''Live It Up!'' is an album by American pop singer

Johnny Mathis John Royce Mathis (born September 30, 1935) is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standard music, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum s ...

that was released on December 11, 1961, by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

and was the second of two album collaborations with arranger and conductor

Nelson Riddle Nelson Smock Riddle Jr. (June 1, 1921 – October 6, 1985) was an American arranger, composer, bandleader and orchestrator whose career stretched from the late 1940s to the mid-1980s. He worked with many world-famous vocalists at Capitol Records ...

. The singer again eschewed ballads as he had on ''

Swing Softly ''Swing Softly'' is the fifth album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released on July 28, 1958, by Columbia Records and was a departure from the ballads that accounted for the vast majority of singles and album tracks he had record ...

'' and selected a balance of new and established material. 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 advertise ...

'' magazine's

album chart A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of Sound recording and reproduction, recorded music according to certain criteria during a given period. Many different criteria are used in worldwide charts, often ...

in the issue dated February 24, 1962, to begin a stay of 39 weeks, during which time it got as high as number 14.. This album was released for the first time on compact disc in a two-disc set with his other Riddle project, 1961's ''

I'll Buy You A Star ''I'll Buy You a Star'' is an album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released on February 27, 1961 by Columbia Records and was the first of two album collaborations with arranger and conductor Nelson Riddle. This LP includes both ...

'', on June 9, 2009.

Reception

''Billboard'' was enthusiastic. "This is easily one of Mathis's best albums", they wrote. "He's really in a swingin' mood, and he gets standout arrangements to match from Nelson Riddle."

Track listing

Side one

#"Live It Up" (

Alan Bergman Alan Bergman (born September 11, 1925) and Marilyn Keith Bergman (November 10, 1928 – January 8, 2022) were an American songwriting duo. Married from 1958 until Marilyn's death, together they wrote music and lyrics for numerous celebrated telev ...

, Marilyn Bergman) – 3:28 #" Just Friends" ( John Klenner,

Sam M. Lewis Sam M. Lewis (October 25, 1885 – November 22, 1959) was an American singer and lyricist. Career Lewis was born Samuel M. Levine in New York City, United States. He began his music career by singing in cafés throughout New York City, and be ...

) – 4:01 #" Ace in the Hole" from ''

Let's Face It! ''Let's Face It!'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The book by Herbert and Dorothy Fields is based on the 1925 play ''The Cradle Snatchers'' by Russell Medcraft and Norma Mitchell. The 1941 Broadway and 1942 West End produ ...

'' (

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Born to ...

) – 2:46 #"On a Cold and Rainy Day" (Lee Pockriss, Paul Vance) – 3:06 #"Why Not" (Otis G. Clements, Sydney Shaw) – 2:08 #" I Won't Dance" from '' Roberta'' ( Dorothy Fields,

Oscar Hammerstein II Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II (; July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was an American lyricist, librettist, theatrical producer, and (usually uncredited) director in the musical theater for almost 40 years. He won eight Ton ...

, Otto Harbach, Jerome Kern, Jimmy McHugh) – 3:58

Side two

#" Johnny One Note" from '' Babes in Arms'' (

Lorenz Hart Lorenz Milton Hart (May 2, 1895 – November 22, 1943) was an American lyricist and half of the Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart. Some of his more famous lyrics include " Blue Moon", " The Lady Is a Tramp", "Manhattan", "Bewitched, Both ...

Richard Rodgers Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American Musical composition, composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers was one of the most ...

) – 2:39 #"Too Much Too Soon" (Marvin Fisher,

Jack Segal Jack Segal (October 19, 1918 – February 10, 2005) was a pianist and composer of popular American songs, known for writing the lyrics to '' Scarlet Ribbons''. His composition '' May I Come In?'' was the title track for a Blossom Dearie album. ...

) – 2:51 #"

The Riviera ''Riviera'' () is an Italian word which means "coastline", ultimately derived from Latin , through Ligurian . It came to be applied as a proper name to the coast of Liguria, in the form ''Riviera ligure'', then shortened in English. The two are ...

" (

Cy Coleman Cy Coleman (born Seymour Kaufman; June 14, 1929 – November 18, 2004) was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist. Life and career Coleman was born Seymour Kaufman in New York City, United States, to Eastern European Jewish parents ...

, Joseph Allen McCarthy) – 3:03 #"Crazy in the Heart" ( William Engvick,

Alec Wilder Alexander Lafayette Chew Wilder (February 16, 1907 – December 24, 1980) was an American composer. Biography Wilder was born in Rochester, New York, United States, to a prominent family; the Wilder Building downtown (at the "Four Corners") ...

) – 3:55 #" Hey, Look Me Over" from '' Wildcat'' (Coleman,

Carolyn Leigh Carolyn Leigh (August 21, 1926 – November 19, 1983) was an American lyricist for Broadway, film, and popular songs. She is best known as the writer with partner Cy Coleman of the pop standards "Witchcraft" and "The Best Is Yet to Come". With ...

) – 1:48 #"Love" from '' Ziegfeld Follies'' ( Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin) – 3:46

Recording dates

From the liner notes for '' The Voice of Romance: The Columbia Original Album Collection'': *April 24, 1961 — "Ace in the Hole", "Johnny One Note", "Just Friends", "Live It Up", "The Riviera" *April 25, 1961 — "Crazy in the Heart", "Hey, Look Me Over", "I Won't Dance", "Love", "On a Cold and Rainy Day", "Too Much Too Soon", "Why Not"

Personnel

*Johnny Mathis – vocals * Irving Townsend – producer *

– arranger and conductor * Bob Cato – cover photo *Curtis F. Brown – liner notes

References

Bibliography

* {{Authority control 1962 albums Johnny Mathis albums Columbia Records albums Albums produced by Irving Townsend Albums conducted by Nelson Riddle Albums arranged by Nelson Riddle