Engelbert is next in line

Paul Anka, one of the biggest pop stars from out of the ‘50s, finished his turn in Manila last Monday. But the nostalgia fever is far from over as stars from the past continue to pour out of airliners at the local airports one after the other. Armed with their memorable hits, they come to delight Filipino audiences like never before. One of those now waiting in line to take his turn at the Araneta Coliseum is no other but Engelbert Humperdinck.

The singing heartthrob from Britain who took on the name of the Austrian century composer of the opera Hansel and Gretel in the early 1900s, will be performing at the Big Dome on Tuesday, June 27. That means that until that evening, we can expect to be inundated with the sound of Engelbert Humperdinck. Some of the songs we will surely hear again are Release Me, The Last Waltz, Winter World of Love, Cuando Cuando Cuando, The Way It Used to Be, Strangers in the Night, After the Loving, Spanish Eyes, There Goes My Everything, Am I That Easy to Forget, Land of Ten Thousand Dances, Dance the Night Away and many others.

The tall and handsome Humperdinck is considered one of the world’s most popular entertainers. He has released 256 albums and sold over 150 million records. He has 24 Platinum and 64 Gold selling albums and lots of other awards. Born in India, some 60 or so years ago, he grew up in Leisester, England. He is on tour most of the time but when free, he has chosen to divide his home time between the UK and the US where he remains one of the top draws in Las Vegas.

Aside from his famous songs, the mention of Engelbert Humperdinck also brings up other names and other memories. No, I do not mean Victor Wood, who sported the same long sideburns and whose recordings, when he wasn’t yodeling, came very close to that of Humperdinck’s. What I mean is Tom Jones who is also British, one of the world’s top entertainers and certainly a big favorite among Filipino fans.

These two guys were running neck to neck in hit lists all over the world during the ‘60s. Not only that, they were both also famous for their looks and sex appeal. While their compatriots led by The Beatles opted for the Teddy Boy appeal, Engelbert and Tom evoked something sexier. We will have Engelbert at the Araneta Coliseum next month. So why not a concert starring Tom Jones later this year or early in 2007?

Tickets to The Romance is Back: Engelbert Humperdinck Live in Manila are priced at P6,000 Patron; P5,000 Lower Box; P3,000 Upper Box A; P1,500 Upper Box B; and P500 for General Admission. Tickets are available at all Ticketnet Outlets at SM Department Stores and the Araneta Coliseum Box Office.

Back to Paul Anka. Those of you out there who want to recapture the magic of his superb performance at the Araneta last Sunday and Monday, had better get a copy of his Live and in Concert CD. Unlike most of the locally available Paul Anka albums, this one focuses on Anka the polished entertainer instead of on the singer/composer and pop idol.

A double-disc set recorded during a concert in Sapporo, Japan, this album has 34 cuts that includes most of Anka’s big hits like Diana, Times of Your Life, Having My Baby, Crazy Love, Put Your Head on My Shoulder, My Hometown, etc. etc. What makes it interesting is how Anka does songs by other male singers. My Way, Let Me Try Again, New York New York by Frank Sinatra, Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry, More by Steve Lawrence, Mack the Knife by Bobby Darin and She’s a Lady by Tom Jones and others.

Speaking of Tom Jones, you might also want to check out the songs that made him a truly successful entertainer. These have been compiled in a specially-packaged album simply titled Gold. There are two discs and each one has at least 20 of Tom’s original recordings. One of them is the Paul Anka composition She’s a Lady.

Other Tom Jones hits included in the album are It’s Not Unusual, What’s New Pussy Cat? Green Green Grass of Home, Delilah, Help Yourself, Love Me Tonight, I Who Have Nothing, You’re My World (Il Mio Mondo), Once Upon a Time, With These Hands Without Love and many more.