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

"HITS FROM THE YOUNG ONES" was the next EP release, and it went all the way to No. 1. So, single, album and EP all climbed to the top of the charts. Reminds one of December 1988. This disc includes all the A-sides and B-sides from the film, with the exception of "WHEN THE GIRL IN YOUR ARMS IS THE GIRL IN YOUR HEART", which had already graced the "CLIFF´S HIT PARADE " EP. That allowed for the inclusion of "LESSONS IN LOVE", which is always welcome, as far as I´m concerned.

 

This hit EP was followed by "CLIFF RICHARD 2", which managed a chart placing at No. 19, despite having several hits to its name. STrangely, "50 TEARS FOR EVERY KISS" was repeated on this new disc.

 

The final EP release of 1962 failed to reach any charts, despite featuring three No. 2 hits, if we are being generous. Perhaps too many fans had already bought the two singles, and hence saw no reason to buy this EP?

 

1962 was the last year Cliff and The Shadows reigned supreme in the UK charts. They even scored a minor US hit with "BACHELOR BOY". Things seemed rosy. 1963 would continue with several successes - another No. 1 album, a No. 1 EP, a no. 1 single and another huge German hit. They even starred in the most popular film in Great Britain that year.

But there were reasons to worry. During the year, The Beatles and several other beat groups stole their thunder, especially in the US. (Though that wouldn´t really take off until 1964.) More worryingly - the "other" album released in 1963 was just a modest success, peaking at No. 8. (Though I should mention that the same album got to No. 5 in Norway. And I forgot to mention when writing about "32 MINUTES AND 17 SECONDS WITH CLIFF" thst this was the first album to chart outside the UK, according to Wikipedia. This was also in Norway, where it got to No. 13. We were good at spotting talent in Norway, it seems - only took us four years... )

Still, 1963 was a glorious year for Cliff and the boys. Worse was yet to come.

 

I was enjoying side one of this LP more than I remember until hearing this one! It's the backing vocals which drag it down for me. It could have been much better with just The Shadows (as most of the albums by Cliff in this era!)

 

Now, this one, I don't remember at all. A lost classic! Well, maybe not classic, but by far the best song on this second side of the LP. In fact, listening more, one of the best of Cliff's non 'A' side single releases of the decade. I think I need to re-do my compilation CDs to add this one!

A wonderful rediscovery! Thanks.

 

One of the EPs I'm still on the hunt for 'at the right price'. Which to be fair, isn't a huge amount... I like the cover.

 

Do you mean the "LIVE IN JAPAN" album or the studio album? I agree about The Shadows providing more suitable backing for Cliff. Listen to "I´M WALKIN´ THE BLUES" as an example - and there are plenty! Strange that EMI never utilised them more on Cliff´s albums.

 

That´s the reason we go through these old albums - there some gems along the way. I know we don´t always agree on which ones are the gems and which ones are the rubble, but that´s not important. Glad you also liked this one. An excellent album track. And, s I have mentioned several times, I think Cliff became a better singer as far as ballads are concerned around 1962.

 

Yeah, like the cover. I checked on Discogs, and they have No. 2 listed, and for sale at just above £5, but no trace of No. 1. No joy on eBay, either. I´ll let you know if I see it somehwere.

 

Sorry if it's been mentioned but 'Take Me High' is due for a blu-ray release in March via the Network studio according to Amazon. Like many Elvis films, for me, I just don't watch them as much as I'm getting older so it wouldn't warrant the upgrade.
Hope you are all well...

 

Thank you, When In Rome. We have commented on it and I have pre-ordered the Blu-ray. It´s a terrible film in many ways, but it is entertaining. (Maybe for all the wrong reasons. I´m still not sure.) And just FYI: Leo´s Den has information that this film will only get a Blu-ray release, and not a DVD one. Amazon.co.uk also has a DVD release on their pages.

Nice to have you back with us, When In Rome. (The album of the same name will soon be discussed - only a few albums to go.)

