Although usually she reveled in the fact that she had "become a celebrity overnight," at one point, after a particularly hectic travel schedule calling for her to appear on TV shows like The Grammys, she wrote to Mercer, "I'll tell you something; I'm getting tired of show business." Maybe the super song plugger Phil Zeller used such a line to wet Tony's appetite.
The royalties changed her life from being one who barely had enough money to bury her husband to one that allowed her to travel the world and even enjoy a degree of fame. Apparently the songwriter had been or was about to take up the idea and write the song.
Any other images that appear on CafeSongbook.com pages are either in the public domain or appear through the specific permission of their owners. I wanna be around to pick up the pieces
When somebody breaks your heart
Some somebody twice as smart as I
A somebody who will swear to be true
As you used to do with me
Who'll leave you to learn
That mis'ry loves company, wait and see
I mean, I wanna be around … (Ed's. Sadie Vimmerstedt, A Youngstown Ohio widow, wrote to Johnny Mercer in 1961 offering him an idea for a song, an idea that became the song's title: "I wanna be around to pick up the pieces when somebody breaks your heart. for BBC Music Live Festival at Leeds Castle in Kent, England, UK May, 2000. I never expected to be included in his plan, never expected any royalties.After getting to know and like her through correspondence, he raised it to 50%, an arrangement that provided her with a substantial sinecure for the rest of her days -- and beyond for her family. "Two years later Mercer answered her letter apologizing for the delay. (Posting of comments is subject to the guidelines. )Submit comments on songs, songwriters, performers, etc.
note: Tony's recollection that Mercer wrote the song especially for him doesn't correspond to the widely known story recounted above -- though he certainly had the privilege of introducing it. Such permission will be acknowledged in this space on the page where the image is used.© 2009-2018 by CafeSongbook.com -- All Rights ReservedTony Bennett sings "I Wanna Be Around" and "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" in an unannounced appearance at the debut of Waverly Seven (Anat Cohen, Avishai Cohen, Joel Frahm, Manuel Valera, Barak Mori, Daniel Freedman, Jason Lindner) at the In a typically generous act by Mercer, he quickly provided Vimmerstedt with a contract for a 10% share of the royalties, despite the fact that she had only sent him and title for a song for which he had written both music and lyrics, and she had made it clear to him,It was his to do with what he wished.
In any case Mr. Bennett had the good taste to recognize a great song when he saw one, and "I Wanna Be Around" has become a standard thanks to Mercer, Bennett and a pinch of Vimmerstedt.
She never stopped communicating her appreciation to Johnny (and to Tony Bennett as well).