Introduction
💔 Why John Lennon ‘Hated’ Engelbert Humperdinck: The Story of Musical Spite and Paul McCartney
The feud between John Lennon and Engelbert Humperdinck was not personal, but rather a clash of culture and musical philosophy. Lennon’s “hatred” for Humperdinck was actually resentment toward what Humperdinck represented in the landscape of 1960s British pop music, particularly in relation to The Beatles and Paul McCartney.
Two main reasons account for this rivalry: The first was a chart battle, and the second was Lennon using Humperdinck as a metaphor to criticize Paul McCartney’s music.
1. The Beatles’ Greatest Chart Blocker
In 1967, The Beatles were at the peak of musical experimentation with their legendary double A-side single: “Strawberry Fields Forever” / “Penny Lane.” Everyone expected the track to easily reach the No. 1 spot on the UK charts.
However, the person who unexpectedly blocked their path was Engelbert Humperdinck with his romantic ballad “Release Me.” Humperdinck’s song outsold The Beatles’ double single, holding the No. 1 spot and forcing The Beatles to settle for No. 2.
For John Lennon, who championed innovation and the avant-garde, the fact that a traditional, easy-listening ballad like “Release Me” defeated one of their most revolutionary works was a personal insult and a declaration that the public still favored the “square.” This was the genesis of Lennon’s public resentment.
2. The Symbol of Paul McCartney’s ‘Conformity’
In 1970, in a famous interview after The Beatles’ breakup (Lennon Remembers), John Lennon used Engelbert Humperdinck as a weapon to attack Paul McCartney.
Lennon described McCartney’s musical style as too easy, too geared towards the mainstream, and too “conformist.” He sarcastically suggested that Paul McCartney represented “the Engelbert Humperdinck side” of The Beatles—implying that Paul’s music was too safe, saccharine, and lacked the pioneering artistry that John pursued.
Lennon calling Paul “Engelbert Humperdinck” was one of his most memorable insults, intended to clearly distinguish between his own avant-garde tendencies and what he considered Paul’s low-quality pop-ballad leanings.
Therefore, John Lennon’s “hatred” for Engelbert Humperdinck was not directed at the man Arnold George Dorsey, but at the cultural image and musical conservatism that the name represented.