Background
"Gina" was written for an episode of the CBS television series Diagnosis: Unknown [1] titled "Gina, Gina" that aired on September 6, 1960. [2] Jazz guitarist and vocalist Johnny Janis made his acting debut in the episode as a singer, and the airing of the episode coincided with the release of his recording of the song, [3] which was arranged and conducted by Glenn Osser. [1]
In their review column, the editors of Cash Box magazine featured the Janis single as their Pick of the Week, which was their equivalent to a letter grade of A for both "Gina" and its B-side, "If the Good Lord's Willin'". They described the song as "a tender romantic ballad" and his performance "impressive". [3] The editors of Billboard gave the recording four stars out of five and wrote, "Rich warbling style." [4] It did not chart, however.
Johnny Mathis version
Johnny Mathis recorded the song on August 9, 1962, with an orchestra conducted by arranger Don Costa. It was produced by Ernie Altschuler and released as a single one month later, on September 7. [5]
"Gina" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in the issue of the magazine dated September 22, 1962, and peaked at number 6 two months later, in the November 17 issue. The song was on the Hot 100 for 12 weeks. [6] In the September 29 issue, it became his first song to appear on the magazine's Easy Listening chart, where it spent 11 weeks and got as high as number 2. [7] It reached number 8 on both Cash Box magazine's best seller list [8] and the Top 100 Pop Sales and Performance chart in Music Vendor magazine. [9]
Critical reception
In their review column, the editors of Cash Box magazine also featured the Mathis single as their Pick of the Week, this time giving a letter grade of A to both "Gina" and its B-side, "I Love Her That's Why". They wrote, "The velvety-voiced song stylist comes up with his most commercial dates in quite a while. It’s an ultra-lovely soft Latin beat-ballad romancer, devoted to 'Gina,' that Mathis and the Don Costa ork-chorus deliver in superb style." [10] The editors of Billboard categorized the single as one of the "Spotlight Singles of the Week", which were the strongest of the new releases, and wrote, "Here's a real winner for the lad with the velvet larynx. Johnny sings the lovely ballad against smart backing with strings and vocal chorus that has a contemporary feel." [11]
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