''The First 25 Years – The Silver Anniversary Album'' is a compilation album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released in 1981 by Columbia Records. The back cover of the album notes that there are four new tracks ("It Doesn't Have to Hurt Every Time", "Nothing Between Us but Love", "

There! I've Said It Again "There! I've Said It Again" is a popular song written and published by Redd Evans and David Mann in 1941. In early 1945, Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra released Victor 20-1637, which reached the number one position on the Billboard's Natio ...

", and "

The Way You Look Tonight "The Way You Look To-night" is a song from the film ''Swing Time'' that was performed by Fred Astaire and composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics written by Dorothy Fields. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1936. Fields remarked, ...

").(1981) ''The First 25 Years – The Silver Anniversary Album'' by Johnny Mathis lbum jacket New York: Columbia Records C2X 37440. A cover of the

Commodores Commodores are an American funk and soul band, which were at their peak in the late 1970s through the mid 1980s. The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in 1968, and signed with Motown in ...

hit "

Three Times a Lady "Three Times a Lady" is a 1978 song by American soul group the Commodores for their album '' Natural High'', written by lead singer Lionel Richie. It was produced by James Anthony Carmichael and the Commodores. It was the Commodores' first number ...

" had been released on the UK version of his 1980 album '' Different Kinda Different'', which was retitled ''All for You'', but the Mathis rendition of the song makes its US debut here. This compilation made its first appearance on '' Billboard'' magazine's Top LP's & Tapes chart in the issue dated July 25, 1981, and remained there for four weeks, peaking at number 173. This release has a

gatefold A gatefold cover or gatefold LP is a form of packaging for LP records that became popular in the mid-1960s. A gatefold cover, when folded, is the same size as a standard LP cover (i.e., a 12½ inch, or 32.7 centimetre square). The larger gatefo ...

cover that opens to a gallery of photos of Mathis, many of which include other celebrities such as

Jack Benny Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky, February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success playing violin on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century wit ...

, Mike Douglas, Farrah Fawcett,

Henry Mancini Henry Mancini ( ; born Enrico Nicola Mancini, ; April 16, 1924 – June 14, 1994) was an American composer, conductor, arranger, pianist and flautist. Often cited as one of the greatest composers in the history of film, he won four Academy Award ...

, Jane Olivor, Prince Charles,

Karen Valentine Karen Valentine (born May 25, 1947) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as young idealistic schoolteacher Alice Johnson in the ABC comedy drama series ''Room 222'' from 1969 to 1974, for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award f ...

, Dionne Warwick, and

Flip Wilson Clerow "Flip" Wilson Jr. (December 8, 1933 – November 25, 1998) was an American comedian and actor best known for his television appearances during the late 1960s and 1970s. From 1970 to 1974, Wilson hosted his own weekly variety series ''The F ...

. The album was encoded with the CX noise reduction system.

Track listing

Side one

# "

Misty Misty may refer to: Music * ''Misty'' (Ray Stevens album), an album by Ray Stevens featuring the above song * ''Misty'' (Richard "Groove" Holmes album), an album by Richard "Groove" Holmes featuring the above song * ''Misty'' (Eddie "Lockjaw" ...

" ( Johnny Burke,

Erroll Garner Erroll Louis Garner (June 15, 1921 – January 2, 1977) was an American jazz pianist and composer known for his swing playing and ballads. His instrumental ballad " Misty", his best-known composition, has become a jazz standard. It was first r ...

) – 3:34 #*recorded 4/21/59(1993) ''The Music of Johnny Mathis: A Personal Collection'' by Johnny Mathis D booklet New York: Columbia Records C4K-48932. for his album '' Heavenly''; single released 9/59; ''Billboard'' Hot 100: #12. # "

Begin the Beguine "Begin the Beguine" is a popular song written by Cole Porter. Porter composed the song between Kalabahi, Indonesia, and Fiji during a 1935 Pacific cruise aboard Cunard's ocean liner ''Franconia''. In October 1935, it was introduced by June Kni ...

" ( Cole Porter) – 4:16 #*rec. 1978 for his album ''

The Best Days of My Life ''The Best Days of My Life'' is an album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released on January 29, 1979, by Columbia Records and scaled back considerably on his more than decade-long practice of recording recent hit songs by other ar ...

'' # "Didn't We" (

Jimmy Webb Jimmy Layne Webb (born August 15, 1946) is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He has written numerous platinum-selling songs, including " Up, Up and Away", " By the Time I Get to Phoenix", " MacArthur Park", " Wichita Lineman", " Wo ...

) – 2:43 #*rec. for his 1969 album '' Love Theme From "Romeo And Juliet" (A Time For Us)'' # "It Doesn't Have to Hurt Every Time" (Jim Andron, Candy Parton) – 3:41 #*rec. 1/18/81 # "

Wonderful! Wonderful! "Wonderful! Wonderful!" is a popular music song written by Sherman Edwards, with lyrics by Ben Raleigh. The song was first published in 1956. In the United States, a recording by Johnny Mathis reached number 14 on the ''Billboard'' chart ...

" (

Sherman Edwards Sherman Edwards (April 3, 1919 – March 30, 1981) was an American composer, jazz pianist, and songwriter, best known for his songs from the 1969 Broadway musical ''1776'' and the 1972 film adaptation. Early life Edwards was born in the East ...

, Ben Raleigh) – 2:49 #*rec. 9/20/56, rel. 11/5/56; Most Played by Jockeys: #14 ;Personnel *Jack Gold – producer (tracks 2,(1978) ''

'' by Johnny Mathis lbum jacket New York: Columbia Records JC 35649. 3,(1969) '' Love Theme From "Romeo And Juliet" (A Time For Us)'' by Johnny Mathis lbum jacket New York: Columbia Records . 4) *

Al Ham Albert W. Ham (February 6, 1925 in Malden, Massachusetts — October 4, 2001 in Spring Hill, Florida) was an American composer and jingle writer. He was notable as the composer of the ''Move Closer to Your World'' music package used since the 19 ...

– producer (tracks 1, 5(2004) ''The Essential Johnny Mathis'' by Johnny Mathis D booklet New York: Columbia Records C2K-63562.) *

Mitch Miller Mitchell William Miller (July 4, 1911 – July 31, 2010) was an American choral conductor, record producer, record-industry executive, and professional oboist. He was involved in almost all aspects of the industry, particularly as a conductor ...

– producer (tracks 1, 5) * Ray Conniff – arranger, conductor (track 5) *

Ernie Freeman Ernest Aaron Freeman (August 16, 1922 – May 16, 1981) was an American pianist, organist, bandleader, and arranger. He was responsible for arranging many successful rhythm and blues and pop records from the 1950s to the 1970s. Birth and fam ...

– arranger, conductor (track 3) * Glenn Osser – arranger, conductor (track1) *

Gene Page Eugene Edgar Page Jr. (September 13, 1939 – August 24, 1998) was an American conductor, composer, arranger and record producer, most active from the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s. His sound can be heard in the arrangements he did for Jeffer ...

– arranger, conductor (tracks 2, 4)

Side two

# "

It's Not for Me to Say "It's Not for Me to Say" is a 1957 popular song with music by Robert Allen and lyrics by Al Stillman. It was written for the 1957 movie '' Lizzie'' (starring Eleanor Parker), and was sung by Johnny Mathis in the film. Mathis' recording of the so ...

" from ''

Lizzie Lizzie or Lizzy is a nickname for Elizabeth or Elisabet, often given as an independent name in the United States, especially in the late 19th century. Lizzie can also be the shortened version of Lizeth, Lissette or Lizette. People * Elizabeth I ...

'' (Allen, Stillman) – 3:05 #*rec. 9/20/56, rel. 2/25/57; Most Played by Jockeys: #5 # " Stardust" (

Hoagy Carmichael Hoagland Howard Carmichael (November 22, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American musician, composer, songwriter, actor and lawyer. Carmichael was one of the most successful Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the 1930s, and was among the first ...

Mitchell Parish Mitchell Parish (born Michael Hyman Pashelinsky; July 10, 1900 – March 31, 1993) was an American lyricist, notably as a writer of songs for stage and screen. Biography Parish was born to a Jewish family in Lithuania, Russian Empire in July 190 ...

) – 3:27 #*rec. for his 1975 album ''

Feelings Feelings are subjective self-contained phenomenal experiences. According to the ''APA Dictionary of Psychology'', a feeling is "a self-contained phenomenal experience"; and feelings are "subjective, evaluative, and independent of the sensations ...

'' # "

" ( Lionel Richie) – 4:15 #*rec. 3/5/80 for his UK album '' All for You'' # "

" (

Dorothy Fields Dorothy Fields (July 15, 1904 – March 28, 1974) was an American librettist and lyricist. She wrote over 400 songs for Broadway musicals and films. Her best-known pieces include "The Way You Look Tonight" (1936), "A Fine Romance" (1936), " On t ...

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in ove ...

) – 3:17 #*rec. 11/26/80 # " Deep Purple" (

Peter DeRose Peter DeRose (or De Rose) (March 10, 1896 – April 23, 1953) was an American composer of jazz and pop music during the era of Tin Pan Alley. Biography A native of New York City, he showed a gift for all things musical at an early age. He lea ...

) – 3:31 #*rec. 1980 for his album '' Different Kinda Different'' ;Personnel *Jack Gold – producer (tracks 2,(1975) ''

'' by Johnny Mathis lbum jacket New York: Columbia Records PC 33887. 3–4, 5(1980) '' Different Kinda Different'' by Johnny Mathis lbum jacket New York: Columbia Records JC 36505.) *

– producer (track 1) *

– producer (track 1) * Ray Conniff – arranger, conductor (track 1) *Arnold Goland – arranger, conductor (track 4) *

– arranger, conductor (tracks 2, 3, 5)

Side three

# " Chances Are" ( Robert Allen,

Al Stillman Al Stillman ''(né'' Albert Irving Silverman; 26 June 1901 Manhattan, New York – 17 February 1979 Manhattan, New York) was an American lyricist. Biography Stillman was born to Jewish parents Herman Silverman and Gertrude Rubin ''(maiden).'' He a ...

) – 3:02 #*rec. 6/16/57, rel. 8/12/57; Most Played by Jockeys: #1 (1 week) # " All the Things You Are" ( Oscar Hammerstein II,

) – 3:33 #*rec. 1977 for his album ''

Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" is a song written by Harry Noble and originally performed by Karen Chandler in 1952. It has been re-recorded several times since then, the most notable covers being by Mel Carter in 1965 and Gloria Estefan in 1994. ...

'' # " Love Theme from 'Romeo and Juliet' (A Time for Us)" (

Larry Kusik Larry Kusik (also known as Larry Kusic) is a lyricist. He is perhaps best known for writing the lyrics for the tune " Speak Softly Love", the love theme from the 1972 film ''The Godfather''. He has also written lyrics to many other movie themes, inc ...

Nino Rota Giovanni Rota Rinaldi (; 3 December 1911 – 10 April 1979), better known as Nino Rota (), was an Italian composer, pianist, conductor and academic who is best known for his film scores, notably for the films of Federico Fellini and Luchino Visco ...

Eddie Snyder Edward Abraham Snyder (February 22, 1919 – March 10, 2011) was an American composer and songwriter. Snyder is credited with co-writing the English language lyrics and music for Frank Sinatra's 1966 hit, " Strangers in the Night". Snyder was bo ...

) – 2:53 #*rec. for his 1969 album '' Love Theme From "Romeo And Juliet" (A Time For Us)'' # "Nothing Between Us but Love" (

Ray Parker Jr. Ray Erskine Parker Jr. (born May 1, 1954) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. As a solo performer, he wrote and performed the theme song to the 1984 film '' Ghostbusters''. Previously, Parker achieved a US top-10 h ...

, Candy Parton) – 3:21 #*rec. 11/26/80, rel. 6/18/81; non-charting single # "

" (

Redd Evans Redd is a Turkish rock band established in 1996 by tenor opera singer Doğan Duru and guitarist Berke Hatipoğlu under the name ''Ten''. They used to play at bars until they set up their own studio in 2004. Their first album, titled ''"50/50" ...

, David Mann) – 2:46 #*rec. 11/26/80 ;Personnel *Jack Gold – producer (tracks 2,(1977) ''

'' by Johnny Mathis lbum jacket New York: Columbia Records PC 34872. 3, 4–5 *

– producer (track 1) *

– producer (track 1) * Ray Conniff – arranger, conductor (track 1) *

– arranger, conductor (track 3) *Arnold Goland – arranger, conductor (track 5) *

– arranger, conductor (tracks 2, 4)

Side four

# "

Too Much, Too Little, Too Late "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" is a song performed by singers Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams. Lyrics and music were arranged by Nat Kipner and John Vallins. The single was a comeback of sorts for Mathis as his last U.S. top 10 hit was 196 ...

" performed with

Deniece Williams Deniece Williams (born June Deniece Chandler; June 3, 1951) is an American singer. She has been described as "one of the great soul voices" by the BBC. She is best known for the songs " Free", " Silly", "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" and two ''Bil ...

(Nat Kipner,

John Vallins John Vallins (Born 19 January 1950) is an Australian Gold and Platinum award winning songwriter/musician best known for his 1970s song "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late". One of only a handful of Australian songwriters ever to make No 1 on the A ...

) – 2:55 #*rec. 1/78 for his album '' You Light Up My Life'', single rel. 3/78;

Billboard Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streamin ...

: #1 (1 week) # " As Time Goes By" (

Herman Hupfeld Herman Hupfeld (February 1, 1894June 8, 1951) was an American songwriter whose most notable composition was " As Time Goes By". He wrote both the lyrics and music. Life and career Hupfeld was born in Montclair, New Jersey, the son of Fredericka ...

) – 4:35 #*rec. 1978 for his album ''The Best Days of My Life'' # "When Sunny Gets Blue" (Marvin Fisher, Jack Segal) – 2:40 #*rec. 9/20/56, rel. 11/5/56; B-side of "Wonderful! Wonderful!" # "Ready or Not" performed with

(Amber DiLena, Jack Keller) – 2:51 #*rec. 4/20/78 for his and Williams's album ''

That's What Friends Are For "That's What Friends Are For" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager. It was first recorded in 1982 by Rod Stewart for the soundtrack of the film '' Night Shift'', but it is better known for the 1985 cover version by Dionn ...

'' # " I'm Coming Home" (

Thom Bell Thomas Randolph Bell (January 27th, 1943 – December 22, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, arranger, pianist, and composer known as one of the creators of Philadelphia soul in the 1970s. He found success as a producer ...

Linda Creed Linda Diane Creed (December 6, 1948 – April 10, 1986), also known by her married name Linda Epstein, was an American songwriter and lyricist who teamed up with Thom Bell to produce some of the most successful Philadelphia soul groups of the 1 ...

) – 3:24 #*rec. 5/73 for his album '' I'm Coming Home'', single rel. 7/27/73;(2003) ''I'm Coming Home'' by Johnny Mathis D booklet New York: Columbia Records CK 85810. Billboard Hot 100: 75 ;Personnel *

– producer, arranger, conductor (track 5)(1973) '' I'm Coming Home'' by Johnny Mathis lbum jacket New York: Columbia Records KC 32435. *Jack Gold – producer (tracks 1,(1978) '' You Light Up My Life'' by Johnny Mathis lbum jacket New York: Columbia Records JC 35259. 2, 4(1978) ''

'' by Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams lbum jacket New York: Columbia Records JC 35435.) *

– producer (track 3) *

– producer (track 3) * Ray Conniff – arranger, conductor (track 3) *

– arranger, conductor (tracks 1, 2, 4)

Song information

Two of the four new tracks on the album had previously been recorded by other artists. "

" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song after it was performed in the 1936 film ''

Swing Time In music, the term ''swing'' has two main uses. Colloquially, it is used to describe the propulsive quality or "feel" of a rhythm, especially when the music prompts a visceral response such as foot-tapping or head-nodding (see pulse). This sens ...

'' by

Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is often called the greatest dancer in Hollywood film history. Astaire's career in stage, film, and tele ...

, whose recording of the song spent six weeks at number one that same year. The second of the two, "

", had two number-one outings, the first of which, by

Vaughn Monroe Vaughn Wilton Monroe (October 7, 1911 – May 21, 1973) was an American baritone singer, trumpeter, big band leader, actor, and businessman, who was most popular in the 1940s and 1950s. He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for rec ...

& His Orchestra, enjoyed six weeks atop the Most Played by Jockeys chart in '' Billboard'' magazine in 1945 and sold one million copies;

Bobby Vinton Stanley Robert "Bobby" Vinton (born April 16, 1935) is a American former singer and occasional actor, who also hosted his own self-titled TV show in the late 1970s. As a teen idol, he became known as "The Polish Prince", as his music paid trib ...

's rendition of the song stayed in the top spot for four weeks on the magazine's Hot 100 and for five weeks on its

Easy Listening Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, n ...

chart in addition to reaching number 34 on the UK singles chart in 1964.

Personnel

* Johnny Mathis – vocals *

– vocals ("Ready or Not", "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late") *Nancy Donald – design *Mary Francis – design *David Vance – front cover photography

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:First 25 Years - The Silver Anniversary Album 1981 compilation albums Johnny Mathis compilation albums Albums arranged by Gene Page Columbia Records compilation albums