Customer Reviews

Because You Loved Me - Songs of Diane Warren

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I had no earthly idea who Diane Warren was, so when I found out the song list I was like, oh, great. These are songs made famous by, among others, Celine Dion and Michael Bolton..two singers guaranteed to make me blow my chow!

I needn't have worried, though; Mathis takes these same songs and in his own QUIET way sets to work teaching these two how a song SHOULD be done.

"Because You Loved Me" is a very contemporary-sounding recording much like its successful and better predecessor, All About Love (1996). And to be honest, that synthesized sound puts me off a little. I believe Mathis sounds best when his voice is matched to real instruments, real violins, not a machine that tries to sound like them.

The song receiving the most airplay is "If You Asked Me To", and Mathis handles some major octave jumps with great skill. The surprise and joy is the re-engineered Gloria Estefan/Miami Sound Machine hit "Live for Loving You"; it's been toned down a couple notches for the benefit of those of us over 35, but retains its Latin roots and is very danceable! I wish they would have made this either the first or the last track.

All in all, Mathis' vocal performances are very strong throughout, maybe a little high in a couple songs. I feel the mature Mathis voice works best in the lower registers. The arrangements work for the most part also; not too overdone, and there are some outstanding studio guitarists on this album. The worst songs in my opinion are the title song and "Set the Night to Music".

Someone who cherishes the sound and the orchestration of the teenage Mathis is going to be disappointed, but we've all got to grow up sometime. Mathis has gone way beyond "Chances Are" with his last two studio recordings, and it seems he's not looking back! Good for him.

I'm not a raving Mathis fan although I do like his music. Stopping off at a CD outlet that allows you to preview CDs before you buy them, I put on the headphones just out of curiosity to see how Mathis sang Warren's songs. WOW, was I pleasantly suprised. After hearing Don't Take Away My Heaven (my favorite song on the CD) and By the Time This Night Is Over, I was hooked. This CD has become one of my favorites! For those who say that Mathis doesn't sing it as well as (fill in the blank); perhaps this is because it's not the way you first heard the song. Highly recommend for Mathis fans and nonfans alike.

I wanted to get the song "Because You Loved Me". I knew Celine Dion did the song but wanted to hear Johnny Mathis. These songs are very good. I am wondering why I do not hear them on the radio.
I'm glad I bought the CD.

I am a huge Johnny Mathis fan!! This is the best album he has ever released!!

This is only one more great collection of music. I saw Johnny in Las Vegas in May 2006 and he continues to be amazing and gives you the feeling that he is singing just to you. This collection is soothing and made to sooth the beast in all of us no matter what that beast may be. Thank God for a voice and person like Johnny Mathis.

This is one of my favorite Cd's.It is mellow and memory provoking.

This LP epitomizes what I do not undertsand about Sony. JM put an LP out around 1970, it was a two-fer. One side conducted/arranged and written by Bert Kaemphert. "The Lady Smiles" "Strangers In The Night" and "The Time Will Come" is only slightly more fantastic than "Spanish Eyes" or "Don't Stay" or "If There's A Chance" will melt you. The second was similarly recorded with Burt Bacharach of his infamous catalog of golden oldies. Now Sony sees fit to put an album of some promise like this one and a few buy it, yet these LP's are virtually unheard of on CD let alone heard of..more by absence than its worth to the collection of this master's voice. If you see it in any format BUY it! In the meantime get this one too!Why am I wasting your time? Listen to exceprts of this album anywhere you can and you'll know!

Finally after many many years, Johnny Mathis has recorded an album that is full of terrific songs that show off his wonderful voice. I hope that this cd starts a string of albums dedicated to our current great composers. Hey Johnny, why not record an album of Frank Wildhorn songs? I would buy it!

Dear Johnny Mathis,

Of all the singers I have ever heard, you have the most beautiful voice, and the sound of your voice gets better and better.

No one can even match you. You are now and always will be the best I've ever heard. You also get more handsome and handsome as time goes by.

Love you Johnny Mathis and thank you for being you. I listen to you sing on CDs every day, especially since my husband died last year, and your voice has been a real comfort to me. My husband loved your voice, too. You'll always be the very best in my book.

I love you and the very best to you always!

Rockmarcy

In a tribute to the greatest songwriter of all-time Diane Warren, Johnny Mathis delievers his best performance in years. Because You Loved Me, features 10 of Diane's gretaest hits inculding Un Break My Heart, a number one for Toni Braxon and Love Will Lead You Back, a smash for Taylor Dayne. None of the songs are of course as good as the original and they all sound the same. However the only bright spot is the title track Because You Loved Me, which features the song's original producer David Foster lending a hand on the keyboard arangement. Although Mathis is improving his voice is still very annoying. All in all the only reason this album gets three stars is because all the songs are written by Diane Warren, something that other singers should consider doing in the future!