Tender Is The Night/Wonderful World of Make-Believe [Original recording remastered]

Johnny Mathis (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 28, 2012)
• Original Release Date: 2012
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Real Gone Music
• ASIN: B008FJW1QY
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #93,338 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Tender Is the Night

2. Laura

3. No Strings

4. I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby

5. April Love

6. Call Me Irresponsible

7. A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes

8. A Ship Without a Sail

9. Forget Me Not

10. Where Is Love?

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Camelot

2. I'm Always Chasing Rainbows

3. House of Flowers4

4. Beyond the Sea

5. Sky Full of Rainbows

6. Sands of Time

7. Shangri-La

8. Alice in Wonderland

9. Dream, Dream, Dream

10. The Wonderful World of Make-Believe

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Johnny Mathis's mid-'60s sides for the Mercury label have long been overlooked, even though they rank among the most commercially and artistically successful recordings of his career. Why? Well, for one thing, Johnny has been a flagship artist for Columbia Records for so long that folks have just plain forgotten that he spent three years apart from the label. But more importantly, those recordings, most notably the ten LPs he cut for Mercury, have been out of print during the entire compact disc era, as only Johnny's Christmas album has ever come out on CD and a few assorted songs on a now-deleted double-CD package issued by Columbia 15 years ago.
Now, by special arrangement with Sony Music, the artist and his management, Real Gone Music is proudly issuing these essential albums (everything but the Christmas album, which remains in print) on compact disc for the first time, nearly 50 years after Johnny's first release on Mercury. Each release consists of two albums, each newly remastered at Battery Studios in New York, complete with original art and comprehensive liner notes featuring an exclusive interview of Johnny by pop vocal expert James Ritz (who counts these Mercury albums as his favorite Mathis recordings, by the way). And our first wave of releases includes an unreleased album of Broadway-themed songs recorded by Johnny in 1964-1965!

JOHNNY MATHIS: Tender Is the Night/Wonderful World of Make-Believe (2-CD Set):
Johnny's first two "secular" albums for Mercury (his first release for the label was Sounds of Christmas) both hit the charts in 1964, with Tender Is the Night going all the way up to #12. Both albums feature Johnny's dreamy takes on stage and film songs, and Tender boasts arrangements by the great Don Costa.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Teenager Once Again November 1, 2012

By J. A. Moriello

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

It Is the summer of 1964 and I had just graduated from high school. Several of Johnny's 45's were already in my record box, but no lp's. I bought both of these albums while working part time in a local record store and was totally blown away with the gorgeous music I heard on them. Everything was new. None of his old 45's were here, and his voice was magnificent. When I began to buy CD's (probably around the same time all of you did) I sought for these two albums on CD, but to no avail. It seemed like all of Johnny's recordings were available except my two favorites. I never gave up the search and lo and behold here they are packaged together and for sale on Amazon.com. Well, they sound as good now as they did in 1964. Kudos to Real Gone Music for releasing them. I see that other reviewers have detailed the info on the titles and arrangements so I won't go there, but, trust me, if you like powerful romantic pop music, this set is nothing less than the Holy Grail.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical & magnificent...Bravo Johnny Mathis! September 18, 2012

By Bradly Briggs VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Groomed for stardom by underground singing legend Ann Dee (Angela DeSpirito 1920-2005) at Ann Dee's 440 Club in San Francisco, Johnny Mathis quickly became a mid-fifties singing sensation recording for Columbia Records...hit after hit yet by 1963 Johnny Mathis seemed to develop a "Seven Year Itch" changing to Mercury Records, in a few short years recording eleven extraordinary albums standing tall among the finest of his still going strong fifty plus year career. "Tender Is The Night" is richly romantic masterful collection with Don Costa arrangements perfectly complimenting full & glorious Mathis vocals sounding as though Mr. Mathis reached a new level of maturity...dark, moody and haunting vocal make superb performance of film noir song classic "Laura" definitive, had radio played this amazing version it would have gone to the top, unforgettable performance is what the art of great singing is all about. "Tender Is The Night" is a timeless collection of great songs done to the maximum, lovers of great singers in peak form will thoroughly enjoy this tremendous musical treasure.
"The Wonderful World Of Make Believe" is a magically enchanting collection of timeless gems filled with wonder & amazement, opener "Camelot" is a whimsical delight setting the mood perfectly for this wondrous musical adventure...songs of stars, bluebirds, rainbows and dreams in wonderland again finding the great singer soaring and in superb form in every way...arrangements sparkle, vocals are mesmerizing and "Beyond The Blue Horizon" is like that great ride in an amusement park one doesn't want to end. Why these great collections took so long to be released is a puzzlement, music lovers now are going to be grateful these masterful collections finally saw the light of day, better late than never.
Highly recommended!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Vocals, Wonderful Orchestration - This is a must-have from the 60s September 3, 2012

By Carlos from Rio VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

I got to know that all the main Johnny Mathis output from Mercury Records would be issued in CD format and oh wow what a great big wonderful surprise!

This double CD contains music for those who love GAS - the Great American Songbook -as sung by one of those great stylists from the 50-60, and I tell you, Mathis was the top in technique, emotion, differenciation and creative approach to any song.

In the middle 60s, Mathis had just come from a very sucessful string of records - albums and singles - for label Columbia Records so that his sign to Mercury label just for distribution in the USA was a rumorous act at that time. Mathis also founded his own Global Records and so he began to own and control all his material.

What to expect from all this rumorous movement? 'Tender Is The Night' was Mathis' second full album for Mercury and Don Costa was responsible for all the bright orchestration. Some may find it strange that Mathis decided to cover the title song after so much acclaim for Tony Bennett's recording. Now I tell you, listen to Mathis approach and you will find one of the most brilliant collaboration between singer and arranger I have ever listened to.

Listen to 'Laura' and here you'll find extraordinary Don Costa pick up exerpts from the David Raksin's suite for the film 'Laura' in order to set the music environment and prepare for Mathis attack.

Oh God, this 'Tender Is The Night' is a very beautiful collection of GAS which includes some rare songs like Richard Rodgers' 'No Strings', the sensitive 'Tomorrow Song' and powerful 'Somewhere' from 'West Side Story'.

This two-CD pack also offers the third album in the Johnny Mathis series for Mercury Records which is a collection of music from the movies as the title says 'The Wonderful World of Make-Bleieve'.

Now the arranger was Mr. Allyn Ferguson, a long time maestro and orchestrator for Broadway scores. Very beautiful too and I would specially recommend the gems from the Walt Disney movies 'When You Wish Upon A Star' and 'Alice in Wonderland'.

There is also a sensational take of Robert Maxwell's 1946 song 'Shangri-La' that opens with a piano and voice solo and ends with a powerful orchestra crescendo enhancing the energy for Mathis extraordinary final resolution.

I finally can not forget to mention the French song 'La Mer' composed by Monsieur Charles Trenet which Mathis recorded beautifully in its English version 'Beyond The Sea'.