 

Single No. 20: 1963 February 15th Columbia 45-DB 4977
A-side: "SUMMER HOLIDAY" (Written by Bruce Welch & Brian Bennett) Running time 2:17 7XCA 26362
B-side: "DANCING SHOES" (Written by Bruce Welch & Hank B. Marvin) Running time: 2:09 7XCA 26363
Produced by Norrie Paramor



Charts
UK: No. 1 ("DANCING SHOES" charted at No. 25.)
Norway: No. 1
Sweden: No. 6
Ireland: No. 2
Australia: No. 3 / No. 1
Belgium: No. 5 / No. 1
Germany: -
The Netherlands: No. 2
New Zealand: No. 2
US: -

More chart action:
Canada: No. 1
Denmark: No. 1
Finland: No. 6
Israel: No. 2
South Africa: No. 10 ("DANCING SHOES" charted at No. 4.)
Hong Kong: No. 2 ("DANCING SHOES" charted at No. 6.)
India: No. 1
Spain: No. 1

Now, here´s another one of those songs you probably thought you never need to hear again, sort of like "THE YOUNG ONES, "CONGRATULATIONS", "DON´T TALK TO HIM" etc. But do you know what? Even though I don´t want to hear Cliff perform it live in every live performance he does, and nor do I usually pick that song to listen to... What matter it is, this song has charm and is almost impossible to really grow tired of. It´s one of those songs that seems to always have been there - an instant classic. And to think they didn´t even consider it good enough for the film! The single topped the charts, and was a huge hit almost anywhere. Except from in Germany, who more or less remained impervious to Cliff´s charms. (Seriously, take a look at the Wikipedia discography for Cliff´s singles - so many hits went unnoticed until "LUCKY LIPS".)

Anyway, this is a classic Cliff song - a career song, as Bobby Morrow calls them. And he would be right, as usual. I may not yearn to hear it that often anymore, but there´s no denying it´s many qualitites - and lots and lots of happy memories from childhood summers, and from the lovely film. Yes, I did call it lovely. It doesn´t aim that high, but it hits the spot. You can be as serious about "worthy" or "arty" films as you like, but "SUMMER HOLIDAY" is a sweet, sugary caramel of a film. Silly, forgettable - and yet so unforgettable. It´s all about charm. (And to be fair, this film contains one of my all-time favourite movie quotes, as spoken by Lauri Peters. I´ll get back to that one.)

Well, here it is. The summer song to top all summer songs.




From Wikipedia:
"Summer Holiday" is a song recorded by Cliff Richard and The Shadows, written by rhythm guitarist Bruce Welch and drummer Brian Bennett. It is taken from the film of the same name, and was released as the second single from the film in February 1963. It went to number one in the UK Singles Chart for a total of three weeks, as had the first single from the film, "The Next Time". After "Summer Holiday" had spent two weeks at number one, The Shadows' instrumental "Foot Tapper" - also from the same film - took over the top spot for one week, before "Summer Holiday" returned to the top spot for one further week. The track is one of Richard's best known titles and it remains a staple of his live shows. It was one of six hits Richard performed at his spontaneous gig at the 1996 Wimbledon Championships when rain stopped the tennis.
The melody of the song is used in the chorus of the 1986 rap tune "Holiday Rap", by the Dutch duo MC Miker G & DJ Sven.

Robert Porter:
"[Summer Holiday] found its way to the top of the best sellers, and quickly passed the quarter-million sales mark."
James Wynn (June 1963 - Hits From Summer Holiday EP)

"Two of Cliff's biggest hits-- Bachelor Boy and Summer Holiday-- were at least partly Bruce Welch's work... [...] 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. [...] 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. [...] [The Summer Holiday film] has two of Cliff's most popular songs-- Bachelor Boy and Summer Holiday. The latter, a delightfully gay and cheerful song, may well prove as durable as White Christmas. Certainly it was all still being played on the radio during the holiday season four years after the film's release, which is very unusual for a pop record."
David Winter (1967 - New Singer, New Song)

"It seems to me that I hear [Summer Holiday] every year. I suppose that as long as people go away for the summer, DJ's will get the requests!"
Cliff Richard (1985 - liner notes for From The Heart album)
"There was a famous publishing house called Harms Witmark, who were responsible for publishing film scores. The music for many new British film releases was handled through this company. When we made The Young Ones with Cliff Richard in 1961, we discovered that all the material we had written for the film had to be placed with Harms Witmark, so we lost out again. The following year, when Summer Holiday was made, Leslie Grade formed Elstree Music for exactly the same purpose, and all music written for the film was channelled through this company. Like Paul McCartney, I still don't own my three biggest copyrights-- Bachelor Boy, Summer Holiday and Foot Tapper. They are the property of Elstree Music, now a division of EMI Music. [...] I wrote the main title theme [to Summer Holiday] to Cliff's movie with Brian Bennette in exactly twenty minutes, after reading through the provisional script. It became one of my most successful copyrights, along with Bachelor Boy, and both topped the British charts and sold a million copies each. [...] With Cliff we also reached No. 1 with The Next Time, and Bachelor Boy, followed immediately by Summer Holiday, and we consolidated that success by scoring with Lucky Lips (No. 4), It's All In The Game (No. 2) and Don't Talk To Him (No. 2)."
Bruce Welch (1989 - Rock 'n' Roll - I Gave You The Best Years Of My Life)

