A Love Song Born from Solitude
After the dazzling success of “Release Me” in the late 1960s, Engelbert Humperdinck entered a quieter, lonelier chapter of his career. The 1970s brought new musical waves—rock and disco—leaving many classic crooners behind. Yet, in his solitude on long tour nights, Engelbert found the emotion that would inspire his greatest comeback song: “After the Lovin’.”
The Making of a Classic
Written by Ritchie Adams (music) and Alan Bernstein (lyrics) in 1976, the song found its perfect voice in Engelbert. His deep, romantic tone transformed it into a confession rather than just a melody. “After the Lovin’” climbed to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Billboard’s Adult Contemporary Song of the Year.
A Confession in Every Line
The lyrics felt intimate, as if spoken to one lost love:
So I sing you to sleep after the lovin’…
With a song I just wrote yesterday.
Each note carried the ache of longing. Engelbert later said in an interview: “I sang it for everyone who ever woke up alone, missing what they once had.”
Timeless Resonance
The song brought Engelbert a Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, reaffirming his place among the greats. Even decades later, audiences still request it at every concert, many holding back tears when he sings the opening line.
Loneliness Turned Into Legacy
For Engelbert, “After the Lovin’” was more than a hit—it was his diary set to music. Each performance was both a remembrance and a healing. In turning his solitude into song, he left behind a timeless gift for lovers everywhere.
🎵 Listen:
📜 Lyrics: