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

The Everly Brothers had a go at the song. Very different from Cliff´s version, but both have their points.

 

And, of course, we have to hear Miss Piggy´s version. Classic...

 

There´s always room ofr another sweet little thing from Pete Chester and Bruce Welch. Here is "I LIVE FOR YOU". Too cute? Probably.



Robert Porter:
The mono and stereo recordings are the same take and edit, but different mixes.

Running Time: 2:15
Record Date: April 1, 1960
Record Location: Abbey Road, London
Written By: Peter Chester & Hank Marvin
Produced By: Norrie Paramor & John Schroeder
Engineered By: Malcolm Addey & Norman Smith (mono) / Peter Bown & Alan Kane (stereo)
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Hank Marvin (guitar), Bruce Welch (guitar), Jet Harris (bass), Tony Meehan (drums)

 

"SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY" is a very good song, and we are once again in the same general area covered on Cliff´s 2010 "BOLD AS BRASS" album. And that is not my favourite Cliff album at all. I doubt Cliff had teh vocal clout to pull off this song in 1961. This was re-released a few years ago, as a bonus track on a CD-single. No, I don´t know why, either.

The composers:
Bud Green: Bud Green - Wikipedia
Les Brown: Les Brown (bandleader) - Wikipedia
Ben Homer: Ben Homer - Wikipedia



From Wikipedia:
"Sentimental Journey" is a popular song, published in 1944. The music was written by Les Brown and Ben Homer, and the lyrics were written by Bud Green.

History
Les Brown and His Band of Renown had been performing the song, but were unable to record it because of the 1942–44 musicians' strike. When the strike ended, the band, with Doris Day as vocalist, had a hit record with the song, Day's first #1 hit, in 1945. The song's release coincided with the end of WWII in Europe and became the unofficial homecoming theme for many veterans. The recording was released by Columbia Records as catalog number 36769, with the flip side "Twilight Time". The record first reached the Billboard charts on March 29, 1945 and lasted 23 weeks on the chart, peaking at #1. The song actually reached the charts after the later-recorded "My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time".
About this same time, the Merry Macs had a recording following Brown and Day which featured a bouncy arrangement where the group modulates (or augments) the verse eight times in the last half of the song. A vocal feat for any group attempting to record a song in one take without the benefit of tape editing in that era of modern recording.
The song later became something of a standard with jazz artists and was recorded by, among others, Buck Clayton with Woody Herman and by Ben Sidran. Frank Sinatra recorded his version of the song in 1961. Rosemary Clooney issued an album Sentimental Journey (2001) which included the song. Harry James recorded a version in 1965 on his album New Versions Of Down Beat Favorites (MGM E-4265).

Lyrics
The song describes someone about to take a train to a place to which they have a great emotional attachment. It describes their mounting anticipation while wondering why they ever roamed away.
Its memorable opening verse is:
Gonna take a sentimental journey
Gonna set my heart at ease
Gonna make a sentimental journey
To renew old memories.

