By yoyoshep (205.188.209.109) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 12:20 am:

For anyone interested, I recently saw on the CD Universe website that the beautiful album I'm Coming Home by Johnny Mathis, is going to be released on cd July 1, 2003. This album was brilliantly arranged by Thom Bell. Bell and Linda Creed wrote some beautiful songs on this album and MFSB were brilliant. Good news!

By 1Wicked (24.126.64.120) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 12:37 am:

YES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (sounding like a particular NY Knick basketball announcer)

By John Lester (213.123.157.36) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 02:45 am:

About time too........

By Reese (12.15.169.254) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 11:31 am:

This is great news. I never heard the entire album, but I do remember Johnny appearing on SOUL TRAIN to promote it. I also recall an article in JET magazine referring to the album as Johnny's "return" to black audiences.

By Caleb (171.75.81.16) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 12:01 pm:

What is the exact address to that website to order?

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 12:55 pm:

Finally...my worn-out album can take it's well-deserved rest.
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 01:00 pm:

Reese:
The "I'm Coming Home" album places Johnny in the middle of the Philly sound. What made this album great was that Thom Bell tailor-made the arrangements & production for Johnny's voice as opposed to the "cookie-cutter" format other producers used. Johnny's versions of "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)" & "Betcha By Golly Wow" are VERY different from the Stylistics' originals. Even "I'm Coming Home" was arranged especially for Johnny (the original from the Spinners was uptempo & funky, Johnny's was a mid-tempo, Latin-tinged ballad). Overall, a great album to have and to listen to.
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By yoyoshep (205.188.209.109) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 01:22 pm:

Caleb, www.cduniverse.com.

By Reese (12.15.169.254) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 01:37 pm:

KevGo,
Johnny performed I'M COMING HOME on his recent A&E By Request special (also available on DVD). His rendition as you said is very different than the Spinners' but just as good. I can't wait to hear the entire alubm. Its the one album of his that I never see in the used record stores.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 01:39 pm:

Reese:
I bought my copy from a street vendor here in NYC for two dollars (don't tell Johnny or Thom!)about ten years ago & has been played repeatedly.
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By stephanie (64.63.221.31) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 05:28 pm:

Oh wow!!! This was one of his best albums!!
Which album had Life is a song Worth Singing ..Johhny jammed on that one!!!
Stephanie PS I always thought this man could sing anything I wish he had done more RandB although he is a legend and it doesnt really matter..

By Eli (151.197.60.215) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 06:01 pm:

The Johnny Mathis sessions were very special to me.
They were a lot of fun and Johnny was right there hanging out with us.
He is a very friendly person and a delight to work with and a true ARTIST!!!

By Eli (151.197.60.215) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 06:05 pm:

In a similar genre, not too many are aware of this but I had the honour of producing Englebert on his biggest selling album, After the Lovin.
Not that song but five other ones on the album.
He is also a great guy and a true ARTIST.
We had the "full monty" of MFSB, the Sweeties, and all of the trimmings!!!

By Stephanie (64.63.221.158) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 07:21 pm:

My mother loves that album Eli I didnt know that was YOU!!! Chalk up another great album to one of the greats on our Forum

Stephanie

By Eli (151.197.60.215) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 07:47 pm:

Thanks Steph,

By Kenners (141.157.11.106) on Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 10:12 pm:

Point of reference - Johnny Mathis' version of "I'm Coming Home" is the original version coming out during the fall of 1973. The Spinners recording wasn't released until 1974.

By Michael/cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Thursday, June 12, 2003 - 11:55 am:

I have been asking about this album for years. Hoooray!!! There is a cut on this album that is one of the most beautiful ever produced by Thom Bell, called "I'd Rather Be Here With You" masterfully sung by Johnny Mathis. This album is an overlooked classic and I cannot wait to get my hands on it. I have absolutely worn out my cassette.

"Here I am
Far away
Singing my song in a small cafe
But If I had my choice
I'd rather be here with you"

By stephanie (64.63.221.201) on Thursday, June 12, 2003 - 04:06 pm:

I just found out Life is a Song Worth singing is on that album that was my favorite cut..I had not heard it in so long I forgot what album it was on...Johnnie at his randb best. Maybe people will buy it again if he promotes it at his concerts I hear he is a good businessman..
Stephanie

By dvdmike (68.72.173.25) on Thursday, June 12, 2003 - 04:14 pm:

I ordered my copy yesterday. Now, let's have "Mathis Is".

By Michael/cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Friday, June 13, 2003 - 02:18 pm:

Just ordered I'm Coming Home from Amazon. Cannot wait to get it.

