Introduction:
In the vast expanse of American popular music, few voices have conveyed romance, elegance, and emotional subtlety with the same enduring grace as Johnny Mathis. With a career spanning over six decades, Mathis has become synonymous with sophistication in song—his velvety timbre capable of transforming even the most familiar standards into deeply personal experiences. Among his many interpretations of classic material, his rendition of “Love Is Here To Stay” stands as a shining example of artistry rooted in reverence, warmth, and emotional truth.
Originally penned by George and Ira Gershwin for the 1938 film The Goldwyn Follies, “Love Is Here To Stay” holds the distinction of being the last composition George Gershwin completed before his untimely death. As such, the song carries with it a quiet but profound sense of legacy. Over the decades, it has been interpreted by countless vocalists, from Ella Fitzgerald to Nat King Cole. But when Johnny Mathis lends his voice to “Love Is Here To Stay”, he doesn’t simply sing a beloved standard—he breathes new life into it with his trademark warmth and technical finesse.
Mathis’s version, recorded with lush orchestration and a gentle, deliberate tempo, captures the song’s delicate balance between optimism and reflection. There’s no bombast here—only an intimate delivery that makes the listener feel as though the words are being shared privately, in the quiet hush of a late evening. His phrasing is immaculate, subtly shaping the melody without ever straying from the song’s intended emotional center. It’s a masterclass in restraint, where every note feels earned and every lyric rings true.
There’s something especially poignant in how Mathis interprets the lyrics: “The radio and the telephone and the movies that we know / May just be passing fancies, and in time may go…” In his voice, these lines become less a lament and more a gentle reassurance—that while technology and trends may fade, the purest kind of love remains unshaken. In an age where music often leans into immediacy and spectacle, Mathis reminds us of the enduring power of subtlety, of melody, and of sentiment sincerely rendered.
For longtime fans of Mathis, “Love Is Here To Stay” is a reaffirmation of everything that has made his career so enduring. For new listeners, it’s a beautiful entry point into a catalogue that bridges eras and generations. This recording is more than a tribute to the Gershwins—it’s a quiet declaration, still relevant today, that some things—when treated with care and heart—truly do stay.
In a world often marked by haste and change, Johnny Mathis’s “Love Is Here To Stay” offers a moment of stillness, beauty, and timeless romance. It is a reminder, as subtle as it is powerful, that some voices are meant to last—and some songs, especially in the right hands, never truly leave us.