Cliff Richard - Back from the Wilderness Singles and Albums 1975 - 1995

"LOVE", written by Norrie Paramor and Bunny Lewis, is, to my mind, an often overlooked gem from Cliff´s early years. It comes across as a more aggressive cross between swing and rock´n´roll, and it has energy to spare. Cliff also sings it well. From the film "EXPRESSO BONGO", the EP from the film reached No. 14 in the UK singles charts, and No. 1 in the new EP chart. It´s one of the few instances that Norrie Paramor wrote something for Cliff to perform, and it may explain the whiff of big band music about this track. Needless to say, I love it. I consider it one of his best recordings from the early 60s.

Robert Porter:
The mono and stereo recordings are the same take and edit, but different mixes.
An instrumental swing version of Love was used in the Expresso Bongo film.

"Once again, a soundtrack EP was released with three of the songs Cliff performs in the movie, plus an instrumental track from The Shadows. It is from this film and the EP that Love is taken."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for Stage And Screen album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)

Running Time: 2:24
Record Date: September 8, 1959
Record Location: Abbey Road, London
Written By: Norrie Paramor & Bunny Lewis
Produced By: Norrie Paramor
Engineered By: Malcolm Addey & Alan Kane (mono) / Stuart Eltham & Norman Smith (stereo)
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Hank Marvin (guitar), Bruce Welch (guitar), Jet Harris (bass), Tony Meehan (drums)

 

"LESSONS IN LOVE" was one of the lesser known delights of "THE YOUNG ONES" soundtrack. A very sweet song, it was never a hit, but featured on some EPs. It´s also fairly prominently featured in the film. A sweet, innocent song from a more innocent era.

Robert Porter:
The mono and stereo recordings are the same take and edit, but different mixes.
"From The Young Ones, Summer Holiday and Wonderful Life we have picked Lessons In Love, Dancing Shoes and On The Beach as three songs that best depict the typical Cliff Richard movie song between 1961 and 1964, and indeed the type of material that was providing Cliff with hit after hit, with some notable songwriting credits by Shadows members, Bruce Welch, Hank Marvin and Brian Bennett."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for Stage And Screen album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)

Running Time: 2:49
Record Date: August 11, 1961
Record Location: Abbey Road, London
Written By: Sy Soloway & Shirley Wolfe
Produced By: Norrie Paramor
Engineered By: Malcolm Addey & David Lloyd
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Hank Marvin (guitar), Bruce Welch (guitar), Jet Harris (bass), Tony Meehan (drums)

 

"DANCING SHOES" featured on the B-side of the "SUMMER HOLIDAY" single, and it´s performed in one of the more memorable moments in the film. Cliff & The Shadows as only they knew how to play and sing.

Robert Porter:
The mono and stereo recordings are the same take and edit, but different mixes.
"...and the rocking Dancin' Shoes [sic] also hit the best selling highspots."
James Wynn (June 1963 - Hits From Summer Holiday EP)

"In May of that year [1963] records by Cliff Richard were numbers one, two and three in the Canadian hit parade-- Bachelor Boy, Summer Holiday and Dancing Shoes."
David Winter (1967 - New Singer, New Song)

"There were great sort of production numbers and everything [in Summer Holiday] and they're all nice to do. But it was always a relief to do a pop song in the film. And I remember there was-- really nice setting, too. We'd picked a place that was meant to be Yugoslavia in the film, but in fact it was in Greece. And it was this fantastic sort of hay field where they'd put bales of straw and everything up. And we did Dancing Shoes there. The Shadows had a knack of writing songs like-- Someone would say, 'We was a bright, sort of bouncy song-- sort of bright country, yellow hay, blue skies.' And they'd come back next afternoon and there they'd have it. It's Dancing Shoes. Really knocked us all out. I must admit, in the film, I it still looks great fun. And think that's still one my favourite songs in the film."
Cliff Richard (1974 - The Music And Life Of Cliff Richard collection)

"Work began in April [1962], and continued at a series of recording dates through the year to November, producing such classics as Summer Holiday, The Next Time, Bachelor Boy and Dancing Shoes. [...] May 5, 1962 [Dancing Shoes and Summer Holiday] are listed as remakes on the EMI session sheets. [...] February 20, 1963: Cliff has four titles in the Top 30:

9 Summer Holiday
16 Bachelor Boy
18 The Next Time
25 Dancing Shoes
He becomes the first artist to get four songs from one film (Summer Holiday) into the chart. [...] May 18, 1963: ...in South Africa he has three in the Top Ten-- Bachelor Boy at No. 3, Dancing Shoes at No. 4 and Summer Holiday in the No. 10 spot."
Mike Read, Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (1995 - The Complete Chronicle)
"Bachelor Boy and Dancing Shoes [achieved] number 3 and 25 respectively."
Author Unknown (August 1996 - liner notes for Cliff Richard At The Movies 1959-1974)

"Although attempts at both Summer Holiday and Dancing Shoes hand taken place in April[1962], [May 5, 1962] marked the first day for recordings for what would become the Summer Holiday film and soundtrack album. The basic line-up of the Shadows were present with one major change. Jet Harris, who had been a part of the Shadows since late in 1958 and had played on the previous Summer Holiday session in April, was replaced on bass by Brian Locking. Recording started at 7:00pm, with Norrie overseeing the session and Malcolm Addey engineering the control room, and the title track was the first song attempted. By take 9 a satisfactory master had been recorded and their attention was turned to Dancing Shoes. Four takes were all that were required to produce a master and at 10:45pm the session came to an end. [...] As no other takes of Dancing Shoes could be located just the master take appears here."
Author Unknown (January 2003 - liner notes for Summer Holiday - Special Edition CD)

