"Release Me" | |
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Single by Eddie Miller | |
Released | 1949 |
Recorded | Various |
Genre | Popular Music |
Label | Four Star Records |
Songwriter(s) | Eddie Miller James Pebworth Robert Yount |
"Release Me" (sometimes rendered as "Release Me (and Let Me Love Again)") is a popular song written by Eddie Miller and Robert Yount in 1949. Four years later it was recorded by Jimmy Heap & the Melody Masters (in 1953), and with even better success by Patti Page (1954), Ray Price (1954), and Kitty Wells (1954). Jivin' Gene [Bourgeois] & the Jokers recorded the tune in 1960, and that version served as an inspiration for Little Esther Phillips, who reached number one on the R&B chart and number eight on the pop chart with her big-selling cover. [1] The Everly Brothers followed in 1963, along with Lucille Starr including a translation in French (1964), Jerry Wallace (1966), Dean Martin (1967), and Engelbert Humperdinck (1967), whose version reached number one on the UK Singles Chart. [2]
Humperdinck’s version of “Release Me” has the distinction of holding the number one slot in the UK for six weeks during March and April 1967, preventing the Beatles' "Penny Lane" / "Strawberry Fields Forever" double A-sided single from reaching the top spot. Humperdinck's "Release Me" was also the highest selling single of 1967 in the UK, recording over one million in sales. Actual sales stand at 1.38 million copies. [3]
Although Miller later claimed to have written the song in 1946—only being able to record it himself in 1949—he actually co-wrote it with Robert Yount in 1949. [4] As they were working at that time with Dub Williams, a pseudonym of James Pebworth, [5] they gave him one-third of the song. The song was released with the writing credited to Miller-Williams-Gene, as Yount was using his stage name of Bobby Gene. [4]
Although owner of Four Star Records William McCall would usually add his pseudonym "W.S. Stevenson" to the credit of songs he published, he failed to do so in 1949. However, in 1957, Miller and Yount entered into a new publishing agreement with Four Star Records, in which "W.S. Stevenson" replaced Williams as co-writer. [6]
Yount signed away his royalty rights to William McCall in 1958, after which the credits to the song officially became "Miller-Stevenson", although multiple variations also existed. [6] For example, Engelbert Humperdinck's United Kingdom 45 is credited to Eddie Miller, Robert Yount, Dub Williams and Robert Harris. The Harris credit, however, turned out to be another pseudonym for James Pebworth (along with Dub Williams). [7]
With the bankruptcy of Four Star’s successor in interest, the copyright to the song was acquired by Acuff-Rose Music. When the initial term of copyright ended in 1983, it was renewed for a second term. Between 1983 and 1985 Acuff-Rose paid royalties to Yount, until they were notified by the family of the deceased William McCall of the 1958 assignment. Acuff-Rose then suspended payments until the dispute between the claimants was resolved. On December 24, 1996 the United States Courts of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, upheld the claim of the McCalls. [6]
"Release Me" | ||||
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Single by Ray Price | ||||
A-side | "I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)" | |||
Released | January 1954 | |||
Recorded | December 28, 1953 | |||
Studio | Castle Studio at the Tulane Hotel (Nashville, Tennessee) | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Label | Columbia 4-21214 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Eddie Miller James Pebworth Robert Yount | |||
Producer(s) | Don Law | |||
Ray Price singles chronology | ||||
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"Release Me" | ||||
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Single by Esther Phillips | ||||
from the album Release Me | ||||
B-side | "Don't Feel Rained On" | |||
Released | October 1962 | |||
Recorded | 1962 | |||
Genre | R&B | |||
Length | 3:18 | |||
Label | Lenox | |||
Songwriter(s) | Eddie Miller James Pebworth Robert Yount | |||
Producer(s) | Bob Gans | |||
Esther Phillips singles chronology | ||||
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In country music, "Release Me" became a hit for Jimmy Heap, Kitty Wells, and Ray Price, all in 1954. Even though Price had several major hits beforehand, "Release Me" is sometimes considered his breakthrough hit. The song had elements of the 4
4 shuffle, Price's signature sound that would become more evident on future successes such as "Crazy Arms."
Price's version was part of a double-A sided hit, paired with another song that introduced fans to the 4
4 shuffle: "I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)" Both sides went on to become major hits for Price, with "Release Me" peaking at No. 6 and "I'll Be There" stopping at No. 2.
"Release Me" | ||||
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Single by Engelbert Humperdinck | ||||
B-side | "Ten Guitars" | |||
Released | February 1967[ citation needed ] | |||
Genre | Pop [8] | |||
Length | 3:18 | |||
Label | Decca Records F12541 [2] | |||
Songwriter(s) | Eddie Miller James Pebworth Robert Yount | |||
Producer(s) | Charles Blackwell [2] | |||
Engelbert Humperdinck singles chronology | ||||
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In 1965, Humperdinck, who at the time was performing under the name of Gerry Dorsey, met up again with an old friend of his, Gordon Mills. By that time Mills was successfully managing Tom Jones. Mills added Dorsey to his management roster and changed his name. As Humperdinck, the singer released a couple of near misses in the UK although one song, "Dommage, Dommage", was successful in Europe. [2]
Early in 1967, Humperdinck was asked to stand in for Dickie Valentine, who was ill, on Sunday Night at the London Palladium , [2] a TV variety show that was one of the highest-rating programs in the UK at the time. He sang "Release Me" on the show. It reached number one in the UK Singles Chart on 2 March and stayed there for six weeks, keeping "Penny Lane" / "Strawberry Fields Forever" by the Beatles off the top spot, the first time the Beatles had not reached the top since their debut single. [2] Humperdinck's recording stayed in the charts for a record fifty-six consecutive weeks. [9]
The B-side, "Ten Guitars", became a surprise hit in New Zealand among young Maori moving to the cities for work, and, not long after, the wider New Zealand music scene as well. [10] 'Ten Guitars' later served as the name for a documentary on New Zealand popular music. [11]
Chart (1967) | Peak position |
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Australia (KMR) | 3 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [12] | 1 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [13] | 14 |
Canada (RPM) Top Singles | 2 |
Germany (GfK) [14] | 20 |
Ireland (IRMA) [15] | 1 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [16] | 2 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [17] | 2 |
New Zealand ( Listener ) [18] | 2 |
UK Singles (OCC) [19] | 1 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [20] | 4 |
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [21] | 28 |
Chart (1999) | Peak position |
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New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [22] | 45 |
George Jones and The Kingsmen Quartet each released a gospel version, Release Me (From My Sin). Jones’ was on his album, In a Gospel Way, that came out in 1974.
In 1994, an instrumental version of the song was adopted as the theme music to British sketch show The Fast Show . One sketch also featured a performance of the song by comedian Paul Whitehouse as character Kenny Valentine.
In 1997 it featured in an Irish advert for Jacob's Cream Cracker's.
The Engelbert Humperdinck recording was featured in the episode "Going to Pot" of the 1970s British sitcom The Good Life .
British journalist and author Peter Hitchens has described Humperdinck's hugely successful version as "the real revolutionary anthem of the Sixties" and "far more influential than Bob Dylan", drawing a comparison between the song's lyrics and the desire of the public to be released from the social conservatism that had prevailed in society until the 1960s. [23]
The Johnny Adams version of the song was used in the 2009 film Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans in a POV shot of iguanas on a coffee table.
In 2013, the song was recorded by the New Zealand trio Sol3 Mio for their debut album Sol3 Mio.
"I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" is a soul song most popularly released as a joint single performed by Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations for the Motown label. This version peaked for two weeks at No. 2 on the Hot 100 in the United States, selling 900,000 copies in its first two weeks, and at No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart in January 1969.
Gordon William Mills was a successful London-based music industry manager and songwriter. He was born in Madras, British India and grew up in Trealaw in the Rhondda Valley, South Wales. During the 1960s and 1970s, he managed the careers of three highly successful musical artists - Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck and Gilbert O'Sullivan. Mills was also a songwriter, penning hits for Cliff Richard, Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, Freddie and the Dreamers, The Applejacks, Paul Jones, Peter and Gordon and Tom Jones, most notably co-writing Jones's signature song "It's Not Unusual" with Les Reed.
"Answer Me" is a popular song, originally titled "Mütterlein", with German lyrics by Gerhard Winkler and Fred Rauch. "Mütterlein" was published on 19 April 1952. English lyrics were written by Carl Sigman, and the song was published as "Answer Me" in New York on 13 October 1953. Contemporary recordings of the English lyric by Frankie Laine and David Whitfield both topped the UK Singles Chart in 1953.
"Let Me Go, Lover!", a popular song, was written by Jenny Lou Carson and Al Hill, a pen name used by Fred Wise, Kathleen Twomey, and Ben Weisman. It is based on an earlier song called "Let Me Go, Devil", about alcoholism.
"Ramblin' Rose" is a 1962 popular torch song written by brothers Noel Sherman (words) and Joe Sherman (music) and popularized by Nat King Cole. The recording by Nat King Cole reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1962.
"Lovesick Blues" is a Tin Pan Alley song, composed by Cliff Friend, with lyrics by Irving Mills. It first appeared in the 1922 musical "Oh, Ernest", and was recorded that year by Elsie Clark and Jack Shea. Emmett Miller recorded it in 1925 and 1928, followed by country music singer Rex Griffin in 1939. The recordings by Griffin and Miller inspired Hank Williams to perform the song during his first appearances on the Louisiana Hayride radio show in 1948. Receiving an enthusiastic reception from the audience, Williams decided to record his own version despite initial push back from his producer Fred Rose and his band.
Arnold George Dorsey, known professionally as Engelbert Humperdinck, is a British pop singer described by AllMusic as "one of the finest middle-of-the-road balladeers around". He achieved international prominence in 1967 with his recording of "Release Me".
Leslie David Reed was an English songwriter, arranger, musician and light-orchestra leader. His major songwriting partners were Gordon Mills, Barry Mason, and Geoff Stephens, although he wrote songs with many others such as Roger Greenaway, Roger Cook, Peter Callander, and Johnny Worth.
"A Place in the Sun" is a 1966 soul single by American and Motown musician Stevie Wonder. Written by Ronald Miller and Bryan Wells, it was one of Wonder's first songs to contain social commentary. "A Place in the Sun" was his third Top Ten hit since 1963, hitting number 9 on the Billboard pop singles chart and number 3 on the R&B charts. Billboard described the song as a "folk-oriented release" to which Wonder gives an "exciting treatment." The Originals and The Andantes sang background vocals on the recording. Stevie Wonder also recorded a version of the song in Italian titled "Il Sole è di Tutti".
"Make the World Go Away'" is a country pop song composed by Hank Cochran. It has become a Top 40 popular success three times: for Timi Yuro (1963), Eddy Arnold (1965), and the brother-sister duo Donny and Marie Osmond (1975). The original version of the song was recorded by Ray Price in 1963.
"Two Different Worlds" is a popular song with music by Al Frisch and the lyrics by Sid Wayne, published in 1956.
"The Last Waltz" is a ballad, written by Barry Mason and Les Reed. It was one of Engelbert Humperdinck's biggest hits, spending five weeks at number 1 on the UK Singles Chart, from September 1967 to October 1967, and has since sold over 1.17 million copies in the United Kingdom.
"Am I That Easy to Forget" is a popular song written by country music singer Carl Belew and W.S. Stevenson and published in 1958. Belew recorded his song in Nashville on December 17, 1958, and released the single in March 1959, when it reached number nine on the U.S. country music chart. Other country music artists who have recorded cover versions of the song include Skeeter Davis, Ernest Tubb (1960), Jerry Wallace (1962), Gene Vincent (1966), George Jones (1967), Patti Page (1968), Ann-Margret & Lee Hazlewood (1969), Jim Reeves and Prairie Oyster (1991).
"Moon Over Naples" is a 1965 instrumental composed and recorded by German bandleader Bert Kaempfert. The instrumental version reached No. 6 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. It won a BMI Award in 1968.
Harlequin Melodies is the 1968 debut album by singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury. Newbury was already a successful songwriter in Nashville, signed by Acuff-Rose Publishing. At one point he had four #1 hits on different charts for Eddy Arnold, Solomon Burke, The First Edition, and Andy Williams, and he had written hits for several others. Produced by Elvis Presley producer Felton Jarvis, Harlequin Melodies concentrates on Newbury's versions of his hit songs; nearly every song on the album has been covered by other artists.
"Eternally" is a song with music by Charlie Chaplin, and words by the English lyricists Geoff Parsons and John Turner. The music was initially composed for Chaplin's film Limelight (1952) and titled "Terry's Theme"; the film won an Oscar for "Best Original Dramatic Score" at the 45th Academy Awards in 1973.
"Quando m'innamoro" is a 1968 Italian song written by Daniele Pace, Mario Panzeri and Roberto Livraghi and sung with a double performance by Anna Identici and by The Sandpipers at the 1968 Sanremo Music Festival, in which it came 6th.
Robert Gene Yount was an American musician, singer and songwriter in the country music genre.
"The Way It Used to Be" is a song recorded by Engelbert Humperdinck, which was released on the album Engelbert and as a single in 1969. It is an English language adaptation of the Italian language song "Melodia", which was originally released by Isabella Iannetti in 1968.