Auf Wiedesehn - Germany's Favorite Singer

Gloomy Sunday

Just A Gigolo

Auf Wiedersehn
Ralf Bendix
Germany's Favorite Singer

Cover photo courtesy Trans World Airlines
Capitol ST10197
1958

From the back cover: Germany's virile, handsome and immensely popular pop singing star, Ralf Bendix, is a story in himself. 

He ranks as one of the five most popular recording stars in West Germany today, yet his daily job – in the beautiful city of Dusseldorf – is manager of the Dusselfdorf office of Trans World Airlines. Further his real name is Carl H. Schwab.

Bendix, born in 1924 in Dortmund-Wellinghofen, became a star vocalist by accident.

"A few years ago I was in Pittsburgh on TWA business," he recalls. "There was a party – mainly airline people – and I played guitar and sang a song or two just as I do, frequently, back home. some of the TWA folk took me to a TV statin, where I performed on camera with absolutely no ambition other than to go along with the gag – to be ind to my hosts.

:"The television appearance resulted in a generous response from the Pittsburgh viewers. And so when I returned to my job in Dusseldorf I also contracted to make record."

Bendig rang the ball with his first release in Germany.

And where – how – did he get the name Bendix?

"I remembered the name of an immense aircraft factory I had seen in the U.S.A.," he says. "And so I chose the name Bendix. It has brought me nothing but good fortune."

The songs Bendix sings in his first album for Capitol are his own personal fates, some well-known in North America, some town only in Europe. All help reveal the big, mellow, likable baritone voice of Ralf Bendix, Germany's favorite record star. The front cover, incidentally, was photographed at the Dusseldorf Airport with Bendix and friend posing among familiar surroundings. Despite his fame as a singer, Ralf still works for TWA!

In Hamburg Sind Die Nachte Lang (The Nights Are Long In Hamburg)

Kuckucks Walzer (Cuckoo Waltz)

Bie Dir War Es Immer So Schon (It Was Always Wonderful Being With You)

Einsamer Sonntag (Gloomy Sunday)

Kannst Du Pfeifen Johanna (Can You Whistle Johanna)

Du, Du, Du (You, You, You)

Armer Gigolo (Just A Gigolo)

Viljalied (Villa)

Ich Kusse Ihre Hand, Madame (I Kiss Your Hand, Madame)

Warum Müssen Jahre Vergeh'n (My Prayer)

Bie Mir Bist Du Schon 

Auf Wiedersehen