"From The Young Ones, Summer Holiday and Wonderful Life we have picked Lessons In Love, Dancing Shoes and On The Beach as three songs that best depict the typical Cliff Richard movie song between 1961 and 1964, and indeed the type of material that was providing Cliff with hit after hit, with some notable songwriting credits by Shadows members, Bruce Welch, Hank Marvin and Brian Bennett."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for Stage And Screen album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)

Running Time: 2:09
Record Date: May 5, 1962
Record Location: Abbey Road, London
Written By: Bruce Welch & Hank Marvin
Produced By: Norrie Paramor
Engineered By: Malcolm Addey
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Hank Marvin (guitar), Bruce Welch (guitar), Brian Locking (bass), Brian Bennett (drums)

 

"ON THE BEACH" was the lead single from "WONDERFUL LIFE". It was clearly the best song on the soundtrack, and it echoes The Beatles to some effect. It´s one of Cliff´s liveliest numbers of the 60s, and was co-written by Cliff and The Shadows. The film may have been a curate´s egg, and the plot´s more or less immaterial, but the best songs are good. I love the title track, and the B-side of "ON THE BEACH", "A MATTER OF MOMENTS", was good, as well. But "ON THE BEACH" was the classic.

Robert Porter:
"Opinions vary as to which are the best songs in the [Wonderful Life] film. Already, one title, the swinging On The Beach, has rocketed into the Top Ten-- yet another feature in Cliff's already much-decorated cap."
Unknown (October 1964 - Wonderful Life No. 2 EP)
"The only song we really had a hit of from Wonderful Life was On The Beach."
Cliff Richard (1974 - The Music And Life Of Cliff Richard collection)

"[I helped The Shadows write] Bachelor Boy and On The Beach and all the sort of earliest kind of hits."
Cliff Richard (August 1980 - The Cliff Richard Special on 2HCR FM in Australia)

"November 31, 1963: Cliff discusses the musical content of the forthcoming film Wonderful Life: 'I honestly think the pop songs are better than those in Summer Holiday. Bruce has written an absolutely fantastic ballad called In A Matter Of Moments [sic]. I imagine it will be coupled with a light-hearted piece titled On The Beach which I have written with Hank and Bruce. [...] The next single [after Constantly] On The Beach was the lead and only single from the Wonderful Life soundtrack and, though still a strong release chartwise, it showed a slight decline when compared to its predecessors. [...] June 19, 1964: Cliff's new single On The Beach/A Matter Of Moments is reviewed: On The Beach is a medium-fast twister, and A Matter Of Moments is one of Bruce Welch's best compositions. [...] June 26 1964: Cliff's 26th single, On The Beach/A Matter Of Moments is released."
Mike Read, Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (1995 - The Complete Chronicle)

"On the original issue of On The Beach, if you listen very closely, you can hear Cliff cough after the first verse. ...Material from the [Wonderful Life] movie was released on one top ten single, On The Beach, an album which was kept off the top spot by The Beatles' A Hard Day's Night."
Author Unknown (August 1996 - liner notes for Cliff Richard At The Movies 1959-1974)

"From The Young Ones, Summer Holiday and Wonderful Life we have picked Lessons In Love, Dancing Shoes and On The Beach as three songs that best depict the typical Cliff Richard movie song between 1961 and 1964, and indeed the type of material that was providing Cliff with hit after hit, with some notable songwriting credits by Shadows members, Bruce Welch, Hank Marvin and Brian Bennett."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for Stage And Screen album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)

"In On The Beach, I helped write [the] melody."
Cliff Richard (2012 September 8 - Wired For Sound Radio)

Running Time: 2:24
Record Date: November 5, 1963
Record Location: Abbey Road, London
Written By: Bruce Welch, Hank Marvin & Cliff Richard
Produced By: Norrie Paramor
Engineered By: Malcolm Addey
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Hank Marvin (guitar), Bruce Welch (guitar), Brian Locking (bass), Brian Bennett (drums)

 

"THIS WAS MY SPECIAL DAY" is a curious song, as far as its status goes. Some list this as Cliff´s first single NOT toreach the charts, and in a sense, this is true. On the other hand, the single was never given a nationwide release, and supposedly only sold at the venue of the "ALADDIN AND HIS WONDERFUL LAMP" pantomime.

What can I say... It´s a typical "showtune", with a certain charm, but definitely worthy of a single release.

Robert Porter:
The mono and stereo recordings are the same take and edit, but different mixes.
"Another track from the Aladdin cast album This Was My Special Day was issued as a theatre-only single not available through the usual record outlets, but only in the foyer of the London Palladium during the run of the pantomime. The single featured Cliff sharing vocals with other cast members-- Audrey Bayley, Joan Palethorpe and Faye Fisher-- and was given a regular Columbia catalogue number of DB 7435."
Mike Read, Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (1995 - The Complete Chronicle)

"This Was My Special Day was, perhaps surprisingly, issued as a theatre-only single. It was not available through the usual record outlets, but only in the foyer of the Palladium during the run of the pantomime, so of course it was never intended or destined for the chart."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for Stage And Screen album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)

Running Time: 2:48
Record Date: October 16, 1964
Record Location: Abbey Road, London
Written By: Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, Brian Bennett & John Rostill
Produced By: Norrie Paramor
Engineered By: Malcolm Addey & Ken Scott
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Norrie Paramor and His Orchestra (orchestra), The Mike Sammes Singers (backing vocals), Joan Palethorpe (vocals), Audrey Bayley (vocals), Faye Fischer (vocals)

 

"I COULD EASILY (FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU)" was a more durable song from "ALADDIN AND HIS WONDERFUL LAMP". It became his last hit of 1964 - perhaps the last single of his early years. And it´s a classic.

