Wonderful Wonderful (album)
Encyclopedia
Wonderful Wonderful is the second studio album by Johnny Mathis
released in 1957 on the Columbia Record label, in stereo and monoaural.
The album was issued in the UK by Fontana Records
with alternative artwork. Re-issued on CD in the by Columbia Records
in 2001, on a 2on1 release, together with the 1956 album "Johnny Mathis
".
with orchestrations by Ray Conniff
, and is a beautiful selection of 12 songs, none of which were part of Mathis' half a dozen or so hits released on 45 rpm in 1957. Conspicuous in its absence is his first hit, "Wonderful! Wonderful!
," which this album is titled after.
("All Through The Night
" & "Looking at You"), Harold Arlen
& Johnny Mercer
("That Old Black Magic"), Johnny Burke
& Jimmy Van Heusen ("It Could Happen To You
"). Mathis also revisits the work of Bart Howard
with "Let Me Love You
". Howard was the composer of "Fly Me To The Moon
" featured on Mathis' debut album Johnny Mathis
in 1956. It's also interesting to note that many of the songs on this album had previously been recorded by established artists such as Frank Sinatra
, Ella Fitzgerald
and Lena Horne
. Despite his youth at just 21 years of age, Mathis' versions compare favourably with those recorded by these musical greats.
Johnny Mathis
John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
released in 1957 on the Columbia Record label, in stereo and monoaural.
The album was issued in the UK by Fontana Records
Fontana Records
Fontana Records is a record label which was started in the 1950s as a subsidiary of the Dutch Philips Records; when Philips restructured its music operations it dropped Fontana in favor of Vertigo Records. In the seventies PolyGram acquired the dormant label....
with alternative artwork. Re-issued on CD in the by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in 2001, on a 2on1 release, together with the 1956 album "Johnny Mathis
Johnny Mathis
John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
".
Overview
The album features an orchestra under the direction of Percy FaithPercy Faith
Percy Faith was a Canadian-born American bandleader, orchestrator, composer and conductor, known for his lush arrangements of pop and Christmas standards. He is often credited with creating the "easy listening" or "mood music" format which became staples of American popular music in the 1950s and...
with orchestrations by Ray Conniff
Ray Conniff
Joseph Raymond Conniff was an American bandleader and arranger best known for his Ray Conniff Singers during the 1960s.-Biography:...
, and is a beautiful selection of 12 songs, none of which were part of Mathis' half a dozen or so hits released on 45 rpm in 1957. Conspicuous in its absence is his first hit, "Wonderful! Wonderful!
Wonderful! Wonderful!
"Wonderful! Wonderful!" is a popular music song written by Sherman Edwards, with lyrics by Ben Raleigh. The song was first published in 1957....
," which this album is titled after.
Track listing
- "Will I Find My Love Today?" (Sean Fogarty, Sidney Shaw) - 3.32
- "Looking at You" (Cole PorterCole PorterCole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
) - 2.16 - "Let Me Love YouLet Me Love You"Let Me Love You" is an R&B song by American recording artist Mario, from his second studio album Turning Point . It was co-written by Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith, and Scott Storch, who also produced it...
" (Bart HowardBart HowardBart Howard was the composer and writer of the famous jazz standard "Fly Me To The Moon", which has been performed by singers Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, Della Reese, Diana Krall, June Christy and Astrud Gilberto...
) - 3.47 - "All Through The NightAll Through the Night (Cole Porter song)"All Through the Night" is a 1934 popular song written by Cole Porter for his 1934 musical Anything Goes. The melody's distinguishing characteristic is a descending chromatic scale, starting on "mi", interrupted by an octave jump after four bars....
" (Porter) - 2.56 - "It Could Happen To YouIt Could Happen to You (song)"It Could Happen to You" is a popular standard with music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke. The song was written in 1944 and was introduced by Dorothy Lamour in the Paramount musical comedy film, And the Angels Sing....
" (Johnny BurkeJohnny BurkeJohnny Burke was a Newfoundland songwriter and musician. He was nicknamed the 'Bard of Prescott Street'. He wrote many popular songs that artists in the 1930s and 1940s released.Popular songs by Burke include:* The Night Paddy Murphy Died...
, Jimmy Van Heusen) - 3.47 - "That Old Black Magic" (Harold ArlenHarold ArlenHarold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
, Johnny MercerJohnny MercerJohn Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
) - 2.51 - "Too Close For Comfort" (Jerry BockJerry BockJerrold Lewis "Jerry" Bock was an American musical theater composer. He received the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama with Sheldon Harnick for their 1959 musical Fiorello! and the Tony Award for Best Composer and Lyricist for the 1964 musical Fiddler on the Roof with...
, George David WeissGeorge David WeissGeorge David Weiss was an American songwriter and former President of the Songwriters Guild of America.-Career:...
, Larry Holofcener) - 2.34 - "In The Wee Small Hours Of The MorningIn the Wee Small Hours of the Morning"In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" is a 1955 popular song composed by David Mann, with lyrics by Bob Hilliard. It was introduced as the title track of Frank Sinatra's 1955 album In the Wee Small Hours....
