| Romantically | ||||
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| Studio album by Johnny Mathis | ||||
| Released | 1963 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | Ernie Altschuler | |||
| Professional reviews | ||||
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| Johnny Mathis chronology | ||||
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Romantically is the twentieth album released by traditional pop vocalist Johnny Mathis. It was his sixteenth original studio album with four compilations of hit singles having been released by the singer at this point. It is also the final original studio album recorded by the singer for Columbia Records prior to his moving to Mercury Records. Mathis had recorded exclusively for Columbia Records from 1956–1963. After a brief stint with Mercury Records, Mathis would return to Columbia Records in 1967.
Contents |
Collaborating for a third time on album with arranger/conductor Don Costa, Mathis is heard on a program of songs reminiscent of any number of his preceding albums. The songs range from standards, Broadway and movie songs through to a number of rare items resulting in a fine representation of the singer at this point in his career.
This was Mathis' nineteenth consecutive charting album peaking at #23 on the Billboard album chart in its original release.[1]
From the Broadway stage come two songs penned by Rodgers and Hammerstein, "Getting To Know You" from 1951's "The King And I" and "The Sound of Music" from the 1959 show of the same name. Also from Broadway comes "September Song" from 1938's "Knickerbocker Holiday". Interestingly the 1953 film "Lili" featured the song "Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo". When the story of that film was used for the 1961 show "Carnival!", "Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo" was replaced in the score with "Theme from "Carival!"". Mathis sings both these songs on this album. Standards included on this set include Harold Arlen's "It's Only a Paper Moon", another nod to two of Mathis' musical heroes, Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald also recorded "Moonlight In Vermont" and "Autumn in New York" as did Frank Sinatra. Mathis sings both here in beautifully realised performances.