Robert Porter:
The mono and stereo recordings are the same take and edit, but different mixes.
"...a pantomime suddenly takes on a brand new image, a brand new thing if you've got twelve absolutely new songs that've got something to do with the plot and so forth. And also, sort of a couple of hits. 'Cause I think we got I Could Easily Fall (In Love With You) from Aladdin [sic]. [...] We got, you know, commissioned the Shadows to write the score for Aladdin [sic], for instance. And they're really good, the boys, because they can write almost anything. And we said to them, 'we need one hit song.' I don't know how you ask them to write a hit song and they did. And they, in fact, wrote I Could Easily Fall which was, I mean, an obvious commercial thing. And it was a hit, in fact."
Cliff Richard (1974 - The Music And Life Of Cliff Richard collection)

"The single I Could Easily Fall, taken from the cast recording of Cliff's pantomime Aladdin And His Wonderful Lamp, was already well on the way to becoming a hit before the show opened at the London Palladium just before Christmas 1964. [...] November 27, 1964: Cliff's 28th single is released, both sides coming from the pantomime Aladdin: I Could Easily Fall (In Love With You)/I'm In Love With You. [...] January 15, 1965: I Could Easily Fall chart in Britain, Sweden and Holland. [...] March 1965: I Could Easily Fall is in the Top 10 in Israel, the Lebanon, Hong Kong, Finland and Holland. In Malaysia it's number 1 with Twelfth Of Never [sic] at No. 3."
Mike Read, Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (1995 - The Complete Chronicle)

"From Aladdin And His Wonderful Lamp in 1964, I Could Easily Fall (In Love With You) was the lead single from the show and the album..."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for Stage And Screen album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)

Running Time: 2:54
Record Date: October 15, 1964
Record Location: Abbey Road, London
Written By: Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, Brian Bennett & John Rostill
Produced By: Norrie Paramor
Engineered By: Malcolm Addey & Ken Scott
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Hank Marvin (guitar), Bruce Welch (guitar), John Rostill (bass), Brian Bennett (drums)

 

"TIME DRAGS BY" is one of the many overlooked and underrated singles of Cliff´s career - according to me, I suppose. It reminds me of American bands like The Lovin´ Spoonful, The Beach Boys or maybe even The Band? Anyway, I like this song a lot. It´s one of many musical highlights of the movie "FINDERS KEEPERS". One of his strongest soundtracks - to one of his silliest movies, excepting "TAKE ME HIGH". (I´m sorry - I know many of you love this film. I just love the music.)

It´s a song that needs to be heard a few times to really sink in, but it´s worth it.

Robert Porter:
The mono and stereo recordings are the same take and edit, but different mixes.
"Time Drags By is probably one of the first that we'd ever used sort of multiple tracking. We'd always recorded fairly squarely and straight, you know, just the four guys and myself singing. And we'd sometimes... occasionally... well, quite often, in fact, just dub on a vocal group of which I would become part, Hank, Bruce and I. But Time Drags By was one of the first occasions that we took advantage of the multiple tracking business. And we double tracked our voices. There were four of us singing on the thing and so it eventually ended up with eight voices. And I remember it was quite exciting, really. It's quite a thing to sing twice on a record. And hear yourself-- hear your little four piece sound like a choir. It was really quite an exciting time. And we liked the record very much. I think in terms of the hit value business, I think it was a little bit disappointing. We did expect it to do much better than it did. I think it made the... just maybe... if it made the [Top] Ten, it only just scraped."
Cliff Richard (1974 - The Music And Life Of Cliff Richard collection)

"Of the material selected for the April soundtrack session, Time Drags By stands out as the one to take advantage of the multi-track system to good effect. For this, a basic track was laid down after which Cliff and the Shadows double-tracked their vocals eventually resulting in eight vocals on the record. Surprisingly, this did not become a major hit but it showed conclusively that Cliff was still a force to be reckoned with and could make records that were artistically significant. [...] June 1966: [Cliff states:] 'I like all the songs in the [Finders Keepers] picture, but think that This Day and Time Drags By are sort of stand-outs.' [...] October 7, 1966: One review of Cliff's 35th single, Time Drags By says: 'This is an easygoing jog-trotter with a happy-go-lucky approach. The beat's pretty solid with tambourine and harmonica.' Paul McCartney raves about Time Drags By. [...] March 1967: In the Ivor Novello Awards, presented annually by the Songwriters' Guild of Great Britain, Time Drags By-- sung by Cliff in Finders Keepers-- is runner-up to Born Free in the 'Film Song of the Year' catagory."
Mike Read, Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (1995 - The Complete Chronicle)

"On a technical note, Time Drags By utilised the multi-track technique with Cliff and The Shadows double-tracking their vocals. When released as a single Time Drags By became a top ten hit..."
Author Unknown (August 1996 - liner notes for Cliff Richard At The Movies 1959-1974)

"March 1967: Time Drags By, the hit single from Finders Keepers is runner-up in the 'Film Song of the Year' at the Ivor Novello Awards. Recording techniques had advanced dramatically in the years between Cliff's last movie and these latest recordings. This is most noticeable on Time Drags By which featured the multi-tracking technique with Cliff and The Shadows double-tracking their vocals. Time Drags By was paired with La La La Song, but only just managed to scrape into the top ten."
Peter Lewry & Nigel Goodall (August 22, 2005 - liner notes for Finders Keepers remaster album)

"[Finders Keepers] ended up as the top-grossing musical of 1966, and provided Cliff with his 35th single, Time Drags By-- and another Top Ten hit."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for Stage And Screen album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)

Running Time: 2:33
Record Date: April 28, 1966
Record Location: Abbey Road, London
Written By: Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, Brian Bennett & John Rostill
Produced By: Norrie Paramor
Engineered By: Malcolm Addey, Peter Vince & Richard Lush
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Hank Marvin (guitar), Bruce Welch (guitar), John Rostill (bass), Brian Bennett (drums), Jimmy Page (harmonica)
Released On:

 

It's easy to overlook some of those movie songs, but the ones that actually made it to singles were quite good.

 

I agree. Elvis had a lot of dross in his movies - some of the lyrics in particular were less than stellar. Among the dross there were gems, and I feel Cliff´s movies all had good songs, even beyond the singles. And I like that. It also makes this particular disc more interesting than expected.

