Close to You (Johnny Mathis album)
Encyclopedia
Close To You is the thirty-third original studio album released by singer Johnny Mathis
.
. As with much of his output on Columbia Records
at this time, Mathis is strictly in adult contemporary mode on this album.
and Hal David
wrote the title song back in 1963 but it was not until 1970 that it became a #1 hit when recorded by The Carpenters
. Alan and Marilyn Bergman's
lyrics have been interpreted many times over the years by Mathis. Here, he performs their "Pieces Of Dreams", which had been featured in the 1970 film of the same name. Songs performed by The Beatles
also feature on a number of Mathis albums around this time. Here, he includes "The Long and Winding Road
", which was also used as the album's name in the UK.
Where more than half of his previous album had been made up of film songs, for this set only one such song is featured. "Come Saturday Morning
" was heard in the 1969 film The Sterile Cuckoo
starring a young Liza Minnelli
.
Popular song hits covered by Mathis on this album include "Evil Ways
", a top-ten hit for Santana
, "Until It's Time for You to Go
" by singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie
and "Everything Is Beautiful
", a hit for Ray Stevens
, who would in turn would find success with a cover Mathis' "Misty
". Adding an international twist to the mix are "Song of Joy (Himno a la Alegria)
", a #14 hit for Miguel Ríos
and Antonio Carlos Jobim
's song "Wave
".
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...
.
Overview
Once again combining film songs with covers of recent hits, Mathis is heard on this album under the musical direction of Ernie FreemanErnie Freeman
Ernie Freeman was an American pianist, organist and arranger.In 1935 he began playing in local Cleveland area nightclubs, and also formed a classical music trio for local social functions with his father and his sister Evelyn...
. As with much of his output on Columbia Records
Columbia 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...
at this time, Mathis is strictly in adult contemporary mode on this album.
Track listing
- "(They Long to Be) Close to You(They Long to Be) Close to You" Close to You" is a popular song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. It was first recorded by Richard Chamberlain and released as a single in 1963 as "They Long to Be Close to You," without parentheses. However, it was the single's flip side, "Blue Guitar," that became a hit...
" - "Evil WaysEvil Ways"Evil Ways" is a song by Santana from their 1969 album Santana. It was written by Clarence "Sonny" Henry and recorded by jazz percussionist Willie Bobo in 1968 on his album of the same name. The song is in simple verse form...
" - "Come Saturday Morning (From "The Sterile Cuckoo")Come Saturday Morning (song)Come Saturday Morning is a popular song with music by Fred Karlin and lyrics by Dory Previn, published in 1970. It was first performed by The Sandpipers on the soundtrack of the 1969 film The Sterile Cuckoo starring Liza Minnelli, and it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original...
" - "Yellow Days"
- "Pieces of Dreams (From Pieces of Dreams)"
- "Song of Joy (Himno a la Alegria)A Song of Joy"A Song of Joy" is the title of a popular rock song by the Spanish singer and actor Miguel Ríos. The song borrows heavily from the final movement of the Ninth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven...
" - "Everything Is BeautifulEverything Is Beautiful"Everything is Beautiful" is a song by Ray Stevens. It has appeared on many of Stevens' albums, including one named after the song, and has become a pop standard and common in religious performances. The children heard singing the chorus of the song, using the hymn, "Jesus Loves the Little...
" - "The Long and Winding RoadThe Long and Winding Road"The Long and Winding Road" is a ballad written by Paul McCartney that originally appeared on The Beatles' album Let It Be. It became The Beatles' 20th and last number-one song in the United States on 23 May 1970, and was the last single released by the quartet...
" - "(If You Let Me Make Love to You Then) Why Can't I Touch You"
- "WaveWave (song)"Wave" is a song written by Antonio Carlos Jobim. Recorded as an instrumental on Jobim's 1967 album of the same name, English lyrics were added by Jobim for a November 11, 1969 recording by Frank Sinatra, released on his 1970 album Sinatra & Company...
" - "Until It's Time for You to GoUntil It's Time for You to Go"Until It's Time for You to Go" is a song from the 1965 album Many a Mile by Canadian First Nations singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie. It was never released by her as a single, but was a UK Top 20 hit for British group The Four Pennies in 1965, and for Elvis Presley in 1972, and a US Hot 100...
"
Billboard charts
This album peaked at #61 on the Billboard album chart, Mathis' thirty-ninth album to place on the chart. Mathis also enjoyed two hit singles from this album, with "Pieces Of Dreams" peaking at #9 and "Evil Ways" reaching #30 on the Adult Contemporary Chart.Highlights
The work of two songwriting teams featured on previous Mathis recordings is heard on this album. 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...
and Hal David
Hal David
Harold Lane "Hal" David is an American lyricist. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. David is best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach.-Career:...
wrote the title song back in 1963 but it was not until 1970 that it became a #1 hit when recorded by The Carpenters
The Carpenters
Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of sister Karen and brother Richard Carpenter. The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and...
