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 6’-5 1/2”. This is still on the College’s Top 15 list and was only two inches short of the Olympic record of the time. Just as when he was in high school, Johnny’s name was frequently mentioned in the sports sections of the Northern California newspapers. He was often referred to as “the best all-around athlete to come out of the San Francisco Bay Area”.
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 Dee’s 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: “Have found phenomenal 19 year old boy who could go all the way. Send blank contracts.”
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 “Angel Eyes”, “Easy to Love” and “Babalu”. 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 Johnny’s 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: “Wonderful, Wonderful” and “It’s Not For Me To Say.” Subsequently, MGM Studios signed Johnny to sing “It’s Not For Me To Say” 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, Johnny’s voice has been used in countless Hollywood movies for theme songs, background music and to enhance a particular setting or segment.
“Wonderful, Wonderful” and “It’s Not For Me To Say” reached their peaks on the BILLBOARD pop chart in July of 1957. These successes were followed by the monumental single “Chances Are” which became Johnny’s 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, “Misty”.
Johnny’s 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, Johnny’s Greatest Hits was released. It began a “Greatest Hits” tradition copied by every record company since then. Johnny’s 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, “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late” (recorded with Deniece Williams), came almost 21 years after his very first #1 Hit Single, “Chances Are”.
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 “Best Song” category. He has received two Grammy nominations. The first was for “Misty” 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 Johnny’s 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 he’s 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.
Johnny’s other favorite avocation is cooking. He is a gourmet cook who cooks for himself and often others when he’s home or traveling. His mother taught him at an early age how to cook up a storm and do it well. He’s enjoyed doing so all his life.
Gone Gone Gone
Johnny Mathis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All it feels I got are heartaches and pain
Since she's gone, gone, gone, gone, baby's gone
I wonder, wonder, wonder
Where she's gone, gone, gone, gone, baby's gone
I can't sleep at night, got no appetite
Everything is wrong that used to be right
I wonder, wonder, wonder
Where she's gone, gone, gone, gone, baby's gone
Ooh, yes, I tried to change her
Tried to re-arrange her personality
Ooh, thought I'm playing out
I just cannot seem to face reality
I can't sleep at night, got no appetite
Everything is wrong that used to be right
Since she's gone, gone, gone, gone, baby's gone
I wonder, wonder, wonder
Where she's gone, gone, gone, gone, baby's gone
It's a mystery I cannot explain
All it feels I got are heartaches and pain
Since she's gone, gone, gone, gone, baby's gone
I wonder, wonder, wonder
Where she's gone, gone, gone, gone, baby's gone
Gone, gone, gone, gone, baby's gone
I wonder, wonder, wonder
Where she's gone, gone, gone, gone, baby's gone
In Johnny Mathis's song Gone Gone Gone, the lyrics express the pain and confusion that come with heartbreak. He sings of a mystery that he cannot explain, as all he has left are heartaches and pain since the person he loved has left him. He wonders where she has gone, but he cannot seem to find the answers. He sings of his inability to sleep or eat, as everything in his life seems wrong now that she is gone.
The lyrics reveal the struggle he had in trying to change her to suit his personality and how he was unable to face reality. Despite his attempts to force her to be the person he wanted her to be, in the end, she still left him. The pain he felt is evident through the repetition of "gone, gone, gone," which emphasizes how much he has lost.
Overall, the lyrics to Gone Gone Gone are a relatable expression of the pain and confusion that comes with a breakup. With its simple melody and heartfelt lyrics, this song has become a classic in the American music canon.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a mystery I cannot explain
The situation of my loved one leaving me makes no sense to me.
All it feels I got are heartaches and pain
I am experiencing nothing but emotional pain and discomfort.
Since she's gone, gone, gone, gone, baby's gone
Ever since she left me, I have been in a painful and constant state of heartbreak.
I wonder, wonder, wonder
My mind constantly ponders where she could have gone and how she is feeling without me.
Where she's gone, gone, gone, gone, baby's gone
I am desperate to know where my loved one has gone and why she felt it was necessary to leave.
I can't sleep at night, got no appetite
Her absence has left me restless and without an appetite.