 

"SHOOTING STAR" is from the 1966 EP "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO", which consisted of three tracks by The Shadows, and one featuring a vocal from Cliff. Cliff & The Shads were immortalised as puppets in the popular TV series, and the EP came in conjunction with that happening. A pleasant song that probably couldn´t have been written outside of The Shadows. The EP didn´t chart.

Robert Porter:
This track has only ever been released in mono format.
"November 4, 1966: Columbia released the Thunderbirds Are Go! EP containing three Shadows tracks and a vocal (Shooting Star) from Cliff. It is announced that a film of the same name in which puppet figures of Cliff and the Shadows perform to the sound-track will be premeired some time in December."
Mike Read, Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (1995 - The Complete Chronicle)

"In the [Thunderbirds Are Go!] film Cliff performs just one song Shooting Star accompanied by The Shadows. ...Interestingly this was recorded during a time when Cliff was busy filming and recording for his other movie of this period, Finders Keepers. An EP featuring Shooting Star and three tracks by The Shadows was released in 1967 but failed to make any impression on the chart."
Author Unknown (August 1996 - liner notes for Cliff Richard At The Movies 1959-1974)

"Although Shooting Star from Thunderbirds Are Go [sic] was never released as a single, but only on the soundtrack EP with three Shadows tracks, Cliff's appearance on screen was immortalised in puppet form for what most critics agree was one of the coolest rock clips ever seen on the big screen."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for Stage And Screen album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)

Running Time: 2:37
Record Date: May 5, 1966
Record Location: Olympic Studios, London
Written By: Hank Marvin, John Rostill & Brian Bennett
Produced By: Norrie Paramor
Engineered By: Unknown
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Hank Marvin (guitar), Bruce Welch (guitar), John Rostill (bass), Brian Bennett (drums)

 

"WHY WASN´T I BORN RICH" was the B-side of the 1967 single "IT´S ALL OVER", an Everly Brothers cover. It was also the opening track of the 1967 pantomime, "CINDERELLA". This album, when released, included many classic tracks that seem to have been forgotten, apart from the smash hit "IN THE COUNTRY", More about that album later. The song itself is a jaunty song that introduces the village of Stoneybroke. Again, it´s typical of the many scene-setting showtunesthat have adorned many screen and stage musicals, but it´s done with style and charm.

Robert Porter:
The mono and stereo recordings are the same take and edit, but different mixes.
"March 11, 1967: Cliff's 37th single, It's All Over, is released... The 'B' side, Why Wasn't I Born Rich, is a Shadows' composition from the Cinderella pantomime."
Mike Read, Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (1995 - The Complete Chronicle)

"Cinderella, three years later, repeated much the same formula as Aladdin with another hit album, and the single, In The Country preceding Why Wasn't I Born Rich, which ended up on the B-side of It's All Over."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for Stage And Screen album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)

Running Time: 2:42
Record Date: October 14, 1966 -AND/OR- November 19, 1966
Record Location: Abbey Road, London
Written By: Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, Brian Bennett & John Rostill
Arranged By: Norrie Paramor
Produced By: Norrie Paramor
Engineered By: Peter Vince & Richard Lush
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Hank Marvin (guitar), Bruce Welch (guitar), John Rostill (bass), Brian Bennett (drums), The Norrie Paramor Brass (orchestra)

 

"IN THE COUNTRY" was the big hit from "CINDERELLA", and it still a regular at Cliff concerts. Deservedly so. One of his classic songs from the mid-to-late 60s.

Robert Porter:
The mono and stereo recordings are the same take and edit, but different mixes.
"Certainly the delightful song In The Country-- melodious, fresh and inventive-- from the Cinderella pantomime deserves to become a pop classic: apart from the horrible grammatical lapse in the lyric, which claims that the country 'belongs to you and I'! [...] Cliff's songs, for the most part, have either been about romantic love, unrequited love, or some gay escapist theme like Summer Holiday or In The Country, and most other songs until the mid-sixties were on these sort of subjects."
David Winter (1967 - New Singer, New Song)

"From Cinderella, again we said that we needed, [a] sort of outdoor, country type song, you know, about the country. And we'd like it to be commercial. And they came up with In The Country which was also a-- I think a #4 or something like that. It certainly did well for itself."
Cliff Richard (1974 - The Music And Life Of Cliff Richard collection)

"In The Country taken from the Cinderella cast album was one of the most impressive chart placing [of the 1966 to 1967 era], but somehow the momentum was not maintained by the album. Given the quality of the previous single Time Drags By from the Finders Keepers soundtrack it seems incredible that it did not reach higher than the No.10 spot."
Mike Read, Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (1995 - The Complete Chronicle)

"The title track from the [Finders Keepers] movie was relegated to the b-side of In The Country and fared slightly better [than the Time Drags By single] peaking at number six. Although In The Country is another non-movie song, it was the hit single from Cliff's 1967 pantomime soundtrack Cindarella, and also the top side to the title track flip of Finder's Keepers [sic]."
Peter Lewry & Nigel Goodall (August 22, 2005 - liner notes for Finders Keepers remaster album)

"Cinderella, three years later, repeated much the same formula as Aladdin with another hit album, and the single, In The Country preceding Why Wasn't I Born Rich, which ended up on the B-side of It's All Over."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for Stage And Screen album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)

"Come the revolution of the beat boom, Cliff and the Shadows stepped up to the plate with a few records that weren't exactly My Generation but were certainly nothing to be ashamed of – Don't Talk to Him, I'm the Lonely One, [and] In the Country. [...] In the Country (1966): An exuberant ba-ba-ba driven summer hit. In the Country is a very English take on California sunshine pop – and the chances are you'll be taking a Green Line bus to your destination."
Bob Stanley (September 17, 2009 - The Guardian)