Cover versions
Conway Twitty recorded a rock & roll version for his 1959 album Conway Twitty Sings on MGM Records.
Paul Fenoulhet with The Skyrockets Dance Orchestra Voc.: Cyril Shane. Recorded in London on October 10, 1945. It was released by EMI on the HMV Records label as catalogue number BD 5908
Ella Fitzgerald recorded this song with Eddie Heywood and his Orchestra in 1947, it was later released on her Decca album "Ella and Her Fellas"
In 1951, Brown's orchestra redid the song, with The Ames Brothers on vocals. This was released by Coral Records as catalog number 60566, with the flip side "Undecided".
Ralph Marterie released the song as part of the album Marvelous Marterie in 1959.
Margie Rayburn released a version of the song as the B-side to her 1960 single "Magic Words".
Juan García Esquivel covered the song on Infinity in Sound, Vol. 2 (April 1961, RCA Victor), replacing the vocal part with whistling.
The Platters covered this song in 1963.
Booker T. & the M.G.'s recorded an instrumental cover of this song for their 1966 album And Now!.
Italian singer Mina released the song as part of the album Dedicato a mio padre in 1967.
Ringo Starr covered this song for his 1970 album Sentimental Journey.
Japanese folk singer Shiva recorded a Japanese version of this song for his 1973 CBS/Sony album "コスモスによせる".
Dave Dudley brought the song to country music with his top 50 version in 1976.
Nellie McKay recorded her own arrangement as part of her album Normal as Blueberry Pie - A Tribute to Doris Day.
Little Willie Littlefield recorded a version for his 1990 album Singalong with Little Willie Littlefield.
In 1994, Les Brown and His Band of Renown teamed up to back Barry Manilow on a version of the song for Manilow's album "Singin' With The Big Bands".* Sarah Harmer & Jason Euringer covered this tune on their 1999 album "Songs for Clem".
In 2010, Bob and Bernice Thorpe sang this song in the popular theatre show, Prop 8 Love Stories.
In 2000 Jan Jankeje Trio jazzpointrecords
In 2000/2001, late singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse, who was 17 years-old at the time, recorded an acoustic cover of this song, with Sam Beste on the piano. This cover of Winehouse was not known, until her father, Mitchell recovered it in June 2014.
Lynda Carter covered this song for her 2011 album Crazy Little Things.
In 2013 Emmy Rossum covered this song in her album Sentimental Journey.
George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic Incorporate the song into their huge hit "Not Just Knee Deep" when performing the song live.\
Bob Dylan covered the song on his 2017 album Triplicate.
In popular culture
The song features prominently in the 1978 M*A*S*H episode "Your Hit Parade", as Col. Potter – citing a long-standing infatuation with Doris Day – requests the song be played over the camp P.A. system several times during the day.
In the UK Spot on The Muppet Show Episode 309 with Judy Collins, Gonzo and Kermit the Frog sang the song on their way back to the show.
The song is heard playing on a jukebox in the 1980 animated film Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (And Don't Come Back!!).
It is sung by Jean Claude Fornier's character played by Paul Verdier in The Man From Marseilles (Magnum, P.I.) at a karaoke bar.
It also appeared in advertisements for Ford Australia during the early 1990s.
It was the theme song of the ABC Radio program "Sentimental Journey" presented by John West.
The song is featured in Season 2, Episode 4 of The Man in the High Castle (TV series).


Robert Porter:
The mono and stereo recordings are the same take and edit, but different mixes.

Running Time: 2:07
Record Date: January 11, 1961
Record Location: Abbey Road, London
Written By: Bud Green, Les Brown & Ben Homer
Produced By: Norrie Paramor
Engineered By: Malcolm Addey & David Lloyd
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), The Bernard Ebbinghouse Orchestra (all other instruments)

 

This is Doris Day´s original hit version. Dare I say that this is the better version of these two?

 

"I WANT YOU TO KNOW" is a song written by songwriting partners Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew. Like so many of their songs, it became a classic hit in 1957. A natural for Cliff & co to cover. One of my favourite tracks on the album. You can´t go wrong with those two composers!

The composers:
Fats Domino: Fats Domino - Wikipedia
Dave Bartholomew: Dave Bartholomew - Wikipedia



From Wikipedia:
Released 1957
"I Want You to Know" is a 1957 Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew song. Since Domino was on the road touring Bartholomew hired Allen Toussaint to lay down the piano track. The other side of the single was "The Big Beat" , which although listed second on the cover, also became a hit.
"I Want to Know" was covered by The Everly Brothers in 1960 on their album It's Everly Time. It was also covered by the early reggae artist Millie Small on her 1965 album Millie Small Sings Fats Domino.

Robert Porter:
The mono and stereo versions of I Want You To Know are different takes.
"...I Want You To Know, as featured here [on the The Rock 'n' Roll Years 1958 - 1963 set], is a completely different take to the one on the mono album. The stereo version starts straight away with the vocals, whereas the mono issue has a short instrumental lead-in."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (1997 - liner notes for The Rock 'n' Roll Years 1958-1963 album)

Running Time: 2:29
Record Date: March 4, 1961
Record Location: Abbey Road, London
Written By: Dave Bartholomew & Fats Domino
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)

 

Here is the softer Fats Domino original. 1957 was a vintage year.

 

The Everly Brothers tried their hands at it. Another good version, with their trademark harmonies.

 

Millie Smalls, of "MY BOY LOLLIPOP" fame, recorded it in 1964. Probably the fourth best version... I grew up loving "MY BOY LOLLIPOP", though.

 

The last song is a suitably lushly orchestrated old chestnut from another pair of musical royalty, Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers, and it´s from their musical "THE KING AND I". This is a slightly melancholy song, and I think Cliff pulls this one off very well. I enjoy his recording of it - more than I expected to. A superior recording, I think. Cliff must have liked it, too, as he began performing it again in 2008.



From Wikipedia:
"We Kiss in a Shadow" is a show tune from the 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The King and I.
In this song, Tuptim and Lun Tha declare their love for each other, even though they fear that the King of Siam will learn of it.
In the original Broadway production it was performed by Doretta Morrow and Larry Douglas. In the 1956 film version it was sung by Reuben Fuentes dubbing for Carlos Rivas and Leona Gordon dubbing for Rita Moreno.

