Blues in the Night

Johnny Mercer, Jimmy Witherspoon

About Blues in the Night

"Blues in the Night" is a popular blues song which has become a pop standard and is generally considered to be part of the Great American Songbook. The music was written by Harold Arlen, the lyrics by Johnny Mercer, for a 1941 film begun with the working title Hot Nocturne, but finally released as Blues in the Night. The song is sung in the film by William Gillespie.


4:05
1,023 
#1

 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!

My mama done tol' me,
When I was in knee pants,
My mama done tol' me, Son!
A woman'll sweet talk
And give ya the big eye;
But when the sweet talkin's done,
A woman's a two face
A worrisome thing
Who'll leave ya t'sing
The blues in the night

Now the rain's a-fallin',
Hear the train a-callin'
Whoo-ee (my mama done tol' me)
Hear that lonesome whistle
Blowin' `cross the trestle,
Whoo-ee (my mama done tol' me)
A whoo-ee-duh-whoo-ee, ol' clickety clack's
A-echoin' back the blues in the night

The evenin' breeze'll start the trees to cryin'
And the moon'll hide its light
When you get the blues in the night

Take my word, the mockin' bird'll
Sing the saddest kind o' song
He knows things are wrong and he's right

From Natchez to Mobile,
From Memphis to St. Jo,
Wherever the four winds blow,
I been in some big towns,
An' heard me some big talk,
But there is one thing I know
A woman's a two face,
A worrisome thing
Who'll leave ya t'sing the blues in the night.

My mama was right,
There's blues in the night.

 The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com


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 »

6 fans

Written by: Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Origin
"Blugs in the Night" was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer in 1941 for a movie also named "Blues in the Night".
Awards
The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1942.
Performance
The original film-version was sung by William Gillespie.
Style
The song is classed as a blues ballad, melding elements of jazz and blues in a popular format.
Musical Structure
Harmonically, "Blues in the Night" is more complex than the average pop song of its day, borrowing elements from the blues to heighten the sense of melancholy in the song's melody.
Covers
Over the years it has been covered by numerous artists including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Shore and Katie Melua.
Formula
The song uses the blues' "AAB" formula in its lyrical structure, each of the lyric's first two lines are identical (AA), and the third, set to a different melody and a rapid staccato, is the punch line or 'answer' (B).
Cultural Influence
The song has been recorded by countless singers and remains one of the standards of the Great American Songbook, it is also used in many films and TV series.
Famous Quotation
Mercer's lyric used rhymed conversation and the often quoted lines, "my mama done tol' me, when I was in knee pants" in the song.
Popular Reception
The song became a hit during World War II, capturing the mood of disillusionment and loss that many people felt.
Unique Collaboration
Although Mercer and Arlen collaborated on numerous projects, "Blues in the Night" is considered their strongest collaboration.
Different Versions
Bing Crosby and Woody Herman recorded the most commercially successful versions in 1942.

Discuss the Blues in the Night Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Blues in the Night Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/35576512/Johnny+Mercer/Blues+in+the+Night>.

    Missing lyrics by Johnny Mercer?

    Know any other songs by Johnny Mercer? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    Blues in the Night

    7,189
    66     0

    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    What is the name of the person who performed the song "Never Gonna Give You Up"?
    A Rick Assley
    B Rick Ashley
    C Rick Astley
    D RickRoll

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Johnny Mercer tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!

    Movies soundtrack

    Blues in the Night

    »