"You don’t have to have [additional Cliff and The Shadows songs on the 75 At 75 compilation], but [they have] lasted a lot better than the woeful country attempts (In The Country) or that Salvation Army/Telethon-type deal, Congratulations."
Simon Sweetman (December 7, 2015 - Off The Tracks website)

Running Time: 2:38
Record Date: November 16, 1966
Record Location: Abbey Road, London
Written By: Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, John Rostill & Brian Bennett
Produced By: Norrie Paramor
Engineered By: Peter Vince & Richard Lush
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Hank Marvin (guitar), Bruce Welch (guitar), John Rostill (bass), Brian Bennett (drums)

 

"TWO A PENNY" was the title track from his 1967 film, and it was typical of his brass-heavy approach to rock songs around this time. (The album cover of "TWIST AND SHOUT" is another example.) This doesn´t always work, but I have always had a fondness for the songs on this soundtrack, and the title track is no exception. Without having seen the film myself, I can tell that this is a rather more substantial effort as far as themes go - in that it actually has themes. All the songs I have heard from these sessions make statements. Even Stephen´s opposite of favourite "I´LL LOVE YOU FOREVER TODAY" makes a bold statement about the nature of love - ephemeral, fleeting, elusive - and the song is also very honest. "TWO A PENNY" is more brash, but still an interesting song. In other words - it´s an oddity, but I like it.

Even more so because this and other songs from the film soundtrack was written by Cliff himself. I think these songs show a kind bravery and maturity that Cliff has shown less of in the years following this project.

Robert Porter:
The mono, stereo and reverse stereo recordings are the same take and edit, but different mixes.
"[Cliff] had toyed with songwriting in the past, usually with Shadows frontmen Bruce Welch and Hank Marvin, but he was now taking it more seriously kicking off with the title track for the Billy Graham film Two A Penny in which he starred."
Peter Lewry & Nigel Goodall (July 2004 - liner notes for Sincerely remaster album)

"Perhaps three of the least seen outings from Cliff's film career are Two A Penny, His Land and Take Me High, all of which are represented here with the title track from each film."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for Stage And Screen album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)

Running Time: 2:41
Record Date: July 1, 1967
Record Location: Abbey Road, London
Written By: Cliff Richard
Produced By: Norrie Paramor
Engineered By: Peter Vince
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), The Mike Leander Orchestra (orchestra and all other instruments)

NB! This is a clip from the film, but the album version appears after the opening shot.

 

"HIS LAND" is another title track from a religious movie. (If movies can be religious, that is...) I have played the album once or twice, and though it isn´t ghastly or anything, it´s not an album I care for that all that much.

Robert Porter:
"Perhaps three of the least seen outings from Cliff's film career are Two A Penny, His Land and Take Me High, all of which are represented here with the title track from each film."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for Stage And Screen album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)
Editor's Note: The ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} collection actually uses the shorter reprise version of the song, not the full title track.

Running Time: 4:07
Record Date: 1969
Record Location: Israel (vocals) and Capitol Records, Hollywood, USA (orchestra)
Written By: Ralph Carmichael
Produced By: Lee Gillette
Engineered By: Unknown
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Ralph Carmichael Orchestra (orchestra and all other instruments)

 

Tony Cole wrote all the songs for the 1973 film "TAKE ME HIGH", and many of them are worthy of an appraisal. The only track to appear on this compilation is the title track, and we have already covered this. Still, a good song can´t be covered too many times. And I do think it´s a good song. Maybe even great.

Robert Porter:
"From the film, which is called Take Me High, that's that title song. That is the single from the film as far as I'm concerned. There's lots of other good song on it. I mean, I like them all. But I think obviously one has to realize that we just can't release them all as singles anyway."
Cliff Richard (1974 - The Music And Life Of Cliff Richard collection)
"December 1973: Cliff's 61st single is released-- Take Me High/Celestial Houses."
Mike Read, Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (1995 - The Complete Chronicle)

"...the single Take Me High reached number 27."
Author Unknown (August 1996 - liner notes for Cliff Richard At The Movies 1959-1974)

"The only single to be taken from the album, Take Me High, reached the top thirty but deserved to go higher as it was one of Cliff's strongest singles of the period."
Peter Lewry & Nigel Goodall (August 22, 2005 - liner notes for Take Me High remaster album)

"Perhaps three of the least seen outings from Cliff's film career are Two A Penny, His Land and Take Me High, all of which are represented here with the title track from each film. Although all three songs appeared on their respective soundtrack albums, only Take Me High found its way on to a single in November 1973; unbeknown then, this was to be the last of Cliff's big-screen musicals, and the last of the movie-song singles."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for Stage And Screen album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)

"Take Me High nodded in the direction of the coded drugs songs of the mid-sixties..."
Steve Turner (2008 January - Cliff Richard - The Biography (revised edition))

Running Time: 2:45
Record Date: May 26, 1973 & September 18, 1973
Record Location: Abbey Road, London
Written By: Tony Cole
Arranged By: David MacKay
Produced By: David MacKay
Engineered By: Tony Clark & Mike Jarrett
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Terry Britten (guitar), Kevin Peek (guitar), Alan Tarney (bass), David MacRae (keyboards), Trevor Spencer* (drums), Barry Morgan* (drums), Barrie Guard* (drums, percussion), Ray Cooper* (percussion), Pat Halling (orchestra leader), Barrie Guard (orchestra conductor), other artists and instruments unknown -- *unconfirmed

Any excuse to wheel out this beauty one more time.

 

"SUDDENLY", from the cinematic masterpiece that was "XANADU"... Let me start again. "SUDDENLY" is a lovely, performed to perfection by Cliff and Olivia, and still it manages to be one of the least interesting songs on the soundtrack. I think this sys more about the high quality of the soundtrack than the merits of this song.i like it, but I have never really loved it. Go figure. I can´t really work out why. Still, enjoy what is a rather good song.

