Wasn't the Summer Short?

"Wasn't the Summer Short?"
US 7-inch single
Single by Johnny Mathis
from the album Johnny's Newest Hits
B-side	"There You Are"
Released	September 8, 1961
Recorded	February 8, 1961
Genre	Pop
Length	2:56
Label	Columbia
Songwriter	Ruth Lyons
Producer	Irving Townsend
Johnny Mathis singles chronology
"Laurie, My Love" (1961) "Wasn't the Summer Short?" / "There You Are" (1961) "Sweet Thursday" (1961)
Music video
"Wasn't the Summer Short?" on YouTube

"Wasn't the Summer Short?" is a popular song written by Ruth Lyons that was recorded by Johnny Mathis in 1961. It charted that same year.

Recording and release

Johnny Mathis recorded "Wasn't the Summer Short?" on February 8, 1961, with an orchestra conducted by Ray Ellis. It was produced by Irving Townsend and released as a single seven months later, on September 8. ^[1]

Chart performance

"Wasn't the Summer Short?" spent its one week on the Billboard Hot 100 in the issue of the magazine dated October 23, 1961, at number 89. ^[2] It also reached number 17 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 gave "Wasn't the Summer Short?" a letter grade of B+. They described it as a "fine ballad outing". ^[4] The editors of Billboard wrote that the song was "sung with sincerity and plaintive effectiveness". ^[5]

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Wasn't the Summer Short?"

Chart (1961)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100 [2]	89
US Looking Ahead ( Cash Box ) [3]	17

References

1. Columbia Records (2015). The Singles (Liner notes). Johnny Mathis. Columbia Records. 88875120552.
2. "Johnny Mathis Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
3. "The Cash Box Looking Ahead" (PDF). Cash Box . New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. November 11, 1961. p. 16. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
4. "The Cash Box Record Reviews > Best Bets > Johnny Mathis – "Wasn't the Summer Short?"" (PDF). Cash Box . New York: Cash Box Publishing Co., Inc. September 23, 1961. p. 12. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
5. "Reviews of This Week's Singles > Spotlight Winners of the Week > Johnny Mathis – "Wasn't the Summer Short?"" (PDF). Billboard . Vol. 73, no. 35. September 18, 1961. p. 72. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved November 6, 2025.