The Singles is a four-disc
box set by the American pop singer
Johnny Mathis that was released in 2015 by
Columbia Records to commemorate the singer's 80th birthday. In his review of the collection Joe Marchese explains that it "doesn't bring together every track released by the legendary artist on 45 RPM; such an endeavor would take far more than four discs. Instead, it features the tracks originally released by Mathis on Columbia in the singles format – in other words, non-LP sides – between the years of 1956 and 1981, in their original single mixes."[3] His description of the compilation echoes that of the compilation's producer Didier C. Deutsch in the liner notes as explanation for the exclusion of the hit singles "
Misty" from Heavenly (1959) and his "
Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" duet with
Deniece Williams from You Light Up My Life (1978). Deutsch excuses these as "songs extracted from specific albums to call attention to these albums."[2] The set does, however, include "Ten Times Forever More" and "I Was There" from his 1971 LP, Love Story, and a shorter version of "If We Only Have Love" than the one that was included on his other 1971 album, You've Got a Friend.
Critical reception
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic wrote that "the first two discs contain the music that crystallized Johnny Mathis' appeal: he made the middle of the road seem fresh and if
Mitch Miller's productions grow wearisome, Mathis' voice never does".[1]The Second Disc's Joe Marchese argued that "this assemblage of hits and rarities belongs on the shelf of every fan of Johnny Mathis – which is to say of any fan of immaculate vocals, impeccable musicianship, and the full spectrum of American popular song."[3]
Track listing
Recording dates and information taken from the liner notes.[2]
A While this compilation only credits Ham as producer for tracks 18, 19, and 22 on this disc, the other compilations listed in the Notes section credit him as such on the tracks indicated. Neither the original singles nor the compilations released before these provided this information.
The Singles is a four-disc
box set by the American pop singer
Johnny Mathis that was released in 2015 by
Columbia Records to commemorate the singer's 80th birthday. In his review of the collection Joe Marchese explains that it "doesn't bring together every track released by the legendary artist on 45 RPM; such an endeavor would take far more than four discs. Instead, it features the tracks originally released by Mathis on Columbia in the singles format – in other words, non-LP sides – between the years of 1956 and 1981, in their original single mixes."[3] His description of the compilation echoes that of the compilation's producer Didier C. Deutsch in the liner notes as explanation for the exclusion of the hit singles "
Misty" from Heavenly (1959) and his "
Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" duet with
Deniece Williams from You Light Up My Life (1978). Deutsch excuses these as "songs extracted from specific albums to call attention to these albums."[2] The set does, however, include "Ten Times Forever More" and "I Was There" from his 1971 LP, Love Story, and a shorter version of "If We Only Have Love" than the one that was included on his other 1971 album, You've Got a Friend.
Critical reception
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic wrote that "the first two discs contain the music that crystallized Johnny Mathis' appeal: he made the middle of the road seem fresh and if
Mitch Miller's productions grow wearisome, Mathis' voice never does".[1]The Second Disc's Joe Marchese argued that "this assemblage of hits and rarities belongs on the shelf of every fan of Johnny Mathis – which is to say of any fan of immaculate vocals, impeccable musicianship, and the full spectrum of American popular song."[3]
Track listing
Recording dates and information taken from the liner notes.[2]
A While this compilation only credits Ham as producer for tracks 18, 19, and 22 on this disc, the other compilations listed in the Notes section credit him as such on the tracks indicated. Neither the original singles nor the compilations released before these provided this information.