"The years 1962 and 1963 were particularly successful, with When The Girl In Your Arms [sic], The Young Ones, Summer Holiday, The Next Time and Bachelor Boy, all lifted from the movie soundtracks."
Peter Lewry & Nigel Goodall (1994 - liner notes for The Hit List)

"Summer Holiday repeated the success of Please Don't Tease by returning to No.1 after dropping from the summit. [...] 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 8, 1963: Cliff's 20th single, Summer Holiday, is released and amongst the rave reviews is one from Keith Fordyce: 'Light-hearted, casual and happy, the mood of this attractive song is contained in the line We're going where the sun shines brightly. Top marks to all concerned, including composers Bruce Welch and Brian Bennett. [...] February 15, 1963: The single Summer Holiday is officially released. [...] 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. [...] March 8 1963: Summer Holiday tops the New Music Express chart. [...] March 15 1963: Cliff features in the charts of eight countries simultaneously:
The Next Time Number 2 in Israel
The Next Time Number 6 in France
The Next Time Number 10 in Norway
The Next Time/Bachelor Boy Number 1 in South Africa
Bachelor Boy Number 1 in Holland
Bachelor Boy Number 3 in Sweden
Bachelor Boy Number 5 in Hong Kong
Bachelor Boy Number 26 in Britain
Summer Holiday Number 1 in Britain
[...] April 12, 1963: In an interview, Cliff reveals '...we would never have released Summer Holiday as a single if it hadn't been featured in a film-- frankly, we didn't think it was good enough to stand up on its own!' [...] May 18, 1963: In the Hong Kong charts Cliff's Summer Holiday is No. 2 and Bachelor Boy is No. 6. In Norway Summer Holiday is No. 1, while 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. January 27, 1968: DJ Keith Skues selects his list of all-time Top 10 records which includes Cliff's Summer Holiday."
Mike Read, Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (1995 - The Complete Chronicle)

"The Next Time and Summer Holiday both [reached] the top spot."
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. Both tracks were remixed to mono on Wednesday 16th May and the following day a tape was sent over to Elstree. Paperwork exists stating 'Transport of this tape, TR90 machine and Mr Addey to Elstree, Mr Addey to assist in transferring two track mono to film.' A string arrangement featuring violins, violas and cellos were overdubbed to the master of Summer Holiday at a session held between 2:30 and 4:30pm on Monday 19th November. [...] The title track, and second single from the [Summer Holiday] movie, was issued in February 1963 just after the release of the movie. Entering the charts on 21 February it spent 18 weeks in the chart and followed the success of the previous single when it reached #1. Taking over from Frank Ifield's Wayward Wind the single spent 2 weeks at the top, was replaced by The Shadows Foot Tapper, also from the movie, and then went back to #1 for a further week."
Author Unknown (January 2003 - liner notes for Summer Holiday - Special Edition CD)

"He had 13 more Number Ones including Summer Holiday (1963), We Don't Talk Anymore (1979), Mistletoe & Wine (1988) and The Millennium Prayer (1999)."\nStephanie Condron (December 19, 2006 - The Telegraph)
"Summer Holiday, The Next Time and Bachelor Boy were all lifted from Cliff's movie soundtracks of the day, when Cliff was the #1 box office film star in the UK and elsewhere, at one time being more popular than Sean Connery's James Bond."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for The Hits: Number Ones Around The World album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)
"With the copyright on hits such as The Young Ones set to expire in 2012 and Summer Holiday in 2013 [a copyright extension] would definitely help Sir Cliff's nest egg if another 20 years was added-- that if he ever decides to retire, of course."
Unknown (2011 April 2 - Weekend)
"I don't necessarily have a favourite [song], as I love performing all those classic hits. If I were pushed, I'd say I'll always have a soft spot for Summer Holiday. It's a song that survived the decades and really encapsulates a forgotten era of the classic summer holiday. It was wonderful to film-- we had so much fun. But then, of course, there was Devil Woman and We Don't Talk Anymore, not to mention Living Doll... Miss You Nights... when you ahve been given so many wonderful songs to sing, it really is hard to pick just one."
Cliff Richard (2013 February 15 - The Lady magazine)

"Sir Cliff’s greatest hits include chart-toppers such as The Young Ones, Living Doll, Summer Holiday, We Don’t Talk Anymore and 1988 Christmas number one Mistletoe And Wine."
Unknown (October 10, 2015 - The Oxford Times)

