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Help Yourself (Tom Jones song)
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Wikipedia article
"'Help Yourself'" is a song recorded by Welsh singer Tom Jones in 1968. The song is one of Jones' best known songs and reached number five in the UK Singles Chart in its original run. It topped the charts in both Ireland and Germany, and spent three weeks at the top spot in Australia. The American single reached 'Billboard' peaks of number 35 pop and number three easy listening, and is still widely played on adult-standards radio.
Chart performance
Weekly charts
{| class="wikitable sortable"|-
!align="left"|Chart (1968)
!align="left"|Peak
position
|-
|Australia ('Go-Set')
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
|Canada 'RPM' Top Singles
| style="text-align:center;"|34
|-
|Germany
|style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
|Ireland (Irish Singles Chart)
|style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
|Netherlands
| style="text-align:center;"|7
|-
|New Zealand ('Listener')
| style="text-align:center;"|3
|-
|South Africa (Springbok)
|align="center"|1
|-
|United Kingdom ('Record Retailer')
| style="text-align:center;"|5
|-
|United Kingdom ('NME')
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
|United States ('Billboard' Hot 100)
| style="text-align:center;"|35
|-
|United States ('Billboard' Easy Listening)
|style="text-align:center;"|3
|-
|United States ('Cash Box') Top 100
| style="text-align:center;"|32
|}
Year-end charts
Original song
"Help Yourself" is a reworked English-language version of the Italian song "Gli Occhi Miei" ("My Eyes"), which was written by Carlo Donida with lyrics by Mogol and originally performed by both Dino (Eugenio Zambelli) and Wilma Goich at the 1968 Sanremo Music Festival. British author and songwriter Jack Fishman (a.k.a. Larry Khan) wrote the English lyrics, which bear no relation to the original Italian.
Tony Ferrino version
The song was recorded by comedian Steve Coogan in character as Tony Ferrino. The track was used in the TV show, included on an album and released as a single in November 1996, reaching #42 in the UK singles chart.
Other cover versions
*In 1968, Nora Aunor (a Filipino Superstar) released an English-language version on the album 'More, More, More of Nora Aunor' which became a big hit on that same year in the Philippines
*In 1968, Peter Alexander (Austrian performer) released a German language version called "Komm' und bedien' Dich bei mir" and reached no. 9 of the German charts.
*In 1968, Sten & Stanley released a Swedish language version called "Du och jag".
*In 1970, Hong Kong female singer Billie Tam (), released a Mandarin Chinese-language version with Chinese lyrics written by Di Yi () and given the title name of , on her ' (Billie And The Big Brass)' LP album with EMI Angel Records.
*In 1972, Hong Kong female singer Frances Yip () recorded it on her 'Frances Yip Greatest Hits' LP album with [http://www.liferecords.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 Life Records].
*In 1973, Hong Kong female singer/artist Sum Sum (), also recorded the song in Mandarin Chinese language with Chinese lyrics (different from Billie Tam's version) written by Shu Yun () and given the title name of , on her '' LP album with EMI Regal Records.
*Between 1972 and 1974, this song was covered by Singapore-based female singer Ervinna, backing music by the Charlie & His Boys, on her LP album 'Golden Hits Of 20th Century Vol. 4' with White Cloud Record of Singapore.
*In the 1970s this song was frequently performed by Soviet baritone singer Muslim Magomayev.
*In 1978, the song was covered by Filipino singer Sam Sorono (19502008) on his 'Sings Tom Jones' Greatest Hits' LP album with EMI Records.Discogs - [https://www.discogs.com/Sam-Sorono-Sing-Tom-Jones-Greatest-Hits/release/4986608 Sam Sorono Sing Tom Jones' Greatest Hits]
*The song is performed, by Tom Jones and Will Ferrell, in the 2004 movie 'Anchorman'.
*In 2015 the song was covered by Patrizio Buanne, 'Gli occhi miei-Help yourself', in Italian and English, on his album 'Viva la Dolce Vita'.
References
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