''I'll Search My Heart and Other Great Hits'' is a
compilation album
A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one Performing arts#Performers, performer or by several performers. If the recordings are from ...
by American pop singer
Johnny Mathis
John Royce Mathis (born September 30, 1935) is an American singer. Starting his 69-year career with singles of standard (music), standard music, Mathis is one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century and became highly popular as ...
that was released by Columbia Records in April 1964
[ and gathered up five A-sides that reached the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, a corresponding ]B-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph record, vinyl records and Compact cassette, cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a Single (music), single usually ...
, and six songs that had previously been unreleased.
The album debuted on ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' magazine's Top LPs chart the following month, in the issue dated May 9, and got as high as number 35 during its 16 weeks there.
Reception
''Billboard'' wrote, "A most attractive blend of voice and strings on the Mathis-Columbia package. The album contains fine singing on a number of telling but off-beat tunes for which the singer is noted."[
]
Track listing
Side one
#" Starbright" (Lee Pockriss
Lee Julian Pockriss (January 20, 1924 – November 14, 2011) was an American songwriter who wrote popular songs and scores for films and Broadway shows, mainly during the 1960s and 1970s.
Early life and career
Born in Brooklyn and graduating ...
, Paul Vance
Joseph Paul Florio (November 4, 1929 – May 30, 2022), known professionally as Paul Vance, was an American songwriter and record producer, primarily from the 1950s until the 1970s.
His most successful song compositions, all written with Lee Po ...
) – 2:51
#* rec. 4/29/59, rel. 2/15/60;[ ''Billboard'' Hot 100: #25][.]
#"Every Step of the Way" ( Robert Allen, Al Stillman
Al Stillman ''(né'' Albert Irving Silverman; 26 June 1901 Manhattan, New York City, New York – 17 February 1979 Manhattan, New York City, New York) was an American lyricist.
Biography
Al Stillman was born as Albert Irving Silverman to American ...
) – 3:23
#* rec. 5/31/60, rel. 5/7/63;[ ''Billboard'' Hot 100: #30][ ]Easy Listening
Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to the 1970s. It is related to middle of the road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit s ...
: #10[.]
#"Wherever You Are It's Spring" (Arthur Hamilton
Arthur Hamilton Stern (October 22, 1926 – May 20, 2025) was an American songwriter. He is best known for the song " Cry Me a River", first published in 1953 and recorded by Julie London and numerous other artists.
Life and career
Arthur "Ar ...
) – 2:33
#* rec. 2/8/61; previously unreleased[(1996) ''I'll Buy You a Star'' by Johnny Mathis D booklet New York: Columbia Records CK 64892.]
#"The Joy of Loving You" (Bart Howard
Bart Howard (born Howard Joseph Gustafson, June 1, 1915 – February 21, 2004) was an American composer and songwriter, most notably of the jazz standard "Fly Me to the Moon", which has been performed by Kaye Ballard, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, ...
) – 3:05
#*rec. 3/29/62; previously unreleased[(2017) ''The Voice of Romance: The Columbia Original Album Collection'' by Johnny Mathis D booklet New York: Sony Music Entertainment 88985 36892 2.]
#"Each Time We Kiss" (Clyde Otis
Clyde Lovern Otis (September 11, 1924 – January 8, 2008) was an American songwriter and record producer, best known for his collaboration with singer Brook Benton, and for being one of the first African-American A&R executives at a major label. ...
, Colin Towns
Colin William Towns (born 13 May 1948) is an English composer and keyboardist. He was noted for playing in bands formed by ex-Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan, and later worked extensively in composing soundtracks for film, television and commercial ...
) – 2:39
#*rec. 3/4/61; previously unreleased[ ]
#"A Clock Without Hands" (Jerry Livingston
Jerry Livingston (born Jerry Levinson; March 25, 1909 – July 1, 1987) was an American songwriter and dance orchestra pianist.
Life and career
Born in Denver, Colorado to Sam and Dora (Lazarus) Levinson, Jerry Livingston studied music at the ...
, Paul Francis Webster
Paul Francis Webster (December 20, 1907 – March 18, 1984) was an American lyricist who won three Academy Awards for Best Original Song, and was nominated sixteen times for the award.
Life and career
Webster was born in New York City, United S ...
) – 2:58
#*rec. 3/29/62; previously unreleased
Side two
#"I'll Search My Heart" (Allyn Ferguson
Allyn Malcolm Ferguson Jr. (October 18, 1924 – June 23, 2010) was an American composer, whose works include the themes for 1970s television programs ''Barney Miller'' and ''Charlie's Angels'' (1976-1981), which he co-wrote with Jack Elliott ( ...
, Ernie Richman, Neil Weston) – 3:05
#* rec. 8/9/62, rel. 11/5/63;[ ''Billboard'' Hot 100: #90][ ]
#"Sooner or Later" (Thomas Garlock, Alan Jefferys) – 3:19
#* rec. 8/9/62, rel. 7/30/63[ ''Billboard'' Hot 100: #84]
#"My Favorite Dream" (Pockriss, Vance) – 2:55
#*rec. 10/9/61; previously unreleasedSammy Cahn
Samuel Cohen (June 18, 1913 – January 15, 1993), known professionally as Sammy Cahn, was an American lyricist, songwriter, and musician. He is best known for his romantic lyrics to films and Broadway songs, as well as stand-alone songs premie ...
, Alfred Newman
Alfred Newman (March 17, 1900 – February 17, 1970) was an American composer, arranger, and conductor of film music. From his start as a music prodigy, he came to be regarded as a respected figure in the history of film music. He won nine Acad ...
) – 2:45
#* rec. 9/8/59, rel. 9/28/59[ ''Billboard'' Hot 100: #62]
#"What to Do About Love" ( Leon Carr, Vance) – 2:28
#*rec. 5/31/60; previously unreleased[ ]
Personnel
*Johnny Mathis – vocals
*Ernie Altschuler – producer (except as noted)[
*Al Ham – producer ("The Best of Everything", "Starbright")][
*Mitch Miller – producer ("Every Step of the Way")][
*Irving Townsend – producer ("All the Sad Young Men")][
*M. Harkavy – cover photographic process][
]
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
{{Johnny Mathis
1964 greatest hits albums
Johnny Mathis compilation albums
Columbia Records compilation albums
Albums produced by Irving Townsend
Albums produced by Al Ham
Albums produced by Mitch Miller