Three Top Pop Voices

Cover of Gold

The Great Three:

Al Martino, Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck won the hearts of millions by their unique singing style– stretching high notes beyond the maximum, vibrating the listeners’ innards as well. Though they are known to have peaked in the Sixties and Seventies, Al Martino, the seniormost amongst the trio, extended his popularity into the Eighties with his rendering of the Theme Song from Godfather, and of course, “Speak Softly Love..wine colored days warmed by the sun..”

Al Martino:

He was born as Alfred Cini in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 7, 1927. If you liked Godfather, you may not have missed the Theme Song with it’s haunting, lilting melody spliced with a soulful Mandolin strain. “Speak softly love and hold me close in your arms..” is a great song with great lyrics and is thoroughly enjoyable. His other famous hits are Al Dila che se tu, Spanish Eyes and Mary In the Morning.

Engelbert Humperdinck:

Born as Arnold George Dorsey in erstwhile Madras (Chennai, India) on May 2, 1936, he grew up in Leicester, UK. He changed his name to the more mouthfull Engelbert Humperdinck as a popularity stunt. His range of high notes was by far the most easy on the ears unlike the slightly metallic timbre of Al Martino and huskiness of Tom Jones. His big hits were Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.., The Last Waltz, Release Me and A Man Without Love. He had other hits, mostly re-makes like Al Martino’s Spanish Eyes, Pat Boone’s Cheney Quando, Quando etc. Somehow his singing career did not stretch for a long period despite his deep masculine sweet voice.

Tom Jones:

He was born in June 7, 1940 as Thomas Jones Woodward and is remembered for his black and silver tuxedos, and one of the first Nose Jobs. Switching to Tom Jones, this Welsh singer was knighted with the OBE. His voice, like the other two, had magic, hitting the high notes aided by a throaty and husky modulation. When his Delilah hit the charts, fans were mesmerised by this new voice on the scene, rendered in a “trembling” pitch. Earlier, singing Claude Putnam Jr.’s Green, Green Grass of Home.. in 1965, Tom Jones had already carved a niche for himself. This song had a storyline embedded in it and one could feel the plot unwinding. “The old hometown looked the same as I stepped down from the train, and there to meet me was Mama and Papa, and down the lane I saw Mary, her lips like Golden Cherry, its good, the touch of the green, green grass of home..” Tom Jones’ She is a lady also did well on the pop charts.

Conclusion:

Al Martino, Engelbert Humperdinck and Tom Jones belonged altogether to a different genre, and by God, their voices stood out, etched in Gold on Platinum Discs. It is difficult to chose The Best Of Three, but I feel Al Martino won by a yard or two.