Midnight Sun

Johnny Mercer

About Midnight Sun

"Midnight Sun" (1954) was originally an instrumental composed by Lionel Hampton and Sonny Burke in 1947 and is now considered a jazz standard. Subsequently, Johnny Mercer wrote the words to the song. One famous recording of the song with the Mercer lyrics is by Ella Fitzgerald on her 1957 album Like Someone in Love. Fitzgerald recorded the song again for her 1964 album Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Songbook. She recorded it for a third time in 1975 with jazz pianist Oscar Peterson on the Pablo release Ella and Oscar.  


Year:
1996
4:11
871 
#3

Lyrics currently unavailable…


Johnny Mercer

John Herndon "Johnny" Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. Mercer was also a co-founder of Capitol Records. more »

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10 facts about this song

Song Origin
"Midnight Sun" was originally written by Johnny Mercer. He was inspired by Lionel Hampton’s jazz instrumental composition, "Midnight Sun," and added memorable lyrics to create Ella Fitzgerald’s piece.
Collaboration
Ella Fitzgerald’s "Midnight Sun" is a collaboration between two iconic figures in American music: Ella Fitzgerald herself, who was one of the most loved jazz singers of the 20th century, and Johnny Mercer, an award-winning lyricist and composer.
Record Vault
The song recording is preserved in the Library of Congress’ National Jukebox, underscoring its historical importance in American music history.
Shift in Time
The song marked a shift for Fitzgerald from swing to bebop, as it included a great extent of scat singing which became a signature style of Fitzgerald till her last days.
Ella’s Interpretation
Fitzgerald's version of "Midnight Sun" is particularly admired for her velvety vocals and flawless phrasing, which perfectly conveys the romantic theme of the song.
Album Presence
The song "Midnight Sun" was presented in Ella Fitzgerald’s album, “All That Jazz” which came out in 1990.
Iconic Line
One of the most iconic lines of the song is "Your lips were like a red and ruby chalice, warmer than the summer night. The clouds were like an alabaster palace, rising to a snowy height."
Influence
The song influenced many other artists, like Frank Sinatra and Julie London, who later recorded their own versions.
Canter's Deli Inspiration
Johnny Mercer was known to have written several hit songs at Canter's Deli in Los Angeles. It's said that "Midnight Sun" was one of those songs.
Timelessness
Even after decades of its release, the song continues to be a classic and is regularly performed by jazz musicians around the world.

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