I'll Remember You
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"I'll Remember You" is a song written by
Kui Lee Kuiokalani Lee (July31, 1932December3, 1966) was an American singer-songwriter. Lee began his career in the mainland United States while performing as a dancer. Upon his return to Hawaii, he worked in clubs. At the Honey club, he met Don Ho ...
in 1964. After he returned to Hawaii from the mainland United States in 1961, Lee worked at the night club Honey's as a doorman. Lee taught himself to sing, and he started to compose songs. He convinced
Don Ho Donald Tai Loy Ho (; August 13, 1930 – April 14, 2007) was a Hawaiian traditional pop musician, singer, and entertainer. He is best known for the song "Tiny Bubbles" from the 1966 album of the same name. Early life, family and education Ho ...
, the son of the owner, to let him perform at the club. Ho liked Lee's original composition "I'll Remember You". He sang it at his live shows, and he eventually recorded his own version. Ho enjoyed success on the mainland, and Lee's composition became popular. It was recorded by multiple acts, including
Andy Williams Howard Andrew Williams (December 3, 1927 – September 25, 2012) was an American singer. He recorded 43 albums in his career, of which 15 have been gold certified and three platinum certified. He was also nominated for six Grammy Awards. He hos ...
and
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
. Thanks to its success, Lee was hired to play at the Queen's Surf night club in Hawaii. Lee's own version was released on his debut album '' The Extraordinary Kui Lee''.


Background

Following his stint as a knife dancer in the mainland United States,
Kui Lee Kuiokalani Lee (July31, 1932December3, 1966) was an American singer-songwriter. Lee began his career in the mainland United States while performing as a dancer. Upon his return to Hawaii, he worked in clubs. At the Honey club, he met Don Ho ...
returned to Hawaii in 1961. Lee and his wife worked at the club Honey's. Initially, Lee worked as a doorman. Though discouraged by his wife, he taught himself to sing. Eventually, he persuaded Honey's main act, singer
Don Ho Donald Tai Loy Ho (; August 13, 1930 – April 14, 2007) was a Hawaiian traditional pop musician, singer, and entertainer. He is best known for the song "Tiny Bubbles" from the 1966 album of the same name. Early life, family and education Ho ...
to let him perform at the club. Soon after, Lee began composing his own songs. He wrote "I'll Remember You" after his wife left him, and moved to live with her sister in New Jersey in 1963. Lee's wife later returned to him. He needed four hours to compose the song. By 1964 Lee had been diagnosed with cancer. During a gathering with friends at Ho's apartment, he revealed his recent diagnosis, and later sung his new composition for the present. Ho then proceeded to ask Lee to sing the song repeatedly for him for the next four hours, to be able to capture his feelings, and his exact interpretation of the number. Without sleeping, Ho drove to the Duke club to work the arrangements of the song with his band, The Ali'is. He included the song on his set that night, and invited Lee to join him onstage to perform it after introducing him.


Recordings

Ho was at the time signed by
Reprise Records Reprise Records is an American record label founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operates through Warner Records, one of its flagship labels. Artists currently signed to Reprise Records include Green Day, En ...
. In 1965, the label released his version of "I'll Remember You" with "E Lei Ka Lei Lei (Beach Party Song)" as the flipside. Don McDiarmid became the publisher of the song, and responsible for its distribution on the mainland. Eddie Suzuki, Lee's manager, signed him to play regular appearances at the nightclub Queen's Surf in
Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
. Lee had his debut night on October 22, 1965. Lee received an intense ovation for his performance of "I'll Remember You". He was acclaimed for his appearances at the club, and he attracted large crowds to Queen's Surf. McDiarmid offered the song to
Andy Williams Howard Andrew Williams (December 3, 1927 – September 25, 2012) was an American singer. He recorded 43 albums in his career, of which 15 have been gold certified and three platinum certified. He was also nominated for six Grammy Awards. He hos ...
, who released a version, and performed it on his television show in December. By 1966,
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
recorded his own version. It featured an introduction with Spanish guitar. The scratch vocals were initially recorded by Presley's bodyguard
Red West Robert Gene "Red" West (March 8, 1936 – July 18, 2017) was an American actor, film stuntman and songwriter. He was known for being a close confidant and bodyguard for rock and roll singer Elvis Presley. Upon his firing, West co-wrote the cont ...
. Presley later recorded his track that closely followed Ho's style. For the ending of the song, a chorus composed by
Millie Kirkham Millie Kirkham (born Mildred Eakes; June 24, 1923 – December 14, 2014) was an American singer who was featured on many classic hit recordings from the mid-1950s through the 1980s. Early life Kirkham was born Mildred Eakes in Hermitage, Tenn ...
, June Page and Dolores Eagan joined Presley. By the time of Lee's death, in December 1966 there were twenty-eight versions of the song by different artists. Lee's own version was released the day before his death with the album '' The Extraordinary Kui Lee''. By the end of December,
Roger Williams Roger Williams (March 1683) was an English-born New England minister, theologian, author, and founder of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Providence Plantations, which became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Pl ...
' version peaked at twenty-four on the
Billboard Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), ...
. Ho included a newly recorded version of "I'll Remember You" on his 1968 album, ''The Don Ho Show''. The ''
Honolulu Advertiser ''The Honolulu Advertiser'' was a daily newspaper published in Honolulu, Hawaii. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the largest daily newspaper in Hawaii. It published daily with special Sunday and Internet editions. ''The ...
'' called it a "palatable piece with charming vibrance", but remarked that the new version of the song "suffer(ed) in revival without the vocal manipulations of the Aliis". ''
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' called it "one of the most enduring Hawaiian standards". Tommy Sands performed the song in the 1968 ''
Hawaii Five-O Hawaii Five-O or Hawaii Five-0 may refer to: * ''Hawaii Five-0'' (2010 TV series), an American action police procedural television series * ''Hawaii Five-O'' (1968 TV series), an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productio ...
'' episode " No Blue Skies". Presley included the song in his live sets from 1972. He sang it on his live television special, ''
Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite ''Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite'' is a concert starring Elvis Presley that took place at the Honolulu International Center and was broadcast live via satellite to audiences in Asia and Oceania on January 14, 1973. The show was presented ...
'', a benefit concert for the Kui Lee Cancer Fund. "I'll Remember You" remained on his sets until the summer of 1976. Other artists that recorded the song included
Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (August 3, 1926 – July 21, 2023), known professionally as Tony Bennett, was an American jazz and traditional pop singer. He received many accolades, including 20 Grammy Awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, ...
,
Tennessee Ernie Ford Ernest Jennings Ford (February 13, 1919 – October 17, 1991), known professionally as Tennessee Ernie Ford, was an American singer and television host who enjoyed success in the country and western, pop, and gospel musical genres. Noted for ...
, and
Connie Francis Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero ( ; born December 12, 1937), known as Connie Francis, is a retired American Pop music, pop singer, actress, and top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. She is estimated to have sold more th ...
.


Footnotes


References

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{authority control Elvis Presley songs 1964 songs Song recordings produced by Felton Jarvis