The fourth of seven children, John Royce Mathis was born on September 30, 1… Read Full Bio ↴The fourth of seven children, John Royce Mathis was born on September 30, 1935 in Gilmer, TX to Clem and Mildred Mathis. As a small boy, the family moved to Post Street in San Francisco. It was there that he learned an appreciation of music from his father who taught him his first song, βMy Blue Heavenβ. At age eight, his father purchased an old upright piano for $25. When he brought it home, it wouldnβt fit through the front door. So that evening, Johnny stayed up all night to watch his father dismantle the piano, get it into the small living room of their basement apartment and then reassemble it. Clem Mathis, who worked briefly as a musician back in Texas playing the piano and singing on stage, would continue to teach his son many songs and routines. Johnny had proven to be the most eager of the children to learn all about music. He sang in the church choir, school functions, community events, for visitors in their home as well as amateur shows in the San Francisco area.
Johnny was 13 years old when Clem took him to see Connie Cox, a Bay Area voice teacher, who agreed to take on the youngster in exchange for his doing odd jobs around her house. Johnny studied with Connie for six years learning vocal scales and exercises, voice production, classical and operatic skills.
At George Washington High School, Johnny was known not only for his singing ability but his athleticism as well. He became a star athlete on the track and field team as a high jumper and hurdler and played on the basketball team.
In 1954, Johnny enrolled at San Francisco State College with the intention of being an English and Physical Education teacher. While there, Johnny set a high jump record of 6β-5 1/2β. This is still on the Collegeβs Top 15 list and was only two inches short of the Olympic record of the time. Just as when he was in high school, Johnnyβs name was frequently mentioned in the sports sections of the Northern California newspapers. He was often referred to as βthe best all-around athlete to come out of the San Francisco Bay Areaβ.
A fellow student whose sextet was working at the Black Hawk nightclub brought Johnny in for a Sunday afternoon jam session. It was at the Black Hawk that Helen Noga, co-owner of the club, first heard him sing. She decided that she wanted to manage his career.
In early September of 1955, Johnny landed a job singing weekends at Ann Deeβs 440 Club. After repeated attempts, Helen convinced George Avakian, then head of Jazz A&R at Columbia, to see him. Avakian came to the club, heard Johnny sing and sent the now famous telegram to his record company: βHave found phenomenal 19 year old boy who could go all the way. Send blank contracts.β
Avakian left for New York after telling Johnny that he would eventually send for him. Johnny continued his studies at San Francisco State and gained additional fame as a high jumper. In early 1956, Johnny was asked to attend the trials for the 1956 Olympic teams that would travel to Melbourne, Australia that summer. At the same time, Columbia Records requested that Johnny come to New York to start arrangements for his first recording session. Clem helped his son decide that his future and best interests were with the recording company. So, Johnny gave up his chance to become a member of the USA Olympic Team. He went to New York to record his first album in March of 1956.
The first album was a collection of jazz oriented renditions of popular standards entitled: Johnny Mathis: A New Sound In Popular Song. It included jazz musicians Gil Evans, John Lewis and Teo Macero and songs like βAngel Eyesβ, βEasy to Loveβ and βBabaluβ. The album enjoyed only moderate success because jazz vocal albums were not good sellers. Nevertheless, Johnny remained in New York and landed bookings at some of the leading nightclubs such as the Village Vanguard, The Blue Angel and Basin Street East.
Soon, Columbia placed Johnny under the supervision of producer Mitch Miller. Mitch favored using Johnnyβs voice to sing soft, romantic ballads. At his second recording session, in the fall of 1956, Johnny recorded two singles. These songs were to become among his most popular all-time greatest hits: βWonderful, Wonderfulβ and βItβs Not For Me To Say.β Subsequently, MGM Studios signed Johnny to sing βItβs Not For Me To Sayβ in the film Lizzie . He played a tavern piano bar singer. In 1958, Johnny made another motion picture appearance. This time it was for 20th Century Fox in A Certain Smile. In this movie, he sang the title song playing himself in an elegant nightclub scene. Since then, Johnnyβs voice has been used in countless Hollywood movies for theme songs, background music and to enhance a particular setting or segment.
