Is The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) a good place to start with Johnny Mathis?

Yes, The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) is recommended as a starting point for new Johnny Mathis listeners. A lush collection of romantic ballads featuring Mathis's smooth vocals and orchestral arrangements that evoke deep emotion. Released in 1972, this album marked a pivotal moment in Johnny Mathis's career as he continued to solidify his status as a pop music icon. Following the success of his earlier albums, this collection embraced cinematic themes and showcased his ability to interpret songs from film soundtracks, appealing to a broad audience seeking emotional resonance in music.

Who is The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) for?

The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) works well if you're into steady melodic flow throughout, emotive vocals for nostalgia and for romantic evenings.

How many songs are on The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)?

The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) has 11 tracks, running approximately 34 minutes.

The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)

Johnny Mathis · 1972

34 min · 11 tracks · pop music

A lush collection of romantic ballads featuring Mathis's smooth vocals and orchestral arrangements that evoke deep emotion.

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Top tracks — play these first

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The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) Start here — This track stands out as the album's centerpiece, showcasing Mathis's emotive vocal delivery and ability to convey profound longing through song. Its popularity helped establish it as a classic love ballad.
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Speak Softly Love (Love Theme From 'The Godfather') — Mathis's rendition brings an intimate quality to this well-known theme, connecting listeners with the film's romantic narrative while highlighting his vocal prowess.
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Since I Fell for You — This track captures the essence of heartbreak and vulnerability, allowing Mathis to display his ability to infuse deep emotion into a traditional blues standard.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

51 /100

Foothills

Higher than 34% of albums we've rated

The album showcases strong vocal performances over lush arrangements, but lacks significant variety in composition and tempo.

What we noticed

The album features lush orchestral arrangements that dominate the sound, with strings and horns providing a rich backdrop to Mathis's vocals.
Each track maintains a slow to mid-tempo pace, creating a consistent mood throughout the record.
The title track is followed by other well-known ballads, which reinforces the romantic theme without significant variation in style or tempo.

Composition 25% of the score: 6/10
Craft 20% of the score: 7/10
Durability 25% of the score: 5/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 6/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 8/10

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

steady melodic flow throughout
emotive vocals for nostalgia
for romantic evenings
gentle background for relaxation

Maybe skip if you

prefer upbeat, fast-paced music
seek experimental or edgy sounds

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Breakthrough — This album solidified Mathis's status with the hit title track, enhancing his recognition.
Themes: romantic nostalgia· orchestral balladry· cinematic love themes
Career context: Released in 1972, this album marked a pivotal moment in Johnny Mathis's career as he continued to solidify his status as a pop music icon. Following the success of his earlier albums, this collection embraced cinematic themes and showcased his ability to interpret songs from film soundtracks, appealing to a broad audience seeking emotional resonance in music.
Stylistic neighbors: Perry Como· Frank Sinatra· Nat King Cole