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CLIFF RICHARD TOURS

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Above: Richard in November 2009

Cliff Richard tours

This article is a document relating to tours by British entertainer Sir Cliff Richard, as well his tours with The Shadows and other performers.

Cliff Richard and The Drifters/Shadows tours – 1950s 5 Cliff Richard and The Shadows tours – 1960s 6 Cliff Richard (solo) – 1960s 7 Cliff Richard with Marvin and Farrar (feat Olivia and Pat Carroll) Tour 8 Cliff Richard (solo) – 1970s 9 Cliff Richard (solo) – 1980s 10 Cliff Richard (solo) – 1990s 11 Cliff Richard (solo) – 2000s 12 Major reunions between Cliff Richard and The Shadows 12.1 First (1st) Reunion ‘Tour’: Cliff Richard and The Shadows 1978 12.2 Second (2nd) Reunion Tour: Cliff Richard and The Shadows 1984 12.3 Mini Reunion Tour: Cliff Richard and The Shadows: 1985 12.4 The Final (3rd) Reunion Tour- Cliff Richard and The Shadows 50th anniversary 2009/10 12.4.1 DVD 13 Cliff Richard Film Premieres The Quintones – 1950s various one off gigs (1956–1957) venues=Cheshunt/London/Hertfordshire/South East England. The Dick Teague Skiffle Group – 1950s various one off gigs (1956–1957) venues=Cheshunt/London/Hertfordshire/S.E.England. Cliff Richard (solo) – 1950s May 1958, Oh Boy! (Jack Good’s TV Show) Cliff Richard and The Drifters/Shadows tours – 1950s The Drifters(H.Webb+I.Samwell+T.Smart) Mar 1958, Forty Hill Badminton club Ann Din Dance (one off gig). Harry Webb & The Drifters(inc K.Pavey+I.Samwell+T.Smart) Apr 1958, The 2i’s Coffee Bar, Soho (2 weeks). Cliff Richard & The Drifters(K.Pavey+N.Mitcham+I.Samwell+T.Smart) May 1958, Royal Ballroom, Ripley. Jun 1958, Gaumont, Shepherds Bush. Jul 1958, Astoria Cinema, Ware. Aug 1958, Butlins, Clacton-On-Sea. (session of gigs). Cliff Richard & The Drifters(H.Marvin+B.Welch+I.Samwell+T.Smart). Oct 1958, UK Tour(w/Kalin Twins) (CR&TDs as support band). Oct 1958, Big Teenage Special(w/the Mudlarks) (CR&TDs as support band). Cliff Richard & The Drifters(H.Marvin+B.Welch+J.Harris+T.Smart). Nov 1958, All star special, Metropole Theatre, London. Dec 1958, Big Teenage Special (w/the Mudlarks) (CR&TDs now as headliners from now onwards!). Cliff Richard & The Drifters(H.Marvin+B.Welch+J.Harris+T.Meehan). Jan 1959, UK tour. Jan 1959, NME Ann Poll winners All star show, Royal Albert Hall. Feb 1959, Chiswick empire (1 week). Feb 1959, Live at Abbey Road studios. Feb 1959, Manchester Hippodrome (1 week). May 1959, Chiswick Empire. Jun 1959, Davis Theatre, Croydon. Jul 1959, De Montfort hall, Leicester. (1 day). Jul 1959, Finsbury park empire (1 week). Cliff Richard & The Shadows[1959] Oct 1959, Radio Luxembourg. Nov 1959, Finsbury Park empire. (1 week). Nov 1959, Sunday Night at the London Palladium. Dec 1959, Liverpool Empire Theatre, Liverpool). (1 week). Dec 1959, Birmingham Hippodrome. (1 week). Dec 1959, “Babes in the wood” Pantomime, Stockton on Tees & ABC Regal, Hull. (1 week). Cliff Richard and The Shadows tours – 1960s Cliff Richard & The Shadows[1960] Jan 1960, Pat Boone Show ABC-TV (USA). Jan 1960, Biggest Star Show, USA Tour[#1]. (6 weeks). Jan 1960, Sunday Night at the London Palladium. Apr 1960, UK Tour. May 1960, Royal variety Perf, Victoria Palace, London. Jun 1960, Stars in your eyes, London Palladium. (until Dec 1960). Jul 1960, Radio Luxemburg. (Sunday night for 13 weeks). Jul 1960, Blackpool Opera House.(2 shows). Oct 1960, Oh boy, ABC-TV. Nov 1960, NME Ann poll winners All star concert. Dec 1960, Cliff’s old school in Cheshunt annual concert. Cliff Richard & The Shadows[1961] Jan 1961, UK Tour. Mar 1961, NME Ann poll winners All star concert. Mar 1961, Tour (South Africa, New Zealand). Apr 1961, UK Tour. May 1961, ITV Thank your lucky stars. Aug 1961, Tour (Sweden, Norway) Aug 1961, Summer season, Opera house, Blackpool. (until Oct 61). Oct 1961, Liverpool. Oct 1961, Tour (Australia). Cliff Richard & The Shadows[1962] Jan 1962, UK Tour. (until Mar 61). Apr 1962, NME Ann poll winners All star concert. Sep 1962, The Ed Sullivan Show, CBS-TV, USA. Oct 1962, USA Tour.[#2]. Nov 1962, UK Tour (until Dec 62). Cliff Richard & The Shadows[1963] Jan 1963, Tour (South Africa). Feb 1963, UK Tour. Apr 1963, The Ed Sullivan Show, CBS-TV, USA. Apr 1963, NME Ann poll winners All star concert. May 1963, Paris olympia, France. Jun 1963, Blackpool ABC theatre (until Sep 63). Aug 1963, ITV Thank your lucky stars. Sep 1963, Tour (Middle East) Sep 1963, The stars at night, ABC Blackpool. Nov 1963, Sunday night at London Palladium ATV. Cliff Richard & The Shadows[1964] Feb 1964, Sunday night at London Palladium ATV. Mar 1964, UK tour. (until Apr 64). May 1964, Tour (Europe) Aug 1964, Summer season shows. Oct 1964, UK Tour. Nov 1964, Royal Variety show, London palladium. Dec 1964, Aladdin Pantomime (until Apr 65). Cliff Richard & The Shadows[1965] May 1965, Tour (W.Germany) Jun 1965, ITV specials (x3). Aug 1965, UK Tour Aug 1965, Tour Europe. Sep 1965, Charity gig (rebuild Milton keynes church). Sep 1965, UK Tour. sep 1965, ABC Theatre Northampton. Oct 1965, Tour (Poland). Nov 1965, UK Tour. Nov 1965, Tour (Europe). Dec 1965, Cliff Richard’s Christmas cheer BBCTV. Cliff Richard & The Shadows[1966] Jan 1966, talk of the town (4 weeks). Apr 1966, Daily express record star show. May 1966, NME Ann poll winners All star concert. Dec 1966, Royal Gala, London Palladium. Dec 1966, Cinderella Pantomime. Cliff Richard & The Shadows[1967] Dec 1967, Aladdin on ITV.(Xmas day). Cliff Richard & The Shadows[1968] May 1968, Saturday Club radio BBC. May 1968, NME Ann poll winners All star concert. Sep 1968, Autumn Show, London palladium. Dec 1968, Season at London Palladium. Cliff Richard & The Shadows[1969] Oct 1969, Tour (Far East). Nov 1969, UK Tour. Cliff Richard (solo) – 1960s 1968 – Untitled Tour various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1969 – Untitled Tour various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1970 – Untitled Tour various countries with dates and venues (missing data)