βWonderful, Wonderfulβ and βItβs Not For Me To Sayβ reached their peaks on the BILLBOARD pop chart in July of 1957. These successes were followed by the monumental single βChances Areβ which became Johnnyβs first #1 hit.
In June of 1957, Johnny appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show where he was introduced to the record buying public and became a national celebrity and household name. Columbia Records continued to release albums of Johnny singing beautiful and romantic ballads, classic standards and the best songs from Broadway musicals. These albums, like the singles, became immediate successes with sales in the millions. It was not uncommon for Johnny to have as many as four albums on the BILLBOARD Top Albums chart at the same time. In late 1959, Johnny recorded another song that became synonymous with the name of Johnny Mathis, the Erroll Garner composition, βMistyβ.
Johnnyβs accomplishments are numerous and varied. He holds many records and has set many precedents in the music industry. In 1958, two years after being signed by Columbia Records, Johnnyβs Greatest Hits was released. It began a βGreatest Hitsβ tradition copied by every record company since then. Johnnyβs Greatest Hits went on to become one of the most popular albums of all time and spent an unprecedented 490 continuous weeks (almost ten years) on the BILLBOARD Top Albums Chart. This record has been noted in the GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS.
According to record historian Joel Whitburn, Johnny is one of only five recording artists to have Top 40 Hits spanning each of the four decades since 1955. Amazingly, his second #1 Hit Single, βToo Much, Too Little, Too Lateβ (recorded with Deniece Williams), came almost 21 years after his very first #1 Hit Single, βChances Areβ.
Johnny has been honored to make several appearances before various heads of state. Starting in June of 1973, he sang at a State Dinner held in honor of the President of Liberia. In 1978, Johnny sang for the British Royal Family at A Command Performance held at The London Palladium. He performed for President and Mrs. Reagan at the State Dinner held in honor of the Prime Minister of Japan in April of 1987. Four years later in April of 1991, he sang for President and Mrs. Bush in honor of the President of Nicaragua. Most recently, in May of 1994, Johnny sang for President and Mrs. Clinton (along with the other five living First Ladies) at a very special First Ladies Tribute.
Johnny has also been honored by entertainment heads of state. In June of 1972, he was awarded his own star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has participated in the Academy Awards presentation many times to sing the song nominated in the βBest Songβ category. He has received two Grammy nominations. The first was for βMistyβ in 1960 in the category of Best Vocal Performance Single Record or Track Male. The second came in 1992 for In a Sentimental Mood/Mathis Sings Ellington in the category of Best Traditional Pop Performance.
1996 marked Johnnyβs 40th Anniversary as a recording artist. He celebrated by releasing All About Love. He then released The Global Masters (songs from his three year contract at Mercury Records) in 1997, and 1998 saw the release of The Ultimate Hits and Because You Loved Me.
In his free time, Johnny loves to golf. He plays golf almost every day when heβs not traveling and has sung at many golf banquets such as the Ryder Cup. In 1985 and 1986, Johnny hosted his own golf tournament, The Johnny Mathis Seniors PGA Classic which was held in Los Angeles, California.
Johnnyβs other favorite avocation is cooking. He is a gourmet cook who cooks for himself and often others when heβs home or traveling. His mother taught him at an early age how to cook up a storm and do it well. Heβs enjoyed doing so all his life.
Johnny was 13 years old when Clem took him to see Connie Cox, a Bay Area voice teacher, who agreed to take on the youngster in exchange for his doing odd jobs around her house. Johnny studied with Connie for six years learning vocal scales and exercises, voice production, classical and operatic skills.
At George Washington High School, Johnny was known not only for his singing ability but his athleticism as well. He became a star athlete on the track and field team as a high jumper and hurdler and played on the basketball team.
In 1954, Johnny enrolled at San Francisco State College with the intention of being an English and Physical Education teacher. While there, Johnny set a high jump record of 6β-5 1/2β. This is still on the Collegeβs Top 15 list and was only two inches short of the Olympic record of the time. Just as when he was in high school, Johnnyβs name was frequently mentioned in the sports sections of the Northern California newspapers. He was often referred to as βthe best all-around athlete to come out of the San Francisco Bay Areaβ.
A fellow student whose sextet was working at the Black Hawk nightclub brought Johnny in for a Sunday afternoon jam session. It was at the Black Hawk that Helen Noga, co-owner of the club, first heard him sing. She decided that she wanted to manage his career.
In early September of 1955, Johnny landed a job singing weekends at Ann Deeβs 440 Club. After repeated attempts, Helen convinced George Avakian, then head of Jazz A&R at Columbia, to see him. Avakian came to the club, heard Johnny sing and sent the now famous telegram to his record company: βHave found phenomenal 19 year old boy who could go all the way. Send blank contracts.β
Avakian left for New York after telling Johnny that he would eventually send for him. Johnny continued his studies at San Francisco State and gained additional fame as a high jumper. In early 1956, Johnny was asked to attend the trials for the 1956 Olympic teams that would travel to Melbourne, Australia that summer. At the same time, Columbia Records requested that Johnny come to New York to start arrangements for his first recording session. Clem helped his son decide that his future and best interests were with the recording company. So, Johnny gave up his chance to become a member of the USA Olympic Team. He went to New York to record his first album in March of 1956.
The first album was a collection of jazz oriented renditions of popular standards entitled: Johnny Mathis: A New Sound In Popular Song. It included jazz musicians Gil Evans, John Lewis and Teo Macero and songs like βAngel Eyesβ, βEasy to Loveβ and βBabaluβ. The album enjoyed only moderate success because jazz vocal albums were not good sellers. Nevertheless, Johnny remained in New York and landed bookings at some of the leading nightclubs such as the Village Vanguard, The Blue Angel and Basin Street East.
Soon, Columbia placed Johnny under the supervision of producer Mitch Miller. Mitch favored using Johnnyβs voice to sing soft, romantic ballads. At his second recording session, in the fall of 1956, Johnny recorded two singles. These songs were to become among his most popular all-time greatest hits: βWonderful, Wonderfulβ and βItβs Not For Me To Say.β Subsequently, MGM Studios signed Johnny to sing βItβs Not For Me To Sayβ in the film Lizzie . He played a tavern piano bar singer. In 1958, Johnny made another motion picture appearance. This time it was for 20th Century Fox in A Certain Smile. In this movie, he sang the title song playing himself in an elegant nightclub scene. Since then, Johnnyβs voice has been used in countless Hollywood movies for theme songs, background music and to enhance a particular setting or segment.
βWonderful, Wonderfulβ and βItβs Not For Me To Sayβ reached their peaks on the BILLBOARD pop chart in July of 1957. These successes were followed by the monumental single βChances Areβ which became Johnnyβs first #1 hit.
In June of 1957, Johnny appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show where he was introduced to the record buying public and became a national celebrity and household name. Columbia Records continued to release albums of Johnny singing beautiful and romantic ballads, classic standards and the best songs from Broadway musicals. These albums, like the singles, became immediate successes with sales in the millions. It was not uncommon for Johnny to have as many as four albums on the BILLBOARD Top Albums chart at the same time. In late 1959, Johnny recorded another song that became synonymous with the name of Johnny Mathis, the Erroll Garner composition, βMistyβ.
Johnnyβs accomplishments are numerous and varied. He holds many records and has set many precedents in the music industry. In 1958, two years after being signed by Columbia Records, Johnnyβs Greatest Hits was released. It began a βGreatest Hitsβ tradition copied by every record company since then. Johnnyβs Greatest Hits went on to become one of the most popular albums of all time and spent an unprecedented 490 continuous weeks (almost ten years) on the BILLBOARD Top Albums Chart. This record has been noted in the GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS.
According to record historian Joel Whitburn, Johnny is one of only five recording artists to have Top 40 Hits spanning each of the four decades since 1955. Amazingly, his second #1 Hit Single, βToo Much, Too Little, Too Lateβ (recorded with Deniece Williams), came almost 21 years after his very first #1 Hit Single, βChances Areβ.