Robert Porter:
The film version of Suddenly was the same as the album/single version, but with added sound effects.
"I've had eleven top thirty hits [in America], but no album success. That's where you get the hits with the albums. I mean, Devil Woman was number five. We Don't Talk Anymore was in the top ten. Dreamin', A Little In Love, Carrie, Suddenly with Olivia Newton-John. I had a lot of hit records like that, but there was no albums. So this year we're not signed with EMI in America."
Cliff Richard (circa 1987 - unknown interview from the Baktabak interview disc (BAK 2063))

"And Suddenly was... Apparently her co-star [in Xanadu] couldn't or didn't sing. Probably could sing. Most people say they can't sing but in fact they can. But obviously he's not a singer. And then John Farrar rang me up and said, 'look we've got this wonderful ballad and we'd like you to sing it.' So I went across there and... Y'know, earlier talking about people recording in their bedrooms, we recorded that in a garage. John's engineer works in it from a garage and we just have to stop if a car went by. Or a lorry, really. You couldn't hear the cars so much, but you hear the lorries going by. But that was recorded in someone's garage. But that was a great treat and I love the song, it's a fantastic song. It wasn't as big a hit as the other ones, but then it was the fifth single from the album and the album had already been... I don't know if the album had been number one, but it was already into the multi-millions."
Cliff Richard (June 3, 1991 - Cliff Richard - The Interview Australian CD)

"All the singles that were released in 1980 reached the top twenty, with Carrie achieving the most impressive chart placing at No.4, followed by Dreamin' at No.8, and Suddenly, a duet with Olivia Newton-John from the film soundtrack of Xanadu, peaked at No.15. For whatever reason, the session that produced the Suddenly track, duetted with Olivia Newton-John, appears to have been recorded in a garage located in Los Angeles. Obviously the acoustics in the improvised studio presented serious problems with traffic noise levels outside. Compounding the technical problems was the recording method used of Cliff and Olivia taping their vocals simultaneously onto a pre-recorded backing track. It is thought that Olivia returned at a later date to re-record her vocal due to her track containing the noise levels as mentioned. The track was produced by John Farrar who played on the backing along with other musicians David McDaniel, Ed Greene, Michael Boddicker and Richard Hewson. October 1980: EMI Records release Cliff Richard's 79th single, Suddenly, on which he sings with Olivia Newton-John. The 'B' side is performed by Olivia alone: You Made Me Love You. The song eventually reaches the No.15 position, spending a total of seven weeks in the British charts."
Mike Read, Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (1995 - The Complete Chronicle)

"'When John [Farrar] wrote the duet for the [Xanadu] movie, we wanted someone to sing it with me,' says Olivia. 'Someone who was a well-known singer. Cliff had just had his first big hit in the States and I thought-- it would be great to have him because he gave me my first break in England. To have him sing with me now would be great!' 'I find it absolutely a pleasure to sing with Livvy,' said Cliff of the venture. 'To record Suddenly with her was a fantastic thrill! It doesn't matter that it didn't go top five in the charts, because sometimes you have to do things that you know are artistically the right thing to do.'"
Darren Mason (1999 - Olivia: One Woman's Journey)

"[Cliff] was also enjoying a new run of success in America. Dreamin', A Little In Love, both from the [I'm No Hero] album... and Suddenly, Cliff's duet with Olivia Newton-John from her own Xanadu film soundtrack, had given Cliff three records at one time in the Billboard Hot 100, something he had not previously achieved."
Peter Lewry & Nigel Goodall (July 2001 - liner notes for I'm No Hero remaster album)

"The song I sang with Olivia that I suppose was most successful was the song Suddenly. And I think Suddenly is one of the best pop songs ever."
Cliff Richard (April 2002 - Top Of The Pops internet interview)

"Interest in America was still high. Suddenly, his hit with Olivia Newton-John, was at number twenty in the Billboard charts."
Steve Turner (2008 January - Cliff Richard - The Biography (revised edition))

"When I was making the movie Xanadu, there was a duet written for the film and the producer wanted a named singer to do it with me because it was going to be used over an action sequence. So Cliff was the ideal person. It was a big kick to be able to ask him to do Suddenly with me because it was like returning a favour a long time later."
Olivia Newton-John (2008 May - The Bachelor Boy)

"With the exception of his duet with Olivia Newton-John on Suddenly for the film and album soundtrack of Olivia's Xanadu in 1980, in between touring and recording, Cliff more or less turned his attention [away from film music and] back to live theatre."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for Stage And Screen album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)

"I came to America eight or nine times, and each time I left, I had a record in the Top 30. Living Doll made Top 30 in the States; We Don't Talk Anymore, Devil Woman, Suddenly with Olivia [Newton-John], Dreamin' and Daddy's Home were all hits."
Cliff Richard (2015 January 15 - Goldmine)

"Suddenly is as close as he gets to Honesty, in that it’s a similar word anyway, nearly the same amount of letters. But the song Suddenly isn’t even here [on the 75 At 75 compilation]. A shame. Is that pesky record company control or is Dame Olivia distancing herself just a tad? A mix-up clearly, for that should be on this album along with five or six other shining gems."
Simon Sweetman (December 7, 2015 - Off The Tracks website)

Running Time: 4:00
Record Date: March 1980
Record Location: Unknown Studio in Los Angeles, USA
Written By: John Farrar
Produced By: John Farrar
Engineered By: David J. Holman
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Olivia Newton-John (vocals), John Farrar (guitar, synthesizer), David McDaniel (bass), Ed Greene (drums), Michael Boddicker (vocoder), Jai Winding (electric piano), Richard Hewson (orchestra conductor)

 

"BORN TO ROCK´N´ROLL"was the third single by Cliff from the musical "TIME". We have written about this song before, so I´ll just add the information and the clip. Asyou know, this is another of my favourite Cliff tracks.

