The Music of Johnny Mathis: A Personal Collection


The Music of Johnny Mathis: A Personal Collection is a box set by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released in 1993 by Columbia Records and gave an overview of his career with four CDs containing 86 tracks that he selected himself. In the liner notes he wrote that his "undying gratitude is really to the lyricists and composers of all these memorable songs. Without the words and music I have sung over the years, my career as a singer would not have existed. My thanks is always to these special and gifted people."
The collection included three tracks that were previously unreleased: "Baía (Na Baixa do Sapateiro)", which was recorded for but not included on his 1986 Henry Mancini collaboration The Hollywood Musicals, and two songs from an unreleased album by Sergio Mendes, "Photograph" and "The Island". The two other rarities here are "Evie", a 1971 single that was not included on any of his studio albums, and "El Amar y el Querer", a track from his 1983 CBS Discos album Cuando Vuelvas A Casa.
The original release came in an oblong box, while the 2001 reissue was repackaged with a cardboard slipcase to fit the original 96-page booklet alongside a 4-CD jewel case.

Reception

AllMusic's Greg Adams noted the difference between this Mathis compilation and any of his greatest hits collections: "These melodically and lyrically sophisticated songs better demonstrate Mathis's superlative vocal abilities than many of the chart-bound pop songs the box set omits."
The review in People magazine discussed his place in popular culture: "This 86-song lovefest suggests why Mathis has often been blamed for the last 10 years of the baby boom. If you aren't a fan, this set will make clear why he and his songs are survivors."

Track listing

;Disc 1
  1. "When Sunny Gets Blue" – 2:41
  2. "It's Not for Me to Say" – 3:05
  3. "Wonderful! Wonderful!" – 2:50
  4. "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" – 3:16
  5. "It Could Happen to You" – 3:48
  6. "All Through the Night" – 2:58
  7. "Chances Are" – 3:03
  8. "The Twelfth of Never" – 2:28
  9. "Wild Is the Wind" – 2:26
  10. "There Goes My Heart" – 3:43
  11. "What'll I Do" – 2:55
  12. "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face" – 3:29
  13. "By Myself" – 4:09
  14. "Warm" – 3:24
  15. "When I Am with You" – 2:59
  16. "I Heard a Forest Praying" – 3:13
  17. "I Look at You" – 2:59
  18. "A Certain Smile" – 2:47
  19. "Someone" – 2:58
  20. "You'll Never Know" - 4:09
  21. "More Than You Know" – 4:19
  22. "Moonlight Becomes You" – 4:07
  23. "Heavenly" – 3:23
; Disc 2
  1. "A Ride on a Rainbow" – 4:11
  2. "A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening" – 4:05
  3. "Misty" – 3:34
  4. "Small World" – 3:18
  5. "The Best of Everything" – 2:45
  6. "Maria" – 3:45
  7. "Tonight" – 3:16
  8. "Isn't It a Pity?" – 3:59
  9. "I Married an Angel" – 3:52
  10. "Spring Is Here" – 3:53
  11. "Don't Blame Me" – 4:43
  12. "Stairway to the Stars" – 4:54
  13. "Love Look Away" – 3:31
  14. "Smile" – 3:18
  15. "You Set My Heart to Music" – 2:46
  16. "Gina" – 2:46
  17. "What Will Mary Say" – 3:09
  18. "Laura" – 4:40
  19. "Long Ago (and Far Away)" – 3:48
  20. "Clopin Clopant " – 3:41
  21. "I'm in Love for the Very First Time" – 3:21
; Disc 3
  1. "Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet (A Time for Us)" – 2:58
  2. "Live for Life" – 2:59
  3. "A Man and a Woman" – 3:26
  4. "Evie" – 3:09
  5. "If" – 3:03
  6. "Theme from Summer of 42 " – 2:39
  7. "Love Theme from The Godfather (Speak Softly Love)" – 3:08
  8. "Betcha by Golly, Wow" – 2:49
  9. "Happy (Love Theme from Lady Sings the Blues)" – 3:36
  10. "Arianne" – 3:29
  11. "I'm Coming Home" – 3:24
  12. "And I Think That's What I'll Do" – 3:41
  13. "Life Is a Song Worth Singing" – 6:06
  14. Medley – 4:06
a. "Let Me Be the One"
b. "I Won't Last a Day Without You"
  1. "One Day in Your Life" – 4:14
  2. "Feelings" – 3:28
  3. "Yellow Roses on Her Gown" – 4:33
  4. "When a Child Is Born" – 3:41
  5. "All the Things You Are" – 3:33
  6. "We're All Alone" – 3:22
  7. "One" – 2:26
  8. "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" performed with Deniece Williams – 2:59
; Disc 4
  1. "The Last Time I Felt Like This" performed with Jane Olivor – 2:57
  2. "Love" – 3:48
  3. "With You I'm Born Again" – 4:03
  4. "Warm" – 4:39
  5. "Friends in Love" performed with Dionne Warwick – 4:03
  6. "El Amar y el Querer" – 4:13
  7. "Love Won't Let Me Wait" performed with Deniece Williams – 4:16
  8. "99 Miles from L.A." – 3:35
  9. "I Had the Craziest Dream" – 3:05
  10. "Baía (Na Baixa do Sapateiro)" – 4:13
  11. "Toyland" – 3:41
  12. "I'm on the Outside Looking In" – 3:24
  13. "It's All in the Game" performed with Take 6 – 2:33
  14. "You Belong to Me" – 3:40
  15. "All Alone Am I" – 3:24
  16. "Photograph" – 4:35
  17. "The Island" – 4:03
  18. "Something to Live For" – 3:37
  19. "Prelude to a Kiss" – 2:52
  20. Medley performed with Barbra Streisand – 4:43
a. "I Have a Love"
b. "One Hand, One Heart"

Personnel

;Compilation
  • Mike Berniker – executive producer
  • Jerry Shulman – executive producer
  • Didier C. Deutsch – producer
  • Mark Wilder – digital remixing and remastering
  • Chris Herles – digital remixing and remastering
  • Adam Block – project director
  • Allen Weinberg – art direction and design
  • Paul M. Martin – design assistance
  • Hope Chasin – packaging manager
  • Charlie Sarrica – graphic arts production manager
  • Tony Natelli – project consultant
  • Todd Everett – liner notes
  • Gene Lees – liner notes
  • David Vance – photography
  • Maria Niemela – photography
  • Don Hunstein – photography
  • Digitally remixed and remastered at Sony Music Studios, New York