| Close To You | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Johnny Mathis |
| Cover: | Mathis-Close.jpeg |
| Released: | August 19, 1970[1] |
| Recorded: | May 27, 1970 July 10, 1970 July 13, 1970 July 15, 1970 |
| Genre: | Vocal[2] |
| Length: | 35:09 |
| Label: | Columbia |
| Producer: | Jack Gold[3] |
| Prev Title: | Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head |
| Prev Year: | 1970 |
| Next Title: | Johnny Mathis Sings the Music of Bacharach & Kaempfert |
| Next Year: | 1970 |
Close To You is an album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released on August 19, 1970,[1] by Columbia Records and mostly included his recordings of hits that other artists had that year. The exceptions were the new movie theme "Pieces of Dreams" and the 1967 songs "Wave" by Antônio Carlos Jobim and "Yellow Days", which was an Easy Listening hit for former Mathis collaborator Percy Faith.[4] In the UK the album was retitled after a different song Mathis covered on it, "The Long and Winding Road".
The release of the first single from the album, "Pieces of Dreams", coincided with the release of the film of the same name,[5] in which it is sung by Peggy Lee.[5] The Mathis recording made its first appearance on Billboard magazine's Easy Listening chart in the issue dated September 12 of that year and got as high as number nine during its eight weeks there.[6] The album's debut on the magazine's Top LP's chart came the following month, in the issue from October 10, and marked the start of a nine-week run that took it to number 61.[7] A second single, "Evil Ways", had its Easy Listening debut in the November 14 issue and reached number 30 during its four weeks there.[6]
Billboard wrote, "Among the standout performances are the title tune, 'Until It's Time for You to Go', 'Why Can’t I Touch You', 'Song of Joy', and 'Come Saturday Morning'. Top Ernie Freeman arrangements."
This album's CD release as part of the 2017 box set included a bonus track that was previously unavailable:
From the liner notes for :[1]