"The name on his records said Englebert Humperdinck. Archie Bunker once referred to him as "Englebert What's His Dink". His real name was Arnold George Dorsey. He was a struggling British crooner until he met Tom Jones manager Gordon Mills in 1965. And the rest is history. Nearly 40 years later Englebert Humperdinck continues to thrill audiences around the world. A check of his website reveals an incredibly busy touring schedule and there are still hundreds of Englebert fan clubs around the world!!!
This CD from Hip-O records chronicles all of the best of Englebert Humperdincks remarkable career. Hear all of his fabulous Parrot singles from the 60's and early 70's like you never have before. The fidelity on his original 45's was not that great. But the remastering job on this disk was done with a great deal of care. Even his Epic recordings sound much better here. Looking back, it is amazing to me that Englebert had such a limited amount of success on Billboards Hot 100 Singles chart. There were only two Top Ten hits, his debut single "Release Me" and 1976's "After The Lovin'". But Englebert sold a lot of albums. His debut album "Release Me" peaked at number 7 and was on the charts for 118 weeks!!! In any event, this collection contains just about all of the hits you would remember. Among my favorites are "A Man Without Love", "Les Bicyclettes De Belsize" and of course "This Moment In Time." The 12 page booklet is particularly well done and is packed with interesting tidbits and photos. You'll likely never find a better collection of his work. Recommended."
100% wall-to-wall undiluted beauty
Alejandra Vernon | Long Beach, California | 12/20/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is an extraordinary compilation of Engelbert's work, with passages of such intense beauty it transcends any genre and becomes pure art. If you only own one Engelbert CD, this is it.
Engelbert's vocal talents include a huge range, amazing breath control and phrasing, but more than that, he sings with his heart and soul. There isn't a single song on this album that is less than superb, and "When There's No You" gives us a hint of what a wonderful opera singer he could have been had he chosen that route (as much as I love opera, I'm glad he didn't...as we would be lacking a "King of Romance").
The booklet insert is excellent, with liner notes and photos, but what I most appreciate is the recording info, with original album listed (except for "My Marie", which was not released in the U.S. on LP), and single chart positions in the U.S. and the U.K.
The time frame of the material is from 1968 ("Release Me" and "There Goes My Everything" from the Release Me album) through 1979 with the exquisite "This Moment in Time" (from the This Moment in Time album), but this music is timeless; heavenly melodies sung to perfection. This gorgeous CD is among the top of my desert isle list, with Bach and Mozart for company.
The sound is terrific and total playing time is 55'57.
"
Ultimate Collection - Engelbert Humperdinck
ljg314 | Blue Bell, PA USA | 02/11/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have been a huge fan of Engelbert's since 1968. I have almost every album he ever recorded in album and CD forms. This is undoubtedly the best collection of his to date. All my favorite songs are on here. I also have his greatest hits collection, but this is much better. I would recommend it to anyone whether or not they are an Engelbert fan. This CD will make them one."
Fine collection--of just some of Engelbert's best
Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 04/07/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Engelbert Humperdinck: The Ultimate Collection is a smashing CD that gives us so many of his wonderful hits. This CD is truly superior to the other out there with just ten or eleven tracks; and I am mystified as to why this CD is currently out of print. I hope that changes soon! The artwork is great and the quality of the sound is excellent.
"Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)" opens the CD with Engelbert singing so brilliantly. He sings of a love gone awry; and he wants to be set free to be with his new true love. Engelbert's voice never sounded better; and this impresses me very much. The musical arrangement is lush and it accompanies Engelbert very well. "After The Lovin'" is a classic that shines like gold when Engelbert sings it; he never misses a beat and indeed this shows off the operatic qualities of his magnificent voice. "A Man Without Love (Quando M'innamoro)" has a good arrangement with great guitar work; and Engelbert sings this like a pro!
This Moment In Time" features Engelbert squarely front and center--right where he belongs. Engelbert Humperdinck performs this with panache and the percussion enhances the natural beauty of the melody. "Les Bicyclettes De Belsize" gives Engelbert the chance to sing a passionate love ballad about the importance of enjoying life and love while we have it--every day is a precious gift. "The Way It Used To Be" is a gorgeous tune with a fine set of backup vocalists to bolster Engelbert's delivery of this lush ballad.
"There Goes My Everything" has a slight country twist to it that makes the melody very pretty; Engelbert sings this with all his heart and soul. I love every minute of this! "Another Time, Another Place" again puts Engelbert right in the center; he never sings a superfluous note and "Another Time, Another Place" really sparkles when Engelbert sings it. Similarly, "My Marie" has a great arrangement to go along with Engelbert's fine delivery of this ballad.
"Sweetheart" again shows off the operatic qualities of Engelbert's voice; and listen for the final track entitled "The Last Waltz." "The Last Waltz" is clearly one of Engelbert's greatest hits ever and it makes a strong ending for this album. Engelbert's voice is full of masculine warmth, energy and passion as he performs "The Last Waltz" to perfection--and beyond!
Engelbert Humperdinck fans will want this CD in their collections. It's also a fine starter CD for people just discovering the artistry of Engelbert Humperdinck.