Celebration – The Anniversary Album


Celebration – The Anniversary Album is a compilation album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released in the UK in 1981 by the CBS Records division of Columbia. Two of the covers on this release had not previously been included on any Mathis album: Stevie Wonder's "If It's Magic" and a new version of Mathis's 1976 song "When a Child Is Born" that was recorded with Gladys Knight & the Pips and reached number 74 on the UK singles chart during a two-week run that began on December 26, 1981.
This album entered the UK album chart on September 19, 1981, and reached number nine over the course of 16 weeks, and nine days later, on September 28, the British Phonographic Industry awarded the album with Silver certification for sales of 60,000 units in the UK. It was released on compact disc in 1990.
Before the music begins for the second track on side one, Mathis provides some narration: "I've been privileged through my life to have had so many wonderful songs to sing. I'm often asked which are the most special and memorable for me. On looking back over my career right up until now, I've been thinking about the songs that have been, well, in a sense, landmarks for me across the years, and it all began with this..." -- "Wonderful! Wonderful!" being the song that he's referring to. He also comments on the occasion of this collection at the beginning of the last track on side two, "If It's Magic".

Track listing

Side one

  1. "You Saved My Life" performed with Stephanie Lawrence – 2:50
  2. * Jack Gold – producer
  3. *Gene Page – arranger, conductor
  4. "Wonderful! Wonderful!" – 3:05
  5. *Al Ham, Mitch Miller – producers
  6. *Ray Conniff – arranger, conductor
  7. "It's Not for Me to Say" – 3:05
  8. *Al Ham, Mitch Miller – producers
  9. *Ray Conniff – arranger, conductor
  10. "Chances Are" – 3:03
  11. * Mitch Miller – producer
  12. *Ray Conniff – arranger, conductor
  13. "When a Child Is Born" performed with Gladys Knight & the Pips – 3:52
  14. * Jack Gold – producer
  15. *Gene Page – arranger, conductor
  16. "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" performed with Deniece Williams – 2:59
  17. * Jack Gold – producer
  18. *Gene Page – arranger, conductor
  19. "The Last Time I Felt Like This" performed with Jane Olivor – 2:57
  20. * Jack Gold – producer
  21. *Gene Page – arranger, conductor
  22. "Stop Look and Listen to Your Heart" – 4:18
  23. *Thom Bell – producer, arranger, conductor
  24. "With You I'm Born Again" – 4:03
  25. * Jack Gold – producer
  26. *Gene Page – arranger, conductor
  27. "Three Times a Lady" – 4:13
  28. * Jack Gold – producer
  29. *Gene Page – arranger, conductor

    Side two

  30. "She Believes in Me" – 4:22
  31. * Jack Gold – producer
  32. *Gene Page – arranger, conductor
  33. "I Will Survive" – 3:59
  34. * Jack Gold – producer
  35. *Victor Vanacore – arranger, conductor
  36. "Evergreen " – 3:15
  37. * Jack Gold – producer
  38. *Gene Page – arranger, conductor
  39. "When I Need You" – 3:26
  40. * Jack Gold – producer
  41. *Gene Page – arranger, conductor
  42. "Sweet Surrender" – 2:35
  43. *Jerry Fuller – producer
  44. * D'Arneill Pershing – arranger, conductor
  45. "How Deep Is Your Love" – 3:42
  46. * Jack Gold – producer
  47. * Glen Spreen – arranger, conductor
  48. "We're All Alone" – 3:22
  49. * Jack Gold – producer
  50. *Gene Page – arranger, conductor
  51. "Misty" – 3:34
  52. *Al Ham, Mitch Miller – producers
  53. *Glenn Osser – arranger, conductor
  54. "I'd Rather Be Here with You" – 3:47
  55. *Thom Bell – producer, arranger, conductor
  56. "If It's Magic" – 3:48
  57. * Jack Gold – producer

    Personnel