. Alan and Marilyn Bergman's
Alan Bergman
Alan Bergman is an American lyricist and songwriter.-Life & career:Born in Brooklyn, New York, he studied at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UCLA. His involvement in the entertainment industry began in the early 1950s as a director of children's television shows...
lyrics have been interpreted many times over the years by Mathis. Here, he performs their "Pieces Of Dreams", which had been featured in the 1970 film of the same name. Songs performed by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
also feature on a number of Mathis albums around this time. Here, he includes "The Long and Winding Road
The Long and Winding Road
"The Long and Winding Road" is a ballad written by Paul McCartney that originally appeared on The Beatles' album Let It Be. It became The Beatles' 20th and last number-one song in the United States on 23 May 1970, and was the last single released by the quartet...
", which was also used as the album's name in the UK.
Where more than half of his previous album had been made up of film songs, for this set only one such song is featured. "Come Saturday Morning
Come Saturday Morning (song)
Come Saturday Morning is a popular song with music by Fred Karlin and lyrics by Dory Previn, published in 1970. It was first performed by The Sandpipers on the soundtrack of the 1969 film The Sterile Cuckoo starring Liza Minnelli, and it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original...
" was heard in the 1969 film The Sterile Cuckoo
The Sterile Cuckoo
The Sterile Cuckoo , released in the UK as Pookie, is a theatrical release feature film released by Paramount Pictures. It tells the story of an eccentric young couple whose relationship deepens despite their differences and inadequacies, and stars Liza Minnelli, Wendell Burton, and Tim...
starring a young Liza Minnelli
Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
.
Popular song hits covered by Mathis on this album include "Evil Ways
Evil Ways
"Evil Ways" is a song by Santana from their 1969 album Santana. It was written by Clarence "Sonny" Henry and recorded by jazz percussionist Willie Bobo in 1968 on his album of the same name. The song is in simple verse form...
", a top-ten hit for Santana
Santana (band)
Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill...
, "Until It's Time for You to Go
Until It's Time for You to Go
"Until It's Time for You to Go" is a song from the 1965 album Many a Mile by Canadian First Nations singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie. It was never released by her as a single, but was a UK Top 20 hit for British group The Four Pennies in 1965, and for Elvis Presley in 1972, and a US Hot 100...
" by singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie
Buffy Sainte-Marie
Buffy Sainte-Marie, OC is a Canadian Cree singer-songwriter, musician, composer, visual artist, educator, pacifist, and social activist. Throughout her career in all of these areas, her work has focused on issues of Indigenous peoples of the Americas. Her singing and writing repertoire includes...
and "Everything Is Beautiful
Everything Is Beautiful
"Everything is Beautiful" is a song by Ray Stevens. It has appeared on many of Stevens' albums, including one named after the song, and has become a pop standard and common in religious performances. The children heard singing the chorus of the song, using the hymn, "Jesus Loves the Little...
", a hit for Ray Stevens
Ray Stevens
Ray Stevens is an American country music, pop singer-songwriter who has become known for his novelty songs.-Early career:...
, who would in turn would find success with a cover Mathis' "Misty
Misty (song)
"Misty" is a jazz standard written in 1954 by the pianist Erroll Garner.Originally composed as an instrumental following the traditional 32-bar format, the tune later had lyrics by Johnny Burke and became the signature song of Johnny Mathis, reaching #12 on the U.S. Pop Singles chart in 1959...
". Adding an international twist to the mix are "Song of Joy (Himno a la Alegria)
A Song of Joy
"A Song of Joy" is the title of a popular rock song by the Spanish singer and actor Miguel Ríos. The song borrows heavily from the final movement of the Ninth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven...
", a #14 hit for Miguel Ríos
Miguel Ríos
Miguel Ríos is a Spanish singer, composer, actor. He is one of the pioneers of rock and roll in Spain.-Biography:...
and Antonio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim , also known as Tom Jobim , was a Brazilian songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, and pianist/guitarist. He was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style, and his songs have been performed by many singers and instrumentalists within...
's song "Wave
Wave (song)
"Wave" is a song written by Antonio Carlos Jobim. Recorded as an instrumental on Jobim's 1967 album of the same name, English lyrics were added by Jobim for a November 11, 1969 recording by Frank Sinatra, released on his 1970 album Sinatra & Company...
".