The Congregation (band)

The Congregation was a British pop ensemble, formed by Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway in England.^[1] In the United States it was credited as The English Congregation.

The Congregation
Also known as	The English Congregation (US, Canada)
Origin	England
Genres	pop, vocal
Years active	Early 1970s
Labels	EMI Columbia

The band's biggest hit was a cover version of "Softly Whispering I Love You" (originally recorded by Cook and Greenaway's previous group, David and Jonathan), which peaked at No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart in 1971,^[2] No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US, No. 1 in South Africa, No. 12 in Australia^[3] and New Zealand and No. 10 in Germany. The group's lead singer was the former Plastic Penny vocalist, Brian Keith, who later became a session musician.^[1] With no further top 40 hits, The Congregation was a transatlantic one-hit wonder.

The band changed its name on releases in the United States to avoid confusion with the Mike Curb Congregation, which also recorded "Softly Whispering I Love You".^[4]

Discography

(All UK releases on Columbia of Columbia Graphophone Co./EMI; US releases leased to Atco and Signpost)^[5]

Singles

• "Softly Whispering I Love You"/"When Susie Takes the Plane" (Columbia DB 8830 & Atco 6865, 1971)
• "Lovers of the World Unite"/"Love Is the Sweetest Thing I Know" (Columbia DB 8894 & Signpost 70002, 1972)
• "Jesahel"/"Sing Me a Love Song" (Columbia DB 8906 & Signpost 70004,^[6] 1972)
• "I Will Survive"/"If I Could Have My Way" (Columbia 006-05 170, Germany, 1972)
• "It Didn't Matter"/"Loving Your Neighbour" (Columbia DB 8980, 1973)
• "Jubilation"/"Love Is the Sweetest Thing I Know" (Columbia DB 9006, 1973)

Albums

• Softly Whispering I Love You (Columbia SCX 6490 & Signpost 7217, 1972)
• Jesahel (Signpost 8405, 1972)
• Greatest Hits (EMIdisc 1 C 048-51 828, Germany, 1972)
• The Congregation (Columbia SCX 6517, 1973)

See also

• List of number-one singles in 1972 (New Zealand)
• List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States