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

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Jarleboy, Sep 28, 2016.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. StephenB

    StephenB Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    The Brian May version of Move It, although not quite as good as the original, is one of he better of the re-recordings Cliff has made, if not the best of them. This song really comes into its own when you crank up the volume a little bit, especially when in your car!
     
    Jarleboy and mark ab like this.
  2. RonBaker

    RonBaker Forum Resident

    Location:
    Jackson, Ohio USA
    And how would everyone rate the version of "Move It" on the new Rock and Roll Songbook, volume two (don't remember the exact title as the CD is in my car at the moment).
     
    mark ab and Jarleboy like this.
  3. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love Thread Starter

    Location:
    Norway
    Yes. And he is someone who takes his music seriously.
     
    mark ab and CheshireCat like this.
  4. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love Thread Starter

    Location:
    Norway
    I agree 100%. This version is perhaps dangerously close to "grandad-rock", but crank it, and it works. :righton:
     
    mark ab, RonBaker and CheshireCat like this.
  5. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love Thread Starter

    Location:
    Norway
    Mum´s the word as far as I´m concerned. I know I promised to really listen to those two CDs, but I still haven´t gotten around to playing them. :(
     
    mark ab and RonBaker like this.
  6. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love Thread Starter

    Location:
    Norway
    Album released 6 November 2006, recorded 1969-2006 - UK - EMI 0094637707227

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Wikipedia: Two's Company The Duets is a 2006 album by Cliff Richard. It is a part-compilation and part-studio album of duets. Some of the guests include Elton John, Barry Gibb, Dionne Warwick, Olivia Newton-John and Lulu.

    In the UK, the album reached #8 in the UK Albums Chart and was certified Gold. The album has sold over 320,000 copies worldwide. (Edit: The album also charted elsewhere, reaching No. 9 in the New Zealand charts and No. 16 in the Danish ones.)

    Track list
    No. Title Artist Length
    1. "Move It" Brian May & Brian Bennett 4:07
    2. "Anyone Who Had a Heart" Dionne Warwick 3:30
    3. "Miss You Nights" G4 3:56
    4. "Yesterday Once More" Daniel O'Donnell 4:05
    5. "She Means Nothing to Me" Phil Everly 3:36
    6. "All I Ask of You" Sarah Brightman 4:10
    7. "Let There Be Love" Matt Monro 3:14
    8. "Throw Down a Line" Hank Marvin 2:49
    9. "Fields of Gold" Barry Gibb 3:21
    10. "Up Where We Belong" Anne Murray 4:29
    11. "Slow Rivers" Elton John 3:11
    12. "Suddenly" Olivia Newton-John 4:01
    13. "Danny Boy" Helmut Lotti 3:56
    14. "Reunited" Lulu 4:00

    Well, it´s official: After the relative - commercial - failure of "SOMETHING´S GOIN´ ON", Cliff and his record company bet on the safest horse available: a duets album. Some new, some old, some rather good, some scraping the barrel...

    I remember feeling quite disappointed about this being his next release, and it´s another one of those albums I hardly ever play. The highlights are good, but there are too many less than good and irrelevant recordings on here. The star power - Cliff and his duet partners´ - may have dragged this album all the way to No. 8, but I think the Cliff fans in love with this album are rather thin on the ground.

    Let´s get stabbing!

    NB! Not all the versions in this compilation are the same as on the corresponding album!

     
    mark ab likes this.
  7. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love Thread Starter

    Location:
    Norway
    "ANYONE WHO HAD A HEART" was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and became a big hit for Dionne Warwick in the US, and for Cliff´s pal Cilla Black in the UK. I have a soft spot for most songs composed by this pair, and I love Dionne Warwick´s voice.

    This duet version isn´t terrible, but neither is it something I need to hear again. The song is too durable to be in any danger of being damaged in any way, but you have to ask yourself: Does the world need another recording of this undeniably good song, even by artists of this calibre? My answer is no. Sorry.

    Robert Porter:
    Early press indicates that this song was originally supposed to appear on Dionne Warwick's duet's album, but that project never materialized.
    "...and next year I'm hoping to do a duets album. I've already recorded with Dionne Warwick..."Cliff Richard (October 7, 2005 - Manchester Evening News)

    "I've already recorded [Anyone Who Had A Heart] with Dionne Warwick [for my Duets album] of course, so it promises to be a cracking album."
    Cliff Richard (April 5, 2006 - blog on cliffrichard.org website)

    Running Time: 3:30
    Record Date: Summer 2005
    Record Location: Metropolis Studios, Chiswick, London and Abbey Road Studios, London
    Written By: Burt Bacharach & Hal David
    Arranged By: Chris Cameron
    Produced By: Chris Porter
    Engineered By: Chris Porter
    Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Dionne Warwick (vocals), Phil Palmer(guitar), Micky Feat (bass), Peter Gordeno (keyboards), Gavin Wright (orchestra leader), Katie Kissoon (backing vocals), Tessa Niles (backing vocals)


    The album version:
     
    mark ab and CheshireCat like this.
  8. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love Thread Starter

    Location:
    Norway
    The Jewel in the Crown. "MISS YOU NIGHTS", recorded with "boy band" G4. Classy enough, I still prefer the original. This one is a bit too ornate, but still beautiful. Thanks again, Dave Townsend.

    By the way: a month or so ago I purchased a promo CD including a remix of the original 1975 recording, which was recorded in connection with the release of the 2000 compilation "THE WHOLE STORY". Drums and a few other instruments were added. I aven´t played it yet, but I´ll get back to you when I have. It´s another curio. We should also mention the a cappella version that was included on a 7" single with the "FROM A DISTANCE... THE EVENT" deluxe edition in 1990.

    Robert Porter:
    • Running Time: 3:56
    • Record Date: July 22, 2005 (Cliff's vocals); 2005 (G4 and instrumentation)
    • Record Location: Metrophonic Studios, London (Cliff's vocals); Angel Studios, London (orchestra); Unknown (G4)
    • Written By: Dave Townsend
    • Arranged By: G4 (vocals) & Cliff Masterson (orchestra)
    • Produced By: Graham Stack & Matt Furmidge
    • Engineered By: Steve Price, Niall Accott, Mat Bartram & James Stone
    • Performed By: Cliff Richard (lead vocals), Jonathan Ansell (lead vocals), Michael Christie (backing vocals), Matthew Stiff (backing vocals), Ben Thapa (backing vocals), Cliff Masterson (orchestra conductor, piano), Gavyn Wright(orchestra leader), Martin Loveday(cello solo), London Session Orchestra (all other instruments)


     
    mark ab and CheshireCat like this.
  9. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love Thread Starter

    Location:
    Norway
    "YESTERDAY ONCE MORE" was written by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis, and was, of course, a huge hit for the Carpenters in 1973, released on the album "NOW & THEN". A lovely song about the pleasures of nostalgia, this has always been one of my favourite Carpenters song. (And there are some to choose from!)

    Despite what I wrote yesterday, Cliff and Daniel O´Donnell´s version isn´t that awful. In fact, it was a lot more pleasant than I remembered it. I never much cared fro Daniel O´Donnell, and there are some signs of overproduction. It´s a lovely song, though, and even that can´t ruin it.

    So, I eat my words. It´s OK. The original is great.

