The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) (Johnny Mathis album)

The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)
Studio album by Johnny Mathis
Released May 10, 1972[1]
Recorded 1972
Genre Traditional pop
Soft rock[2]
Length 35:35
Label Columbia
Producer Jerry Fuller[3]
Johnny Mathis chronology
Johnny Mathis in Person: Recorded Live at Las Vegas
(1972)		 The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)
(1972)		 Johnny Mathis' All-Time Greatest Hits
(1972)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
Billboard[4]

The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) is an album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released on May 10, 1972,[1] by Columbia Records and continues in the tradition set by his recent studio releases of covering mostly current chart hits. It made its first appearance on Billboard magazine's Top LP's & Tapes chart in the issue dated June 10, 1972, and remained there for 15 weeks, peaking at number 71.[5]

The album was released as a DTS Surround Sound CD on May 23, 2000.[6] The reason for the selection of this particular album for DTS release is suggested in a message in the liner notes from the CD's producer, Patricia Miller: "I dedicate this to the memory of my loving Brad. Thank you for all the strength and passion you gave me during our time together and forever. These love songs tell a story of our everlasting love."[7]

Track listing

  1. "The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)" (Ewan MacColl) – 3:36
  2. "Love Theme from 'The Godfather' (Speak Softly Love)" (Larry Kusik, Nino Rota) – 3:08
  3. "Theme from 'Summer of 42' (The Summer Knows)" (Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand) – 2:39
  4. "Brian's Song (The Hands of Time)" (Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand) – 3:24
  5. "Since I Fell for You" (Buddy Johnson) – 3:17
  6. "Without You" (Tom Evans, Peter Ham) – 2:58
  7. "Betcha by Golly, Wow" (Thom Bell, Linda Creed) – 2:49
  8. "Life and Breath" (George S. Clinton) – 3:27
  9. "I Need You" (Gerry Beckley) – 2:36
  10. "(Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All" (Tony Macaulay) – 3:33
  11. "Life Is What You Make It" (Marvin Hamlisch, Johnny Mercer) – 2:50

Song information

Roberta Flack made the most popular recording of "The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)", which spent six weeks at number one on Billboard magazine's Hot 100[8] and Easy Listening[9] charts, reached number four R&B[10] and number 14 UK,[11] received Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America,[12] and earned Grammy Awards for Record of the Year for Flack and Song of the Year for songwriter Ewan MacColl.[13] Andy Williams was the first to reach the charts with "Love Theme from 'The Godfather' (Speak Softly Love)", which he took to number 34 pop,[14] number seven Easy Listening,[15] and number 42 in the UK.[16]

Barbra Streisand recorded one of the earliest vocal versions of the "Theme from 'Summer of 42'", which was subtitled "The Summer Knows", on April 21, 1971,[17] less than two weeks after the film's April 9 release date.[18] That and another song that Mathis selected for this album, "Brian's Song (The Hands of Time)" (from the 1971 television movie Brian's Song), originated as film scores with lyrics added later.[19] Lenny Welch had the highest-charting rendition of "Since I Fell for You" in 1963 when he reached number four on the Hot 100[20] and number three Easy Listening.[21]

"Without You" by Nilsson enjoyed four weeks at number one pop[22] and five weeks in the top spot on the Easy Listening chart.[23] The Stylistics took "Betcha by Golly, Wow" to number three on Billboard's Hot 100,[24] number two on its R&B chart,[25] and number 13 in the UK[26] in addition to receiving Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.[27] "Life and Breath" by Climax reached number 52 pop[28] and number 15 Easy Listening.[29]

America's "I Need You" peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100[30] and number seven on the magazine's Easy Listening chart.[31] "(Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All" by The 5th Dimension went to number eight pop,[32] number two Easy Listening,[21] and number 28 R&B,[33] and earned Platinum certification from the RIAA.[34] And Mathis performed "Life Is What You Make It" at the 44th Academy Awards on April 10, 1972, as one of the five nominees for Best Original Song because of its inclusion in the film Kotch.[35]

Personnel[3]

Notes

  1. 1 2 (1993) The Music of Johnny Mathis: A Personal Collection by Johnny Mathis [CD booklet]. New York: Columbia Records C4K-48932.
  2. 1 2 "The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) - Johnny Mathis". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  3. 1 2 (1972) The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) by Johnny Mathis [album jacket]. New York: Columbia Records PC 31342.
  4. ↑ "Album Reviews". Billboard. 1972-05-20. p. 63.
  5. ↑ Whitburn 2010, p. 503.
  6. ↑ "The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) - Johnny Mathis". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  7. ↑ (2000) The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) by Johnny Mathis [CD booklet]. Incline Village: High Definition Surround 71021-54433-2-4.
  8. ↑ Whitburn 2009, p. 350.
  9. ↑ Whitburn 2007, p. 97.
  10. ↑ Whitburn 2004, p. 206.
  11. ↑ "Roberta Flack". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  12. ↑ RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for titles by Roberta Flack
  13. ↑ O'Neil 1999, p. 195.
  14. ↑ Whitburn 2009, p. 1060.
  15. ↑ Whitburn 2007, p. 295.
  16. ↑ "Andy Williams". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  17. ↑ "Barbra Joan Streisand (1971)". Barbra-Archives.com. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  18. ↑ "Summer of '42 (1971)". imdb.com. Amazon.com. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  19. ↑ (1972) "Brian's Song" Themes & Variations by Michel Legrand [album jacket]. New York: Bell Records 6071.
  20. ↑ Whitburn 2009, p. 1048.
  21. 1 2 Whitburn 2007, p. 293.
  22. ↑ Whitburn 2009, p. 709.
  23. ↑ Whitburn 2007, p. 205.
  24. ↑ Whitburn 2009, p. 945.
  25. ↑ Whitburn 2004, p. 554.
  26. ↑ "Stylistics". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  27. ↑ RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for titles by Stylistics
  28. ↑ Whitburn 2009, p. 202.
  29. ↑ Whitburn 2007, p. 55.
  30. ↑ Whitburn 2009, p. 37.
  31. ↑ Whitburn 2007, p. 9.
  32. ↑ Whitburn 2009, p. 342.
  33. ↑ Whitburn 2004, p. 202.
  34. ↑ RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for titles by Fifth Dimension
  35. ↑ Wiley 1996, p. 463.

References

  • O'Neil, Thomas (1999). The Grammys. Perigree Books. ISBN 0-399-52477-0 
  • Whitburn, Joel (2004). Joel Whitburn Presents Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles, 1942-2004. Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-160-8 
  • Whitburn, Joel (2007). Joel Whitburn Presents Billboard Top Adult Songs, 1961-2006. Record Research Inc. ISBN 0898201691 
  • Whitburn, Joel (2009). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 1955-2008. Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-180-2 
  • Whitburn, Joel (2010). Joel Whitburn Presents Top Pop Albums, Seventh Edition. Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-183-7 
  • Wiley, Mason; Bona, Damien (1996). Inside Oscar: The Unofficial History of the Academy Awards. Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-40053-4 
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