Humperdinck reigned supreme in the era also ruled by such singing legends as Tom Jones, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. But he stood out because of his distinctive voice that up to now touches a soft spot in the hearts of (especially) Baby Boomers who first fell in love – and lost their collective innocence – in the Age of Aquarius when Flower Power was the rage and Make Love Not War was the reverberating battlecry. Those were the days, my friend!
In a career spanning almost four decades, Humperdinck has generated sales of more than 130 million records, including 64 gold albums and 24 platinums, four Grammies, a Golden Globe and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has performed for the Queen of England, several presidents and many heads of states. He has recorded everything from the most romantic ballads to movie theme songs, disco, rock and even gospel.
He has just come up with a new album called Let There Be Love (released locally by MCA-Universal Records) which encapsulates 40 years of hits featuring classics from the legendary Nat King Cole to contemporary songs from Ronan Keating and Bryan Adams, along with three new compositions. The album follows the release of his autobiography, Engelbert: What’s In A Name?
On June 24, Araw ng Maynila, Humperdinck will do a concert at the PICC, which is part of his world tour. (The concert is produced by Wilbros Entertainment. For ticket inquiries, call the Ticketworld at 374-2222, 374-9999 or 891-9999.)
For sure, there will be a kind of hush as Humperdinck brings us down Memory Lane and shows music-lovers of all ages the way it used to be. Engelbert Humperdinck isn’t that easy to forget, is he?
Recently, Humperdinck was on the phone from London for the following exclusive Conversation:
Hi, Engelbert. How are you?
"I’m okay. And you?"
I’m okay, too. You’re coming to Manila for a concert.
"I believe so, yes!"
It’s not your first time to come to Manila, is it?
"No, it’s not. I’ve been there once before."
That must have been years ago.
"Yes, years ago!"
Do you remember anything from that visit to Manila?
"All I remember is that I had a good show while I was there. I stayed in a beautiful hotel that had a suite with a roof that opened up. There was a swimming pool there...It was beautiful!"
The women must have swooned crazy over you at that time...
"...well...Hmmmmm!"
Engelbert, what can we expect at your concert this time around?
"Well, I’ve got a brand-new show which I’m taking around the world. And I shall be presenting it to the people of the Philippines. It will be the same show that I will take to Sri Lanka, India, Hong Kong, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore."
Can we expect you to sing the old familiar Engelbert Humperdinck songs?
"I’m gonna sing those songs, too, like Release Me, The Last Waltz, A Man Without Love, There Goes My Everything, After the Loving... You know, those songs."
I wonder, how did you get such a unique name?
"The name is unique. I tried using my original (real) name, Arnold George Dorsey, and it didn’t work. My manager at that time gave me this very strange name and it worked around the world."
What’s the story behind the name?
"The story is that it’s unusual and nobody else has it."
It’s a tongue-twister.
"Well, you can call me simply Engelbert."
Among your songs, hundreds of them, what do you consider your favorite?
"The one that made me around the world, the one that made me No. 1 around the world – Release Me."
Any story behind that song? Did you write it for or dedicate it to somebody from whom you wanted to be, well, released (Please release me, let me go...)?
"No, no, no, no! I didn’t write the song; it was written by somebody from Nashville. His name was Eddie Miller."
Judging from your songs, you must be a very romantic person.
"Well, most of my songs are romantic."
You must be a person full of love.
"You think so?"
From my research, I gathered that you were very shy when you were a boy (growing up in Madras, India, where his father was stationed during World War II).
"Yeah, I was shy. I did stay in India for a very short time."
How did you overcome that shyness?
"Well, being in show business, you know, it takes the shyness away a little bit. You know, being onstage...I’m still basically very shy but when I get onstage, I stop being shy and just concentrate on my performance."
How does it feel being considered a sex symbol up to now?
"Well, if that’s how other people look at me, I do appreciate it very much."
Years ago, still according to my research, women from the audience would throw not only flowers but also their underwear to the stage while you were performing...
"...oh, yeah?"
Do you expect the same reaction during your forthcoming shows in Asia?
"What?"
Underwear being thrown at you onstage.
"I don’t know. It’s something that started from way back when I was just starting. I guess some people did it to attract attention."
Aside from the new album, Let There Be Love, what have you been busy with these past few years?
"Oh, I travel all over the world and I do a very modern, very contemporary show. And I take it everywhere in the world. That’s what I have been doing. I do about 140 concerts a year around the world."
Don’t you have time to relax and enjoy yourself?
"Well, my enjoyment is when I am onstage."
Don’t you have any private life?
"Oh, very little."
What do you do to relax?
"I like to play golf; I like to ride my motorcycle."
You still sound so great up to now. How do you protect/preserve your voice?
"Well, it’s hard because I go into different climates all the time... from hot to cold, from cold to hot. Sometimes, it’s difficult to keep your voice together."
Do you take ice-cold drinks?
"No, I don’t. Bad for the voice, especially after a performance."
Do you smoke?
"No, I don’t."
How do you vocalize?
"In the shower. Yes, I sing in the shower just like everybody else."
What do you usually sing in the shower, your songs?
"Well, I do the scales and try to get my voice together before I go onstage."
I’m sure you’ve been paying attention to the new breed of singers. What can you say about them?
"Like who?"
Like Michael Bublé, Josh Groban and the rest.
"Well, I haven’t had any chance to see too many new pop singers, you know. But I tend to listen to a lot of music and find out what’s going on in the world. My kind of singers are people like Sting, Rod Stewart, Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams. Those are the kinds of singers that I like."
Being a sex symbol, what do you find sexy in a woman?
"First, she must have a touch of humor to start with. She must be very pleasant and easy to get along with."
What about the physical aspect?
"Well, you know beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You know, what you think is good-looking, other people may not find to be so. I like simple beauty, the kind of beauty not put on by makeup."
How different is Engelbert Humperdinck now from what he was years ago?
"Actually, I’m a much better person now onstage. I’m much more professional. My voice is much better. I sing a lot of the songs that I recorded in the past much better than I did before."
Has your preference for songs changed through the years? What kind of songs do you enjoy singing now?
"Well, I brought my new album and I’m singing tracks from it on my concert in Manila. Find out how I’ve changed, if I ever did."
Why did you choose those selections for your Let There Be Love album (you know, songs by Nat King Cole, Ronan Keating, Bryan Adams, etc.)?
"It was a choice between myself and my producer from Decca Records. You know, they have a big say on what I do onstage and on my album."
You’ve always wanted to be a singer...not anything else?
"I’ve always wanted to be a singer, not anything else, thank you!"
Where or from whom did you get your love for singing?
"My mother’s side of the family had the singing voice so I must have inherited that from her. My father was a man’s man – strong, athletic and charismatic. And I like to do all kinds of men things. I love sports – golf, tennis, martial arts, soccer and skiing but at the same time I do appreciate women."
Would you recall when you realized that you could sing?
"When I was 17. It was at a club. I was singing there. They liked me so I continued singing."
Would you remember the first song that you’ve ever sung?
"Yes. When I Fall in Love by Nat King Cole."
What do you consider the song of your life?
"Still When I Fall In Love by Nat King Cole. It’s the first song that I ever bought."
What line from that song do you consider very moving?
"The first line – When I fall in love, it will be forever..."
Are you like that? You know, when you fall in love it’s forever?
"I wish. But sometimes it doesn’t always happen that way."
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph)