Fifty years ago today, Engelbert Humperdinck had just finished up a six-week run at the top of the British Singles chart with the song Release Me.
It wasn’t a new song. Release Me had been written in 1949 by Eddie Miller and Robert Yount and hand already had hit versions in the country field by Ray Price, Jimmy Heap and Kitty Wells and in R&B by Little Esther Phillips, but it was the Engelbert version that really put the song into the ears of the general public.
Up until that time, Humperdinck had not had major recording success but, one night in early 1967, Engelbert was asked to fill in for an ill Dickie Valentine on the popular U.K. TV program Sunday Night at the London Palace. He sang Release Me and, within a few weeks, it was at the top of the charts keeping the Beatles’ Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever at number 2.
It was the beginning of a career that would see Humperdinck hit the British top ten a total of eight times and the U.S. top ten twice, including Release Me which peaked at number 4.
On June 2, Decca/UMe will release Engelbert Humperdinck 50: The Legend Continues. The two-CD set contains 36 songs from his years at Decca Records along with two newly recorded songs and a brand new disco remix of Release Me.
Engelbert said “It is wonderful to still be at Decca after all these years! It’s remarkable to think that it’s been 50 years since ‘Release Me’, yet I still feel a thrill when I step in front of the microphone to sing and love seeing the great joy it brings my fans. I’m delighted to have recorded two new songs for the album, which I’m dedicating to my beloved wife Patricia, whose strength and courage is truly extraordinary.”
The track list with chart info:
Disc 1
Release Me (1967 / #4 Pop / #28 Adult Contemporary (AC) / #1 U.K.)
There Goes My Everything (1967 / #20 Pop / #2 U.K.)
The Last Waltz (1967 / #25 Pop / #6 AC / #1 U.K.)
Am I That Easy To Forget (1968 / #18 Pop / #1 AC / #3 U.K.)
Quando Quando Quando (1968 / #40 U.K.)
Spanish Eyes
Les Bicyclettes De Belsize (1968 / #31 Pop / #3 AC / #5 U.K.)
Can’t Take My Eyes Off You
My World (Il Mondo)
There’s A Kind Of Hush (All Over The World)
Everybody Knows (We’re Through)
My Cherie Amour
Sweetheart (1970 / #47 Pop / #2 AC / #22 U.K.)
Love Letters
Stand By Me
Let There Be Love
Have I Told You Lately
If
I Don’t Want To Call It Goodbye (New track)
Disc 2
Just The Two Of Us
A Man Without Love (1968 / #19 Pop / #3 AC / #2 U.K.)
The Way It Used To Be (1969 / #42 Pop / #4 AC / #3 U.K.)
Winter World Of Love (1969 / #16 Pop / #3 AC / #7 U.K.)
Ten Guitars
My Marie (1970 / #43 U.S. / #2 AC / #31 U.K.)
Strangers In The Night
Another Time, Another Place (1971 / #43 Pop / #5 AC / #13 U.K.)
Funny Familiar Forgotten Feelings
Dance The Night Away
A Place In The Sun
Stardust
It Had To Be You
Too Beautiful To Last (1972 / #86 Pop / #16 AC / #14 U.K.)
This Guy’s In Love With You
I’m A Better Man (For Having Loved You) (1969 / #38 Pop / #6 AC / #15 U.K.)
She
What A Wonderful World
I Followed My Heart (New track)
Release Me (DBU Disco Remix)
On the same day, Engelbert will also release the new 11-CD box set The Complete Decca Studio Albums with all eleven of the albums being released digitally for the first time.
Release Me (1967)
The Last Waltz (1967)
A Man Without Love (1968)
Engelbert (1969)
Engelbert Humperdinck (1969)
We Made It Happen (1970)
Sweetheart (1971)
Another Time, Another Place (1971)
In Time (1972)
Engelbert, King of Hearts (1973)
My Love (1973)
