The Sweetheart Tree

"The Sweetheart Tree"
Song
Published	1965
Composer	Henry Mancini
Lyricist	Johnny Mercer

"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.

Natalie Wood's character, Maggie DuBois, performs "The Sweetheart Tree" in the film, but Jackie Wood dubs the voice that is heard.^[1][2] 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.

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.^[3] 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.^[4] It reached number 89 on Cash Box magazine's best seller list^[5] and peaked at number 92 on the Top 100 Pop Sales and Performance chart in Music Vendor magazine.^[6]

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."^[7]

Johnny Mathis recorded "The Sweetheart Tree" on April 19, 1965, with an orchestra conducted by arranger Lincoln Mayorga.^[8] No producer credit was provided on the original 7-inch single^[9] or the Mathis album of the same name.^[10]

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.^[11] 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.^[12] It reached number 75 on Cash Box magazine's best seller list^[13] and number 78 on the Top 100 Pop Sales and Performance chart in Music Vendor magazine.^[14]

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".^[15] The editors of Billboard wrote that the song was "given a beautiful reading by Mathis with a commercial, lush string and chorus backing".^[16]

"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.^[17]