"The rich musical heritage of Stockton’s Globe theatre has been recognised with the unveiling of a commemorative blue plaque by two members of The Shadows. The BBC blue plaque was unveiled on a temporary plinth at the venue before it becomes a permanent fixture at The Globe following the completion of its current restoration work. As a venue, The Globe not only saw some of the world’s biggest acts on-stage but also had the honour of being the place where The Shadows wrote their hit song, Summer Holiday. Guitarist Bruce Welch and drummer Brian Bennett wrote the classic tune when The Shadows were performing in pantomime at The Globe back in 1962. Bruce Welch and Brian Bennett from The Shadows who wrote Summer Holiday at Stockton's Globe Theatre returned to the venue to unveil a blue plaque to mark the event. Recorded by Cliff Richard and The Shadows, the single was released in February 1963 topping the UK singles chart for a total of three weeks. The song went on to become the title hit for the 1963 film stating Cliff Richard and Lauri Peters and continues to be a staple of Cliff Richards’ live shows. So it only seemed right and proper that the unveiling of the commemorative plaque was left to The Shadows’ Bruce Welch and Brian Bennett. BBC Tees managing editor Dan Thorpe said: 'We had a lot of interest in where the blue plaque would go and The Globe seemed a really fitting location.' Two members from the Shadows were in Stockton on Tees today visiting the Globe and Town Centre. A Grade II listed Art Deco theatre, The Globe played host to some of the world’s most famous music acts including Buddy Holly, The Platters, The Rolling Stones, The Animals, Cilla Black, The Beatles, Chuck Berry and of course Cliff Richard and The Shadows, before closing its doors in 1997. Currently undergoing restoration work overseen by English Heritage, the theatre is being restored to its former glory and will reopen at a later date as a major venue for music, comedy and other live events."
Jame Cain (June 15, 2017 - Teesside Live)

Running Time: 2:17
Record Date: May 5, 1962 (backing and vocals); November 19, 1962 (orchestra)
Record Location: Abbey Road, London
Written By: Bruce Welch & Brian Bennett
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), The Norrie Paramor Strings (orchestra and all other instruments)

 

There are many parallels to be drawn between the title tracks of two of the three BIG musical films of the early 60s. They all had a ballady kind of a title track on one side of the single and a really good rocker on the other. (The exception is "WONDERFUL LIFE", which did have a nice ballad on the B-side of "ON THE BEACH", but it wasn´t the title song. I still feel they may have missed a hit there, but "A MATTER OF MOMENTS" was also a good song.)

The "really good rocker" on the B-side of "SUMMER HOLIDAY" was "DANCING SHOES". This not only charted separately from the A-side, but it actually eclipsed the A-side in South Africa! And why not? It may not be as fondly remembered as the A-side, but it´s a great song. And a perfect choice for the B-side, just as "WE SAY YEAH" had been a year earlier. You almost get to thinking they had a formula worked out. Hm...



Robert Porter:
The original mono version of Dancing Shoes has never been released in digital (CD or download) format.

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)

 

And just for the sake of completeness - here´s the Wikipedia entry for the film. It was a major event.

Edit: Oh, yes. I almost forgot. My favourite line from the film is when Cliff and Lauri Peters finally get together, as we all knew they would. She was a stowaway masquerading as a young boy, but is soon found out. And in the end, she says soething to the effect that she had loved him, "ever since I was a little boy". Hilarious.

Summer Holiday is a British CinemaScope and Technicolor musical film featuring singer Cliff Richard. The film was directed by Peter Yates (his debut), produced by Kenneth Harper. The original screenplay was written by Peter Myers and Ronald Cass (who also wrote most of the song numbers and lyrics). The cast includes Lauri Peters, Melvyn Hayes, Teddy Green, Jeremy Bulloch, Una Stubbs, Pamela Hart, Jacqueline Daryl, Lionel Murton, Madge Ryan, David Kossoff, Nicholas Phipps, Ron Moody and The Shadows. Herbert Ross choreographed the musical numbers. The film had its World Premiere at the Warner Theatre in London's West End on 10 January 1963.

Plot
The story concerns Don (Cliff Richard) and his friends (Hayes, Green and Bulloch) who are bus mechanics at the huge London Transport bus overhaul works in Aldenham, Hertfordshire. During a miserably wet British summer lunch break, Don arrives, having persuaded London Transport to lend him and his friends an AEC Regent III RT double-decker bus (and not a later AEC Routemaster as often quoted). This they convert into a holiday caravan, which they drive across continental Europe, intending to reach the South of France. However, their eventual destination is Athens, Greece. On the way, they are joined by a trio of young women (Stubbs, Hart and Daryl) and a runaway singer (Lauri Peters), who initially pretends to be male, pursued by her mother (Ryan) and agent (Murton). The movie was a box-office hit, thus repeating the success of Cliff Richard's earlier film The Young Ones (1961).

