"Love's Only Love" by Engelbert Humperdinck

Song#:  0090
Date:  03/15/1980
Debut:  84
Peak:  83
Weeks:  2
Genre:  Pop, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  With a fan-deemed nickname of "The King of Romance," Humperdinck has been recording and hitting the chart since his first pop hit, "Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)" in 1967. Although he amassed 23 chart songs, "Release Me" and "After the Lovin'" (1976) were his only Top 10's. And like other pop vocalists of the 60s/early 70s era, the 80s signaled the end of the hits for him. But he would continue to record and perform for a rabid fan base. He hit the spotlight in 2012 performing the UK entry in the Eurovision Song Contest. Although the entry finished 25th out of 26, he set a record as the oldest singer to participate in the contest at age 76. This song is the first of two chart entries he was able to snag in the 80s (and it was almost a one-week dud).

ReduxReview:  I'm not much into these guys who are more known for their performances than their hit-making abilities. Besides the occasional hit, the songs that got assigned to them were pretty dull - like this one. There's nothing really wrong with the song; it's probably just a tick better than some of the sap that passed for AC at the time. But with material like this there is a fine line between love it and leave it. I gotta vote to leave this one.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  Yes, it is true folks. Engelbert Humperdinck is not his real name. He was born Arnold George Dorsey. Gordon Mills, who was Tom Jones' manager, encouraged Dorsey to change his name to that of a German 19th-century opera composer. The newly christened Humperdinck started to see his career take off and two years later had his first hit. Hmm...maybe I should change my name to Josef Suk (look him up kids...). The two of us could form a duo - Suk & Humperdinck. Now, who wouldn't go see that?

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