Johnny has been honored to make several appearances before various heads of state. Starting in June of 1973, he sang at a State Dinner held in honor of the President of Liberia. In 1978, Johnny sang for the British Royal Family at A Command Performance held at The London Palladium. He performed for President and Mrs. Reagan at the State Dinner held in honor of the Prime Minister of Japan in April of 1987. Four years later in April of 1991, he sang for President and Mrs. Bush in honor of the President of Nicaragua. Most recently, in May of 1994, Johnny sang for President and Mrs. Clinton (along with the other five living First Ladies) at a very special First Ladies Tribute.
Johnny has also been honored by entertainment heads of state. In June of 1972, he was awarded his own star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has participated in the Academy Awards presentation many times to sing the song nominated in the βBest Songβ category. He has received two Grammy nominations. The first was for βMistyβ in 1960 in the category of Best Vocal Performance Single Record or Track Male. The second came in 1992 for In a Sentimental Mood/Mathis Sings Ellington in the category of Best Traditional Pop Performance.
1996 marked Johnnyβs 40th Anniversary as a recording artist. He celebrated by releasing All About Love. He then released The Global Masters (songs from his three year contract at Mercury Records) in 1997, and 1998 saw the release of The Ultimate Hits and Because You Loved Me.
In his free time, Johnny loves to golf. He plays golf almost every day when heβs not traveling and has sung at many golf banquets such as the Ryder Cup. In 1985 and 1986, Johnny hosted his own golf tournament, The Johnny Mathis Seniors PGA Classic which was held in Los Angeles, California.
Johnnyβs other favorite avocation is cooking. He is a gourmet cook who cooks for himself and often others when heβs home or traveling. His mother taught him at an early age how to cook up a storm and do it well. Heβs enjoyed doing so all his life.
Fly Me to the Moon
Johnny Mathis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fly me to the moon
And let me play among the stars
Let me see what spring is like
On Jupiter and Mars
In other words hold my hand
In other words darling kiss me
Fill my life with song
And let me sing forevermore
You are all I hope for
All I worship and adore
In other words please be true
In other words I love you
repeat 2nd verse, then repeat 1st verse
And let me play among the stars
Let me see what spring is like
On Jupiter and Mars
In other words hold my hand
In other words darling kiss me
Fill my life with song
And let me sing forevermore
All I worship and adore
In other words please be true
In other words I love you
repeat 2nd verse, then repeat 1st verse
Johnny Mathis's "Fly Me to the Moon" is a song about a lover's desire for adventure and romance. The song's lyrics reflect the singer's craving for his lover's companionship in exploring the wonders of the universe. Starting with the line "Fly me to the moon, and let me play among the stars," the singer expresses his need to explore the galaxy and experience the beauty of spring on planets like Jupiter and Mars. The next line, "In other words, hold my hand," highlights the intimacy and closeness he wants to feel with his lover as they journey through space, making memories and experiences that they will cherish forever. In the song's final verse, he reassures his lover that he intends to sing her praises always and tells her that she is all he hopes for, that he worships and adores her, and finally, he professes his love for her.
Line by Line Meaning
Fly me to the moon
Take me on a journey to a place far away from here.
And let me play among the stars
Allow me to explore and experience the wonders of the universe.
Let me see what spring is like
Grant me the opportunity to witness the beauty of the changing seasons.
On Jupiter and Mars
Specifically referring to these planets as they represent the unknown and infinite possibilities of space.
In other words hold my hand
Use physical touch as a symbol of emotional connection and support.
In other words darling kiss me
Use intimacy and affection as a way to express love.
Fill my life with song
Bring joy and music into my life.
And let me sing forevermore
Allow me to express my happiness and gratitude through music for all eternity.
You are all I hope for
You are my everything and my reason for being.
All I worship and adore
I deeply and truly love and cherish you.
In other words please be true
Be honest and faithful in our relationship.
In other words I love you
All of the previous sentiments are simply expressions of my deep love for you.
Fly me to the moon
Repeating the initial desire to leave earth and explore the universe.
And let me play among the stars
Repeating the desire to experience the wonders of space.
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bart Howard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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