"The Sweetheart Tree" is a popular song written by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer for the 1965 film The Great Race. Recordings by Mancini and Johnny Mathis charted simultaneously after the film was released . Mancini and Mercer received an Academy Award nomination in the category of Best Song.
In The Great Race Natalie Wood's character, Maggie DuBois, performs "The Sweetheart Tree" in the film, but Jackie Ward dubs the voice that is heard. Tony Curtis's character, Leslie Gallant, listens to her sing the romantic lyrics as he shaves several feet away. They have stopped in the countryside after having completed most of the race together, and the song allows her to express her romantic feelings for him.
Henry Mancini version Chart performance The recording of "The Sweetheart Tree" by Henry Mancini, His Orchestra and Chorus peaked at number 117 on Billboard magazine's Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart during its five weeks there that began in the July 17, 1965, issue. It also debuted on the magazine's Easy Listening chart in that issue and got as high as number 23 during its 11 weeks there. It reached number 89 on Cash Box magazine's best seller list and peaked at number 92 on the Top 100 Pop Sales and Performance chart in Music Vendor magazine..
Critical reception The editors of Billboard wrote, "With much of the beauty and warmth of their hit 'Moon River', the combination of Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini wins again with a charming ballad."
Charts + Weekly chart performance for "The Sweetheart Tree" by Henry Mancini, His Orchestra and Chorus Chart (1965) PeakpositionUS Billboard Easy Listening23 US Bubbling Under the Hot 100 (Billboard) 117 US Top 100 Best Selling Tunes on Records (Cash Box)89 US Top 100 Pop Sales and Performance (Music Vendor)92
Johnny Mathis version Recording Johnny Mathis recorded "The Sweetheart Tree" on April 19, 1965, with an orchestra conducted by arranger Lincoln Mayorga. No producer credit was provided on the original 7-inch single or the Mathis album of the same name.
Chart performance The Mathis recording of "The Sweetheart Tree" debuted on Billboard'''s Easy Listening chart in the July 24, 1965, issue, and peaked at number 21 six weeks later, in the issue for September 4. It also "bubbled under" the Hot 100 for six weeks that began in the issue dated August 7; it got as high as number 108. It reached number 75 on Cash Box magazine's best seller list and number 78 on the Top 100 Pop Sales and Performance chart in Music Vendor magazine.
Critical reception In their review column, the editors of Cash Box magazine featured the single as a Pick of the Week, which was their equivalent to a letter grade of A for both "The Sweetheart Tree" and its B-side, "Mirage". They described "The Sweetheart Tree" as "a lyrical, slow-moving, especially tender romancer sold with loads of authority by the songster". The editors of Billboard wrote that the song was "given a beautiful reading by Mathis with a commercial, lush string and chorus backing".
Charts + Weekly chart performance for "The Sweetheart Tree" by Johnny Mathis Chart (1965) PeakpositionUS Billboard Easy Listening21 US Bubbling Under the Hot 100 (Billboard) 108 US Top 100 Best Selling Tunes on Records (Cash Box)75 US Top 100 Pop Sales and Performance (Music Vendor)78
Academy Award nomination "The Sweetheart Tree" was nominated for Best Song and later performed by Robert Goulet at the 38th Academy Awards in 1966. It lost to "The Shadow of Your Smile" from The Sandpiper''..
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