DEARLY BELOVED

Don Heckman’s fine article on Johnny Mercer (“ ‘Moon’ Struck,” Nov. 17) was a tribute to one of the greatest songwriters of all time. But Mercer was much more than that. He was also a natural entertainer, and no one could sing his songs better.

His very presence lit up the world. He was a thoughtful and responsible human being, and when he attained success he paid off all of his father’s debts, which were considerable.

I’m sure that most of us pre-baby boomers have many favorite Mercer songs. Mine is “When the World Was Young.”

Now a new generation can enjoy his genius. I look forward to the Clint Eastwood movie that will feature Mercer’s music.

SADI HAYASHI

Van Nuys

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The legacy that Mercer has left us is immeasurable. His songs are timeless and his own style of singing is just right, conveying a lyric with complete ease and charm. Every time you hear him sing a song it is still fresh and delicious.

Mercer was definitely one of a kind. The best tribute to his songs would be a radio station that would play all of the great American classic music. This music is our heritage and deserves its rightful place on the airwaves.

FRANCES T. LIPPMAN

Los Angeles

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What a talent! “Midnight Sun” fills me with awe every time I hear it (which isn’t often enough).

The lyrics for “Days of Wine and Roses” are, of course, first-class, but not all the lines came to Mercer in five minutes.

J.P. Miller, author of the teleplay and screenplay, drew his title from a line by the English poet Ernest Dowson (1867-1900): “They are not long, the days of wine and roses.”

Oddly enough, in another poem, the mesmerizing “Cynara,” Dowson uses the phrase “gone with the wind,” which rings a bell.

MALCOLM D. MOBBS

Redondo Beach

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I loved Heckman’s story, but the caption by Johnny Mercer’s photo is a bit insulting to perhaps the finest American lyricist of this century.

To call Mercer a “song plugger” would be like saying that Toscanini “was a pretty good bandleader” or that Mozart “had a few songs on the charts.”

BILL WARD

Los Angeles

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Ironically, Mercer did not write that classic ode to his hometown, “Hard-Hearted Hannah, the Vamp of Savannah.”

MARVIN H. LEAF

Rancho Mirage