    Robert Porter:
    "I shall keep one or two tracks [for my upcoming Duets album] under wraps for now, but I can tell you that Daniel O'Donnell and I will be getting together for a version of The Carpenters' song Yesterday Once More."
    Cliff Richard (April 5, 2006 - blog on cliffrichard.org website)

    Running Time: 4:05
    Record Date: 2006
    Record Location: Metropolis Studios, Chiswick, London and Stanley House Studio, London
    Written By: Richard Carpenter & John Bettis
    Produced By: Chris Porter
    Engineered By: Chris Porter
    Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Daniel O'Donnell (vocals), Philip Palmer (guitar), Michael Feat (bass), Richard Cardwell (keyboards), Gavin Harrison (drums), Jakko M. Jakszyk (backing vocals)


     
    mark ab and CheshireCat like this.
  10. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love Thread Starter

    Location:
    Norway
    The next few tracks are oldies, but goodies. "SHE MEANS NOTHING TO ME" with Phil Everly is trotted out once again, and is still great. The same applies to "ALL I ASK OF YOU" with Sarah Brightman. I always liked this, once I "got it".

    Then there is another interesting meeting of the minds: Cliff and the superb Matt Monro. Cliff had covered another song associated with Matt Monro before, "SOFTLY AS I LEAVE YOU", on the "DRESSED FOR THE OCCASION" live album released in 1983. It featured in his live shows for a few years, and it´s easy to see why: Matt Monro´s original was a classic, and Cliff´s voice fits the bill to a T. Lovely.

    "LET THERE BE LOVE" is one of Nat "King" Cole´s best known songs, and it´s one of my many favourites from his catalogue. Hearing Cliff´s and the late Matt´s voices brought together in the same recording is a bit strange, but very pleasant. A jazzy, smokey affair. Not bad.

    Robert Porter:
    As Matt Monro died in 1985, this song is recreated from an original recording by Matt Monro, which first appeared on his 1973 The Other Side Of The Stars LP. Using the original multitracks, sections of Matt's voice are removed and Cliff's inserted, creating this duet. This song was not Cliff's first choice from Matt's songs, but the songs he wanted to use were apparently not technically possible.

    Running Time: 3:14
    Record Date: 1973 (Matt Monro's portion) & 2006 (Cliff Richard's portion)
    Record Location: Unknown
    Written By: Lionel Rand (music) & Ian Grant (lyrics)
    Produced By: Unknown
    Engineered By: Keith Bessey
    Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Matt Monro (vocals), other artists and instruments unknown

     
    mark ab and CheshireCat like this.
  11. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love Thread Starter

    Location:
    Norway
    "THROW DOWN A LINE" was originally written by Hank Marvin, intended for the eyes and ears of a certain Jimi Hendrix, but that never came to pass. It was covered by the Jeff Beck Group, and released as a "Cliff & Hank" single in 1969, reaching No. 7 in the UK charts. I know this track has few fans in the world, but I love it. I would have loved to see Cliff go down the road of "hard rock" once in a while, as I think he does it well. "LANGUAGE OF LOVE", "BORN TO ROCK´N´ROLL", "MONDAY THRU FRIDAY", "LOVE STEALER"... More, please!

    And, Ron, it did feature on our favourite compilation, "BEST OF CLIFF, VOL. 2". Nuff said... :righton: More about this song when we get back/forward to 1969.

     
    mark ab and CheshireCat like this.
  12. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love Thread Starter

    Location:
    Norway
    Here we come to one of the atrocities of this album. Making a duet work comes down to a few elements: the right song, the blending of the voices and the arrangement. This song, Sting´s "FIELDS OF GOLD", is a thing of beauty, covered to great effect by the late Eva Cassidy and by my compatriot Kjell Inge Torgersen. Here Cliff and Barry Gibb have a go at the song, and... For my money, it just doesn´t work.

    Their voices sound as if they don´t belong in the same song, and it´s easily the worst version of this lovely song I have ever heard. The backing is too pedestrian, and the voices sound uninterested. The magic of the original and the aforementioned covers is definitely missing. Too bad, as I love both singers.

