Faithfully (Johnny Mathis album)
Encyclopedia
Faithfully is the eleventh album released by Johnny Mathis
. It is the ninth original studio album recorded by the singer (two hit singles compilations Johnny's Greatest Hits
and More Johnny's Greatest Hits
were among his album releases to this point.)
and producer Mitch Miller
. All the same hallmarks are found here from lush orchestrations, lavish production and ultra romantic songs. As always, Mathis treats the twelve songs on the album with the grace and sensitivity combined with the vocal purity that characterise Mathis at his vocal best. In contrast with Heavenly, many of the songs on this album are less well known than the usual quota of standards and showtunes usually found on a Mathis album of this period.
, Mathis enjoyed yet another smash hit, this record peaking at #2 on the Billboard album chart in its original release, his tenth consecutive album to chart.
. Bart Howard
who had penned a number of songs on previous Mathis albums contributed "Nobody Knows (How Much I Love You)" and "Where Do You Think You're Going." Like the previous album, there is a selection from the score of the Broadway musical Kismet
, Mathis' stunning rendition of "And This Is My Beloved
." The groundbreaking 1957 Broadway
show West Side Story
boasts a score by Leonard Bernstein
with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
. The album includes two songs from this show that would become staples of Mathis' concert repertoire, "Maria
" and "Tonight
" both of which are the recipient of superb vocals by Mathis. From Hollywood comes the Mathis version of the 1953 Oscar winning song "Secret Love" from Calamity Jane
.
From Tin Pan Alley
come three songs that are jazz standards: "You'd Better Go Now" is a Billie Holiday
classic while "Where Are You" and "Blue Gardenia" where fixtures in the repertoire of Dinah Washington
. All three are reimagined by Mathis as lush ballads.
Johnny Mathis
John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
. It is the ninth original studio album recorded by the singer (two hit singles compilations Johnny's Greatest Hits
Johnny's Greatest Hits
Johnny's Greatest Hits is the fifth album release by vocalist Johnny Mathis and the first compilation of his hit singles released by Columbia Records in 1958...
and More Johnny's Greatest Hits
More Johnny's Greatest Hits
More Johnny's Greatest Hits is the ninth album released by vocalist Johnny Mathis. It the second compilation of hit singles released by the singer.-Track listing:#"Small World" - 3:21#"Someone" - 2:58#"Very Much In Love" - 2:48...
were among his album releases to this point.)
Overview
Like its direct predecessor, this album continues the successful Mathis album formula developed by the singer with Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
and producer Mitch Miller
Mitch Miller
Mitchell William "Mitch" Miller was an American musician, singer, conductor, record producer, A&R man and record company executive...
. All the same hallmarks are found here from lush orchestrations, lavish production and ultra romantic songs. As always, Mathis treats the twelve songs on the album with the grace and sensitivity combined with the vocal purity that characterise Mathis at his vocal best. In contrast with Heavenly, many of the songs on this album are less well known than the usual quota of standards and showtunes usually found on a Mathis album of this period.
Track listing
- "FaithfullyFaithfully-Samples:"Alone" contains a sample form Who Shot Ya By Notorious B.I.G "Back to Love" contains a sample from "Last Night A DJ Saved My Life" by InDeep."Faithful " contains a sample from "Faithful to the End" by D.J...
" - "TonightTonight (1956 song)"Tonight" is a popular song with music written by Leonard Bernstein and the lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and was published in 1956.It was introduced in the Broadway musical West Side Story. The song was revived in 1961 on single records in versions by Ferrante & Teicher and Eddie Fisher, whose...
" - "Nobody Knows (How Much I Love You)"
- "One Starry Night"
- "Follow MeFollow MeFollow Me is a United States Army memorial located at Fort Benning, Georgia. It was created in 1959 by two soldiers, Private First Class Manfred Bass, sculptor and designer, and Private First Class Karl H. Van Krog, his assistant. The model for the statue was Eugene Wyles, an officer candidate and...
