Special Sub-Topic: "Release Me": Engelbert's First Album Click Here To Play: "Release Me": Engelbert's First Album

"Release Me" is Engelbert's signature tune and perhaps the song most closely associated with him in the minds of the general public. But, was he the first artist to record it?

n. "Release Me" was written by Eddie Miller, Robert Young and James Pebworth in 1946. The song languished until Miller recorded it in 1953. Throughout the 1950s and '60s it was recorded by various artists with only modest success. Although Little Esther Phillips took "Release Me" to number one on the R&B chart and number eight on the Pop chart in the US in 1962, the song still could not be called a hit. Engelbert's recording of "Release Me," laid down on January 16, 1967, reached number one on the British singles chart on March 2 of that year and stayed there for six weeks, famously blocking out "Penny Lane"/"Strawberry Fields Forever" by the Beatles from that spot. The record stayed on the charts for an astonishing fifty-six weeks, became a million seller and remains one of the best selling singles of all time. Some notable artists who have recorded "Release Me" both before and after Engelbert include Jerry Lee Lewis (1958), The Everly Brothers (1963), Matt Monroe (1967), Patty Page (1968), Elvis Presley (1970), Dolly Parton (1982) and Def Leppard (1988).

Through the years, many artists have recorded the beautiful Antonio Carlos Jobim tune "Quiet Nights (and Quiet Stars)", also known as "Corcovado." What is unique about Engelbert's version?

His version is up-tempo. "Quiet Nights" is song A2 on the original LP. Engelbert's is the only version of this song I have ever heard that is up-tempo. Every other version, from Blossom Dearie's to Frank Sinatra's to Queen Latifah's, takes the song slowly. While this approach always has beautiful results, Engelbert's version has style and verve, creating a refreshing mix of the modern with the romantic.

In this Carole King and Jerry Gossim song Engelbert pleads, "Let me be..." What?

Yours until tomorrow. "Yours Until Tomorrow" is song A3 on the original LP. "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight, by Bob Dillon, is on the album "Sweetheart" (1971). "Yours" was written by Gonzalo Roig in 1931 as "Quereme Mucho." With English lyrics by Jack Sherr, it has been a standard in the Anglophone world since the early 1940s. Engelbert recorded "Yours" on his 1993 album, "Yours". "Your Love" is a song by Ronald Last set to a traditional melody. Engelbert recorded it on his "Christmas Eve" album, 1995.

Engelbert was not the only artist to record "There's A Kind Of Hush All Over the World". Which two groups also had successful versions of the song?

The Carpenters and Herman's Hermits. "There's A Kind Of Hush All Over the World" is song A4 on the original LP. It was written by Les Reed and Geoff Stephens. Herman's Hermits took the song to number four in the US and to number seven in Britain in 1967. The Carpenters' version reached number twelve in the US in 1976.

What phrase completes this lyric? "I know why my world is smiling, smiling so tenderly. It is the same old story, through all eternity..."

"Love, this is my song.". "This Is My Song" was written by Charlie Chaplin. It is song A6 on the original LP. "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing" was written by Paul Francis Webster and Sammy Fain for the 1955 film of the same name starring William Holden and Jennifer Jones. Engelbert has been performing it since 1995, when he recorded it on his "Love Unchained" album. "Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes" was a 1970 hit for Edison Lighthouse, reaching number 5 on US pop chart, number 3 in Canada, and number 1 in Britain. It was written by Tony Macaulay and Barry Mason, who wrote Engelbert's song "My Marie." "Love Walked In" is by George and Ira Gershwin. Though the music was composed in 1930, the lyrics weren't added till 1937. To the best of my knowledge, Engelbert has never recorded or performed "Love Walked In."

From what song do these lyrics come? I hear footsteps slowly walking As they gently walk across a lonely floor. And a voice is softly saying, "Darling, this could be good-bye forevermore."

There Goes My Everything. "There Goes My Everything" is song B1 on the original LP. Dallas Frazier wrote it. "I Can't Live a Dream," by Fran Capitanelli , is on the "After the Lovin'" album, 1976. "I Wish You Love" was originally a French song, "Que reste-t-il de nos amours?" written by Léo Chauliac and Charles Trenet. With English lyrics by Albert A. Beach, the song has become a standard in the Anglophone world. First recorded by Keely Smith in 1957, "I Wish You Love" has also been recorded by Frank Sinatra, Nat "King" Cole, Edie Gormé, Barbra Streisand and Harry Connick, Jr. among many others. Engelbert first recorded "I Wish You Love" in 1969 on his album titled "Engelbert Humperdinck." It is a perennial favorite that he often performs in concert. "Funny Familiar Forgotten Feelings," written by Mickey Newbery, appears on the 1977 double LP compilation "A Time for Us" and on "Greatest Hits & More," 2007.

Complete this lyric from the song "Take My Heart" "Take my heart Come on back where you belong Let's start You can do it if you Take my heart You'll __________"

Begin to live again. "Take My Heart" is song B2 on the original LP. It was written by Gordon Mills.

In which song do these lines appear? "My heart belong to you so take it And promise me you'll never break it. Say you'll stay here in my arms."

"My World (Il Mondo)". "My World (Il Mondo,)" by Robert Mellin, Carlo Pes and Jimmy Fontana, is song B3 on the original LP. "My World Is Empty without You" is a 1965 song by the Supremes. It was written by Lamont Dozier and Brian & Edward Holland. "You're My World," a worldwide hit for Helen Reddy in 1977, was originally written in 1963 as the Italian song "Il Mio Mondo" ("My World") by Umberto Bindi and Gino Paoli. Bindi recorded it in 1963. The English lyrics were added by Carl Sigman. Cilla Black also had a hit with the song in 1964. The End of the World" was a Billboard phenomenon for Skeeter Davis in 1963, being the only record ever to place simultaneously in the top ten of all four charts; Pop, Country, Easy Listening and R&B. It reached number one on the Easy Listening chart, number two on both the Pop and Country charts and number four on the R&B chart.

Which phrase completes this lyric? "In life we search, and some of us find. I've looked for you, my love, a long, long time. And now that I've found you, new horizons I see. Come take my hand and __________"

"Walk through this world with me". "Walk Through This World With Me" is song B5 on the original LP. It was written by Sandy Seamond and Kaye Savage. Engelbert recorded "Walk Hand in Hand" by Henry Cowell in 1967. It can be found on the 2006 compilation "This Is My Life: Greatest Hits 1967-1969." "I Don't Want to Walk without You" is a World War II era song by Jule Styne and Frank Loesser. It was recorded by such stars as Dinah Shore and Helen Forest. Engelbert recorded it on his 1985 album "A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening," which has been reissued on CD under a number of titles. "You'll Never Walk Alone is from the 1958 Rogers & Hammerstein musical "Carousel." It is a favorite song with fans at British football (soccer) matches. Engelbert sometimes performs "You'll Never Walk Alone" in concert, though to the best of my knowledge he has made no studio recordings of the song.

Complete this lyric: "When you're close to me I can touch the skies. At times I can see Heaven in your eyes. You don't know the pain Of loving in vein. So please tell me now"

How near is love?. "How Near Is Love," by Raymonde, Stellman, Perez Freire, Dix , is song B6 on the original LP. "How Do I Stop Loving You," by Artie Butler and Norman Martin, is on the "Remember I Love You" album, 1987. "How Slow We Go" is from the 2003 album "Definition of Love." It was written by Engelbert's Daughter, Louise Dorsey, along with Burton Collins and Kent Agee. "How to Win Your Love," Engelbert's 2000 hit single, was written by Gabriel Hernandez, Ariel Hernandez, John Robinson Reid, Marty Cintron and Graham Stack. It is on "Greatest Hits & More", 2007, among other compilations.