Additional Coverage:
- 1963 Pop Hit, Sung by 21-Year-Old Wayne Newton, Is Still Instantly Recognizable 63 Years Later (parade.com)
Wayne Newton first began making a name for himself as a singer in his early 20s with performances at the Copacabana, a period that set the stage for one of his biggest hits.
“Danke Schoen” remains one of the most recognizable pop songs, though its origins trace back to Germany. The tune was originally composed by bandleader Bert Kaempfert in 1959, who some may know for his role in helping launch the Beatles. Initially, Kaempfert titled the piece “Candlelight Café.”
The song’s lyrics were crafted by Kurt Schwaback and featured on Kaempfert’s 1962 album Living It Up!. The title “Danke Schoen” translates to “Thank you very much” in English and tells the tale of a relationship that didn’t quite work out.
The track didn’t gain widespread popularity until 1963, when Wayne Newton recorded an English version with newly adapted lyrics. Newton’s rendition climbed to No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 3 on the Easy Listening chart.
Originally, Capitol Records had intended “Danke Schoen” for Bobby Darin, then 27, as a follow-up to his chart-topping hit “Mack the Knife” or possibly his 1963 single “18 Yellow Roses.” However, after seeing Newton perform at the Copacabana, Darin felt the song was a better fit for the younger singer.
He even adjusted the key to suit Newton’s voice. Producer Milt Gabler then transformed the original German lyrics into English for Newton’s version.
Newton recounts the moment Bobby Darin approached him at the Copacabana: “My manager found us a job at the lounge at the Copacabana in New York City. That’s when Bobby Darin came into the show and asked me if I was recording.
I said, ‘No sir, I’m not.’ He said, ‘Well, you are now.
You and I will be in the studio next week and I will be producing all your records going forward,’” Newton told the Arizona Republic.
Initially, Newton was given a song called “Heart,” written by Darin, but during a subsequent session in Los Angeles, Darin handed him “Danke Schoen.” Newton later learned that the song had originally been intended for Darin himself, but he generously passed it on without telling Newton.
Decades after its release, “Danke Schoen” remains a beloved classic, cemented in popular culture thanks to its memorable inclusion in the 1986 film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. The song plays during a famous scene where Matthew Broderick’s character lip-syncs along, and it has since been featured in various commercials and media appearances.