| "Release Me" | |
|---|---|
| Single byEddie Miller | |
| Released | 1949 |
| Recorded | Various |
| Genre | Popular Music |
| Label | Four Star Records |
| Songwriters |
|
"Release Me" (sometimes rendered as "Release Me (and Let Me Love Again)") is apopularsong written byEddie Miller andRobert Yount in 1949. Four years later it was recorded byJimmy Heap & the Melody Masters (in 1953), and with even better success byPatti Page (1954),Ray Price (1954), andKitty Wells (1954). Jivin' Gene Bourgeois & the Jokers recorded the tune in 1960, and that version served as an inspiration forLittle Esther Phillips, who reached number one on theR&B chart and number eight on thepop chart with her big-selling cover.[1]The Everly Brothers followed in 1963, along withLucille Starr including a translation in French (1964),Jerry Wallace (1966),Dean Martin (1967), andEngelbert Humperdinck (1967), whose version reached number one on theUK Singles Chart.[2]
Humperdinck’s version of “Release Me” has the distinction of holding the number one slot in the UK for six weeks during March and April 1967, preventingthe Beatles' "Penny Lane" / "Strawberry Fields Forever"double A-sided single from reaching the top spot. Humperdinck's "Release Me" was also the highest selling single of 1967 in the UK, recording over one million in sales. Actual sales stand at 1.38 million copies.[3]
AlthoughEddie Miller later claimed to have written the song in 1946—only being able to record it himself in 1949—he actually co-wrote it withRobert Yount in 1949.[4] As they were working at that time with Dub Williams, a pseudonym of James Pebworth,[5] they gave him one-third of the song. The song was released with the writing credited to Miller-Williams-Gene, as Yount was using his stage name of Bobby Gene.[4]
Although owner ofFour Star Records William McCall would usually add his pseudonym "W.S. Stevenson" to the credit of songs he published, he failed to do so in 1949. However, in 1957, Miller and Yount entered into a new publishing agreement with Four Star Records, in which "W.S. Stevenson" replaced Williams as co-writer.[6]
Yount signed away his royalty rights to William McCall in 1958, after which the credits to the song officially became "Miller-Stevenson", although multiple variations also existed.[6] For example,Engelbert Humperdinck's United Kingdom 45 is credited to Eddie Miller, Robert Yount, Dub Williams and Robert Harris. The Harris credit, however, turned out to be another pseudonym for James Pebworth (along with Dub Williams).[7]
With the bankruptcy of Four Star’s successor in interest, the copyright to the song was acquired byAcuff-Rose Music. When the initial term of copyright ended in 1983, it was renewed for a second term. Between 1983 and 1985 Acuff-Rose paid royalties to Yount, until they were notified by the family of the deceased William McCall of the 1958 assignment. Acuff-Rose then suspended payments until the dispute between the claimants was resolved. On December 24, 1996 theUnited States Courts of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, upheld the claim of the McCalls.[6]
| "Release Me" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single byRay Price | ||||
| A-side | "I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)" | |||
| Released | January 1954 | |||
| Recorded | December 28, 1953 | |||
| Studio | Castle Studio at the Tulane Hotel (Nashville, Tennessee) | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Label | Columbia4-21214 | |||
| Songwriters | Eddie Miller James Pebworth Robert Yount | |||
| Producer | Don Law | |||
| Ray Price singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| "Release Me" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single byEsther Phillips | ||||
| from the album Release Me | ||||
| B-side | "Don't Feel Rained On" | |||
| Released | October 1962 | |||
| Recorded | 1962 | |||
| Genre | R&B | |||
| Length | 3:18 | |||
| Label | Lenox | |||
| Songwriters | Eddie Miller James Pebworth Robert Yount | |||
| Producer | Bob Gans | |||
| Esther Phillips singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
In country music, "Release Me" became a hit forJimmy Heap,Kitty Wells, andRay Price, all in 1954. Even though Price had several major hits beforehand, "Release Me" is sometimes considered his breakthrough hit. The song had elements of the4
4 shuffle, Price's signature sound that would become more evident on future successes such as "Crazy Arms."
Price's version was part of adouble-A sided hit, paired with another song that introduced fans to the4
4 shuffle: "I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)" Both sides went on to become major hits for Price, with "Release Me" peaking at No. 6 and "I'll Be There" stopping at No. 2.
| "Release Me" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byEngelbert Humperdinck | ||||
| B-side | "Ten Guitars" | |||
| Released | February 1967[citation needed] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:18 | |||
| Label | Decca Records F12541[2] | |||
| Songwriters | Eddie Miller James Pebworth Robert Yount | |||
| Producer | Charles Blackwell[2] | |||
| Engelbert Humperdinck singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
In 1965, Engelbert Humperdinck, who at the time was performing under the name of Gerry Dorsey, met up again with an old friend of his,Gordon Mills. By that time Mills was successfully managingTom Jones. Mills added Dorsey to his management roster and changed his name. As Humperdinck, the singer released a couple of near misses in the UK although one song, "Dommage, Dommage", was successful in Europe.[2]
Early in 1967, Humperdinck was asked to stand in forDickie Valentine, who was ill, onSunday Night at the London Palladium,[2] a TVvariety show that was one of the highest-rating programs in the UK at the time. He sang "Release Me" on the show. It reached number one in theUK Singles Chart on 2 March and stayed there for six weeks, keeping "Penny Lane" / "Strawberry Fields Forever" bythe Beatles off the top spot, the first time the Beatles had not reached the top since their debut single.[2] Humperdinck's recording stayed in the charts for a record fifty-six consecutive weeks.[10]
The B-side, "Ten Guitars", became a surprise hit in New Zealand among youngMaori moving to the cities for work, and, not long after, the wider New Zealand music scene as well.[11]Ten Guitars later served as the name for a documentary on New Zealand popular music.[12]
| Chart (1967) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (KMR) | 3 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] | 1 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[14] | 14 |
| Canada (RPM) Top Singles | 2 |
| Germany (GfK)[15] | 20 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[16] | 1 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[17] | 2 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[18] | 2 |
| New Zealand (Listener)[19] | 2 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[20] | 1 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[21] | 4 |
| USAdult Contemporary (Billboard)[22] | 28 |
| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[23] | 45 |
George Jones andThe Kingsmen Quartet each released agospel version, "Release Me (From My Sin)". Jones’ cover was on his album,In a Gospel Way, that came out in 1974.
In 1994, an instrumental version of the song was adopted as the theme music to Britishsketch showThe Fast Show. One sketch also featured a performance of the song by comedianPaul Whitehouse as character Kenny Valentine.
In 1997 it featured in an Irish advert forJacob's Cream Crackers.
The Engelbert Humperdinck recording was featured in the episode "Going to Pot" of the 1970s British sitcomThe Good Life.
British journalist and authorPeter Hitchens has described Humperdinck's hugely successful version as "the real revolutionary anthem of the Sixties" and "far more influential thanBob Dylan", drawing a comparison between the song's lyrics and the desire of the public to be released from thesocial conservatism that had prevailed in society until the 1960s.[24]
TheJohnny Adams version of the song was used in the 2009 filmBad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans in a POV shot of iguanas on a coffee table.
In 2013, the song was recorded by the New Zealand trioSol3 Mio for their debut albumSol3 Mio.
