Search - Johnny Mathis :: Greatest Hits

Tony H. from CAMPBELLSVLLE, KY
Reviewed on 4/28/2018...

This is an iconic album. While not the first album of single hits, this was the first to use the title "Greatest Hits."

At first I thought Johnny's singing took some getting used to but once I had done that I went on to acquire just about everything he ever recorded. You wouldn't want to have a Johnny Mathis collection without this album or for that matter any kind of record collection without this album. And enough people agreed that it stayed on the Billboard Chart for eight and a half years which was the record at the time. I think it was was 17 years after the time this album went off the charts that a different album surpassed it in total chart length.

Anyway, the album contains Mathis's four most essential 50s hits, namely "Chances Are," "Wonderful Wonderful," "It's Not for Me to Say," and "The Twelfth of Never" plus another 8 tracks, my favorite of which is "All the Time."

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Truly Wonderful Wonderful

JLind555 | 06/24/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I remember the summer I turned fourteen years old and suddenly hearing this incredible voice pouring out of my transistor radio:



"Some quiet evening we sit side by side

And we're lost in a world of our own.

I feel the glow of your unspoken love

I'm aware of the treasure that I own.

And I say to myself, it's wonderful, wonderful..."



... and being totally blown away by that glorious sound. That was my introduction to Johnny Mathis, at that time a relatively unknown kid 21 years old with a voice that was pure magic. You listened to that voice and just let it flow over you and you were instantly and utterly enchanted. I fell in love with "Wonderful Wonderful" (still my favorite of all his songs) and "It's Not for Me To Say" and "Chances Are", and the following spring "Johnny's Greatest Hits" was released, featuring the three songs above and nine more. Some of these recordings weren't really hits before they were featured on this album, but the album itself was a mega-smash. And with good reason. Besides the three above, there is a lovely little ballad called "When Sunny Gets Blue" that actually makes you feel like you're hearing rain fall, the hauntingly beautiful "The Twelfth of Never", and seven more that are timeless listening pleasure.



Mathis had some great help on this album in the form of terrific arrangements by Ray Conniff, Ray Ellis and other musical giants; but what makes Johnny Mathis Johnny Mathis is, purely and simply, That Voice. Every word is clear as a crystal bell and every note is perfect. That Johnny hit his peak so young is nothing short of phenomenal. He went on to have a successful career that spanned forty years, but he was never as good as he was in this album. If you only listen to one album by Johnny Mathis in your life, this is it.



Judy Lind"

I think the least known track in this album is Johnny's best

Ellen Ross | S.E. Florida USA | 12/28/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although "Chances Are", "Wonderful, Wonderful" etc are probably the songs most recognized and associated with Johnny...there is a certain gem in this album, the lyrics of which say it all.



Listen to "When I Am With You" This song has haunted me for years.



I bought this album when it was Vinyl....then 8-Track....then Cassette...then CD when these releases got to the marketplace. Although I have the CD..plus copies for the car; I purchased the above-mentioned track tonight...just didn't feel like hunting around here for the CD. Download is now in this laptop playing via WMP on repeat as I write this.



I first saw Johnny when he wasn't a "name" yet in some club in Oceanside NY (Long Island). His singing was marvelous but he had not yet developed much stage presence ..it looked like he was singing into a mike as if he was in a recording chamber.



He's now more "wonderful,wonderful" than ever....on disc and in person."