Cast
Cliff Richard as Don
Lauri Peters as Barbara
Melvyn Hayes as Cyril
Una Stubbs as Sandy
Teddy Green as Steve
Pamela Hart as Angie
Jeremy Bulloch as Edwin
Jacqueline Daryl as Mimsie
Madge Ryan as Stella
Lionel Murton as Jerry
Christine Lawson as Annie
Ron Moody as Orlando
David Kossoff as Magistrate
Wendy Barrie as Shepherdess (as Wendy Barry)
Nicholas Phipps as Wrightmore
The Shadows as themselves

Soundtrack
There are 16 song and musical numbers in the film: "Seven Days to a Holiday", "Let Us Take You for a Ride", "Stranger in Town", "Swinging Affair", "Really Waltzing", "Yugoslavian Wedding", "All At Once", "Summer Holiday", "Bachelor Boy", "Dancing Shoes", "Foot Tapper", "Big News", "The Next Time", "Les Girls", "Round and Round" and "Orlando's Mime".
The film's producers felt that female lead in the film, Lauri Peters, was not a strong enough singer after several test recording sessions and all of her parts, both in the film and on the soundtrack album were dubbed by session vocalist Grazina Frame. Frame had overdubbed female singing voices in Cliff Richard's earlier film The Young Ones.
Cliff Richard, Melvyn Hayes and the Shadows were recalled to Elstree some weeks after completion of shooting to record Bachelor Boy. This was because the distributors felt the film was too short.

Release
Box office
The film was the second most popular movie at the British box office in 1963. However it flopped in the US, where it was released two days after the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

Cultural impact
The majority of the numbers integrated dance with song – not merely serving as scenes to promote a number of "hit-parade" songs. Ross, an American choreographer later became a film director in his own right.
Many singles lifted from the film including, title track "Summer Holiday", as well as "The Next Time", "Bachelor Boy" and "Foot Tapper" all reached Number one in the British charts during the first three months of 1963.
The film suggested to the photographer Daniel Meadows a way in which he might emulate Benjamin Stone and travel around and photograph Britain from 1973 to 1974. It was voted the 99th greatest family film in a Channel 4 poll.

Stage adaptations
Summer Holiday was adapted into a stage musical in the mid-1990s starring Darren Day in the role that Cliff Richard played. It premiered for a summer season at The Opera House in Blackpool in 1996, and then later toured nationally, before returning to Blackpool in 1998. The cast for these included Claire Buckfield, Isla Fisher, Hilary O'Neil, Peter Baldwin and René Zagger. It was also recorded and released on video, entitled "Summer Holiday-The Hits", which was all the musical numbers strung together by clips of Darren Day writing postcards to his friends, and describing what was happening in the story as he wrote.
The stage musical differs in a number of respects from the film version. For example, the route to Athens is via Italy in the stage version rather than the original film route via Yugoslavia. The songs also differ, and include a number of songs from Cliff Richard's other early back catalogue, such as "The Young Ones".
The stage musical was revived in 2003, starring Stefan Booth but later starring Darren Day again. This production also included Day's future partner Suzanne Shaw (from the pop group Hear'say) as Bobby and, as Shaw's mother, Aimi MacDonald. The production toured the UK.

 

And here are some picture sleeve releases:

 

Single No. 21: 1963 May 3rd Columbia 45-DB 7034
A-side: "LUCKY LIPS" (Written by Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller) Running time 2:43 7XCA 26428
B-side: "I WONDER" (Written by Cliff Richard & Hank Marvin) Running time: 2:50 7XCA 26429
Produced by Norrie Paramor



Charts
UK: No. 4
Norway: No. 1
Sweden: No. 1
Ireland: No. 1
Australia: No. 4
Belgium: No. 1
Germany: No. 1
The Netherlands: No. 1
New Zealand: -
US: No. 62

More chart action:
Canada: No. 8
Denmark: No. 1
Finland: No. 2
France: No. 7
Israel: No. 1
South Africa: No. 1
Hong Kong: No. 1
India: No. 1
Spain: No. 10
Switzerland: No. 1
Austria: No. 1

This song is so firmly entrenched as a Cliff Richard song in people´s mind that few people think of it as having a life before Cliff recorded it. But it did. Written by the famous and innovative team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, this song was first recorded by Ruth Brown, and then by Alma Cogan and Gale Storm - Yes, what a name! - and Dottie Evans. After Cliff, plenty of cover versions were recorded.

