The Sweetheart Tree


The Sweetheart Tree is an album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released by Mercury Records on September 30, 1965, and included songs associated with Italy, France, Ireland, and Scotland as well as several selections, such as "I'll [Close My Eyes (song)|I'll Close My Eyes]" and "The Very Thought of You", from English composers.
The title song from the album had its first chart appearance on Billboard magazine's list of the 40 most popular Easy Listening songs in the US in the issue dated July 24 of that year and got as high as number 21 over the course of 10 weeks. It also bubbled under Billboard's Hot 100 for six weeks beginning in the August 7 issue, during which time it peaked at number 108. The album debuted on the magazine's Top LP's chart shortly after its release, in the issue dated October 16, 1965, and reached number 71 during its 26 weeks there.
The album The Sweetheart Tree was released on compact disc on November 6, 2012, as one of two albums on one CD, along with his 1966 follow-up, The Shadow of [Your Smile (Johnny Mathis album)|The Shadow of Your Smile]. Both were also included in Sony's Mathis box set The Complete Global Albums Collection, which was released on November 17, 2014.

History

Much of the album was recorded in London and features songs with an international flavor. It was released in two versions: in the US as The Sweetheart Tree, and in the UK it appeared under the title Away From Home. Ten of the songs are found on both albums. The US version has twelve tracks and includes the title track and "Mirage", not found on the UK version. The UK version has fourteen tracks, three of which were not available in the US until they were released as part of The Complete Global Albums Collection. The fourth song, "In Love for the Very First Time" would appear on Mathis's next album The Shadow of Your Smile.
In the liner notes for the 2012 release of both The Sweetheart Tree and The Shadow of Your Smile on one compact disc, James Ritz wrote that the former "represents the beginning of the end of the 'pure' Mathis sound, at least in its conceptual approach" and that the latter "would serve as a transitional vehicle to a different formula for the Johnny Mathis recording career." The latter included covers of "Michelle" and "Yesterday" by the Beatles, which were still compatible with the easy listening genre but suggested that Mathis had a willingness to stay current.

Reception

Billboard wrote that "the rich, warm Mathis enhances a well-planned, diversified program of material," and that his "treatments of 'Danny Boy' and 'Symphony' are among the standout performances." "One of his best love mood packages" was their assessment.
Variety reported that the album showed "Johnny Mathis is showcased here on an internationally flavored songalog."

Track listing (US version)

Side one

  1. "A Wonderful Day Like Today" from The Roar of the Greasepaint – [The Smell of the Crowd] – 2:42
  2. "Arrivederci Roma" from Seven Hills of Rome – 3:41
  3. "Clopin Clopant" – 3:40
  4. "This Is Love" – 3:23
  5. "I'll Close My Eyes" – 3:53
  6. "The Very Thought of You" – 3:49

    Side two

  7. "Danny Boy" – 4:55
  8. "The Sweetheart Tree" from The Great Race – 2:15
  9. "Symphony" – 2:59
  10. "The Skye Boat Song" – 3:50
  11. "Autumn Leaves" – 3:45
  12. "Mirage" from Mirage – 2:06

    Track listing (UK version)

Side one

  1. "A Wonderful Day Like Today" – 2:42
  2. "Clopin Clopant" – 3:40
  3. "The Skye Boat Song" – 3:50
  4. "If I Had You" – 3:23
  5. "Symphony" – 2:59
  6. "Try a Little Tenderness" – 3:25
  7. "If Love Were All" from Bitter Sweet – 3:51

    Side two

  8. "Danny Boy" – 4:55
  9. "The Very Thought of You" – 3:49
  10. "Autumn Leaves" – 3:45
  11. "I'll Close My Eyes" – 3:53
  12. "This Is Love" – 3:23
  13. "Arrivederci Roma" – 3:41
  14. "I'm in Love for the Very First Time" from An Alligator Named Daisy – 3:20

    Recording dates

From the liner notes for The Complete Global Albums Collection:
  • May 6, 1965: "Arrivederci Roma", "Clopin Clopant", "If Love Were All", "A Wonderful Day Like Today"
  • May 7, 1965: "Autumn Leaves", "Danny Boy", "The Skye Boat Song", "This Is Love"
  • May 8, 1965: "If I Had You", "I'll Close My Eyes", "Symphony", "Try a Little Tenderness", "The Very Thought of You"
  • June 15, 1965: "Mirage", "The Sweetheart Tree"
  • January 13, 1966: "I'm in Love for the Very First Time"

    Personnel

  • Johnny Mathis – vocals
  • Norman Newell – producer
  • Alyn Ainsworth – arranger, conductor ; arranger
  • Allyn Ferguson – arranger, conductor ; arranger ; conductor
  • Geoff Love – arranger
  • Lincoln Mayorga – arranger, conductor ; conductor
  • Tony Osborne – arranger, conductor ; conductor
  • Glenn Osser – arranger
  • Roddy McDowall – cover photos
  • The credits on the original album jacket read, "Produced by Global Records, Inc.", but Newell is credited as producer in the liner notes of both its CD debut and The Complete Global Albums Collection.