Recorded versions
June Christy
Holly Cole
Perry Como recorded on March 20, 1951
Vic Damone recorded on May 2, 1958
Doris Day
Martin Denny, Hypnotique, 1958
Red Garland Trio
Earl Grant
Debbie Harwood, Soothe Me, 2004
André Kostelanetz
Dave McKenna
Doretta Morrow and Larry Douglas on the original cast album, recorded on April 16, 1951
Cliff Richard, 1961
Sonny Rollins
Neil Sedaka (Oh! Carol: The Complete Recordings (CD 2 of 8))
Frank Sinatra recorded on March 2, 1951
Barbra Streisand, The Broadway Album, 1985
Andy Williams, Andy Williams Sings Rodgers and Hammerstein, 1958
Ahmad Jamal, 1961, 1962
The Luvs, (as We Kiss In The Shadow) 1965
The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, 1981
Kate McGarry

Robert Porter:
The mono and stereo versions of We Kiss In A Shadow are different takes.

Running Time: 3:22
Record Date: November 17, 1960
Record Location: Abbey Road, London
Written By: Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein
Produced By: Norrie Paramor
Engineered By: Malcolm Addey & Norman Smith
Performed By: Cliff Richard (vocals), Tony Meehan (drums), The Norrie Paramor Orchestra (other instruments)

 

Here is the original version from the stage musical.

 

And finally, the film version from 1956.

 

To sum it up, I think this album is a definite improvement over 1959´s "CLIFF SINGS", but not half as good as "ME AND MY SHADOWS". The show tunes/standards work better on this album, but the fact remains - the rock´n´roll numbers are still the highlights.

What do you think?

 

I had a suspicion I owned this single. After checking, I don't, I have his version of LOVE HURTS. This version of UNCHAINED MELODY is sadly quite disappointing.

 

I am a big fan of the Everly's. I'm not keen on this though, despite it being a number one hit, it's one of my least favourite of their singles.

 

I quite agree. I like both Alan Tarney and Leo Sayer, who, at their best, are truly great songwriters. (For instance, I love Leo Sayer´s sonsg for the movie "THE MISSING LINK".) And "UNCHAINED MELODY" is a great song, in the right hands.

Leo sings it well enough I suppose, though not convincingly, and Alan Tarney´s approach to the production of this song is overkill - and then some.

 

I like it, but it´s not their best song.

 

I played it so many times that I grew to love some of them, but, like you, I very rarely play it these days. It was nice to hear them again tonight, but I don´t think I´ll be playing them again for some time. (Though I will pick some of the favourites now and then. As a whole album, it gets a bit too sugary.)

 

While in the main I far prefer the songs with The Shadows, I don't mind this one. From the vantage point of 2018, it was surely a mistake to keep having these half-and-half albums with the Shadows and orchestras. I think Cliff would have been much more respected today if he had a string of Cliff and The Shadows, mostly self-penned albums in those pre-Beatle years. He could have a whole orchestral album separately if he wants in that time too - but I'm guessing it wouldn't have sold half as well. Cliff albums from 1959-63 were strange creatures.

 

I do wonder what she meant by a 'boy lollipop'... she did enjoy it though.

 

This one is OK. In fact, quite enjoyable!

 

I was just thunking the same thing about the half-and-half albums of the early 60s. As you say, I think his standing with the critics would have been quite different had they kept those projects apart, and continued to release albums with self-penned songs. I see what they were going for with the inclusion of standards, but I think they lost as much momentum as they gained.

Having said that, some of the standards he covered were very well done, so... I choose to view them as "bonus tracks" in his career. I think they set him back in terms of credibility, and he should perhaps have waited until he had the right kind of gravitas to record those songs. I think he got getter at them, culminating in his sophisticated cover of "SECRET LOVE" on an EP. But the rock´n´roll/pop songs were the meat and potatoes of his career.

 

(Whistling....)

 

Glad you like it, too! This one is elegant and polished in a good way, and Cliff seems to enjoy performing it. Glad I´m not alone in appreciating it.

He got things right with quite a few of the standards over the next two studio albums, especially "I WAKE UP CRYIN´" from "32 MINUTES AND 17 SECONDS OF CLIFF". S0me of them were also performed more as sing-alongs - "MY BLUE HEAVEN" - and that worked.

 

II have just watched the documentary and I really enjoyed it...