“Moon Over Naples” is a 1965 instrumental composed and originally performed by German bandleader Bert Kaempfert and was the first track on his album, The Magic Music of Far Away Places for Decca Records.
It would become a hit single in 1966 for Al Martino when lyrics were added by composer Eddie Snyder and songwriter Charles Singleton, and the title changed to “Spanish Eyes”. Released in late 1965 in the United States, this recording reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent four weeks atop the Billboard Easy Listening chart in early 1966. This vocal version was also a hit in Europe, where it sold an estimated 800,000 copies in Germany and made the UK Singles Chart twice, peaking at number 49 in 1970 and then reaching number five in August 1973. Continue reading →

“Release Me” is a popular song written by Eddie Miller, Robert Yount, and James Pebworth , published in 1946.
Miller wrote the song in 1946 but could not get anyone to record it for years, so he recorded it himself in 1953. Shortly afterward it was covered by Jimmy Heap, and with even better success by Ray Price and Kitty Wells. Subsequently a big seller was recorded by Little Esther Phillips, who reached number one on the R&B chart and number eight on the pop chart. A version by Engelbert Humperdinck reached number one on the UK Singles Chart. Continue reading →

“Quando, Quando, Quando” is an Italian pop song dating from the early 1960s, written by Alberto Testa and Tony Renis (sometimes credited under his birth name Elio Cesari). Renis made the song famous. It has frequently been performed in English translation, with lyrics by Ervin Drake. The most notable rendition in English was by pop singer Engelbert Humperdinck. Continue reading →