"Danke Schoen" was
Wayne Newton's biggest hit of the '60s, and continues to be the song most strongly identified with him.
Newton's Vegas success is well-known, but in his early years he was a powerhouse of good old-fashioned entertainment. The young, self-assured vocalist was seemingly made for television variety shows, and appeared regularly on
Jackie Gleason's program. His first album, besides containing his signature tune, is full of the standards and adult pop he performed live, tailored for his television followers. In retrospect,
Newton's pop/rock singles are often more interesting than his traditional pop album cuts, but
Danke Schoen is comprised solely of the latter. With material like "I've Got the World on a String" and
Al Jolson's "Toot, Toot, Toosie!," it's likely that
Newton was reaching much of the same older audience as
Lawrence Welk.