Robert Porter:
This version differs from the LP version in that it cuts the heartbeat sounds from the beginning and the audience cheering sounds from the beginning and end of the song. It's also slightly longer on the fade out.

Running Time: 3:57
Record Date: August 25, 1985
Record Location: Marcus Studios, London
Written By: Dave Clark, Jeff Daniels & David Soames
Arranged By: Dave Stewart & Peter Collins
Produced By: Peter Collins
Engineered By: Chris Porter
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Billy Squire (guitar, backing vocals), Jerry Hay (bass), John Edwards (bass), Graham Jarvis (drums), Dave Stewart (keyboards), Paul Wickens (keyboards), Stuart Mather (backing vocals)

 

"SHE´S SO BEAUTIFUL" was the biggest hit of the three songs by Cliff on the "TIME - THE MUSICAL" album. A very slight song that even the involvement of Stevie Wonder can´t save. Having said that. it´s very catchy. In my world, I don´t really think of it as a single, but as one of those slight but earwormy album tracks. Even so, it was one of Cliff´s biggest hits during the mid-eighties. Not a blot on his catalogue, and not a classic. Sometimes enjoyable. I can´t seem to work up a lot of enthusiasm for it, but I have never hated it.

One thing I did hate: When I bought it, it was at the height of the Cliff-performing-in-South-Africa conflict, and Cliff had performed the song at Momarken, a Norwegian venue for big stars. He received a beating in the press, and I was questioned by the salesgirl when I bought the single. "How can you buy this single?" she asked. Well, I believe Cliff´s explanation of what went down, but I was still sceptical, and I´m not sure it was the right thing to do.

Robert Porter:
This version, compared to the LP version, cuts the Laurence Olivier speech at the songs beginning and includes a slightly different lyric at the beginning of the song, and fades a full thirty seconds later, giving it a longer fade out. Otherwise, it is the same as the LP version. On the LP version, the lyric at the song's beginning is "I keep hearing accusations, and my reply is hard to find" while on the single version it is "I hear your accusations darling, and my reply is hard to find." The fade out is later, so that an extra "wonderful, marvelous..." bridge and double chorus is heard before the fade out.

Running Time: 4:15
Record Date: Unknown (backing track) & December 20 & 21, 1984 (vocals)
Record Location: Wonderland Studios, Los Angeles (backing track) & Roundhouse Studios, London (vocals) -OR- Abbey Road Studios, London (sources contradict)
Written By: Hans Poulsen
Arranged By: Stevie Wonder
Produced By: Stevie Wonder
Engineered By: Bob Harlan
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Stevie Wonder (all other instruments)

 

Once upon a time, the American songwriter and performer David Pomeranz wrote a beautiful song called "IT´S IN EVERY ONE OF US". It begat a lovely cover version by John Denver & The Muppets - and this overblown and "oversung" version by Cliff. Love the song, don´t like this version much.

Robert Porter:
The version of this song on the original Dave Clark's Time - The Album album includes fake cheering noises mixed into the song's beginning. Sadly it almost completely masks the beginning of Cliff's acapella version of the first verse, which is not heard on the single version. Thankfully, this version, without the crowd noises was released on the The Singles Collection album. It also includes a speech by Laurence Olivier at the end of the song, saying "But, can we wait for you? Dare we wait?" This speech is missing from all other issues of this song, including the 2012 remaster of the original album.
"It was the same with that finale song [It's In Every One Of Us] of mine [from Time - The Musical]. In a sense, it is potentially 'in every one of us to be wise', but the lyric didn't go on to explain how. The Bible's solution is that, 'If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God... and it will be given to him.' Now I knew that, and so did thousands of Christians who heard the song, but for many others it merely raised more question marks."
Cliff Richard (1988 - Single-Minded)

"November 25, 1985: EMI release Cliff's 96th single, It's In Every One Of Us/Alone. This is the first time that a Cliff single has had a wholly instrumental 'B' side. It's Cliff's second single to be released from the musical Time and it peaks at No. 45."
Mike Read, Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (1995 - The Complete Chronicle)

"I believe all gods are one and that's what I tried to convey through the musical [Time]. I believe that everyone should have the right to believe in the way that they feel is right for them. As the song says, 'it's in every one of us to be wise.'"
Dave Clark (2008 January - Cliff Richard - The Biography (revised edition))

"Half of the songs in Time were written by me, Jeff Daniels and Dave Clark. The other half were brought in. The song, It's In Every One Of Us, was written by David Pomeranz, had been lying around for a couple of years. Dave wrote a couple of songs with Dave Christie."
David Soames (2008 May - The Bachelor Boy)

"It was from [Dave Clark's Time - The Musical] that She's So Beautiful and It's In Every One Of Us ended up as singles and, with Born To Rock 'n' Roll, all three songs were included on the cast album that was released at the time..."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for Stage And Screen album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)

Running Time: 4:38
Record Date: June 10 & 11, 1985
Record Location: Gallery Studios, London
Written By: David Pomeranz
Produced By: Keith Bessey & Craig Pruess
Engineered By: Keith Bessey
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), John Clark (guitar), Andy Pask (bass), Graham Jarvis (drums), Craig Pruess (keyboards), Martin Loveday (strings), Gavyn Wright (strings)

 

The last three songs on a vared and very interesting album all stem from the "SONGS FROM HEATHCLIFF" album, which is one of my favourite Cliff albums since the first comeback. Three of the best have been included here. We have dealt with them all fairly recently, so I´ll just tell the world that I love all three songs. They are really great.

I must say I have enjoyed writing about this album - it´s an album of contrasts, but always interesting. By avoiding most of the big hits, you get a much more interesting selection of songs. Well done!

First: "MISUNDERSTOOD MAN".

