heigh ho!
This is an expression of exasperation.
If love were all I should be lonely!
Mabel implies that love is not enough to make her happy.
I believe the more you love a man,
She believes in the power of love.
The more you give your trust,
She believes trust is essential in a relationship.
The more you're bound to lose;
She acknowledges the risk of getting hurt when you love someone.
Although, when shadows fall I think if only
Mabel thinks about what could have been during lonely times.
Somebody splendid really needed me,
She desires to be needed.
Somebody affectionate and dear,
She longs for love and affection.
Cares would be ended
Her worries would be over if someone truly cared about her.
If I knew that he wanted to have me near.
She wishes to be wanted and loved by someone.
But I believe that, since my life began,
Mabel believes that her life has been limited.
The most I've had is just a talent to amuse,
She feels that her only real talent is to entertain people.
Heigh ho!
This is an expression of exasperation.
If love were all!
Mabel reiterates that love is not enough.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NOEL PIERCE COWARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind