The Great Years

''The Great Years'' is a compilation album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released by Columbia Records in July 1964. '' Billboard'' magazine described the two- LP set, which included chart hits and album tracks, as "the best of Mathis".

The album made its first appearance on ''Billboards Top LP's chart the following month, in the issue dated August 1, and peaked at number 88 over the course of 10 weeks.

Reception

''Billboard'' opined that "Mathis fans should scream with delight upon discovering this 2-LP package."

Track listing

Side one

#" Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)" (Bart Howard) – 3:54
#*recorded on 4/6/56(1996) ''Johnny Mathis'' olumbia/Legacyby Johnny Mathis D booklet New York: Sony Music Entertainment CK 64890. for his debut album, '' Johnny Mathis''
#" Street of Dreams" (Victor Young, Sam M. Lewis) – 2:17
#*rec. 3/14/56 for '' Johnny Mathis''
# "Wonderful! Wonderful!" (Sherman Edwards, Ben Raleigh) – 2:50
#*rec. 9/20/56, released on 11/5/56;(2015) ''The Singles'' by Johnny Mathis D booklet New York: Columbia Records 88875120552. Most Played by Jockeys: #14
# "It's Not for Me to Say" from ''Lizzie'' ( Robert Allen, Al Stillman) – 3:05
#*rec. 9/20/56, rel. 2/25/57; Most Played by Jockeys: #5
# " Chances Are" (Robert Allen, Al Stillman) – 3:03
#*rec. 6/16/57, rel. 8/12/57; Most Played by Jockeys: #1 (1 week).
# "The Twelfth of Never" (Jerry Livingston, Paul Francis Webster) – 2:28
#*rec. 6/16/57, rel. 8/12/57; B-side of "Chances Are"; Most Played by Jockeys: #9
;Personnel
*George Avakian – producer (tracks 1, 2)
*Al Ham – producer (tracks 3–6)
*Mitch Miller – producer (tracks 3–6)(2004) ''The Essential Johnny Mathis'' by Johnny Mathis D booklet New York: Columbia Records C2K-63562.(2006) ''Gold: A 50th Anniversary Celebration'' by Johnny Mathis D booklet New York: Sony BMG Music Entertainment 82876 88583 2.
* The labels on the singles of these tracks did not provide producer credits, but some CD compilations have. While all of these compilations acknowledge Mitch Miller as a producer on the tracks noted, the ones that credit Al Ham as an additional producer on certain songs disagree on which ones those are. The 2006 collection '' Gold: A 50th Anniversary Celebration'' only recognizes Ham as producer on "Wonderful! Wonderful!" and "It's Not for Me to Say" but the 2004 collection '' The Essential Johnny Mathis'' also credits him in this capacity on "Chances Are" and "The Twelfth of Never".

Side two

# "A Certain Smile" from ''A Certain Smile'' ( Sammy Fain, Paul Francis Webster) – 2:47
#* rec. 5/12/58, rel. 6/2/58; ''Billboard'' Hot 100: #14
#" Deep River" (traditional) – 2:51
#*rec. 1/3/58(1996) ''Good Night, Dear Lord'' by Johnny Mathis D booklet New York: Columbia Records CK 64891 for his album ''Good Night, Dear Lord''
#" Can't Get Out of This Mood" from '' Seven Days' Leave'' (Frank Loesser, Jimmy McHugh) – 3:08
#*rec. 5/15/58 for his album '' Swing Softly''
# "Misty" ( Johnny Burke, Erroll Garner) – 3:34
#*rec. 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 rel. 9/59; ''Billboard'' Hot 100: #12
# "Small World" from ''Gypsy'' ( Stephen Sondheim, Jule Styne) – 3:18
#* rec. 4/29/59, rel. 5/25/59; ''Billboard'' Hot 100: #20
#"When I Fall in Love" (Edward Heyman, Victor Young) – 4:31
#*rec. 1958 for his 1959 album ''Open Fire, Two Guitars''
;Personnel
*Al Ham – producer (tracks 1, 4, 5)
*Mitch Miller – producer (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6)

Side three

#"Maria" from ''West Side Story'' ( Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim) – 3:48
#*rec. 11/6/59 for his album '' Faithfully''; single rel. 5/60; ''Billboard'' Hot 100: #78; single rel. 11/61; ''Billboard'' Hot 100: #88
#"Tonight" from ''West Side Story'' (Bernstein, Sondheim) – 3:12
#*rec. 11/6/59 for his album '' Faithfully''
# "How to Handle a Woman" from ''Camelot'' ( Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe) – 3:02
#*rec. 10/27/60, rel. 11/7/60; ''Billboard'' Hot 100: #64
#" Stairway to the Stars" (Matty Malneck, Mitchell Parish, Frank Signorelli) – 4:51
#*rec. 2/7/61(1996) ''I'll Buy You a Star'' olumbia/Legacyby Johnny Mathis D booklet New York: Sony Music Entertainment CK 64892. for his album '' I'll Buy You A Star''
#"Love Look Away" from ''Flower Drum Song'' ( Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers) – 3:28
#*rec. 2/7/61 for his album '' I'll Buy You A Star''
# "Sweet Thursday" (Jerry Livingston, Paul Francis Webster) – 2:30
#*rec. 10/9/61, rel. 12/29/61; ''Billboard'' Hot 100: #99
;Personnel
*Mitch Miller – producer (tracks 1–2, 3)
*Irving Townsend – producer (tracks 4–5, 6)

Side four

#" Stella by Starlight" (Ned Washington, Victor Young) – 3:33
#*rec. 8/8/62 for his album '' Rapture''
# "Unaccustomed As I Am" (Ray Ellis, Al Stillman) – 2:55
#* rec. 3/4/61, rel. 4/27/62; non-charting B-side
# " Gina" (Leon Carr, Paul Vance) – 2:46
#* rec. 8/9/62, rel. 9/7/62; ''Billboard'' Hot 100: #6, Easy Listening: #2.
# "What Will Mary Say" (Eddie Snyder, Paul Vance) – 3:09
#* rec. 8/9/62, rel. 1/4/63; ''Billboard'' Hot 100: #9 Easy Listening: #3
# "Every Step of the Way" (Robert Allen, Al Stillman) – 3:21
#* rec. 5/31/60, rel. 5/7/63; ''Billboard'' Hot 100: #30 Easy Listening: #10
#"September Song" from ''Knickerbocker Holiday'' (Maxwell Anderson, Kurt Weill) – 4:07
#* rec. 2/26/63 for his album ''Romantically''
;Personnel
*Ernie Altschuler – producer (tracks 1, 3–4, 6)
*Frank DeVol – producer (track 2)
*Mitch Miller – producer (track 5)

Personnel

*Johnny Mathis – vocals
*Don Hunstein – cover photo(1964) ''The Great Years'' by Johnny Mathis lbum jacket New York: Columbia Records C2S 834.

References

Bibliography

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Great Years
1964 greatest hits albums
Johnny Mathis compilation albums
Columbia Records compilation albums