Robert Porter:
The single lists the song as Misunderstood Man, but the Songs From Heathcliff album lists it as A Misunderstood Man (with the "a" article). Although probably both forms are acceptable, all other releases have it as Misunderstood Man.
"The following year [1995] the singles Had To Be (with Olivia Newton-John) and Misunderstood Man, and the album Songs From Heathcliff were released. The singles, which reached 22 and 19 respectively in the charts, didn't do as well as Cliff had hoped. He felt that this was in part due to a snub from BBC Radio 2, previously the natural home for Cliff's music. "'Misunderstood Man didn't get any airplay,' [Cliff] says."
Steve Turner (2008 January - Cliff Richard - The Biography (revised edition))

Running Time: 5:09
Record Date: February to April 1994 & May to August 1995
Record Location: Moonee Ponds Studio, Los Angeles & Abbey Road, London
Written By: Tim Rice (lyrics) & John Farrar (music)
Produced By: John Farrar
Engineered By: Chris Fogel, Eric Rudd, Joe Schiff, Darren Godwin, Guy Massey, James Collins & Caroline Daniel
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Sean Callery (orchestration, synclavier, keyboards), John Farrar (synclavier, guitar, backing vocals), Michael Thompson (guitar), Jerry Hey (horns), Gary Grant (horns), Bill Reichenbach (horns), Dan Higgins (horns), Bob Sabellico (drum programming), Kristina Nichols (backing vocals), Liz Constantino (backing vocals), Linda Dalziel (backing vocals), Steve Kipner (backing vocals), Clif Magness (backing vocals)

 

Next: "BE WITH ME ALWAYS".

Robert Porter:
Running Time: 5:05
Record Date: February to April 1994 & May to August 1995
Record Location: Moonee Ponds Studio, Los Angeles & Abbey Road, London
Written By: Tim Rice (lyrics) & John Farrar (music)
Produced By: John Farrar
Engineered By: Chris Fogel, Eric Rudd, Joe Schiff, Darren Godwin, Guy Massey, James Collins & Caroline Daniel
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Olivia Newton-John (vocals), Sean Callery (orchestration, synclavier, keyboards), John Farrar (synclavier, guitar, backing vocals), Michael Thompson (guitar), Jerry Hey (horns), Gary Grant (horns), Bill Reichenbach (horns), Dan Higgins (horns), Bob Sabellico (drum programming), Kristina Nichols (backing vocals), Liz Constantino (backing vocals), Linda Dalziel (backing vocals), Steve Kipner (backing vocals), Clif Magness (backing vocals)

 

And finally, the caramel that is "HAD TO BE".

Roberrt Porter:
"Vocally part was a major challenge for Olivia, especially when a promotional clip for the duo's first single, Had To Be was filmed: 'Cathy is not the nicest of people,' says Olivia. 'Although she loves Heathcliff, she decides to marry someone wealthy and with social standing. Giving up her love for Heathcliff and leaving him in his torment for the rest of his living days. [sic] She is strong but full of anger and resentment. Understanding that background gives me an edge in my performance.' Both Cliff and Olivia decided not to discuss characterisation prior to recording or filming their segments to give the tracks a touch of mystery both to each other and the listener. Had To Be was issued on single by EMI Records in November, [and], following an appearance on The Royal Variety Performance on November 25th, for which Olivia flew into London especially to make an guest appearance, stormed straight into the British singles chart at number twenty-two. Music pundits had the single tipped to be the year's Christmas number one, but over-estimated, when the following week it disappeared from the top forty."
Darren Mason (1999 - Olivia: One Woman's Journey)
"The following year [1995] the singles Had To Be (with Olivia Newton-John) and Misunderstood Man, and the album Songs From Heathcliff were released. The singles, which reached 22 and 19 respectively in the charts, didn't do as well as Cliff had hoped. He felt that this was in part due to a snub from BBC Radio 2, previously the natural home for Cliff's music. "'Misunderstood Man didn't get any airplay,' [Cliff] says. 'Had To Be should have been number one, but it didn't get heard by anybody. Radio 2 wouldn't play it because they said it was too dynamic. In other words, the song goes up and down. I can't understand this. I called a London radio station's phone-in programme and told them I couldn't understand this attitude. Of course, they then kept playing it and asking their listeners whether they thought it was too dynamic or whether the guitar solo was too loud.'"
Steve Turner (2008 January - Cliff Richard - The Biography (revised edition))

Running Time: 4:13
Record Date: 1995
Record Location: Moonee Ponds Studio, Los Angeles & Abbey Road, London
Written By: Tim Rice (lyrics) & John Farrar (music)
Produced By: John Farrar
Engineered By: Chris Fogel, Eric Rudd, Joe Schiff, Darren Godwin, Guy Massey, James Collins & Caroline Daniel
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Olivia Newton-John (vocals), Sean Callery (orchestration, synclavier, keyboards), John Farrar (synclavier, guitar, backing vocals), Michael Thompson (guitar), Jerry Hey (horns), Gary Grant (horns), Bill Reichenbach (horns), Dan Higgins (horns), Bob Sabellico (drum programming), Kristina Nichols (backing vocals), Liz Constantino (backing vocals), Linda Dalziel (backing vocals), Steve Kipner (backing vocals), Clif Magness (backing vocals), Lee Sklar (bass), Tommy Emmanuel (acoustic guitar)

 

I like both this title track for TWO A PENNY and I'LL LOVE YOU FOREVER TODAY. I'd also recommend the film, probably Cliff's best celluloid moment.

 

To me, this is all that was wrong with Cliff. To brassy, too orchestrated, to 'oom-pah', too tacky backing vocals, too religious (OK the final one is a personal problem I have!)

 

As we've discussed before, this could have been a solid 'normal studio' album. Some excellent songs on here. Should have been a bigger hit single. Perhaps (as I think we've discussed before) maybe this album was the one which pointed towards the renaissance with 'I'm Nearly Famous'. Just the silly 'plot' songs detract from how this album could be evaluated.