Above: Bruce Welch, Cliff Richard, Brian Bennett, Hank B. Marvin.

Cliff Richard with Marvin and Farrar (feat Olivia and Pat Carroll) Tour

1972 – Japan/South Korea tour. (missing data) Cliff Richard (solo) – 1970s[edit] 1970 – “Tracks n grooves” album / Untitled Tour. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1971 – [no new album to promote] Tour. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1972 – [no new album to promote] Tour. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1973 – [no new album to promote] Tour. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1974 – [no new album to promote] Tour. Japan 1974 concert various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1975 – “31st February St”(?) album Tour(?) various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1976 – “I’m nearly famous” album Tour various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1977 – “40 golden greats” album Tour various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1977 – “Every face tells a story” album Tour various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1978 – “Green light” album Tour various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1979 – “Rock n roll juvenile” album Tour various countries with dates and venues (missing data) Cliff Richard (solo) – 1980s[edit] 1980 – “I’m no hero” album Tour. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1981 – “Wired for sound” album Tour. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1982 – [no new album to promote] Tour. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1983 – “Silver Tour” album Tour. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1984 – “The rock connection” album Tour. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1985 – [no new album to promote] Tour. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1986 – [no new album to promote] Tour. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1987 – “Always Guaranteed” album Tour. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1988 – [no new album to promote] Tour. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1989 – “Stronger album” album Tour. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) Cliff Richard (solo) – 1990s[edit] 1990 – [No new album to promote tour]. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1991 – “Together” album Tour. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1992 – [No new album to promote tour]. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1993 – “The Album” album Tour. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1994 – [No new album to promote tour]. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1995 – [No new album to promote tour]. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1996 – [No new album to promote tour]. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1997 – [No new album to promote tour]. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1998 – “Real As I Wanna Be” album Tour. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 1999 – [No new album to promote tour]. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) Cliff Richard (solo) – 2000s[edit] 2000 – [No new album to promote tour]. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 2001 – “Wanted” album tour various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 2002 – [No new album to promote tour]. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 2003 – [No new album to promote tour]. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 2004 – “Somethings Goin’ On” album tour various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 2005 – [No new album to promote tour]. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 2006 – [No new album to promote tour]. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 2007 – [No new album to promote tour]. various countries with dates and venues (missing data) 2008 – [No new album to promote tour]. various countries with dates and venues (missing data)

Major reunions between Cliff Richard and The Shadows First (1st) Reunion ‘Tour’: Cliff Richard and The Shadows 1978 London Palladium (only), 2 shows per night for a fortnight audio(EMI) as a single album on LP(vinyl), TC(cassette), CD. video(PMI) on VHS, Betamax and 12″ lazerdisc but not yet on DVD (officially).

The Shadows Hank Marvin(l/g), Bruce Welch(r/g), Brian Bennett(drums/perc), Mo Foster(bass), Cliff Hall(kb).

Above: Cliff Richard and the Shadows 2009

Cliff’s band

Cliff chose to end on modern late 1970s vibe rather than a ’60s trip down memory lane.! Cliff Richard & The Shadows play Thank you very much, The Young Ones, Move it,…(incomplete list)… Cliff Richard & his band play Up in Canada, Yes he lives, etc. …(incomplete list)… Cliff+Hank+Bruce(acoustic set) All shook up, etc. …(incomplete list)… The Shadows play Apache, Nivram, Atlantis, Shadoogie, LittleB, FBI, Let me be the one, Walk don’t run. Second (2nd) Reunion Tour: Cliff Richard and The Shadows 1984[edit] Wembley (London) & NEC (Birmingham) audio(EMI) only as a bootleg album on CD. video(PMI) on VHS, betamax and 12″ lazerdisc[Japan only] and DVD[EP](Shadows only). video on bootleg/pirate DVD. The Shadows Hank Marvin(l/g), Bruce Welch(r/g), Brian Bennett(drums), Alan Jones(bass), Cliff Hall(kb).

Vast improvement on previous reunion.!

Cliff Richard & The Shadows play Power to all our friends, Let me be the one, We don’t talk anymore,…(incomplete list)… The Shadows play Apache, Wonderful land, FBI, Nivram, LittleB, Equinoxe V, etc. …(incomplete list)… Mini Reunion Tour: Cliff Richard and The Shadows: 1985[edit] Knebworth audio as an album on LP, TC. video on VHS, Betamax(?) and 12″ lazerdisc. Notes concert shared with other groups/soloists e.g. Tears for fears. mediocre performance,only 2 tracks by CR&TS.! The Shadows Hank Marvin(l/g), Bruce Welch(r/g), Brian Bennett(drums), Alan Jones(bass), Cliff Hall(kb). Cliff Richard & The Shadows play 2 numbers…(incomplete list)… The Final (3rd) Reunion Tour- Cliff Richard and The Shadows 50th anniversary 2009/10 Audio (n/a on CD) Video only on DVD (so far).

Notes Re-recording of Cliff Richard and The Shadows Hits. Shadows use all red Fender guitars. The Shadows Hank Marvin(l/g), Bruce Welch(r/g), Brian Bennett(drums), Mark Griffiths(bass), Warren Bennett(kb/perc/guitar), Keith Heyman(kb). Cliff Richard & The Shadows play Young Ones,Move it…(incomplete list)… Cliff+Hank+Bruce(acoustic set) All shook up, …(incomplete list)…

The Shadows play Apache,Wonderful land,FBI,Sleepwalk,Dance On,Foottapper,Atlantis. To celebrate Cliff Richard and The Shadows 50th Anniversary since they first started. Both acts reunited for the very last time to perform 55 concerts in the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The tour was split into 3 legs. The first was the UK then they moved on to Europe and they will go on to Australia and New Zealand for the 3rd leg and finish in South Africa on 14 March 2010.

