Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music are proud to continue the journey through the catalogue of the legendary Voice of Romance, Johnny Mathis, on October 7 with the two latest additions to our ongoing series.

First up is an expanded 2-CD release comprising both of the artist's classic albums originally released in 1972: The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) and Song Sung Blue.  These teamed Mathis with renowned producer Jerry Fuller (Gary Puckett and The Union Gap, The Knickerbockers, Mark Lindsay) for the first time on a selection of the seventies' most timeless pop melodies, all in the velvety-smooth Mathis style.  The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) had not only Mathis' rendition of the hit popularized by Roberta Flack but also classics introduced by The Stylistics ("Betcha by Golly Wow"), America ("I Need You"), and The 5th Dimension ("(Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep at All") as well as beloved themes from The Godfather, Summer of '42, Brian's Song, and Kotch.  Neil Diamond's hits were celebrated on Song Sung Blue, along with favorites by Gilbert O'Sullivan ("Alone Again (Naturally)"), Carpenters ("Goodbye to Love") and The Bee Gees ("Run to Me").  Mathis also delivered a honeyed tribute to Nat "King" Cole with "Too Young" and returned to the songbook of Burt Bacharach and Hal David with a top 20 AC hit ("Make It Easy on Yourself").  Three bonus tracks have been added: the single of Henry Mancini's "Sometimes" and the outtakes "Remember the Good" and "Morning Has Broken."  The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)/Song Sung Blue features rare photos of the artist and liner notes by The Second Disc's Joe Marchese based on fresh interviews with Johnny Mathis, Jerry Fuller, and Thom Bell.  Both albums are making their first-ever standalone CD debuts as part of this series.

We're continuing with another standalone debut: an expanded edition of Johnny's first album of 1973.  Me and Mrs. Jones proved to be one of his most eclectic albums of the decade.  Reuniting him with Jerry Fuller, the LP found the singer exploring a variety of styles and genres.  In addition to the title track from Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff's Philly soul hit factory, Me and Mrs. Jones found Mathis singing the best of Broadway ("Corner of the Sky" from Pippin), Hollywood (Smokey Robinson and Michel Legrand's "Happy" from Lady Sings the Blues) and the pop scene (Harry Nilsson's "Remember," David Gates' "Sweet Surrender").  The album's AC hit single, "Soul and Inspiration/Just Once in My Life," brought together two of The Righteous Brothers' most memorable songs in one dynamic medley.  This expanded edition boasts four bonus tracks: the B-side of the medley, Jerry Fuller and D'Arneill Pershing's "I," plus the outtake "Pieces of April," and both sides of the single "Take Good Care of Her" b/w "Walking Tall" from the movie of the same name.  Joe Marchese's new liner notes feature fresh quotes from Mathis and Fuller.

Both releases have been designed by John Sellards and remastered by Mike Piacentini at Sony's Battery Studios.  Look for the expanded editions of The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)/Song Sung Blue and Me and Mrs. Jones on October 5 at the links below!

Johnny Mathis, The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)/Song Sung Blue (Second Disc/Real Gone, 2018) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1: The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) (Columbia LP KC 31342, 1972)

1. The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)
2. Theme from Summer of '42 (The Summer Knows)
3. Brian's Song (The Hands of Time)
4. Since I Fell for You
5. Without You
6. Betcha by Golly Wow
7. Life and Breath
8. I Need You
9. (Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep At All
10. Life Is What You Make It
11. Remember the Good (Outtake)

CD 2: Song Sung Blue (Columbia LP KC 31626, 1972)

1. Play Me
2. Alone Again (Naturally)
3. Where Is the Love
4. Goodbye to Love
5. Too Young
6. Make It Easy on Yourself
7. Lean on Me
8. How Can I Be Sure
9. Run to Me
10. Song Sung Blue
11. He Ain't Heavy...He's My Brother
12. Morning Has Broken (Outtake)
13. Sometimes (Columbia single 4-45635, 1972)

Johnny Mathis, Me and Mrs. Jones: Expanded Edition (Columbia KC 32114, 1973 - reissued Second Disc/Real Gone, 2018) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

1. Me and Mrs. Jones
2. Sweet Surrender
3. Summer Breeze
4. Corner of the Sky
5. Happy (Love Theme from Lady Sings the Blues)
6. Soul and Inspiration/Just Once in My Life (Medley)
7. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
8. If I Could Reach You
9. Remember
10. You're a Lady
11. I Was Born in Love with You/Summer Me, Winter Me (Medley)
12. Pieces of April (Outtake)
13. I (Columbia single 4-45729, 1972)
14. Take Good Care of Her (Columbia single 4-45777, 1973)
15. Walking Tall (Theme from Walking Tall) (Columbia single 4-45777, 1973)