Sooner or Later (Johnny Mathis song)
| "Sooner or Later" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
US 7-inch single | ||||
| Single by Johnny Mathis | ||||
| from the album I'll Search My Heart and Other Great Hits | ||||
| B-side | "In Wisconsin" | |||
| Released | July 30, 1963 | |||
| Recorded | August 9, 1962 | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 3:20 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriters |
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| Producer | Ernie Altschuler | |||
| Johnny Mathis singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Sooner or Later" on YouTube | ||||
"Sooner or Later" is a popular song written by Thomas Garlock and Alan Jeffreys that was recorded by Johnny Mathis in 1962. It charted in 1963.
Recording and release
Johnny Mathis recorded "Sooner or Later" on August 9, 1962, with an orchestra conducted by Don Costa. It was produced by Ernie Altschuler and released as a single one year later, on July 30, 1963.[1]
Chart performance
"Sooner or Later" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in the issue of the magazine dated September 7, 1963, and peaked at number 84 two weeks later, in the September 21 issue. The song stayed on the Hot 100 for three weeks.[2] It also reached number five on Cash Box magazine's Looking Ahead chart, which was described as a "compilation, in order of strength, of up and coming records showing signs of breaking into The Cash Box Top 100".[3]
Critical reception
In their review column, the editors of Cash Box featured the single as their Pick of the Week, which was their equivalent to a letter grade of A for both "Sooner or Later" and its B-side, "In Wisconsin". They described "Sooner or Later" as "an oh-so-smooth survey of a top-drawer sentimental". They also wrote, "Sound is the kind of Mathis that makes it."[4] The editors of Billboard gave the song four out of five stars.[5]
Charts
| Chart (1963) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[2] | 84 |
| US Looking Ahead (Cash Box)[3] | 5 |
References
- ^ Columbia Records (2015). The Singles (Liner notes). Columbia Records. 88875120552.
- ^ a b "Johnny Mathis Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 23, 2025. Retrieved November 29, 2025.
- ^ a b "The Cash Box Looking Ahead" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. September 7, 1963. p. 30. Retrieved November 29, 2025.
- ^ "The Cash Box Record Reviews > Pick of the Week > "Sooner or Later"/"In Wisconsin"" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. August 10, 1963. p. 180. Retrieved November 29, 2025.
- ^ "Four-Star Singles > Popular > Johnny Mathis – "Sooner or Later"" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 75, no. 32. August 10, 1963. p. 29. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved November 29, 2025.