No, Engelbert, We’ll Never Release You!

Like in the first two, the first in 2005 and the second around this time last year, during this Conversations’ third interview, Engelbert Humperdinck was just a voice on the phone but he was as usual so warm and so friendly and so engaging that he sounded as if he was there in front of you, his voice as musical and as soothing as it is in his rendition of enduring love songs like Release Me, There Goes My Heart, The Last Waltz, Am I That Easy To Forget, A Man Without Love, The Way It Used To Be, Winter World of Love, Sweetheart, There’s a Kind Of Hush (All Over The World), Spanish Eyes and, I’m sure, you know what else.

In the previous Conversations, Engelbert explained why he decided to use  a tongue-twister of a name. “The name is unique, isn’t it?” he said. “I tried using my 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, so...”

And, yes, he confirmed, he was very shy when he was a boy growing up in Madras, India, where his father was stationed during World War II.

“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 I just concentrate on my performance.”

A few more facts about Engelbert:

• In his four-decade career, he has sold more than 130 million records, including 64 gold albums and 24 platinums, four Grammys, a Golden Globe and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame;

• He has performed for the Queen of England, several presidents and heads of states, and has recorded everything from the most romantic ballads to movie theme songs, disco, rock and even gospel music;

• The first song he ever sang was When I Fall in Love (by Nat King Cole); and

• Asked how he felt being considered (an enduring) sex symbol who has mellowed like wine, he said, “Well, if that’s how other people look at me, I do appreciate it very much.”

Engelbert is performing at the Araneta Coliseum on Aug. 19 (Sunday) in a concert which marks his 40th anniversary as a singer. Jorge Araneta, who’s behind the concert, arranged for Conversations  an exclusive 30-minute phone interview with Engelbert. (Note: For tickets, call Ticketnet at 911-5555. You can win patron tickets by joining an ongoing promo, until Aug. 12.  Every P500 purchase at Araneta Center is enough for you to qualify.)

Good morning, Engelbert. It’s 1:20, Saturday, July 21, here in Manila.

“Oh, good morning! It’s 10:30 here in L.A. Friday.”

First, I want to ask you why your concert in Manila last year was canceled a day before. What happened?

“I’ll tell you what happened, Ricky. I was in Malaysia when I learned that my brother had a brain tumor, so I had to fly back to the United States and stay with him until he was okay. It was a situation that was very dangerous, you know. The tumor inside his head was the size of an orange. Immediately, I lost my voice because it was a shock, you know.”

Oh, that was sad!

“I’m so sorry that I disappointed the people of the Philippines at that time. But, thank God, my brother has recovered; he’s well now. So I’m going back to the Philippines and making up for it. I appreciate the people of the Philippines for being so compassionate and understanding about that circumstance.”

Glad to hear that your brother is okay now.

“I’m very close to him; he’s older than me. His name is Erwin Dorsey. As a matter of fact, it’s his birthday today.”

Is he also into music?

“Oh, no, no. He works at The Bellagio in Las Vegas.”

Oh, The Bellagio. Some Filipino artists have performed there, including Martin Nievera, the so-called Concert King of the Philippines.

“But my brother is not a performer. He’s with the hotel staff.”

I’m also glad that you’re okay now.

“Thank you.”

How long did you get it back?

“I got it back about a week later.”

How did you get it back?

“It just came back.”

You’re celebrating your 40th anniversary as a singer this year, right?

“Yes, I am. This year is a very special year because, you’re right, it’s my 40th anniversary and I am celebrating it in the Philippines. It’s the 40th anniversary of my song Release Me, the very first song I recorded. And that was my first hit.”

How does it feel to be 40?

“Wow, 40 years in the industry is a long time!”

You’re just beginning. After all, as they say, doesn’t life begin at 40?

“Not as long as The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, though. But still long enough, you know. And I’m having a wonderful career. My manager is the same guy who managed Frank Sinatra. His name is Elliot Weisman.”

Losing your voice... Was it the first time it happened to you?

“You know, it’s easy to get laryngitis or pharyngitis. What I got was shock pharyngitis. It can stop you from singing. But as I’ve said, I’m glad that I’m going to the Philippines this year because it’s a celebrated year. The people of the Philippines always receive me very well the last time I was there. I’m hoping to get that same enthusiasm and great crowd again when I go back there.”

You can be sure of that, Engelbert.

“I’m bringing my own band; it’s a great band. Besides my old songs, I’m singing new ones. I have a new CD coming out to celebrate my 40th year. The songs were written by all-British composers like John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Sting and many others. I’m singing songs from that CD on my (Big Dome) show.”

What’s the title of the CD?

“It’s called The Winding Road.”

Was the title taken from a line of a Beatles song — you know, the long and winding road lead me to your door...?

“Yes, yes, it is.”

I notice that you’re clearing your throat...

“Oh, it’s morning here, you know. I just woke up; I just had my fruit juice. It’s 10:30 a.m. but it’s too early for me, you know.”

By the way, how do you plan to make up for your absence last year?

“How am I going to make it up? Hmmmm. I’m going to give a good concert, you know. I mean, the kind of concert that I’ve never done before. One month ago, I was in Amsterdam and I played at the arena over there before 60,000 people, and that was for six nights; 60,000 people every night for six nights. All in all, 360,000 people watched my concert.”

Wow, six nights in a row! Amazing! How do you sustain your voice in a concert series like that?

“Well, you know, your voice gets stronger the more you use it. It’s like your arm. The more you exercise it, the stronger it gets. So the more I sing, the stronger my voice gets.”

What precautionary measures do you take? Do you, perhaps, avoid taking ice-cold water like some singers do?

“No, I don’t do that. I drink a lot of water and a lot of wine. I’m a wine drinker.”

Red or white?

“Red.”

What about vocalizing, especially in the morning? Do you still do that?

“What’s that?”

Do you vocalize to, you know, exercise your vocal cords?

“Well, I vocalize during rehearsals.”

Engelbert, you’ve been singing for 40 years. Of all the songs that you’ve recorded and sung, hundreds of them, what’s the one that best describes the essential Engelbert Humperdinck?

“Release Me.”

I knew it! But why that song?

“Release Me is the song that started my life; it’s No. 1 around the world. It gave me a global career immediately, you know. And therefore, I have to say that Release Me is the No. 1 song in my life. It’s my signature song. You know, I just recorded my 77th album (The Winding Road) but everywhere I go, when people see me they start singing...(Starts to sing)...Please release me, let me go...And to think that I recorded that song 40 years ago! Everybody knows the song; it’s in the karaoke machine, you know...”

I suppose in the past 40 years, you’ve sung it a thousand times.

“More! A million times!”

Do you sing it the same way every time?

“Oh yes, I do. And now, I don’t even have to finish the song because the audience finishes it for me; the audience sings it with me.”

How does it feel?

“It’s amazing! You know in Amsterdam, 60,000 people every night sang Release Me with me. It was amazing! The people were all singing with me! They know my music. Just like the people in the Philippines; they know my music.”

Aside from Release Me, what other songs of yours don’t you get tired of singing?

“You know, the songs that keep on my show are the ones that the people want to hear, such as The Last Waltz, A Man Without Love, After The Lovin’...I keep them on my show and then I do some new material. And I do songs from my ‘live’ DVD.”

Is there any difference between Engelbert Humperdinck today and Engelbert Humperdinck 40 years ago?

“He’s more or less the same guy. I’m not heavy; I’m in pretty good shape. I look exactly the same, I guess. I’m still very agile onstage.”

How do you keep fit? What’s your diet? What kind of workout do you do?

“First and foremost, I do a little jump-rope. And then, I do the punch bag in my gym. I also work on the treadmill a little bit. And I do stationary exercises.”

Oh, you didn’t tell me. Do you still sing in the bathroom?

“In the shower? Yes, I do. Before I go onstage, I always take a hot shower. I get the steam into my throat and I always warm up my vocal cords in the shower.”

But, like other singers, do you refrain from talking maybe two to three hours before a concert?

“No, I’m not that kind of person. If somebody talks to me, I talk to him.”

In your Manila concert, are you going to throw your underwear to the audience?

“No, no, not my underwear. My hankies. Yes, I still do that.”

How many hankies do you plan to throw?

“I don’t know. I will see...”

And, as in your concerts way back when, do you expect women in your Manila audience to throw their panties or their bras at you?

“Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! You know, that’s something that happened in the past. But they don’t really have to do that.”

How would you react if somebody did that during your concert in Manila?

“Do you think it can happen in Manila?”

It might happen.

“Well, that’s okay. We’ll make fun of it.”

Okay, which of your songs do you want to be remembered for?

“I want to be remembered for all my songs. That’s why I recorded songs with a great deal of meaning, songs of lasting material. I’m lucky that up to now, people still love my songs, they still continue to sing my songs.”

Thank you, Engelbert. Rest assured that we will never, never release you!

(Starts to sing again) “Please release me, let me go...Release me and let me love again...”

(E-mail reactions at [email protected])