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.
Isn
Mabel Mercer Lyrics
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Hereand there and yonder,
Wasting precious time
For no reason or rhyme?
Isn't it a pity!
Isn't it a crime!
My journey is ended,
Everything is splendid;
Has given me a wonderful idea
Here I stay!
It's a funny thing;
I look at you,
I get a thrill I never knew,
Isn't it a pity we never met before!
Here we are at last,
It's like a dream,
The two of us, a perfect team,
Isn't it a pity we never met before!
Imagine all the lonely years we've wasted,
You with the neighbours,
I at silly labours!
What joys untasted,
You readin Heine,
Me somewhere in China!
Let's forget the past, let's both agree
That I'm for you and you're for me,
And it's such a pity we never, never met before!
Imagine all the lonely years we've wasted,
Fishing for salmon,
Losing at backgammon!
What joys untasted,
My nights were sour,
Spent with Schopenhauer!
Let's forget the past, let's both agree
That I'm for you and you're for me,
And it's such a pity we never, never met before!
The song "Isn't It A Pity" by Mabel Mercer tells the story of a person who has wandered aimlessly and regrets the time they have lost. They meet someone who they feel a strong connection with and realize how much they have missed out on by not meeting before. The lyrics express the sorrow and regret for all the missed opportunities and joys that could have been experienced together. The person singing the song is filled with a newfound sense of purpose and excitement by the prospect of staying in one place and building a life with the other person.
The song emphasizes the importance of timing in relationships and how a chance encounter can drastically change one's life. It shows the power of love and connection to make everything seem wonderful and perfect. The lyrics also reflect on the past and the missed opportunities, but ultimately, the song ends with a hopeful and optimistic note, highlighting the beauty that comes with finding the right person at the right time.
Line by Line Meaning
Why did I wander
I've been aimlessly wandering without purpose
Here and there and yonder,
I've been going in different directions without direction
Wasting precious time
I've been using my time recklessly
For no reason or rhyme?
Without any specific motive or explanation?
Isn't it a pity!
It's just unfortunate!
Isn't it a crime!
It's practically a wrongdoing!
My journey is ended,
My aimless wandering has come to an end,
Everything is splendid;
Things are great now!
Meeting you today
Our meeting today
Has given me a wonderful idea
Has given me a great idea
Here I stay!
I'll remain here!
It's a funny thing;
It's ironic!
I look at you,
When I look at you,
I get a thrill I never knew,
I feel an exciting sensation I've never experienced
Isn't it a pity we never met before!
It's unfortunate that we haven't met until now!
Here we are at last,
But now we're finally here,
It's like a dream,
It feels surreal
The two of us, a perfect team,
Together we make the perfect match
Isn't it a pity we never met before!
It's unfortunate that we haven't met until now!
Imagine all the lonely years we've wasted,
Just imagine all the years we felt alone and unfulfilled
You with the neighbours,
While you were living near people you didn't connect with,
I at silly labours!
I was working on meaningless tasks!
What joys untasted,
Think of all the happiness we've missed
You reading Heine,
While you read about the things you love
Me somewhere in China!
And I was somewhere far away, feeling lost
Let's forget the past, let's both agree
Let's leave the past behind and reach an understanding
That I'm for you and you're for me,
That we belong together
And it's such a pity we never, never met before!
It's unfortunate that we haven't met until now!
Imagine all the lonely years we've wasted,
Think of all the time we let slip by unfulfilled
Fishing for salmon,
While you fished for salmon,
Losing at backgammon!
And I played games I couldn't win!
What joys untasted,
Think of all the happiness we missed out on
My nights were sour,
My evenings felt unpleasant and unsatisfying,
Spent with Schopenhauer!
I spent my nights with a philosopher who was harsh and gloomy!
Let's forget the past, let's both agree
Let's move on from the past, in agreement
That I'm for you and you're for me,
That we are made for one another
And it's such a pity we never, never met before!
It's unfortunate that we haven't met until now!
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind