The Last Waltz (song)

"The Last Waltz" is a ballad, written by Barry Mason and Les Reed.[1][2] It was one of Engelbert Humperdinck's biggest hits, spending five weeks at number 1 on the UK Singles Chart, from September 1967 to October 1967, and has since sold over 1.17 million copies in the United Kingdom.[3][4] In Australia, "The Last Waltz" spent nine nonconsecutive weeks at number one.[5]

"The Last Waltz"
Single by Engelbert Humperdinck
from the album The Last Waltz
B-side"That Promise"
Released18 August 1967
Recorded1967
StudioDecca Studios, London, England
GenreEasy listening
Length2:57
LabelDecca (UK/Ireland)[1]
Parrot (North America)
Songwriter(s)Barry Mason and Les Reed[1]
Producer(s)Peter Sullivan[1]
Engelbert Humperdinck singles chronology
"There Goes My Everything"
(1967)		 "The Last Waltz"
(1967)		 "Am I That Easy to Forget"
(1968)

In the United States, "The Last Waltz" reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and made the top ten of the easy listening chart.

The song is associated with the English football club Gillingham F.C.[6][7]

Background

The title of the song is something of a double entendre as it refers to both the narrator's first and last dances with the woman he loves: the first dance was the "last waltz" played at the party where the two met, and the final dance signified the end of their relationship after their romance had cooled.

Versions

French-language versions, titled "La Dernière Valse", were released by Mireille Mathieu and Petula Clark in 1967. Mireille Mathieu's version spent three weeks at number one in the French pop charts, and also was a hit in Britain, reaching #26. Petula Clark's version entered the French charts in February 1968 and reached number two[8] but did not chart in the UK. It is also included on her album, The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener (1968). In 1968 Québec singer Stéphane released a French cover on his album Stéphane and in 1969 Ginette Reno also released a French version. Total sales of the different versions combined are over eight million copies.[9]

The Austrian singer Peter Alexander took the song as Der letzte Walzer in November 1967 to the top of the German charts. In his home country it only reached number ten.[10] The Legendary Rocksteady Guitarist Lynn Taitt made a Rocksteady guitar Instrumental version of the ‘Last waltz’ in 1967, on the Jamaican WIRL record Label-(WL 176). Laurel Aitken also made an Instrumental version of the ‘Last Waltz’ in 1968 on the FAB record Label-(Fab 45). the Roots Reggae Band the Mighty Diamonds also recorded the ‘Last Waltz’ re-titled ‘The Last Dance’ in 1982, on two formats two 12” singles one in Jamaica on the Black Magic Label no matrix, and One on the UK JB Music Label-(JBD 040A), and a 7” pressing on the UK Label KR-(KR-16A).

Chart performance

References
  1. Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 7. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
  2. "International Songwriters Association (ISA) Songs And Songwriting • Sonnny Curtis". Songwriter.co.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  3. "Official Singles Chart UK Top 100 - 12th April 2014 | The UK Charts | Top 40". Theofficialcharts.com. Archived from the original on 8 April 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  4. Ami Sedghi (4 November 2012). "UK's million-selling singles: the full list". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  5. "Go-Set Australian charts - 27 December 1967". Poparchives.com.au. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  6. Kenrick, Matthew (5 January 2009). "Gillingham 1 Aston Villa 2 - Birmingham Post analysis". The Birmingham Post. Retrieved 18 September 2009.
  7. "Gillingham". The Football Supporters' Federation. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2009.
  8. "French Record Charts". Petula Clark.net. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  9. Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs. Barrie & Jenkins. Retrieved 22 August 2012. eight million.
  10. Hung, Steffen. "Peter Alexander - Der letzte Walzer". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  11. "Austriancharts.at – Engelbert Humperdinck – The Last Waltz" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
  12. "Ultratop.be – Engelbert Humperdinck – The Last Waltz" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
  13. "Ultratop.be – Engelbert Humperdinck – The Last Waltz" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
  14. "Offiziellecharts.de – Engelbert Humperdinck – The Last Waltz". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
  15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Last Waltz". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
  16. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Engelbert Humperdinck" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
  17. "Dutchcharts.nl – Engelbert Humperdinck – The Last Waltz" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
  18. "flavour of new zealand - search listener". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  19. "Norwegiancharts.com – Engelbert Humperdinck – The Last Waltz". VG-lista. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
  20. "South African Rock Lists Website - Hits 1967". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  21. "Swisscharts.com – Engelbert Humperdinck – The Last Waltz". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
  22. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
  23. "Engelbert Humperdinck Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  24. "Top 100 1967-11-11". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 19 January 2015.


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