Those Were The Days/Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet

Johnny Mathis | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 9, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Collector's Choice
• ASIN: B0021TVYJE
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #173,378 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Those Were The Days

2. Little Green Apples

3. The End Of The World

4. This Guy's In Love With You

5. The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)

6. Light My Fire

7. Every Time I Dream Of You

8. The World I Used To Know

9. You Make Me Think About You

10. Turn Around Look At Me

Disc: 2

1. Love Theme From 'Romeo And Juliet' (A Time For Us)

2. Aquarius

3. Let The Sunshine In

4. Without Her

5. I'll Never Fall In Love Again

6. Live For Life

7. We

8. Didn't We

9. Love Me Tonight

10. The Windmills Of Your Mind

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The time to hesitate is through, June 9, 2009

By 

grooverider "artie" (Toluca Lake LA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Those Were The Days/Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet (Audio CD)

Finally, this great album is available on CD. I remember Mary Hopkin's big hit, "Those were the Days" and I remember not really caring for this song at that time. An English dance hall hit? The 60's really did accomodate just about any style of music, but what Mr. Mathis did with this song is just amazing, he made it his own. Enough cannot be said about what sounds like a typo, "Light My Fire", though Jose Feliciano did it in his own style and had a huge hit, too. Johnny Mathis sings it with much strength and Robert Mersey's incredible arrangement surrounds his voice with a majestic Latin/Jazz version that is as strong a song as the original version. "Little Green Apples" is another standout version of a great Bobby Russell compostition, originally done by the wonderful OC Smith, but again, in a soulful arrangement that brings out the best in what makes Johnny Mathis, Johnny Mathis. "This Guy's In Love With You", a #1 hit for Herb Alpert, is slowed down and sung ever so romantically in an arrangement by D'Arneill Pershing (one of two of his arrangements).
Much credit must go to the very underrated, Robert Mersey, who produced the entire album, and who arranged & conducted all but two songs. He really understood the many strengths of the most wondrous voice that is Johnny Mathis and surrounds it with arrangements that complement and highlight it so that I can say that this album is one of the best in a long line of albums dating back to the 50's. Super romantic songs like, "Every Time I Think of You" and "You Make Me Think About You" round out an album that can be played today, and it still sounds so good! It was very fortunate to have Johnny Mathis return to Columbia in the mid 60's after a short time at Mercury because Columbia seems like home for him.
"Love Theme From "Romeo & Juliet"" was released in 1969 and included many of the hits of the time. "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In" was notable because Ernie Freeman's arrangement switched the two songs from "Hair" around, and it still worked. "The Windmills of Your Mind" is very much a counterpart to Dusty Springfield's version. Songs like "Without Her" by Harry Nilsson and Bacharach/David's "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" again help to emphasize what Mr. Mathis could do to make contemporary hits of the time his own.
Many, many thanks to Collector's Choice for finally releasing what many fans have been waiting for, for over 40 years!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mathis at His Prime, June 11, 2009

By 

Ed (Wind Gap, PA United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Those Were The Days/Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet (Audio CD)

Unlike his contemporaries such as Andy Williams, Robert Goulet, Jerry Vale, etc, who released cover albums of hits of the day in an almost cookie cutter fashion, Johnny Mathis re-interpreted many of the songs in a way that made them his own. In the "Those Were the Days" album he gives a surprisingly soulful, jazzy treatment of "Little Green Apples" and almost exceeds Feliciano's heartfelt rendition of "Light My Fire." The Robert Mersey arrangements are just extraordinary and lead Mathis in vocal territory far beyond his early hits such as "Chances Are." For those who only know Johnny by those Glenn Osser, Percy Faith "sweet" records this new compilation is bound to be a delightful and startling surprise. I once heard a Chicago DJ say, "Johnny Mathis doesn't write songs .... until he sings them." The re-issue of these classic albums is great news for Mathis fans new and old.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars two magnificent albums by the great Johnny Mathis~~THANK YOU, JOHNNY !!!, May 29, 2011

By 

Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Those Were The Days/Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet (Audio CD)

I love to hear Johnny Mathis sing; he could sing out the telephone book and I would be standing there, applauding and wanting so much more! His incredible sense of timing, his diction and an abundance of pure, innate talent to interpret a tune are very evident on these CDs with all the tracks from two of Johnny's record albums on the Columbia label, "Those Were the Days" and "Love Theme from `Romeo and Juliet.'" Robert Mersey wrote stunning arrangements for most of the first album; and Ernie Freeman deserves mention for his arrangements on the other album, "Love Theme from `Romeo and Juliet'." The quality of the sound is excellent all the way through; and I like that Collector's Choice put each of the two albums on its own CD.

"Those Were the Days" gets the royal treatment from Johnny; his version ranks superior to the one by Mary Hopkins! Johnny sings this with all his heart and soul and he never lets go of a single superfluous note. Johnny does "Little Green Apples" Johnny with panache, too. "The End of the World" is a true gem when Johnny gives it his touch; this rendition has Johnny squarely in the spotlight and that lush musical arrangement perfectly complements his singing every step of the way. "This Guy's in Love with You" shines bright in Johnny's most capable hands; he sings it a bit more slowly than I've heard others do it but Johnny's version is so great that this is truly a stand-out number. "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" features Johnny doing yet another magnificent cover; and I really like Johnny's sublime treatment of "Light My Fire." "Every Time I Dream of You" is just wonderful; and listen for Johnny to perform the poignant "The World I Used to Know." "You Make Me Think about You" is very easy on the ear; and Johnny's "Turn Around Look at Me" moves me greatly every time I hear it! Terrific!

On the second disc we get the tracks from "Love Theme from 'Romeo and Juliet'." I never heard this ballad sound any better than when Johnny Mathis performed it; his performance is flawless and memorable to say the least. His covers of "Aquarius" and "Let the Sunshine In" from the musical "Hair" boast fine interpretations that yet again more than prove Johnny's superlative talent; and there's another winning track in "Without Her" as Johnny handles subtle changes in tempo and keys like the master he is and always will be! "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" is magnificent; and I really like "Live for Life" and "We" that have Johnny doing them with style and sensitivity. Other lovely numbers include the poignant, decidedly melancholy "Didn't We;" "Love Me Tonight" with that very good arrangement; "The Windmills of Your Mind" that Johnny aces as if it were mere breathing--although, of course, we know it really wasn't all that easy. Johnny's talent always carries him through! "The World I Threw Away" has Johnny putting so much special meaning into it; and the album ends with Johnny Mathis performing "Yesterday When I Was Young" beautifully.

Johnny Mathis fans who have worn out the grooves in their vinyl record albums (like me) can rejoice that CD sets like this one have been released. This is a must-have for Johnny Mathis fans and newcomers to Johnny's brilliance alike. In addition, people who enjoy easy listening music and lighter pop vocals from the sixties would do well to get this two CD set.