The Last Waltz (song) explained

The Last Waltz
Cover:	The_Last_Waltz_-_Engelbert_Humperdinck.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Engelbert Humperdinck
Album:	The Last Waltz
B-Side:	That Promise
Released:	18 August 1967
Recorded:	1967
Studio:	Decca Studios, London, England
Genre:	Easy listening pop^[1]
Length:	2:57
Label:	Decca (UK/Ireland)^[2] Parrot (North America)
Producer:	Peter Sullivan
Prev Title:	There Goes My Everything
Prev Year:	1967
Next Title:	Am I That Easy to Forget
Next Year:	1968

"The Last Waltz" is a ballad, written by Barry Mason and Les Reed.^{[2] [3]} 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.^{[4] [5]}

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.

Chart performance

In Australia, "The Last Waltz" spent nine nonconsecutive weeks at number one.^[6] 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.

Weekly charts

Chart (1967)	Peak position
Australia (Go-Set)	1
Canada RPM Top Singles	33
New Zealand (Listener)^[7]	1
South Africa (Springbok)^[8]	1
US Billboard Easy Listening	6
US Cash Box Top 100^[9]	21

Year-end charts

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^[10] 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.^[11]
• 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.^[12]
• 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).
• Adamski released a version of the song, featuring David McAlmont on vocals, in 2014 on his "This Is 3-Step" EP.

Popular culture

• The song is associated with the English football club Gillingham F.C.^{[13] [14]}

External links

• Official Engelbert Humperdinck Website

Notes and References

1. Book: Stanley, Bob . Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. 1991: Time for the Mu Mu. 13 September 2013. Faber & Faber. 978-0-571-28198-5. 639.
2. Book: Rice, Jo . 1982 . The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits . 1st . Guinness Superlatives Ltd . Enfield, Middlesex . 7 . 0-85112-250-7.
3. Web site: International Songwriters Association (ISA) Songs And Songwriting • Sonnny Curtis . Songwriter.co.uk . 2014-04-06.
4. Web site: Official Singles Chart UK Top 100 - 12th April 2014 | The UK Charts | Top 40 . Theofficialcharts.com . 2014-04-06 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080408070947/http://www.theofficialcharts.com/all_the_no1_songs.php?show=2 . 2008-04-08 .
5. News: UK's million-selling singles: the full list . Ami Sedghi . The Guardian. 4 November 2012 . 4 November 2012 .
6. Web site: Go-Set Australian charts - 27 December 1967. Poparchives.com.au. 18 April 2019.
7. Web site: flavour of new zealand - search listener . Flavourofnz.co.nz . 2016-10-01 . 21 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210421160829/http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qartistid=622#n_view_location . dead .
8. Web site: South African Rock Lists Website - Hits 1967. Rock.co.za. 18 April 2019.
9. Web site: Top 100 1967-11-11 . . 2015-01-19 .
10. Web site: French Record Charts . Petula Clark.net . 2014-04-06 . 12 July 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120712023457/http://www.petulaclark.net/chartsfrench.html . dead .
11. Book: Murrells, Joseph. The Book of Golden Discs. registration. eight million.. Barrie & Jenkins. 1978. 9780214205125 . 2012-08-22.
12. Web site: Peter Alexander - Der letzte Walzer. Hung. Steffen. austriancharts.at. 2020-02-23.
13. Web site: Gillingham 1 Aston Villa 2 - Birmingham Post analysis. The Birmingham Post. 5 January 2009. 18 September 2009. Matthew. Kenrick.
14. Web site: Gillingham . The Football Supporters' Federation . 18 September 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110726061538/http://footballsupportersfederation.org/ground-guide/clubs/gillingham/ . 26 July 2011 .