" - "You Better Go Now"
- "Secret Love"
- "MariaMaria (1956 song)"Maria" is a song from the Broadway musical West Side Story, sung by the lead character Tony. The music was written by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The song was published in 1956....
" - "Where Do You Think You're Going"
- "And This Is My BelovedAnd This Is My Beloved"And This Is My Beloved" is a popular song.It was from the 1953 musical Kismet and is credited to Robert Wright and George Forrest. Like all the music in that show, the melody was in fact based on music composed by Alexander Borodin, in this case, Borodin's String Quartet in D.The same melody had...
" - "Where Are You"
- "Blue Gardenia"
Billboard Album Chart
Following on from the enormous success of his previous album HeavenlyHeavenly (Johnny Mathis album)
Heavenly is the tenth album released by vocalist Johnny Mathis. It is the eighth original studio album recorded by the singer -Overview:This album, arranged and conducted by Glenn Osser, is the epitome of the successful album formula that had...
, Mathis enjoyed yet another smash hit, this record peaking at #2 on the Billboard album chart in its original release, his tenth consecutive album to chart.
Highlights
Like "Heavenly," this album's title song is also the work of Burt BacharachBurt Bacharach
Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...
. Bart Howard
Bart Howard
Bart Howard was the composer and writer of the famous jazz standard "Fly Me To The Moon", which has been performed by singers Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, Della Reese, Diana Krall, June Christy and Astrud Gilberto...
who had penned a number of songs on previous Mathis albums contributed "Nobody Knows (How Much I Love You)" and "Where Do You Think You're Going." Like the previous album, there is a selection from the score of the Broadway musical Kismet
Kismet (musical)
Kismet is a musical with lyrics and musical adaptation by Robert Wright and George Forrest, adapted from the music of Alexander Borodin, and a book by Charles Lederer and Luther Davis, based on Kismet, the 1911 play by Edward Knoblock...
, Mathis' stunning rendition of "And This Is My Beloved
And This Is My Beloved
"And This Is My Beloved" is a popular song.It was from the 1953 musical Kismet and is credited to Robert Wright and George Forrest. Like all the music in that show, the melody was in fact based on music composed by Alexander Borodin, in this case, Borodin's String Quartet in D.The same melody had...
." The groundbreaking 1957 Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
show West Side Story
West Side Story
West Side Story is an American musical with a script by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreographed by Jerome Robbins...
boasts a score by Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
. The album includes two songs from this show that would become staples of Mathis' concert repertoire, "Maria
Maria (1956 song)
"Maria" is a song from the Broadway musical West Side Story, sung by the lead character Tony. The music was written by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The song was published in 1956....
" and "Tonight
Tonight (1956 song)
"Tonight" is a popular song with music written by Leonard Bernstein and the lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and was published in 1956.It was introduced in the Broadway musical West Side Story. The song was revived in 1961 on single records in versions by Ferrante & Teicher and Eddie Fisher, whose...
" both of which are the recipient of superb vocals by Mathis. From Hollywood comes the Mathis version of the 1953 Oscar winning song "Secret Love" from Calamity Jane
Calamity Jane (1953 film)
Calamity Jane is a "Wild West"-themed film musical released in 1953. It is loosely based on the life of Wild West heroine Calamity Jane and explores an alleged romance between Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok in the American Old West. The film starred Doris Day as the title character and Howard...
.
From Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley
Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century...
come three songs that are jazz standards: "You'd Better Go Now" is a Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
classic while "Where Are You" and "Blue Gardenia" where fixtures in the repertoire of Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington, born Ruth Lee Jones , was an American blues, R&B and jazz singer. She has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the '50s", and called "The Queen of the Blues"...
. All three are reimagined by Mathis as lush ballads.
External links
- [ All Music Review]
- Johnny Mathis sings "West Side Story Medley"