    Robert Porter:
    Running Time: 3:21
    Record Date: 2006
    Record Location: Metropolis Studios, Chiswick, London and Stanley House Studios, London
    Written By: Sting
    Produced By: Chris Porter
    Engineered By: Chris Porter
    Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Barry Gibb (vocals), Philip Palmer (guitar), Michael Feat (bass), Richard Cardwell (keyboards), Andy Hamilton (saxophone), Pandit Dinesh (percussion)

     
    mark ab and CheshireCat like this.
  13. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love Thread Starter

    Location:
    Norway
    Again, a favourite of mine. The lyrics have been criticised - and I see why. (Written by "MY HEART WILL GO ON"-lyricist Will Jenning.) The tune is lovely, though. Written by another favourite of mine, Buffy Sainte-Marie and her husband Jack Nitzsche. The original was featured in the film "AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN". It was played over the closing credits, and there was great opposition to the track being used in the film, and even more to it being released as a single. The rest is, of course, hit history. The orginal featured powerhouse performances by Joe Cocker and - another favourite - Jennifer Warnes. Pure bliss.

    Anne Murray is a singer I have a lot of time for - her voice graces many lovely recordings, especially when the arrangements are spares. ("LOVE SONG", "DANNY´S SONG", "YOU NEEDED ME"... Here, the arrangement and vocals are more workaday than inspired, so the song fails to impress. Not ugly, but unnecessary. IMO. It´s easy to hear that these two artists never met in the studio.

    Robert Porter:
    Running Time: 4:29
    Record Date: 2006
    Record Location: Metropolis Studios, Chiswick, London and Stanley House Studios, London (all music and Cliff's vocals); Phase One Studios, Toronto, Canada (Anne's vocals)
    Written By: Will Jennings, Jack Nitzsche & Buffy Saint-Marie
    Produced By: Chris Porter
    Engineered By: Chris Porter (all music and Cliff's vocals); Michael Jack (Anne's vocals)
    Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Anne Murray (vocals), Philip Palmer (guitar), Michael Feat (bass), Richard Cardwell(keyboards), Gavin Harrison (drums), Jakko M, Jakszyk (backing vocals), Suzanne Barbieri (backing vocals)

     
    mark ab and CheshireCat like this.
  14. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love Thread Starter

    Location:
    Norway
    The next few tracks are old mates of ours. "SLOW RIVERS", written by and sung together with Elton John has been discussed before, as has "SUDDENLY", the "XANADU" duet featuring Olivia Newton-John and Cliff. Both songs have their points, and are never less than good, but - perhaps - promised more than eventually appeared.

    "DANNY BOY" is, as we all know, a very good song, but it´s also a song very easy to get wrong. Recorded in 2002, and released on Helmut Lotti´s 2003 album "HELMUT LOTTI´S POP CLASSICS IN SYMPHONY". Could this version of the song be too sweet? I think so. Cliff´s vibrato is working overtime, and the arrangement is overly slick and saccharine. Again, IMO.

    Robert Porter:
    "Quite intriguing how nobody knows who this Danny really is. Just a boy, a son, a boyfriend, a blood brother, a lover? Who shall tell? But this probably accounts for the many uses of the song at all occasions. Maybe I think that especially Mario Lanza¹s Danny Boy is making an impression. But I want to add another version. Danny Boy has never been re-written into a duet. The fact that I have been able to record this special approach together with Sir Cliff Richard, a monument in pop history, fills me with pride."
    Helmut Lotti (circa October 2003 - ウェルカムボードの役割 | いろいろあって楽しい!ウェルカムボードをもっと知りたい! )

    Running Time: 3:52
    Record Date: 2002 (orchestra); March 28 2003 (vocals)
    Record Location: Fendal Sound Studio, The Netherlands (orchestra); Unknown London studio (vocals)
    Written By: Frederic Edward Weatherly (lyrics); Unknown (music)
    Produced By: Peter Koelewijn
    Engineered By: Hans Van Vondelen
    Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Helmut Lotti (vocals), Golden Symphonic Orchestra directed by Andre Walschaerts (orchestra)

     
    mark ab and CheshireCat like this.
  15. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love Thread Starter

    Location:
    Norway
    The last track on the album is a cover of Peaches & Herb´s 1979 smash **** "REUNITED". I love the original. This track was also recorded in 2002, and was intended for Lulu´s album "TOGETHER". Lulu has been quoted as airing some less than favourable opinions about Cliff´s voice. Does anyone know what was actually said?