" (David MannDavid Mann (songwriter)David Mann was an American songwriter of popular songs...
, Bob HilliardBob HilliardBob Hilliard was an American lyricist. He wrote the words for the songs; "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning", "Any Day Now", "Dear Hearts and Gentle People", "Our Day Will Come", "My Little Corner of the World", and "Seven Little Girls ".-Career:Born in New York City, New York, and after...
) - 3.13 - "Year After Year" (Howard) - 3.12
- "Early AutumnEarly Autumn (song)"Early Autumn" is a song composed by Ralph Burns and Woody Herman with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It was a hit for Woody Herman in the year it was written.-Notable recordings:...
" (Ralph BurnsRalph BurnsRalph Burns was an American songwriter, bandleader, composer, conductor, arranger and bebop pianist.-Early life:...
, Woody HermanWoody HermanWoodrow Charles Herman , known as Woody Herman, was an American jazz clarinetist, alto and soprano saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading various groups called "The Herd," Herman was one of the most popular of the 1930s and '40s bandleaders...
, Johnny MercerJohnny MercerJohn Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
) - 3.38 - "You Stepped Out of a DreamYou Stepped Out of a Dream"You Stepped Out of a Dream" is a popular song with music written by Nacio Herb Brown and lyrics by Gus Kahn that was published in 1940. The song has become a pop and jazz standard, with many recorded versions....
" (Nacio Herb BrownNacio Herb BrownNacio Herb Brown was an American writer of popular songs, movie scores, and Broadway theatre music in the 1920s through the early 1950s.-Biography:...
, Gus KahnGus KahnGustav Gerson Kahn was a musician, songwriter and lyricist.-Biography:Kahn was born in Koblenz, Germany in 1886. The family emigrated from there to the United States and moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1890...
) - 2.44 - "Day In - Day Out" (Rube BloomRube BloomReuben Bloom was a Jewish American multi-faceted entertainer, and in addition to being a songwriter, pianist, arranger, band leader, recording artist, vocalist, and writer .During his career, he worked with many well-known performers, including Bix Beiderbecke, Joe Venuti, Ruth Etting,...
, Mercer) - 2.08
Billboard Album Chart
The album was the start of Mathis' incredible popularity as an album artist peaking at #4 on the Billboard album chart.Highlights
The songs included on the album feature the work of some of America's most revered tunesmiths including Cole PorterCole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
("All Through The Night
All Through the Night (Cole Porter song)
"All Through the Night" is a 1934 popular song written by Cole Porter for his 1934 musical Anything Goes. The melody's distinguishing characteristic is a descending chromatic scale, starting on "mi", interrupted by an octave jump after four bars....
" & "Looking at You"), Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
& Johnny Mercer
Johnny Mercer
John Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
("That Old Black Magic"), Johnny Burke
Johnny Burke
Johnny Burke was a Newfoundland songwriter and musician. He was nicknamed the 'Bard of Prescott Street'. He wrote many popular songs that artists in the 1930s and 1940s released.Popular songs by Burke include:* The Night Paddy Murphy Died...
& Jimmy Van Heusen ("It Could Happen To You
It Could Happen to You (song)
"It Could Happen to You" is a popular standard with music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke. The song was written in 1944 and was introduced by Dorothy Lamour in the Paramount musical comedy film, And the Angels Sing....
"). Mathis also revisits the work of Bart Howard
Bart Howard
Bart Howard was the composer and writer of the famous jazz standard "Fly Me To The Moon", which has been performed by singers Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, Della Reese, Diana Krall, June Christy and Astrud Gilberto...
with "Let Me Love You
Let Me Love You
"Let Me Love You" is an R&B song by American recording artist Mario, from his second studio album Turning Point . It was co-written by Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith, and Scott Storch, who also produced it...
". Howard was the composer of "Fly Me To The Moon
Fly Me to the Moon
"Fly Me to the Moon" is a popular standard song written by Bart Howard in 1954. It was originally titled "In Other Words", and was introduced by Felicia Sanders in cabarets...
" featured on Mathis' debut album Johnny Mathis
Johnny Mathis (album)
Johnny Mathis is the debut studio album by vocalist Johnny Mathis. Issued by Columbia records in 1956, this album was only released in Mono. In the UK the album was issued by Fontana Records, with alternative artwork and a differing track listing. Both versions have been re-issued on CD, the US...
in 1956. It's also interesting to note that many of the songs on this album had previously been recorded by established artists such as Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
and Lena Horne
Lena Horne
Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was an American singer, actress, civil rights activist and dancer.Horne joined the chorus of the Cotton Club at the age of sixteen and became a nightclub performer before moving to Hollywood, where she had small parts in numerous movies, and more substantial parts in the...
. Despite his youth at just 21 years of age, Mathis' versions compare favourably with those recorded by these musical greats.
External links
- [ All Music Review]