And why not? Though never one of my favourite Cliff songs, it´s a joyous, infectious and very commercial song, and you can´t help but smile upon hearing it. It´s a pop classic by all measures. Cliff had some thoughts and reactions about it stalling at No. 4 in the UK, though it was a huge international hit. Cliff and the boys were by now used to ruling the UK charts, but things were changing. He was even challenged by a song by Tony Meehan and Jet Harris´ new band. The two memebers of The Shadows had left the band, and were having hits on their own. A bit disconcerting, I can easily imagine.

I have to correct a mistake I made earlier, when writing about "BACHELOR BOY": I stated that this was his first US hit, when I of course knew that "LIVING DOLL" had been a hit in 1959, climbing to No. 30. Sorry about that. "LUCKY LIPS" became his third US hit, though a minor one, peaking at No. 62. Still, not bad.

So - was the writing on the wall for our heroes? Well, yes and no. Cliff and the boys were in danger during 1963, and even more in 1964, of being a forgotten teen sensation. And nothing smells worse than day-old teen sensations! But, just like Gale Storm must have, Cliff and his friends weathered the storm, and was never quite forgotten, and they even managed to have huge hits now and then AFTER they were supposed to have been usurped by younger and more talented bands.

And "LUCKY LIPS" was an extremely good move. It had proven its hit potential before, and Cliff and the boys distilled what made it work and made it even better - in chart terms. To score a hit with it in its land of origin must have been exciting. Yes, I did write that this was not one of my favourites, but I can see and hear that it´s a great song. It´s a song that has its place on all Cliff hits compilations-

Please read the Wikipedia information about the composers. These guys are two of the best!






The Composers:
Jerry Leiber: Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller - Wikipedia
Mike Stoller: Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller - Wikipedia

From Wikipedia:
Lucky Lips is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was originally recorded by Ruth Brown in 1956 and was successfully covered by Cliff Richard in 1963.

Ruth Brown and early cover versions
The song was first recorded by the R&B singer Ruth Brown for Atlantic Records in New York in September 1956, and was released as a single in early 1957. It was her second hit on the US pop chart, after "(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean" in 1953, reaching number 25 on the pop chart and number 6 on the Billboard R&B chart.
The song was covered by the white singer Gale Storm, as the B-side of her single "On Treasure Island", for Dot Records. Storm's recording reached number 77 on the Billboard pop chart. The song was also covered by Dottie Evans for Bell Records. In Britain, it was recorded by Alma Cogan as the B-side of "Whatever Lola Wants", which reached number 26 on the UK singles chart, also in 1957.

Cliff Richard version
In 1963 the song was recorded by Cliff Richard, whose version went to number 4 in the UK. It was more successful internationally, reaching number 1 in Belgium, Denmark, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, South Africa and Sweden. His version with German lyrics reached number 1 in West Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Richard was presented with a Gold disc by EMI Records for one million worldwide sales of "Lucky Lips".
Richard's German version, titled "Rote Lippen soll man küssen", with lyrics by Hans Bradtke, stayed at number 1 in West Germany for seven weeks and had sold half a million by the end of 1963. The English version also charted in West Germany in its own right before the German version was released.

Other cover versions
With lyrics in Swedish by Christer Jonasson as "Slit och släng", Siw Malmkvist scored a 9 week long Svensktoppen hit with the song from November 5, 1966 – January 14, 1967, peaking at #2. These lyrics reflects the society of Swedish in the 1950s and 60s. Siw Malmkvist also made a version in Danish, "Slid og slæb".
In 1969, a Catalan version, "Llavis de mel" (Honey lips), was included in "Tots Som Pops", the first LP recorded by the Catalan group La Trinca. The lyrics were translated and adapted by the writer Jaume Picas (1921–1976).
Estonian singer Ivo Linna and his band Rock Hotell recorded an Estonian language version titled Kikilips (Bowtie) about the article of clothing in 1980. His version has become a very well-known song in Estonia.
In 2003, Florian Ast released a Bernese German version titled "Schöni Meitschi" (Beautiful Girls). The song reached #7 in Schweizer Hitparade.

