The Congregation (band) explained

The Congregation
Background:	group_or_band
Alias:	The English Congregation (US, Canada)
Origin:	England
Genre:	pop, vocal
Years Active:	Early 1970s
Label:	EMI Columbia
Associated Acts:	Roger Cook, Roger Greenaway

The Congregation was a British pop ensemble, formed by Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway in England.^[1] In the United States it was credited as The English Congregation.

The band's biggest hit was a cover version of "Softly Whispering I Love You" (originally recorded by Cook and Greenaway's previous group, David and Jonathan), which peaked at No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart in 1971,^[2] No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US, No. 1 in South Africa, No. 12 in Australia^[3] and New Zealand and No. 10 in Germany. The group's lead singer was the former Plastic Penny vocalist, Brian Keith, who later became a session musician.^[1] With no further top 40 hits, The Congregation was a transatlantic one-hit wonder.

The band changed its name on releases in the United States to avoid confusion with the Mike Curb Congregation, which also recorded "Softly Whispering I Love You".

Discography

(All UK releases on Columbia of Columbia Graphophone Co./EMI; US releases leased to Atco and Signpost)^[4]

Singles

• "Softly Whispering I Love You"/"When Susie Takes the Plane" (Columbia DB 8830 & Atco 6865, 1971)
• "Lovers of the World Unite"/"Love Is the Sweetest Thing I Know" (Columbia DB 8894 & Signpost 70002, 1972)
• "Jesahel"/"Sing Me a Love Song" (Columbia DB 8906 & Signpost 70004,^[5] 1972)
• "I Will Survive"/"If I Could Have My Way" (Columbia 006-05 170, Germany, 1972)
• "It Didn't Matter"/"Loving Your Neighbour" (Columbia DB 8980, 1973)
• "Jubilation"/"Love Is the Sweetest Thing I Know" (Columbia DB 9006, 1973)

Albums

• Softly Whispering I Love You (Columbia SCX 6490 & Signpost 7217, 1972)
• Jesahel (Signpost 8405, 1972)
• Greatest Hits (EMIdisc 1 C 048-51 828, Germany, 1972)
• The Congregation (Columbia SCX 6517, 1973)

See also

• List of number-one singles in 1972 (New Zealand)
• List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States

Notes and References

1. Web site: Congregation – Music Biography, Credits and Discography . AllMusic . 13 February 2013.
2. Book: Roberts , David. 2006. British Hit Singles & Albums. 19th. Guinness World Records Limited . London. 117. 1-904994-10-5.
3. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 73.
4. Web site: Congregation (2) Discography . Discogs . 13 February 2013.
5. B-side: "If I Could Have My Way"