Better Together: The Duet Album

Better Together: The Duet Album is a compilation album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released on October 8, 1991,[1] by Columbia Records and featured three new songs ("Better Together", "You Brought Me Love", and "Who's Counting Heartaches") alongside eight other pairings that were previously released.

Better Together: The Duet Album
Compilation album by
ReleasedOctober 8, 1991[1]
Recorded1977–1991
Genre
Length39:28
LabelColumbia
Johnny Mathis chronology
In a Sentimental Mood: Mathis Sings Ellington
(1990)
Better Together: The Duet Album
(1991)
How Do You Keep the Music Playing?
(1993)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]

The album spent its one week on Billboard magazine's album chart at number 189 in the issue dated January 11, 1992.[3]

The song "Better Together" (on which he performs with Regina Belle) entered the magazine's Hot R&B Singles chart two months later, in the March 7 issue, and stayed there for five weeks, peaking at number 68.[4]

Reception edit

Bil Carpenter of Allmusic gave the collection a positive review, describing Mathis's 1984 collaboration with Deniece Williams, "Love Won't Let Me Wait", as a "stellar reunion"[2] and his duet with Patti Austin, "You Brought Me Love", as an "unheralded masterpiece".[2]

Track listing edit

From the liner notes for the original album:[5]

  1. "Better Together" performed with Regina Belle (Randy Bowland) – 4:37
  2. "You Brought Me Love" performed with Patti Austin (Andy Goldmark) – 4:07
    • Thom Bell – producer, arranger
    • Jay Landers – executive producer
  3. "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" performed with Deniece Williams (Nat Kipner, John Vallins) – 2:59
    • Jack Gold – producer
  4. "It's All in the Game" performed with Take 6 (Charles Dawes, Carl Sigman) – 2:33
    • Peter Bunetta – producer
    • Rick Chudacoff – producer
    • Jay Landers – executive producer
  5. "Love Won't Let Me Wait" performed with Deniece Williams (Vinnie Barrett, Bobby Eli) – 4:16
  6. "You're a Special Part of Me" performed with Angela Bofill (Angela Bofill, Loree Gold) – 4:13
    • Denny Diante – producer
  7. "The Last Time I Felt Like This" performed with Jane Olivor (Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Marvin Hamlisch) – 2:57
    • Jack Gold – producer
  8. "Friends in Love" performed with Dionne Warwick (Bill Champlin, David Foster, Jay Graydon) – 4:03
  9. "In the Still of the Night" performed with Take 6 (Fred Parris) – 2:38
    • Peter Bunetta – producer
    • Rick Chudacoff – producer
    • Jay Landers – executive producer
  10. "You're All I Need to Get By" performed with Deniece Williams (Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson) - 2:40
    • Jack Gold – producer
  11. "Who's Counting Heartaches" performed with Dionne Warwick (Ina Wolf, Peter Wolf) – 4:20

Personnel edit

From the liner notes for the original album:[5]

  • Johnny Mathis – vocals
  • Wally Traugott – mastering
  • Nancy Donald – art direction
  • Tracy Veal – design
  • Bret Lopez – photographer

References edit

  1. ^ a b (2017) The Voice of Romance: The Columbia Original Album Collection by Johnny Mathis [CD booklet]. New York: Sony Music Entertainment 88985 36892 2.
  2. ^ a b c d "Better Together: The Duet Album - Johnny Mathis". allmusic.com. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  3. ^ Whitburn 2010, p. 504.
  4. ^ Whitburn 2004, p. 383.
  5. ^ a b (1991) Better Together: The Duet Album by Johnny Mathis [CD booklet]. New York: Columbia Records CK 47982.

Bibliography edit

  • Whitburn, Joel (2004), Joel Whitburn Presents Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles, 1942-2004, Record Research Inc., ISBN 0898201608
  • Whitburn, Joel (2010), Joel Whitburn Presents Top Pop Albums, Seventh Edition, Record Research Inc., ISBN 0-89820-183-7