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

"This present record [Cliff's Lucky Lips EP] takes its title from one of Cliff's most recent Top Ten successes-- Lucky Lips, a bright finger-snapping opus on which he's supported by his brilliant, regular supporting outfit, The Shadows."
James Wynn (October 1963 - Cliff's Lucky Lips EP)

"He's making records that sell a damn sight more than Elvis does; and internationally he is a bigger artist than Elvis. Lucky Lips for instance was number one in eight countries, which is fantastic; it's like unbelievable. The boy is just very, very big."
Ian Samwell (1964 - The Wonderful World of Cliff Richard)

"EMI issue souvenir 'Golden Discs' to all artists who sell one million copies of one number. If all are called, few are chosen. Cliff has four of these—for Living Doll, Bachelor Boy, The Young Ones and Lucky Lips. They also issue souvenir 'Silver Discs' for sales of 250,000 and over, and Cliff has some seventeen of these, for such numbers as Living Doll, Travelling Light [sic], Voice in the Wilderness [sic], Fall in Love with Me [sic], Please don't Tease, Nine Times out of Ten, I Love You, Theme for a Dream, Girl in your Arms [sic], Looking out the Window [sic], It'll be Me, Lucky Lips, Don't Talk to Him, All in the Game [sic], as well as the four million-sellers."
Bob Ferrier (1964 - The Wonderful World of Cliff Richard)

"Lucky Lips is, of course, a gold disc and I can't feel other than warm towards it. I mean, it was one of those songs that I liked. And it was originally recorded by Ruth Brown and I heard it on one of those album packages that you could get that are like, you know, uh, A Treasure Chest Of Golden Oldies, I think it was called. And there it was, Lucky Lips on it. And I thought, 'well, that sounds commercial to me.' So we dug it out and the boys and I released it and recorded it and it was a-- I mean, we got a gold disc for it."
Cliff Richard (1974 - The Music And Life Of Cliff Richard collection)

"Lucky Lips is, of course, a gold disc and I can't feel other than warm towards it. I mean, it was one of those songs that I liked. It was originally recorded by Ruth Brown. And I heard it on one of those album packages that you can get that are like, you know, A Treasure Chest of Golden Oldies I think it was called and there it was, Lucky Lips on it. And I thought, well, that sounds commercial to me. So we dug it out and the boys and I rehearsed it and recorded it and it was... I mean we got a gold disc for it."
Cliff Richard (August 1980 - The Cliff Richard Special on 2HCR FM in Australia)

"With Cliff we also reached No. 1 with The Next Time, and Bachelor Boy, followed immediately by Summer Holiday, and we consolidated that success by scoring with Lucky Lips (No. 4), It's All In The Game (No. 2) and Don't Talk To Him (No. 2)."
Bruce Welch (1989 - Rock 'n' Roll - I Gave You The Best Years Of My Life)

"And I think the first time we ever superimposed onto anything was a single of mine called Lucky Lips, where we sort of meated up the backing vocal bit. "
Cliff Richard (June 3, 1991 - Cliff Richard - The Interview Australian CD)

"Cliff's popularity was maintained throughout the sixties through a succession of TV appearances, sold out concerts over the length and breadth of Great Britain as well as a number of hit singles that included Lucky Lips, Don't Talk To Him and Constantly."
Peter Lewry & Nigel Goodall (1994 - liner notes for The Hit List)

"April 27, 1963: Cliff's 21st single is released-- Lucky Lips written by legendary American songwriting team of Lieber and Stoller, and previously released in the UK by Alma Cogan in March 1957 on the 'B' side of Whatever Lola Wants! [...] April 1963: Lucky Lips is reviewed-- almost universally favourably-- and as one record critic puts it: 'Lucky Lips is not a new song. It has been tried on record before but never to the sort of success it is going to get from now on. Cliff takes the Lieber-Stoller shuffler and eases it onto your feet. Accompanied by the Shadows, he makes this a happy and extremely infectious release.' It'll take him high in the Top Ten once more. [...] June 1963: Lucky Lips peaks at No. 4 in the Record Retailer chart and No. 3 in the Disc chart. [...] June 22, 1963: Bill edge from Howard Street, Salford 5, Lancashire writes to the music papers on the subject of Cliff's current single: 'I think that it is a crying shame that such a great artist as Cliff Richard should have to go on stage and sing a song (Lucky Lips) which sounds like Elvis six years ago. I think that he should get some new songwriters. I could do better than this myself.' June 15, 1963: Lucky Lips is released in the US with The Next Time on the 'B' side. [...] July 20, 1963: Lucky Lips, coupled with The Next Time, is poised outside the American Top 100 at No. 116 just a few days after its release. Lucky Lips is No. 1 in South Africa, No. 3 in Israel and No. 9 in Hong Kong, also in the Swedish Top Ten. [...] August 2, 1963: Cliff enters Billboard's Hot 100 with Lucky Lips-- his first American hit since Living Doll. [...] August 9, 1963: Lucky Lips simultaneously tops the chart in six different countries: Norway, Israel, South Africa, Hong Kong, Sweden and Holland. In America's Billboard chart, the same track climbs from No. 95 to No. 89. [...] August 16, 1963: Lucky Lips continues to climb the American Hot Hundred chart-- a thirteen-place climb takes it to No. 76. [...] August 23, 1963: Lucky Lips rises to No. 69 in the Billboard charts. [...] March 1963: EMI chief Joseph Lockwood presents Cliff and the Shadows with a Gold Disc for one million worldwide sales of Lucky Lips."
Mike Read, Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (1995 - The Complete Chronicle)