By weiss (130.238.5.5) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 04:52 pm:

Hi, I´m new to the forum and I´m very excited to see Mr. Eli on this forum. I have always loved philly and I´m trying to find philly related records. About Engelbert (I have After the lovin´ and it´s great). Didn´t you Bobby produce tracks on his "Miracles" album as well? Can´t find that album anywhere...:-(
Doesn´t turn up on ebay either...An interesting note: That album has never been available on CD ever, which I find very odd since it was a great hit. Since the philly related Mathis will be released soon (by Sony). Could we hope for After the lovin on CD?

By Eli (151.197.225.130) on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 10:32 pm:

Weiss,
I have been on the case with Sony to release the Englebert album on cd and I will bug them until it happens, and it should.

I had a ball doing that album, especially being that it was a bit off the beaten path from my usual Philly style productions.
Originally and conceptualy it was done as a "lark" but when it all started to take shape, and quickly I may add,we realized that we had the makings of a hit album.
Enge was a breeze to work with and true artist
who showed his appreaciation every step of the way and all of the usual Philly stalwarts had a ball working with him as well.
Maybe one day, I will get the chance to work with him again.

By Caleb (171.75.81.78) on Thursday, July 03, 2003 - 12:41 am:

Received I'm Coming Home CD in the mail today.It's very nice.So glad I ordered it.Introduction to Life Is A Song Worth Singing is awesome.How did this album do?Did it sell alot of copies and what was the main single off of it?

By Eli (141.151.58.199) on Thursday, July 03, 2003 - 09:06 am:

Caleb,
Unfortunately Columbia did not promote it propperly. If they had done so, it would have been platinum, at least.

By brown8644 (166.107.157.127) on Thursday, July 03, 2003 - 12:06 pm:

Hey, Eli when albums like I'm Coming Home come
out on cds after all these years. If they sell
enough of them do those sales count along with
prior sales from when the albums were released,
towards qualifing the albums for Gold,and Platnum Status.

By TonyRussi (68.18.39.39) on Thursday, July 03, 2003 - 02:23 pm:

It seems to me that I bought this LP at the same time I bought the Ronnie Dyson LP."I'm Coming Home" is the only Johnny Mathis LP in my collection and it is an LP of some very good songs so I'm sure the CD is awesome.I was surprised that it did not do as well as it should have chart & sales wise.The Ronnie Dyson LP I'm referring to is "One Man Band" produced by Thom Bell also and has a GREAT version of the Bobby Eli song "Just Don't Wanna Be Lonely".

By Caleb (171.75.84.21) on Thursday, July 03, 2003 - 04:27 pm:

Is that Ronnie Dyson album"One Man Band" available on CD?

By motownboy (64.170.50.18) on Thursday, July 03, 2003 - 04:43 pm:

This is great news about "I'm Coming Home" finally on CD, as I am not familiar with it!!
However, I recently found a used copy of Johnny's LP "Mathis Is" from 1977. This LP was produced by Thom Bell (my reason for buying it), although it is not recorded in Philadelphia......It's very mellow and has grown on me with repeated listening. I'd be curious to hear from anyone who has heard both LPs and could give us their thoughts on each....Anyone??? Bobby Eli??

By yoyoshep (205.188.209.109) on Thursday, July 03, 2003 - 04:54 pm:

Caleb there is a CD called "Ronnie Dyson His All Time Golden Classics" on the Sony Collectables label from 1995. This CD has 23 songs on it including the complete One Man Band album.

By Caleb (171.75.81.84) on Thursday, July 03, 2003 - 06:07 pm:

Thanks for that information yoyoshep,going to head over to amazon.com and see if I can locate.

By Eli (152.163.252.68) on Thursday, July 03, 2003 - 09:47 pm:

Tony,
That version of JDWTBL was the very first time that it was recorded.
Thom was going to cut it on Little Anthony but decided on Ronnie Instead.

By Eli (152.163.252.68) on Thursday, July 03, 2003 - 09:55 pm:

Brown..good question.
In a lot of instances, retroactive sales ARE tallied and and the cumulative resulting figure is then considered to be criteria for a gold or platinum award.
Motown, several years ago awarded the Tempts platinum awards based on a lot of titles the reason being that Motown in its glory years was not a member of RIAA which meant that they could give their artists any arbitrary figure and expect them to believe it.
When Motown became a member of UMG they were presented with their long delayed awards.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, July 07, 2003 - 04:36 pm:

Bobby:
FYI - Motown became a member of the RIAA in 1975, which coinsides with Ralph Terrana's statement that the label fully relocated to LA in that same year.

The first Motown releases to receive an RIAA-certified Gold Record award were Diana Ross' "Love Hangover" & Thelma Houston's "Don't Leave Me This Way" (both in 1976).

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Michael/cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Tuesday, July 08, 2003 - 02:55 pm:

Well, my copy of I'm Coming Home arrived in the mail last night and it is sublime. I had forgotten how wonderful the song "Foolish" is and the stunnning arrangment of "Life Is A Song Worth Singing." My personal favorite remains "I'd Rather Be Here With You." For those of you who do not have this Thom Bell produced gem, pick it up.