VOA标准英语2010-All-Star Recording Pays Tribute to Johnny

Lyricist Johnny Mercer was one of the world's most prolific¹ composers, turning out more than 1,500 songs, including a classic he co-wrote with Harold Arlen, "That Old Black Magic."  Over the years, it's been recorded by Glenn Miller², Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Sammy Davis, Jr., and, for the new Johnny Mercer documentary, by British jazz star Jamie Cullum.

With a running time of nearly two hours, the film covers Mercer's award-winning career through new and archival interviews, and performances by the some of the greatest entertainers of the past century.  Among them, is crooner Bing Crosby, who appears on the soundtrack singing a previously³ unreleased version of "Something's Gotta Give."

Music and lyrics⁴ by Johnny Mercer, recorded in 1955 by Bing Crosby with Buddy⁵ Cole and His Trio, that's "Something's Gotta Give."  It was first performed by Fred Astaire in the 1955 musical film "Daddy Long Legs."

Georgia native Johnny Mercer, who died in 1976 at the age of 66, crafted one of the most enduring chapters of the "Great American Songbook."  His songs were featured on stage and screen, and, of course, on countless⁶ recordings⁷.  Tapping into the his vast collection of jazz melodies and pop standards on "Johnny Mercer: The Dream's On Me," are Ella Fitzgerald on "Midnight Sun," Ray Charles singing "Blues⁸ In The Night," Chet Baker⁹ with "I'm Old Fashioned," and Mercer himself alongside Bobby Darin singing "Two Of A Kind."

Several generations of stars are featured on the soundtrack, from the Tony Bennett and Bono duet "I Wanna Be Around," to a wistful remake of "This Time The Dream's On Me," sung by Clint Eastwood's 13-year-old daughter, Morgan Eastwood.  Clint served as executive producer on the album.

Also included is the title track from Queen Latifah's album of jazz standards "Travelin' Light," composed by Johnny Mercer, Jimmy Mundy and Trummy Young in 1942.

 

1 prolific   

adj.丰富的，大量的；多产的，富有创造力的

参考例句：

• She is a prolific writer of novels and short stories.她是一位多产的作家，写了很多小说和短篇故事。
• The last few pages of the document are prolific of mistakes.这个文件的最后几页错误很多。

2 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

3 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 lyrics   

n.歌词

参考例句：

• music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hart 由罗杰斯和哈特作词作曲
• The book contains lyrics and guitar tablatures for over 100 songs. 这本书有100多首歌的歌词和吉他奏法谱。

5 buddy   

n.（美口）密友，伙伴

参考例句：

• Calm down,buddy.What's the trouble?压压气，老兄。有什么麻烦吗？
• Get out of my way,buddy!别挡道了，你这家伙！

6 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

7 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

8 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

9 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。