born: 02-05-1936
birth place: Madras, India
… Read Full Bio ↴Engelbert Humperdinck
born: 02-05-1936
birth place: Madras, India
Starting out life as Arnold George Dorsey, Engelbert spent the early years of his life in India, until his family returned to England in 1947. He first worked as an engineer and then developed his singing and performance skills on the club circuit.
In the early fifties, he took some time out from professional singing whilst he did his national service, and returned to performing in 1956. He continued to sing in clubs and recorded some unsuccessful material for Decca in 1958.
His big break as a singer came in 1965. It was at this point that Gordon Mills, the then manager of Tom Jones, gave Arnold the new name of Engelbert Humperdinck. The new name meant that he was given another chance at recording with Decca records.
Engelbert's recording of the country standard âRelease Meâ reached number one in the UK chart and number four in the US. His version of this song is perhaps the most famous, and it is certainly the song that he is most remembered for.
Other chart hits on both sides of the channel followed in the shape of âThere Goes My Everythingâ and âThe Last Waltzâ.
He had sixteen hit albums in America between 1967 and 1979 and released his greatest Hits in 1974, which reached number one in the UK. However, his cabaret style of singing started to go out of fashion in the 1970s, and he found it hard to maintain a presence in the British charts.
He has, however, continued to sing live and has maintained success in this arena. Unlike his natural rival, Tom Jones, he has not chosen to adapt his style to breathe new life into his recording career.
What Are You Waiting For
Engelbert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So what are you waiting for
Well my feelings are disguised
So won't you walk out that door
Hurry babe
Before I cry
Hurry babe
Before I die
Well you say you love me babe
So why are you leaving for
You even say you're sorry
Did you think I'd believe you more
You say you wish
To still see me
Seemed silly
It's you who set me free
A few more steps
Look at you crying
Look at you shaking
Why are you doing that for
Whe where already gone through this
No need to go out for more
And I know that you're hurt
But I'm hurt too
Please don't ask me to comfort you
It's you who said that we were through
Ooh Baby
Ooh baby
Ooh Look at you crying
Look at you shaking
Why are you doing that for
Whe where already gone through this
No need to go out for more
And I know that you're hurt
But I'm hurt too
Please don't ask me to comfort you
It's you who said that we were through
Ooh Baby
Ooh baby
You said you need your freedom
So what are you staying for
You know it's your decision
You needn't explain no more
If I'm strong enough
To stand here tall
Than why can't you be strong at all
It's time to say goodbye
Come on before I cry
Oh baby before I die
The song "What Are You Waiting For" by Engelbert Humperdinck is a ballad about a couple who are parting ways, but one of them is struggling to leave. The song begins with the singer urging their partner to leave and not to delay, asking "So what are you waiting for?" The singer's feelings are "disguised" and they don't want to give away the fact that they are sad and may start to cry. The song continues with the confusion and hurt of the singer as they try to reconcile the situation. The partner claims to love them but this confuses the singer because they are breaking up. The chorus repeats the idea that they need to move forward with the separation, but the partner is struggling to do so.
As the song progresses, the singer becomes increasingly frustrated and upset as they plead with their partner to leave. They don't want to comfort them and don't understand why they can't be strong enough to say goodbye. The song reaches a climax as the singer stares at their crying partner, feeling hurt and trapped in the situation. In the end, they make the final plea for their partner to leave before they start to cry or die.
The lyrics of "What Are You Waiting For" paint a vivid picture of the emotional complexity of a break-up. The singer tries to be strong and move on, but they are also struggling with their emotions and the pain of losing someone they love. The song is relatable and emotional, with a powerful message about the importance of standing up for oneself and accepting when a relationship is over.
Line by Line Meaning
It's time to say goodbye
The relationship has come to an end and it's now time to part ways.
So what are you waiting for
The singer is urging the other person to leave because it's time to end the relationship.
Well my feelings are disguised
The singer is hiding his true emotions and is not being honest about how he truly feels.
So won't you walk out that door
The singer is asking the other person to leave because he doesn't want to deal with the emotions of the breakup.
Hurry babe
The singer is urging the other person to leave quickly.
Before I cry
The singer doesn't want to show his emotions and is asking the other person to leave before he starts crying.
Before I die
The singer is emphasizing how important it is for the other person to leave because he feels like he can't handle the pain of the breakup.
Well you say you love me babe
The singer is questioning why the other person is leaving when they claim to love him.
So why are you leaving for
The singer is asking the other person to explain why they are leaving if they truly love him.
You even say you're sorry
The other person has apologized for leaving, but the singer doesn't believe they are truly sorry.
Did you think I'd believe you more
The singer is skeptical of the other person's apology and doesn't think they are being truthful.
You say you wish
The other person expresses a desire to still see the singer.
To still see me
The other person wants to maintain some sort of relationship with the singer even though they are breaking up.
Seemed silly
The singer thinks it's ridiculous that the other person wants to still see him after breaking up.
It's you who set me free
The other person initiated the breakup and now the singer feels liberated from the relationship.
Look at you crying
The singer observes the other person crying.
Look at you shaking
The other person is visibly upset and shaking due to the breakup.
Why are you doing that for
The singer is questioning why the other person is crying and shaking when they were the one who initiated the breakup.
Whe where already gone through this
The relationship has already ended and the breakup has already been dealt with.
No need to go out for more
There's no need to prolong the pain of the breakup by continuing to dwell on it.
And I know that you're hurt
The singer acknowledges that the other person is hurt because of the breakup.
But I'm hurt too
The singer is also hurting because of the breakup.
Please don't ask me to comfort you
The singer doesn't feel like he can comfort the other person because he is hurting too.
You said you need your freedom
The other person expressed a desire to have more freedom in the relationship.
So what are you staying for
The singer is questioning why the other person is staying if they want more freedom in their life.
You know it's your decision
The singer acknowledges that it's the other person's decision to leave and he can't stop them.
You needn't explain no more
The singer doesn't want the other person to explain their reasons for leaving because it won't change anything.
If I'm strong enough
The singer believes he is strong enough to handle the pain of the breakup.
To stand here tall
The singer is able to stay strong and not break down emotionally during the breakup.
Than why can't you be strong at all
The singer challenges the other person to be strong and leave without getting emotional.
Come on before I cry
The singer is getting emotional and wants the other person to leave before he starts crying.
Oh baby before I die
The singer is emphasizing how important it is for the other person to leave because he feels like he can't handle the pain of the breakup.
Lyrics Š BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARK CLIFFORD MUELLER, ANDREW G. GOLDMARK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@benniewright875
Like this song. Thank you Engelbert.
@barbaraa.brearley8035
Beautifully done. Makes me cry đ˘
@barbaraluzak9073
Piekny mezczyzna , piekny glos