Tangerine

Johnny Mercer

About Tangerine

"Tangerine" is a popular song. The music was written by Victor Schertzinger, the lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The song was published in 1941 and soon became a jazz standard. It was introduced to a broad audience in the 1942 movie, The Fleet's In, produced by Paramount Pictures, directed by Schertzinger just before his death, and starring Dorothy Lamour, William Holden, Eddie Bracken, singer Cass Daley, and Betty Hutton in her feature film debut. The song portrays a fictitious South American woman with universally recognized allure: "When she dances by, / Señoritas stare / And caballeros sigh. " As one of Mercer's biographers explained the initial popularity: "Latin America, the one part of the world not engulfed in World War II, became a favorite topic for songs and films for Americans who wanted momentarily to forget about the conflagration." 


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Tangerine,
She is all they claim
With her eyes of night and lips as bright as flame
Tangerine,
When she dances by
Senoritas stare and caballeros sigh
And I've seen
Toasts to Tangerine
Raised in every bar across the Argentine
Yes, she has them all on the run
But her heart belongs to just one
Her heart belongs to Tangerine

Tangerine,
She is all they say
With mascara'd eye and chapeaux by Dache.
Tangerine,
With her lips of flame
If the color keeps, Louis Philippe's to blame.
And I've seen
Clothes on Tangerine
Where the label says "From Macy's Mezzanine".
Yes, she's got the guys in a whirl
But she's only fooling one girl
She's only fooling Tangerine!

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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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Written by: JOHNNY MERCER, VICTOR SCHERTZINGER

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Origins
"Tangerine" is a popular song that was written by Johnny Mercer and Victor Schertzinger for the film "The Fleet's In" in 1942.
Film Presence
The song was introduced in the movie by actress Dorothy Lamour and it instantly gained fame for its catchy melodies and sophisticated lyrics.
Song Genre
"Tangerine" is categorized as a jazz standard and has also gained popularity in the folk, pop, and easy listening genres as well.
Cover Versions
The song has been covered by numerous other artists including Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Dorsey, and Satchmo - Louis Armstrong, demonstrating its widespread popularity.
Songwriter's Profile
Johnny Mercer was one of the most successful lyricists in American history, having written lyrics for over 1,500 songs in his lifetime.
Honors
The song "Tangerine" was included in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. This is a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old and that have "qualitative or historical significance".
Chart Success
"Tangerine" was a major hit during the World War II era. The popular recording by the Jimmy Dorsey band, with vocalists Bob Eberly and Helen O'Connell, reached No. 1 on Billboard's chart in 1942.
Cultural Influence
"Tangerine" has been part of multiple movies and TV shows over the years, including 'The Big Bang Theory' and 'Boardwalk Empire', indicating its enduring cultural impact.
Type of Music Score
The song is written in AABA format which was a common structure for songs in the Tin Pan Alley period, during which Johnny Mercer was active.
Timeless Appeal
Despite being nearly 80 years old, the song "Tangerine" continues to be one of the most prominent works in Johnny Mercer's catalog.

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    "Tangerine Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/27627095/Johnny+Mercer/Tangerine>.

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