Ten Guitars

Last updated
"Ten Guitars"
Single by Engelbert Humperdinck
A-side "Release Me"
Released1967
Genre Pop
Length2:40
Label Decca Records
Songwriter(s) Gordon Mills
Producer(s) Ken Woodman
Engelbert Humperdinck singles chronology
"Dommage Dommage"
(1966)
"Ten Guitars"
(1967)
"There Goes My Everything"
(1967)

"Ten Guitars" is a 1967 song by the English singer Engelbert Humperdinck. It was the B-side to his single "Release Me". [1] The song is especially well known in New Zealand, where it has become a beloved folk song and is considered by some to be the "unofficial national anthem" of New Zealand. [2]

Contents

Popularity in New Zealand

"Ten Guitars" was released as the B-side to Humperdinck's 1967 single "Release Me". While the A-side track was an international hit, in New Zealand radio programmers favoured "Ten Guitars" due to its upbeat sound and a guitar style that lent itself to the popular "Maori strum" technique. [2]

The song had originally been popularised in New Zealand by Rotorua radio programmer Eddie O'Strange of 1YZ. This led to increased sales of the single and national popularity of the song, particularly as a singalong party number.

The song later became especially popular with Māori in the 1960s who had left their regional homes and moved to cities for work. The song was a reminder of life in their hometowns. [3]

Cultural impact

Billy Connolly's 1975 album "The Big Yin: Billy Connolly In Concert" has a track "Glasgow Accents/Nine and a Half Guitars" where the Big Yin explains how he's sick of having to sing the song in folk clubs.

A 1996 television documentary Ten Guitars looked at the history of the song and its impact on New Zealand culture. It featured cover versions of the song from prominent New Zealand musicians of the time, including Tim Finn and Neil Finn, the Topp Twins, Dalvanius Prime, Jan Hellriegel, Purest Form, Mika and Moana Maniapoto. [4]

In 1999, the New Zealand artist Michael Parekowhai created the sculptural work Ten Guitars. It was made up of ten custom-built guitars inlaid with pāua shell designs of kowhaiwhai patterns. The work examines the role of Māori in New Zealand society, including the changing roles in the second half of the 20th century. [3]

In 2012, an attempt to break the world record for the most number of guitarists playing at once was made in Kaikohe, New Zealand, with "Ten Guitars" as the selected song. The world record of 7273 was not broken, with approximately 50 guitarists showing up for the record attempt. [5]

Other versions

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crowded House</span> Australian pop rock band

Crowded House are a rock band, formed in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, in 1985. Its founding members were New Zealander Neil Finn and Australians Paul Hester (drums) and Nick Seymour (bass). Later band members include Neil Finn's brother, Tim Finn and sons Liam and Elroy, as well as Americans Mark Hart and Matt Sherrod, with Neil Finn and Seymour being the sole constant members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music of New Zealand</span> Overview of music traditions in New Zealand

The music of New Zealand has been influenced by a number of traditions, including Māori music, the music introduced by European settlers during the nineteenth century, and a variety of styles imported during the twentieth century, including blues, jazz, country, rock and roll, reggae, and hip hop, with many of these genres given a unique New Zealand interpretation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Connolly</span> Scottish actor and comedian (born 1942)

Sir William Connolly is a Scottish actor, retired comedian, artist, writer, musician, and television presenter. He is sometimes known by the Scots nickname the Big Yin. Known for his idiosyncratic and often improvised observational comedy, frequently including strong language, Connolly has topped many UK polls as the greatest stand-up comedian of all time. In 2022 he received the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bic Runga</span> New Zealand singer and songwriter

Briolette Kah Bic Runga, recording as Bic Runga, is a New Zealand singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist pop artist. Her first three studio albums debuted at number one on the New Zealand Top 40 Album charts. Runga has also found success internationally in Australia, Ireland and the United Kingdom with her 1997 song "Sway".

Traditional Māori music, or pūoro Māori, is composed or performed by Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, and includes a wide variety of folk music styles, often integrated with poetry and dance.

Rock music in New Zealand, also known as Kiwi rock music and New Zealand rock music, rose to prominence first in 1955 with Johnny Cooper's cover version of Bill Haley's hit song "Rock Around the Clock". This was followed by Johnny Devlin, sometimes nicknamed New Zealand's Elvis Presley, and his cover of "Lawdy Miss Clawdy". The 1960s saw Max Merritt and the Meteors and Ray Columbus & the Invaders achieve success. In the 1970s and early 1980s the innovative Split Enz had success internationally as well as nationally, with member Neil Finn later continuing with Crowded House. Other influential bands in the 1970s were Th' Dudes, Dragon and Hello Sailor. The early 1980s saw the development of the indie rock "Dunedin sound", typified by Dunedin bands such as The Clean, Straitjacket Fits and The Chills, recorded by the Flying Nun record label of Christchurch. New Zealand's foremost hard rock band Shihad started their long career in 1988. Since 2018 this title is now undoubtedly held by New Zealand Māori metal band Alien Weaponry who have achieved huge success in Europe and the USA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herbs (band)</span>

Herbs are a New Zealand reggae group founded in 1979 and led by singer-guitarist Dilworth Karaka, the only constant member. Since its foundation Herbs has been multi-ethnic in membership and featured Samoans, Tongans, Cook Islanders, New Zealand europeans and Maori members. The 11th inductee into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame, were once described as "New Zealand's most soulful, heartfelt and consistent contemporary musical voice". It has been said their debut EP What's Be Happen? "set a standard for Pacific reggae which has arguably never been surpassed".

The Humblebums were a Scottish folk rock band, based in Glasgow. Its members included Billy Connolly, who later became a renowned stand-up comedian and actor; guitarist Tam Harvey; and singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty. The band was active from 1965 to 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Dream It's Over</span> 1986 single by Crowded House

"Don't Dream It's Over" is a song by Australian rock band Crowded House, recorded for their 1986 self-titled debut studio album. The song was composed and written by New Zealand frontman Neil Finn and released in October 1986 as the fourth single from the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Jim Sullivan</span> British guitarist (1941–2012)

James George Tomkins, known professionally as Big Jim Sullivan, was an English guitarist.

The Exponents, formerly The Dance Exponents, is a New Zealand rock group led by vocalist and songwriter Jordan Luck.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Engelbert Humperdinck (singer)</span> British pop singer (born 1936)

Arnold George Dorsey, known professionally as Engelbert Humperdinck, is a British pop singer who has been described as "one of the finest middle-of-the-road balladeers around". He achieved international prominence in 1967 with his recording of "Release Me".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">After the Lovin'</span> 1976 single by Engelbert Humperdinck

"After the Lovin'" is a single performed by Engelbert Humperdinck, produced by Joel Diamond and Charlie Calello, and composed by Ritchie Adams with lyrics by Alan Bernstein. The single was a U.S. top-ten hit in late 1976/early 1977, reaching number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the Cash Box Top 100. It became a RIAA gold record. It is ranked as the 61st biggest U.S. hit of 1977. The song also reached number 40 on the country singles chart and spent two weeks atop the easy listening chart. It was Humperdinck's final Top 40 Billboard hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Last Waltz (song)</span> 1967 single by Engelbert Humperdinck

"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.

"Release Me", is a popular song written by Eddie "Piano" Miller and Robert Yount in 1949. Four years later it was recorded by Jimmy Heap & the Melody Masters, 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. The Everly Brothers followed in 1963, along with Lucille Starr including a translation in French (1964), Jerry Wallace (1966), Dean Martin (1967), Engelbert Humperdinck (1967) who was number one on the UK Singles Chart and many others in the years after such as Jewels Renauld (2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Engelbert Humperdinck discography</span>

This is the discography of the British singer Engelbert Humperdinck who made his professional debut in 1967. Engelbert has sold over 7 million records in the US alone.

Deane Waretini is a musician from New Zealand. He had a #1 chart hit in 1981 with the song "The Bridge", a Māori language song set to Nini Rosso's tune "Il Silenzio". He is also the son of a historically significant Maori baritone singer and recording artist. In later years, Waretini was featured in a New Zealand television production that was built around him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alien Weaponry</span> New Zealand Maori metal band

Alien Weaponry is a New Zealand metal band from Waipu, formed in Auckland in 2010. The band consists of drummer Henry de Jong, guitarist Lewis de Jong, and since August 2020, bass player Tūranga Morgan-Edmonds. All three members have Māori ancestry and a number of their songs are written and performed in the Māori language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winter World of Love</span> 1969 single by Engelbert Humperdinck

"Winter World of Love" is a song recorded by Engelbert Humperdinck, which was released on his eponymous album and as a single in 1969.

Wishful Thinking are a British rock band, originally formed in the 1960s.

References

  1. "Engelbert Humperdinck – Release Me (And Let Me Love Again) / Ten Guitars". Discogs. 1967. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  2. 1 2 "King of Romance Engelbert Humperdinck to bring his Ten Guitars to NZ". Stuff. Fairfax. 20 July 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Ten Guitars". New Zealand Folk Song. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  4. "Ten Guitars Television – 1996". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  5. "8000 guitars needed for record bid". Northern Advocate. NZME. Retrieved 22 November 2016.