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.

Once In A Blue Moon
Mabel Mercer Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Once in a blue moon
You will find the right one
Once in a blue moon
Find your dear delight one

And with a thrill
You'll know that love is true
Once in a lifetime

When the moon is blue

Men are called deceivers ever
And women flirt with passion
One true love that last forever
It's sadly out of fashion

Only madness under a pale scar
Flames that turn to ashes and then die
All too soon the lips that kiss
May learn to say goodbye

Once in a blue moon
You will meet the right one
Once in a blue moon
Find your dear delight one

And with a thrill
You'll know that love is true

Once in a lifetime
When the moon is blue

Overall Meaning

Mabel Mercer's "Once in a Blue Moon" is a romantic ballad that urges listeners to hold out hope for finding true love, even if it seems impossible. The song talks about the rarity and fleeting nature of finding the right person, and how love can come and go like the phases of the moon. The lines "Men are called deceivers ever" and "women flirt with passion" caution listeners that it's not easy to find someone who will stay committed, but once we find that person, we should cherish them. The lyrics paint a picture of how love can be both exciting and scary, and how it's worth the risk to find a connection that feels true.

The image of the "moon" in the song serves as a metaphor for the timing of love, suggesting that we might not even recognize the person we're meant to be with until the planets align in a certain way. The word "blue" connotes a sense of melancholy or sadness, but also implies that something magical and otherworldly is happening. The song's message is ultimately one of hope and optimism, telling listeners that even if they feel alone now, they will find someone who is right for them – it just might take a little bit of luck.

Line by Line Meaning

Once in a blue moon
Rarely happens, but sometimes

You will find the right one
You will find your soulmate

Once in a blue moon
Rarely happens, but sometimes

Find your dear delight one
Find the one who brings you great joy

And with a thrill
Excited with joy and anticipation

You'll know that love is true
You will know this is real love

Once in a lifetime
Only happens once in your life

When the moon is blue
When the time is right and the stars align

Men are called deceivers ever
Men are often accused of being untruthful

And women flirt with passion
Women show strong feelings of interest and attraction

One true love that lasts forever
Finding a love that will stand the test of time