“Emily” | Stories of Standards

“Emily” – composed by Johnny Mandel, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, in 1964 – was the theme song of the 1969 movie “The Americanization of Emily.”

This tune’s popularity may have played a role in the re-titling of the movie to “Emily” when it was re-released in 2005.

“Emily” was recorded by a number of noteworthy artists, including Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennet. This song became one of Bill Evans’s iconic pieces.

Johnny Mandel, born in 1925, studied at the Manhattan School of Music and Juilliard before going on to compose, conduct and arrange music for numerous sound tracks, starting with the 1958 film,  ”I Want to Live.”

Mandel’s best-known songs include “Suicide is Painless” for the “Mash” movie and TV soundtracks and “The Shadow of Your Smile” for “The Sandpiper.”

Johnny Mercer, born in 1909, was a songwriter, lyricist, singer and founder of Capitol records. He was nominated for 19 Grammies and won four.

Mercer’s association with Yip Harburg, then with Hoagy Carmichael, launched his career and his move to California in 1935 established him in the Hollywood music industry.

His prodigious output was only matched by its quality, many of his songs are still instantly recognizable.

Tune in to First Take with Lando and Chavis – weekdays from 6-9 am MT – for Stories of Standards to hear our favorite versions of this song all week long!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H00RUW9PI8