The studio moment in London that changed RCA’s entire release plan in 1970.
Engelbert Humperdinck is remembered for timeless ballads like Release Me, The Last Waltz, and A Man Without Love. But in 1970, at the height of his global success, he recorded a secret track—one that his team believed could become the next major breakthrough of his career. What fans did not know was that this recording would be locked away for decades, becoming one of the most persistent “lost tape” rumors in classic pop history.
The backdrop of 1970 — a musical turning point
This was a transformative era: The Beatles had just broken up, Tom Jones was exploding in Vegas, and Engelbert ruled the romantic pop world. RCA wanted to expand his sound—bigger, more cinematic, more dramatic. The new recording was intended to launch this shift, blending orchestral arrangements with an intimate, emotional vocal performance.
A former Abbey Road engineer later recalled: “He recorded for almost sixteen hours straight. He wasn’t just singing—he was acting the story. It was unlike anything he had done before.”
Why was the recording shelved?
Industry insiders point to three key reasons:
-
Too experimental for his established image — RCA feared it would confuse fans.
-
Bad timing — Soft rock and folk rock were overtaking orchestral pop.
-
Internal prioritization — Other projects received more attention, pushing this one aside.
Engelbert reportedly loved the track, believing it showcased a new artistic chapter. But shifting commercial strategies meant it was never included on the planned album.
The rediscovery decades later
When RCA revisited their archives in the early 2010s for a reissue campaign, the original tape resurfaced. Fans hoped it would finally be released. Yet the label has kept it unreleased, despite confirming its existence.
Some music historians argue that the recording remains locked away because it reveals a version of Engelbert that was ahead of its time—risk-taking, cinematic, and emotionally raw.
Why it matters
The legend of the “lost recording” highlights a little-known truth about Engelbert: his artistic curiosity ran much deeper than the hits we know today. It reminds us that behind the polished classics was an artist willing to push boundaries, even if the world wasn’t ready for it