Autumn Playlist

Autumn is a season of golden serenity, but also a season of poignance and rue and farewell, and no one expressed this more lyrically than Johnny Mercer, who wrote the words for "Autumn Leaves," "Early Autumn," "Summer Wind" and "When October Goes."

Then there are Maxwell Anderson's memorable lyrics for "September Song," and Al Dubin's for "Indian Summer" and Sammy Cahn's for "The Things We Did Last Summer."

Less well known are "Autumn Serenade," by Peter DeRose, who also wrote "Deep Purple," and "'Tis Autumn" by the puckish practical joker Henry Nemo ("The Neem"). But I'm sure we can all sing "Autumn in New York," by Vernon Duke (ne Vladimir Dukelsky), and some will have their own memories of fall in Manhattan.

The original French version of "Autumn Leaves" is "Les Feuilles Mortes." A less golden title, but every time Yves Montand sang it to end his stage performances, the applause went on until the lights were turned off.

We'll be watching for you at that dance pavilion in the rain.