During the UK leg of the tour there were a number of Television and Radio Broadcasts across the UK promoting the tour and the new album (Reunited). Some of the television broadcasts included the One Show and GMTV. At the end of the UK leg Cliff and The Shadows travelled to Germany to appear on Germany’s Willkommen bei Carmen Nebel Show on 31 October to promote their new album. They performed I Could Easily (Fall In Love With You), Lucky Lips and their new single Singing The Blues. Also during the UK leg Cliff and The Shadows took part in various charity events up and down the country.

Throughout the UK concerts numerous celebrities were spotted watching the concerts. These celebrities included; Olivia Newton-John, Daniel O’Donnell, Tom Jones, Phil Collins, Marty Wilde, Dennis Waterman, Amanda Redman, Suzi Quatro, Brian May, Justin Hayward and Gloria Hunniford.

On 14 October 2009 Cliff celebrated his 69th birthday on stage at Sheffield Arena, where a sell-out crowd of 11,000 fans all sang Happy Birthday to him.

All proceeds from the final concert in the UK performed at Wembley Arena on 23 October 2009 went to charity. This concert was also recorded to be broadcast on BBC Radio 2.

After the UK leg Cliff and The Shadows took a well-earned break for 2 weeks before starting the European Leg of the tour. The European Tour went down well as they played to sell out crowds at every venue visited.

After the European Leg of the tour Cliff and The Shadows came back to the UK to make television appearances on The Paul O’Grady Show on which they played Singing The Blues, and The One Show on which they played their last ever performance together in the UK. They also played their first single together, Move It. Both of these appearances were made on 30 November 2009. Also on this day Cliff and The Shadows took part in a DVD and Album signing at the Oxford Street branch of HMV where they signed for more than 600 fans.

A DVD of the concert was made for worldwide release on the 9th November 2009. The DVD Filmed Live at the O2 Arena London went straight to #1 on the UK music DVD chart and #7 on the general DVD chart selling well over 50,000 copies in its first week alone in the UK, it has since spent another week at the top. It also debuted at #1 in several European countries including; Sweden (2 weeks at #1), Holland (4 weeks in top 5) and Denmark (4 weeks at #1). It has since become a hit in every country visited on the tour so far apart from Germany. Finland, Ireland, France, Norway and Belgium are all countries in which it has charted high on the charts. Added to all the success in the European charts it has also become a hit in Australia.

Since its release in the UK, over a 5-week period it has shifted more than 150,000 copies.

Country – Week 1 – Week 2 – Week 3 – Week 4 – Week 5

UK #1, #1, #2, #2, #2 Denmark #1, #1, #1, #1, Sweden #1, #1, #2, #3, Holland #1, #4, #3, #2, Finland #4, #2, #4, #4, Norway #8, #5, #4, Ireland #9, #10, Belgium #10, #4, #7, #10, Australia #12, #15, #9, France #19, #35, – – – Cliff Richard Film Premieres[edit] Jul 1959, Serious Charge. Nov 1959, Expresso Bongo. 1961-162 The Young Ones

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• Classic Album

Classic Album: Cliff – Cliff Richard And The Drifters

By Vintage Rock | July 19, 2020

• 10 minute read

Released in April 1959, Cliff Richard’s debut long-player was an electrifying introduction to one of the UK’s first ever rock’n’roll stars and proved that we could rock just as hard as those across the pond…

O n the evening of 9 February 1959 Cliff Richard arrived at EMI Recording Studios on Abbey Road in London to record his first album. With three hit singles and sold-out concert halls across Britain, Richard was one of the most successful homegrown rock’n’roll stars to date. The album would cap a whirlwind seven months of his rise through a string of hits and electrifying TV appearances.

With Richard’s initial rise to fame rooted in live performances, Columbia Records producer Norrie Paramor insisted on live recordings for the singer’s first album. Remote concert recording was an iffy proposition at best, and therefore staging a concert in Abbey Road’s largest recording room, Studio 2, seemed the best option.

