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Mercer's Whiteman association brought him into contact with Hoagy Carmichael, whose `` Snowball '' Mercer relyriced as `` Lazybones '', in which form it became a hit and marked the real beginning of Mercer's song-writing career.

After leaving Whiteman, Mercer joined the Benny Goodman band as a vocalist.

With the help of Ziggy Elman, also in the band, he transformed a traditional Jewish melody into a popular song, `` And The Angels Sing ''.

The countrywide success of `` Lazybones '' and `` And The Angels Sing '' could only lead to Hollywood, where, besides Harold Arlen, Mercer collaborated with Harry Warren, Jimmy Van Heusen, Richard Whiting, Walter Donaldson, Jerome Kern, and Arthur Schwartz.

Mercer has also written both music and lyrics for several songs.

He may be the only song writer ever to have collaborated with a secretary of the U. S. Treasury ; ;

he collaborated on a song with William Hartman Woodin, who was Secretary of the Treasury, 1932-33.