"[Regarding the reason it is rarely mentioned that Lucky Lips was #1 in Denmark for 12 straight weeks,] I think... They always talk about the success [that Lucky Lips] was in Germany, because in Germany it was also #1 for many, many weeks. It was #1 in German... In English first and when the English version came away, we released a Germany version and then it became a hit the second time. So I think most people remember that and they forget all the other countries."
Cliff Richard (December 26, 1998 - Musikbutikken TV show)

"Taking its title from Cliff's May 1963 Top Five hit, the Cliff's Lucky Lips EP featured two recent singles, Lucky Lips and It's All In The Game, along with their respective B-sides, I Wonder and Your Eyes Tell On You, both of which are included here."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for Rare EP Tracks 1961 - 1991 album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)
"The non-movie songs that preceded and followed the Summer Holiday tracks-- It'll Be Me, Lucky Lips, It's All In The Game and Constantly-- kept Cliff at #1 in foreign territories..."
Nigel Goodall & Peter Lewry (2008 - liner notes for The Hits: Number Ones Around The World album in the ...And They Said It Wouldn't Last! {My 50 Years In Music} set)

"It unnerved him that Lucky Lips was not only beaten by From Me To You but by Scarlett O'Hara, the second single by Jet Harris and Tony Meehan who'd teamed up after leaving the Shadows. For someone who has always been concerned with his showing in the singles charts this was a public humiliation. He told Melody Maker that he became quite agitated when Lucky Lips stalled at number four. 'I went home and poured my heart out to Mum and shouted Lucky Lips isn't getting to the top.' You need someone to talk to. People thing that showbiz life is cushy. But Jet's right in saying that you need nerves of steel. You go to bed at night wondering if things will still be the same tomorrow, if you can still be at the top.' In another interview he as asked if he was buckling under the challenge of the new groups from Liverpool. 'I don't think it's that that has stopped me,' says Cliff. 'The record of mine just wasn't strong enough. Perhaps we have slipped into a rut. But it's not just a sound that sells records. They have to be good. We will just have to be more selective in choosing material. I'm certainly not going to be Beatled into making a disc just for the sake of it.' Getting into the lower half of the top five was hardly a distaster and the song became his best-selling single ever in Germany. But it was the start of press speculation about his future, particularly as the beat group boom was throwing up new acts every week. [...] Lucky Lips had hovered around the bottom end of the [US Billboard] top one hundred."
Steve Turner (2008 January - Cliff Richard - The Biography (revised edition))

Running Time: 2:43
Record Date: March 8, 1963
Record Location: Abbey Road, London
Written By: Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
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)

 

I bought the singles of "IT´LL BE ME" and "LUCKY LIPS" on the same day, and I therefore discovered the B-sides for the first time. As I reported earlier, I never fell in love with "SINCE I LOST YOU". I found it clumsy, square and slow. Today I enjoy it more, but I still think that it´s one of his weaker B-sides.

"I WONDER", however, I loved from the first time I heard it. Rhytmhically, it´s much freer and looser than "SINCE I LOST YOU", and there´s an almost latin sound to the recording. (Which is a plus in my book.) There´s also a rather dark undertone to the arrangement and I love all things melancholy. So... A smashing B-side, in my book. I was surprised to find that Cliff had been a co-composer of this song, with Hank. Surprised and pleased. I think it´s a lovely song. Not as good as the B-side of a certain 1964 single, but plenty good enough for now. Enjoy "I WONDER".

Unlike the two previous singles, this single´s B-side never chrated. A pity.

 

Here is Ruth Brown´s original version. The lyrics are slightly different, and the sound is a bit rawer. Great version!

 

Gale Storm´s version sounds like this. A paler version, in all kinds of ways. Weak, IMO.

 

Alma Cogan released her version on the B-side of "WHAT LOLA WANTS" in 1957. Charming, as always. But probably not hit material. Still, charming.

 

Dottie Evans also recorded the song. I now understand why Cliff´s version could chart as high as it did.

 

And I have to include our neighbours´ Siw Malmkvist 1966 Swedish version of the song. She is a national treasure - none better. Even Norwegians agree with this.

 

And we have to include Cliff´s German version, which sold half a million copies in Germany. "ROTE LIPEN SOLL MAN KÜSSEN".

 

A live version from 1963.