Romantically
Studio album by
Johnny Mathis
ReleasedNovember 18, 1963[1]
RecordedFebruary 26–28, 1963[2]
GenreVocal[3]
Length42:52
LabelColumbia
ProducerErnie Altschuler[4]
Johnny Mathis chronology
Sounds of Christmas
(1963)		 Romantically
(1963)		 Tender Is the Night
(1964)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link
Billboardpositive[5]

Romantically is an album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released on November 18, 1963,[5] by Columbia Records and was also the final original studio album recorded by Mathis for the label prior to his moving to Mercury Records. Mathis had recorded exclusively for Columbia from 1956 to 1963. After a brief stint with Mercury, he returned to Columbia in 1967. His first Mercury project, Sounds of Christmas, was actually released six weeks before this one, on October 4.[6]

Romantically made its first appearance on Billboard magazine's album chart in the issue dated December 28, 1963, and peaked at number 23 over the course of 27 weeks.[7]

The first compact disc release of the album came on June 9, 2009, when it was issued as disc two of a two-CD set that also included his 1962 LP Rapture.[8]

Reception

Allmusic's Joe Viglione notes something aside from the label change about the place of this release in the Mathis catalog. "This album was recorded during the classic phase of the icon's career, his Top 40 hits coming to a halt around this time. There would be a 15-year gap before he would see that kind of attention again. And while all his releases throughout the 1970s have precision and value, there's something very special about the forces at play here.".[3] He also mentions that the singer's voice "works very effectively on 'Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo', 'Friendly Persuasion (Thee I Love)', and 'Autumn in New York'."[3] Although he gives side two a mixed review, he does describe "In Wisconsin" as "perfect for any 'bachelor pad' compilation"[3] and sums up side one as "just a lovely slice of orchestrated treasures."[3]

Billboard offered a prediction. "Johnny Mathis fans will find this LP irresistible, as will the lovers of romantic ballads."[5] They especially liked the selections here. "Each of the 12 songs are standard blockbusters—perfectly suited for Mathis."[5]

Track listing

Side one

  1. "Getting to Know You" from The King and I (Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers) – 3:11
  2. "Moonlight in Vermont" (John Blackburn, Karl Suessdorf) – 3:40
  3. "Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo" from Lili (Helen Deutsch, Bronislaw Kaper)– 3:30
  4. "Friendly Persuasion (Thee I Love)" from Friendly Persuasion (Dimitri Tiomkin, Paul Francis Webster) – 3:51
  5. "Autumn in New York" from Thumbs Up! (Vernon Duke) – 4:50
  6. "In Wisconsin" (Calvin Bostick) – 3:15

Side two

  1. "All That Is Missing" (Eddie Snyder, Paul Vance) – 2:58
  2. "The Sound of Music" from The Sound of Music (Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers) – 3:22
  3. "Theme from "Carnival!"" from Carnival! (Bob Merrill) – 2:33
  4. "Too Young to Go Steady" from the musical Strip for Action[9] (Harold Adamson, Jimmy McHugh) – 3:42
  5. "It's Only a Paper Moon" from The Great Magoo (Harold Arlen, E. Y. Harburg, Billy Rose) – 3:53
  6. "September Song" from Knickerbocker Holiday (Maxwell Anderson, Kurt Weill) – 4:07

Recording dates

From the liner notes for The Voice of Romance: The Columbia Original Album Collection:[2]

  • February 26, 1963 – "Autumn in New York", "Getting to Know You", "It's Only a Paper Moon", "September Song"
  • February 27, 1963 – "Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo", "Moonlight in Vermont", "The Sound of Music", "Theme from "Carnival!""
  • February 28, 1963 – "All That Is Missing", "Friendly Persuasion (Thee I Love)", "In Wisconsin", "Too Young to Go Steady"

Personnel

References

  1. ↑ (1996) Johnny by Johnny Mathis [CD booklet]. New York: Columbia Records CK 64893. The CD booklet for Johnny mentions the release dates for both of these albums since they were recorded back-to-back.
  2. 1 2 (2017) The Voice of Romance: The Columbia Original Album Collection by Johnny Mathis [CD booklet]. New York: Sony Music Entertainment 88985 36892 2.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Romantically - Johnny Mathis". allmusic.com. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 (1963) Romantically by Johnny Mathis [album jacket]. New York: Columbia Records CS 8898.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Album Reviews". Billboard. 1963-12-21. p. 25.
  6. ↑ (2014) The Complete Global Albums Collection by Johnny Mathis [CD booklet]. New York: Sony Music Entertainment 88843091432.
  7. ↑ Whitburn 2010, p. 503.
  8. ↑ "Rapture/Romantically - Johnny Mathis". allmusic.com. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  9. ↑ (1956) "Too Young to Go Steady/Never Let Me Go" by Nat King Cole [side A label]. Los Angeles: Capitol Records F3390.

Bibliography

  • Whitburn, Joel (2010), Joel Whitburn Presents Top Pop Albums, Seventh Edition, Record Research Inc., ISBN 0-89820-183-7
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