With over 198 square metres of floor space and a ceiling two storeys high, Studio 2 was one of the largest recording studios in the world, more than adequate to host a sizable concert. For the album sessions, a stage was constructed against one wall of the studio, directly below the large glass window of the second story control room overlooking the recording area. Requiring an enthusiastic audience, Columbia sent invitations to London-area members of Richard’s fan club. Several hundred teenagers secured tickets for the two nights of recording.

‘The album would cap a whirlwind seven months of Cliff’s rise’

Also on hand were Richard’s band, The Drifters. While the group backed Richard on all of his live appearances, Paramor generally preferred to work with more experienced musicians for recording sessions. That had been the case for Richard’s first session with Columbia in July 1958 where half of The Drifters were replaced by session players. By the time of the album sessions, the line-up of The Drifters had changed. All of the group’s original members had been replaced for various reasons over the previous seven months. The current line-up — Hank Marvin on lead guitar, Bruce Welch on rhythm guitar, Jet Harris on bass and Tony Meehan on drums — was a powerful group of young musicians whose talent made up for their lack of experience. In just a few months, the group would change its name to The Shadows (due to a lawsuit from the US vocal group, The Drifters) and would gain a reputation as one of Britain’s greatest rock’n’roll bands with a string of instrumental hits. Furthermore, Paramor knew the chemistry between the singer and the band was a vital element in capturing the excitement he wanted on the album.

Eighteen songs were initially chosen for the two nights of performances with nine songs to be recorded each night. Move It , Richard’s first single and his biggest hit to date, was an obvious choice for inclusion, while his other original songs were rejected in favour of covers of popular American rock’n’roll tunes regularly featured at his live performances. British rock’n’rollers’ reliance on covers in live shows was not unusual at the time. Only a few American rock’n’roll artists were able to tour in the UK because of strict regulations on live performances by non-British artists. Live covers by homegrown artists were as close as British youth could come to seeing their American heroes in the flesh.

Rounding out the setlists for the two nights were a handful of instrumentals by The Drifters. Columbia Records originally signed Richard to the label as a solo artist with no provision for recording the band separately. After the success of Move It , Columbia reversed their position and signed The Drifters to a separate contract. The band’s first instrumental single was released just a week before the Cliff album sessions.

The first night of recording, and side one of the album opened with Apron Springs , a song originally recorded and released by the mysterious “Billy the Kid” on Kapp Records in the US. Although the song is often credited to R&B singer Billy “The Kid” Emerson (who did originate the rockabilly classic Red Hot ), the Billy the Kid in question was an unknown white singer whose identity has never been conclusively verified. How Richard learned the song is also a mystery considering the album sessions took place less than four weeks after the original version was recorded. Whatever the explanation, Richard delivered a supercharged version bringing the album roaring out of the gate.

The Willie Dixon composition My Babe follows. Recorded by Little Walter on Chess Records in January 1955, the song hit No.1 on the Billboard R&B chart and was released in the UK as the lead track of a Little Walter EP in October 1956. Although My Babe didn’t chart, it immediately became a favourite of British blues fans and gained further traction with rock’n’roll fans after Ricky Nelson’s version was released in the UK in November 1958.

Down The Line was written and originally recorded by Roy Orbison under the title Go! Go! Go! as the B-side to his first hit, Ooby Dooby . Although it received little notice at the time, a year later fellow Sun Records star Jerry Lee Lewis recut the song under the title Down The Line as the B-side to his hit single Breathless . Lewis’ version attracted Richard’s attention, becoming his favourite Jerry Lee Lewis recording and a standard of his own live performances.

I Got A Feeling was another perfect fit for Cliff Richard. Written by professional songwriter Baker Knight and a No.27 hit for Ricky Nelson in the UK in the autumn of 1958, Richard upped the tempo and delivered a harder rockin’ version than the original. The Drifters follow it up with the first of their instrumentals, Jet Black , written by bass player Jet Harris and debuting on the album. The Drifters would soon re-record a studio version for their second single in June 1959.

Richard jumps back into the show with Elvis Presley’s Baby I Don’t Care . Recorded for the soundtrack of the movie Jailhouse Rock , Presley’s version was first released in the UK on the Jailhouse Rock EP in April 1958. Richard demonstrates his mimicry of Elvis’ phrasing with his hot version, ramping up the tempo from the original.

Next up on the album is one of the two songs Richard and The Drifters recorded at a later, separate session without an audience. Both songs were ballads, the only two included on the album, and were recorded at a different session, presumably to ensure proper sound mix levels as well as Paramor’s desire to use the Mike Sammes Singers on backup vocals.

‘ Move It , Richard’s first single and his biggest hit to date, was an obvious choice for inclusion’

The first ballad was a faithful cover of the Ritchie Valens love song Donna . Released in the US in late 1958, the record hit No.2 in January 1959, and was popular in the UK, although failed to chart. Richard’s version particularly resonates considering a plane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa took Valens’ life only a few days prior to the session.

To close out the 9 May session and side one of the album, Richard and The Drifters ripped into his first hit, Move It . Written by former Drifters member Ian Samwell, it was one of the first truly authentic British born and bred rock’n’roll records to achieve huge chart success. The song was originally slated as the B-side of Richard’s first single with a cover of the Bobby Helms pop ditty Schoolboy Crush as the A-side. Plans changed when television producer Jack Good insisted Richard perform Move It for his first appearance on the TV programme Oh Boy! . Good’s instincts proved to be right on the money as Richard’s hot performance sparked a nationwide craze for the song, pushing it to No.2 on the charts in the autumn of 1958.

The next night, Cliff and The Drifters returned to Abbey Road to record side two of the album, kicking off the performance with the Little Richard classic, Ready Teddy . Richard’s love of Little Richard was plainly obvious considering the former “Harry Webb” had been inspired to adopt the name “Cliff Richard” partially as a tribute to his rock’n’roll hero. Richard followed it with Too Much , another Elvis Presley song. Released in the UK in the spring of 1957, the song became a No.9 hit for Presley and was a fixture in Richard’s live sets.

Similar to Apron Strings from the first night of recording, Don’t Bug Me Baby was another rather obscure rockabilly single from the US. Originally recorded by Milton Allen for RCA, the record was only released in the US. Presumably Richard learned the song from an imported single.

Richard took a break from the mic as The Drifters moved to the forefront again with the instrumental Driftin’ . Written by The Drifters’ lead guitarist Hank Marvin, the tune demonstrates an obvious Duane Eddy influence. Shortly after the Cliff album, The Drifters returned to Abbey Road to re-record the song sans audience for the B-side of the Jet Black single.

Richard re-takes the mic with a faithful rendition of Buddy Holly’s That’ll Be The Day . As with the Ritchie Valens cover from side one, the song carried extra meaning in light of Holly’s recent demise. The Drifters then moved back to the spotlight with a revved-up version of Gene Vincent’s Be-Bop-A-Lula . It’s an unusual track for a band primarily known for instrumentals, featuring harmony lead vocals from Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch, and inspired by The Everly Brothers’ arrangement of the song for their 1958 debut album.

Danny was the second ballad from the follow-up, audience-free session. As with Donna , cheers from the audience were overdubbed onto the beginning and end of the song to integrate it into the live recordings. Danny was written by American songwriters Ben Weisman and Fred Wise as the theme song for the proposed Elvis Presley film, A Stone For Danny Fisher . Elvis recorded the song on 11 February 1958 for the movie’s soundtrack, but after the film’s title was changed to King Creole, Danny was dropped from the movie. Demos of the song continued to circulate and eventually made their way to the UK where Richard picked up the tune, along with fellow Brit rock’n’roller Marty Wilde who recorded his own version shortly after the Cliff album sessions.

Elvis’ version was finally released in 1978, on the album, A Legendary Performer – Volume 3. to close out the second night of performances, Richard turned to another favourite from Jerry Lee Lewis, Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On . Originally recorded by American R&B artist Big Maybelle, Lewis’ version became his first hit single, reaching No.3 in the US and No.8 in the UK in the spring of 1957. Richard’s version captures the energy of Lewis’ version while toning down its lasciviousness, and The Drifters successfully transpose the piano-driven rocker to guitars through their hot arrangement.

In addition to the 16 songs featured on the final album, four more songs were originally scheduled for recording. The Elvis song One Night was definitely recorded during one of the sessions but was dropped from the final album. It would eventually appear on the 1997 Cliff Richard compilation album, The Rock’n’Roll Years 1958-1963 . Paperwork has surfaced indicating the Conway Twitty hit, It’s Only Make Believe , The Weavers’ Kisses Sweeter Than Wine and the Eddie Fontaine rocker, Nothin’ Shakin’ (But The Leaves On The Trees) were scheduled for the sessions, but master tapes have never been located.

Released in April 1959, Cliff was an immediate hit, rising to No.4 on the UK chart. The album was also popular in France, as Dance With Cliff Richard and released with an alternative cover. Although all the tracks for Cliff were recorded in stereo on Abbey Road’s BTR3 two-track tape machine, the album was released in mono only. Stereo mixes, which differed from the mono version primarily in the amount of crowd noise, appeared only on the Cliff No.1 and Cliff No.2 EPs, which each contained five tracks culled from the album. The full stereo mix of the album was not released until EMI’s 1998 reissue on CD.

Despite its lack of original tunes, Cliff was 16 tracks of pure, unrelenting rock’n’roll, establishing Cliff Richard as the UK’s first “authentic” rocker. Before Richard’s rise to the top of the chart, the majority of British attempts at recording rock’n’roll relied on teen idols primarily recruited for their good looks, established studio musicians and gimmicky songs bordering on parody. The breakout success of Cliff Richard confirmed British singers and bands could rock as hard as their American counterparts. The Drifters/Shadows’ eventual success as a chart-busting instrumental act inspired hundreds of British youth to form their own rock’n’roll combos.

Unfortunately, Cliff Richard’s first album of undiluted rock’n’roll also proved to be his last. Producer Norrie Paramor suspected Richard was capable of bigger chart success with mainstream pop, and the runaway success of the pop single Living Doll in the summer of 1959 confirmed his theory. Richard’s second album, Cliff Sings , released in November 1959, inaugurated the practice of splitting his albums between rock’n’roll songs backed by the recently rechristened Shadows and pop songs backed by the Norrie Paramor Orchestra.

Although Cliff Richard recorded more classic examples of British rock’n’roll, he would never again capture lightning in a bottle in the same manner as his first LP. Sixty years later, Cliff still brings rock’n’roll excitement to life with the simple drop of a needle. 

• Apron Strings
• Cliff Richards

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Musical History Tour

I'm losing my edge. I'm losing my edge... to the kids... with social media presences... and the hottest of takes.

Oct 19, 2013

• Cliff Richard and The Drifters - Cliff (1959)

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• Little Richard - Here's Little Richard (1957)
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• Richard, Cliff & Drifters, The
• July 1, 1959 Setlist

Cliff Richard & The Drifters Setlist at Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham, England

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Note: 8:45PM show

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3 activities (last edit by ExecutiveChimp , 5 Jul 2023, 00:26 Etc/UTC )

Cliff Richard & The Drifters

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Birmingham Town Hall

• Cliff Richard & The Drifters Add time Add time
• Cliff Richard & The Drifters This Setlist Add time Add time

Cliff Richard & The Drifters Gig Timeline

• Jun 30 1959 Cresta Ballroom Luton, England Add time Add time
• Jul 01 1959 Birmingham Town Hall This Setlist Birmingham, England Add time Add time
• Jul 01 1959 Birmingham Town Hall Birmingham, England Add time Add time
• Jul 02 1959 Odeon Theatre Leeds, England Add time Add time

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<div style="text-align: center;" class="setlistImage"><a href="https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/cliff-richard-and-the-drifters/1959/birmingham-town-hall-birmingham-england-73983a69.html" title="Cliff Richard &amp; The Drifters Setlist Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham, England 1959" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.setlist.fm/widgets/setlist-image-v1?id=73983a69" alt="Cliff Richard &amp; The Drifters Setlist Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham, England 1959" style="border: 0;" /></a> <div><a href="https://www.setlist.fm/edit?setlist=73983a69&amp;step=song">Edit this setlist</a> | <a href="https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/cliff-richard-and-the-drifters-43c923c3.html">More Cliff Richard & The Drifters setlists</a></div></div>

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[url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/cliff-richard-and-the-drifters/1959/birmingham-town-hall-birmingham-england-73983a69.html][img]https://www.setlist.fm/widgets/setlist-image-v1?id=73983a69[/img][/url] [url=https://www.setlist.fm/edit?setlist=73983a69&amp;step=song]Edit this setlist[/url] | [url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/cliff-richard-and-the-drifters-43c923c3.html]More Cliff Richard & The Drifters setlists[/url]

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