Everything is wrong that used to be right
My entire world feels out of order and incomplete without her by my side.
Ooh, yes, I tried to change her
I attempted to mold her into my ideal companion instead of embracing her for who she truly is.
Tried to re-arrange her personality
I forced her to change aspects of herself that I was unhappy with, rather than accepting her individuality.
Ooh, thought I'm playing out
I believed that I was capable of fixing the relationship and making things work.
I just cannot seem to face reality
I am struggling to come to terms with the fact that the relationship is over and she has moved on without me.
Gone, gone, gone, gone, baby's gone
She has completely disappeared from my life and there is a void where she used to be.
I wonder, wonder, wonder
Despite my best efforts, I cannot stop thinking about where she has gone.
Where she's gone, gone, gone, gone, baby's gone
I am consumed with the need to know where she has gone and why she felt the need to leave me behind.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GEORGE RYAN BINGHAM, T-BONE BURNETT, STEPHEN BRUTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
L.Russell Brown
I produced the rhythm track for this record
My late dear pal Jack Gold took my demo track and added strings and a brilliant arrangement.
The drums were played by the great Pretty Purdy
New York session player.
I created the basic track arrangement
At the HOUSE OF MUSIC in West Orange N.J.
Where all the Kool and the Gang records were produced as well as the Hall and Oates hits.
Will Lee--was my bass player
And David Spinoza played electric guitar and Jay Berliner played rhythm
guitar.
I flew out to Cali
And met with Jack Gold at CBS and he not only paid me 5 grand for the track
He gave me the next
Ray Connif-album to produce.....
This song remained in the top 10 on the BBC for 6 months..
L.Russell Brown
L.Russell Brown
@Robert Dore L.Russell Brown here-
I wrote this song with my wife Lisa Hayward
It was in the top 10 on the BBC for weeks!
I always loved this jazzy dance number
And feel blessed to have one the greatest singers of all time
lending his magic to it..
THANK YOU JOHNNY
L Russell Brown
BTW
Jack Gold was a pal of mine.....I would love to talk to you about Jack...
BMI--knows how to find me
L.Russell Brown
Robert Dore
I produced the basic track Robert
I had the amazing
Pretty Purdy on percussion
Will Lee on bass
Jay Berliner on rhythm guitar and David Spinoza in electric guitar.
I'm not certain if I had Frank Owens in keyboards.
I personally explained the arrangement as I played the band the song on my guitar....
Jack Gold took the track and had magnificent strings added....
L.Russell Brown
L.Russell Brown
Paul Griffin
Dave Spinoza
Pretty Purdy on drums and percussion
I know because produced and arranged the basic track at
The House of Music
W.Orange NJ
JOHNNYS Producer Jack Gold of CBS purchased my demo tracks from me
Had the great Gene Page write strings and out them on my track
Johnny sang it it like the master that he is
And boom
We had another hit
Gary Dunn
I absolutely "Love" this song, it personifies what for me, was the
"Best Time" for music. That "Feel Good" music from the "Disco
Era" Glad I was old enough to appreciate all that Great music.
Sure beats the stuff that hits the airwaves of today.
Antòni Gèli
Disco gone gone gone with the wind. An utopia that is still carved deep in our body and soul
Moutton Noir
A terrific track that saw Johnny return to the UK top 20 AND burn up the disco's in 1979.
Mark Jolley
I agree great dance track just left school when this came out!!!!
Martin Platt
Fabulous.....perhaps Johnny's finest track.
L.Russell Brown
Extremely gratifying to read that!
L.Russell Brown
I wrote it with my wife
Lisa Hayward
And of all my hits
It's one of favorites
L.Russell Brown
Chris Montignani
Another of those excellent long lost classics that you just never ever hear these days, always liked this track from back in the day.
rickw1100
There is no genre of music that this wonderful and humble artist has not or cannot conquer.
syhooverman
Agree
L.Russell Brown
I believe this
Is Johnny's only truly uptempo hit
And I'm ecstatic to have written it with my wife Lisa Hayward!
Its is a great honor to have had a hit with the incomparable
Johnny Mathis
L.Russell Brown