    The arrangement starts as a blueprint of the 1977 recording of the original, but is slightly more aggressive. I love the song, and this version is more or less as good as the original. Cliff doing soul/R&B? Perhaps an early warning about the "SOULICIOUS" album being considered?

    I also have to say that I love Lulu´s voice, and it´s good to hear them together. (It sounds as if Cliff´s voice is lower in the mix, but that may be down to the fact that Lulu is more of a belter than Cliff ever was.)

    Edit: I should perhaps remind you that the writers of this song also wrote "I WILL SURVIVE" for Gloria Gaynor.

    Robert Porter:
    Running Time: 3:59
    Record Date: 2002
    Record Location: Porterhouse Studios, London (everything but the orchestra); Sony Music Studios, London (orchestra)
    Written By: Dino Fekaris & Freddie Perren
    Arranged By: Chris Cameron
    Produced By: Chris Porter & Rick Mitra
    Engineered By: Chris Porter
    Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Lulu (vocals), Rick Mitra (drums, percussion, keyboards, bass), Phil Palmer (guitar), Luke Smith (keyboards)

     
    Last edited: May 7, 2017
    mark ab and CheshireCat like this.
  16. CheshireCat

    CheshireCat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cheshire
    There's no need to rush...
     
    mark ab and Jarleboy like this.
  17. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love Thread Starter

    Location:
    Norway
    He, he... Can´t say as I have. I suspect I might be a bit scared of what I´ll find. I´ll try to keep an open mind.
     
    mark ab likes this.
  18. CheshireCat

    CheshireCat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cheshire
    To be fair, the front covers are the worst thing about them. They improve after you get past that. ;)
     
    mark ab and Jarleboy like this.
  19. CheshireCat

    CheshireCat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cheshire
    Unfortunately, while the songs on 'SOMETHING'S GOIN' ON' were complementary to Cliff's older voice, these songs of 'teenage love and rebellion', well, just aren't.
     
    mark ab and Jarleboy like this.
  20. RonBaker

    RonBaker Forum Resident

    Location:
    Jackson, Ohio USA
    I really like this duet. The two vocalists complement each other in a very positive way. I absolutely love the song anyway and Dionne's version. The arrangement is spectacular. I can see why Cliff was positive about the project if this was the first recording done for the album.
     
    mark ab, CheshireCat and Jarleboy like this.
  21. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love Thread Starter

    Location:
    Norway
    He, he... Good to know. Those cover shots are terrible.

    True about his aged voice. Rock is a young man´s game, someone once said. Guess Cliff didn´t get the message... He, he. I don´t mind older people singing those songs, as long as they work. I mean, "WHAT CAR" is about a young juvenile delinquent, so to speak. Cliff is neither, but the song works.
     
    mark ab and CheshireCat like this.
  22. RonBaker

    RonBaker Forum Resident

    Location:
    Jackson, Ohio USA
    No...I don't like this version at all. Not at all!!! The wistful innocence of Cliff's original recording has been replaced by a forced sounding duet.
     
    mark ab and Jarleboy like this.
  23. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love Thread Starter

    Location:
    Norway
    I like the song and the singers. To be honest, I don´t like the arrangement so much. Guess it´s a matter of taste.
     
    mark ab and CheshireCat like this.
  24. Jarleboy

    Jarleboy Music was my first love Thread Starter

    Location:
    Norway
    It´s a good try, but not one that works. Classy, but you lose all the intimacy, all that worked with the original version.
     
    mark ab likes this.
  25. RonBaker

    RonBaker Forum Resident

    Location:
    Jackson, Ohio USA
    I would say...it's not horrible, but it isn't good. Cliff sounds really aged next to Daniel. It would have worked better with just an acoustic guitar and Cliff.
     
    mark ab and Jarleboy like this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine