The Sweetheart Tree
Encyclopedia
The Sweetheart Tree is the twenty third original studio album released by singer Johnny Mathis
and his seventh album for Mercury Records
.
and features songs with an international flavour. It was released in two versions: in America
as "The Sweetheart Tree" while in the UK it appeared under the title "Away From Home". Ten of the songs are found on both albums. The US version has twelve tracks and includes the songs "The Sweetheart Tree" and "Mirage" not found on the UK version. The UK version has fourteen tracks, three of which ("If I Had You", "Try A Little Tenderness
" and "If Love Were All") have never been released in the US. A further song, "In Love For The Very First Time" would appear on Mathis' next album "The Shadow of Your Smile
".
It's also worth noting is that the cover photographs on the US version of the album are the work of actor Roddy McDowell who also found acclaim for his photography.
chart and at #21 on the Adult Contemporary Chart.
" and was written by Henry Mancini
and Johnny Mercer
. Mercer also wrote the English lyrics to "Autumn Leaves
". "On A Wonderful Day Like Today" is by Anthony Newley
and Leslie Bricusse
and is from their show "The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd". The album also contains versions of such classic British
songs as "Danny Boy
and "The Skye Boat Song
". "Try A Little Tenderness
" was first heard in 1932 and has been frequently recorded over the years. Mathis' version as a traditional ballad is far removed from the soul version recorded by Otis Redding
the following year.
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...
and his seventh album for Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
.
Overview
Much of the album was recorded in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and features songs with an international flavour. It was released in two versions: in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as "The Sweetheart Tree" while in the UK it appeared under the title "Away From Home". Ten of the songs are found on both albums. The US version has twelve tracks and includes the songs "The Sweetheart Tree" and "Mirage" not found on the UK version. The UK version has fourteen tracks, three of which ("If I Had You", "Try A Little Tenderness
Try a Little Tenderness
"Try a Little Tenderness" is a love song written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly and Harry M. Woods, and recorded initially on December 8, 1932 by the Ray Noble Orchestra followed by both Ruth Etting and Bing Crosby in 1933...
" and "If Love Were All") have never been released in the US. A further song, "In Love For The Very First Time" would appear on Mathis' next album "The Shadow of Your Smile
The Shadow Of Your Smile (Johnny Mathis album)
The Shadow Of Your Smile is the twenty fourth original studio album released by singer Johnny Mathis and his eighth album for Mercury Records.-Overview:...
".
It's also worth noting is that the cover photographs on the US version of the album are the work of actor Roddy McDowell who also found acclaim for his photography.
Track listing-US Version
- "A Wonderful Day Like Today"
- "Arrivederci Roma"
- "Clopin Clopant"
- "This Is Love"
- "I'll Close My Eyes"
- "The Very Thought Of YouThe Very Thought of You"The Very Thought of You" is a pop standard published in 1934, with music and lyrics by Ray Noble. In addition to Noble's own hit recording of the song with his orchestra, featuring the vocals of Al Bowlly, there was also a popular version recorded that same year by Bing Crosby. A decade later, the...
" - "Danny BoyDanny Boy-Background:The words to "Danny Boy" were written by English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly in 1910. Although the lyrics were originally written for a different tune, Weatherly modified them to fit the "Londonderry Air" in 1913, after his sister-in-law in the U.S. sent him a copy. Ernestine...
" - "The Sweetheart Tree"
- "Symphony"
- "The Skye Boat SongThe Skye Boat Song"The Skye Boat Song" is a Scottish folk song, which can also be played as a waltz, recalling the escape of Prince Charles Edward Stuart from Uist to the Isle of Skye after his defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. Charles escaped in a small boat, with the aid of Flora MacDonald, disguised as a...
" - "Autumn LeavesAutumn Leaves (song)"Autumn Leaves" is a much-recorded popular song. Originally it was a 1945 French song "Les Feuilles mortes" with music by Joseph Kosma and lyrics by poet Jacques Prévert. Yves Montand introduced "Les feuilles mortes" in 1946 in the film Les Portes de la Nuit...
" - "Mirage"
Track listing-UK Version
- "On A Wonderful Day Like Today"
- "Clopin Clopant"
- "The Skye Boat SongThe Skye Boat Song"The Skye Boat Song" is a Scottish folk song, which can also be played as a waltz, recalling the escape of Prince Charles Edward Stuart from Uist to the Isle of Skye after his defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. Charles escaped in a small boat, with the aid of Flora MacDonald, disguised as a...
" - "If I Had You"
- "Symphony"
- "Try A Little TendernessTry a Little Tenderness"Try a Little Tenderness" is a love song written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly and Harry M. Woods, and recorded initially on December 8, 1932 by the Ray Noble Orchestra followed by both Ruth Etting and Bing Crosby in 1933...
" - "If Love Were All"
- "Danny BoyDanny Boy-Background:The words to "Danny Boy" were written by English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly in 1910. Although the lyrics were originally written for a different tune, Weatherly modified them to fit the "Londonderry Air" in 1913, after his sister-in-law in the U.S. sent him a copy. Ernestine...
" - "The Very Thought Of YouThe Very Thought of You"The Very Thought of You" is a pop standard published in 1934, with music and lyrics by Ray Noble. In addition to Noble's own hit recording of the song with his orchestra, featuring the vocals of Al Bowlly, there was also a popular version recorded that same year by Bing Crosby. A decade later, the...
" - "Autumn LeavesAutumn Leaves (song)"Autumn Leaves" is a much-recorded popular song. Originally it was a 1945 French song "Les Feuilles mortes" with music by Joseph Kosma and lyrics by poet Jacques Prévert. Yves Montand introduced "Les feuilles mortes" in 1946 in the film Les Portes de la Nuit...
" - "I'll Close My Eyes"
- "This Is Love"
- "Arrivederci Roma"
- "I'm In Love For The Very First Time"
Billboard Charts
In the US, "The Sweetheart Tree" peaked at #71 on the Billboard album chart. This was Mathis' twenty seventh album to place on the chart. Mathis also enjoyed a hit single from the album with the title song peaking at #108 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 SinglesBubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
chart and at #21 on the Adult Contemporary Chart.
Highlights
The song "The Sweetheart Tree" is from the 1965 film "The Great RaceThe Great Race
The Great Race is a 1965 slapstick comedy film starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Natalie Wood, directed by Blake Edwards, written by Blake Edwards and Arthur A. Ross, and with music by Henry Mancini and cinematography by Russell Harlan. The supporting cast includes Peter Falk, Keenan Wynn,...
" and was written by Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards , plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995...
and Johnny Mercer
Johnny Mercer
John Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
. Mercer also wrote the English lyrics to "Autumn Leaves
Autumn Leaves (song)
"Autumn Leaves" is a much-recorded popular song. Originally it was a 1945 French song "Les Feuilles mortes" with music by Joseph Kosma and lyrics by poet Jacques Prévert. Yves Montand introduced "Les feuilles mortes" in 1946 in the film Les Portes de la Nuit...
". "On A Wonderful Day Like Today" is by Anthony Newley
Anthony Newley
Anthony George Newley was an English actor, singer and songwriter. He enjoyed success as a performer in such diverse fields as rock and roll and stage and screen acting.-Early life:...
and Leslie Bricusse
Leslie Bricusse
Leslie Bricusse is an English composer, lyricist, and playwright.Although best known for his partnership with Anthony Newley, Bricusse has worked with many other composers. He was educated at University College School in London and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge...
and is from their show "The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd". The album also contains versions of such classic British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
songs as "Danny Boy
Danny Boy
-Background:The words to "Danny Boy" were written by English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly in 1910. Although the lyrics were originally written for a different tune, Weatherly modified them to fit the "Londonderry Air" in 1913, after his sister-in-law in the U.S. sent him a copy. Ernestine...
and "The Skye Boat Song
The Skye Boat Song
"The Skye Boat Song" is a Scottish folk song, which can also be played as a waltz, recalling the escape of Prince Charles Edward Stuart from Uist to the Isle of Skye after his defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. Charles escaped in a small boat, with the aid of Flora MacDonald, disguised as a...
". "Try A Little Tenderness
Try a Little Tenderness
"Try a Little Tenderness" is a love song written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly and Harry M. Woods, and recorded initially on December 8, 1932 by the Ray Noble Orchestra followed by both Ruth Etting and Bing Crosby in 1933...
" was first heard in 1932 and has been frequently recorded over the years. Mathis' version as a traditional ballad is far removed from the soul version recorded by Otis Redding
Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
the following year.
External links
- [ All Music Review]