oscar hammerstein, johnny mercer. i was lucky enough to have johnny mercer as a mentor. he stood over my shoulder and listened to what i was doing. that is where we learned and those are the great songs for us. that is why we wanted to emulate. >> i have to back a minute. you said that i said our standards were lower. it was not that we could write that song in a day. we knew much less about the craft, you know, so we were less, i was going to say responsive -- responsible. our standards were always very high because we listened. we grew up listening to the greatest songwriters. tavis: you cannot do what you have done as well as you have done without obviously a wonderful imagination, but words are so terribly important. what makes it work is to write words and put that in the right place, oversimplified, obviously. how did each of you develop such a love of words? >> and language. my father and i when when i was 5, 6, around in there. my father taught me a game called anagram. we played anagrams two or three times a week until i was 11 or 12. and then he says, you are g

mercer. i was lucky enough to he johnny merr as a mentor. he sod over my sde andsten to w. that is where we learned and those are the great songs for us. that is why we wanted ulate. >> i have to bk a minute. you said that i saidur itas not that cou wte at song in a day.we kmuch less e t, u know, weer, i s going ty responsive- respone. our andards were always very gh because we listened. werew up listeng to the greatest sonriters tavis: y cannot do what u done as well as you have done whoiously a wonderful words are srribly important. wh makes it work is tori words and t pl, oveimified, hoously. did each of you dopuc a love of word >> andlanguage. myher and i when en i was 5, 6, around in there. my father taught me a game called anagram. two or tee week until i was 11 or 12. and then he says,you a getttoo good for m and you nn be writer without being a re. tavis: you read iessaly, bo of you. of what kinuff do y read? mazis, books? >> everything. >> maryld ad magazines. d newspapersu more an i do. maril rea >> it is true about reading. anagrams is about wordplay bu readng is