The soundtrack to my life
Cliff Richard with Ian Gittins
Ebury Spotlight, 2023
Sir Cliff is the only ever artist to have Top 5 albums in Britain in eight consecutive decades. In this book he chooses thirty favourite songs from different artists and tells us some personal stories about the person and the music. It is a pleasant read.
One track chosen is “When” by the Kalin Twins. Contrary to Cliff’s gentle image, he has a steely determination. In 1958 he was on tour with the Kalin Twins:
“Half-way through the tour, their manager took me to one side. ‘Cliff, you and your band are going down so well that it’s impossible for us to follow you’, he said. ‘Could we switch the bill around, please,” […]
It was a fair question, and a reasonable request but I didn’t for one second think of agreeing to it. [The newspaper headlines were saying: KALIN TWINS CAN’T FOLLOW OUR BOY CLIFF! Why on earth would I throw that away? […]
I guess you may be thinking this doesn’t sound like the ‘Goody Two-Shoes Cliff Richard’ people have been led to believe I am. But that’s never really been me. I’ve always been very driven in my career, and will always do whatever’s needed to boost it, even if it means being hard sometimes. The music always comes first.” Pages 119-120.
As a devout Christian, Cliff is assumed by the media to be judgmental. He turns out to be a lot less judgmental than the modern ‘cancel culture’ of so-called liberal society. Another track Cliff selects is Sam Cooke’s “You Send Me”:
“Sam Cooke had this remarkable vocal range and it sounded utterly effortless. […] You listen to some singers straining for a note and worry for them: Will they make it? That was never in doubt with Sam. […]
Sam Cooke was a troubled individual with a lively private life. He was reportedly a drinker, and outside of his two marriages, was known to have fathered at least three children in affairs with other women. […]
That kind of behaviour is obviously disappointing, but let him who is without sin cast the first stone. Let’s face it, nobody is perfect in their private life, so who are we to be judgmental? We are all flawed creatures, so how can we condemn, or cancel, artists for their flaws?” Pages 179-180.
Another song Cliff selects is, “It is no secret (what God can do)” by Elvis Presley. Cliff sang it when he ‘came out’ as a Christian at the Billy Graham rally in London in 1966.
“I hadn’t written a speech, but I knew what I wanted to say. So, I took a deep breath, and I began to say it.
‘I can only say to people who are not Christians but are still searching that, until you invite Jesus into your life, you’re missing out on so much,’ […]
I sang ‘It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)’ to then end […]
I showed that you can be a Christian and a rock and roll singer.” Pages 251 and 254.
Cliff also chooses Elton John’s “Your Song”. He writes how Elton has helped him over the years:
“I’m Nearly Famous was my strongest album in years. Its lead single, ‘Miss You Nights’, went Top 20 in Britian, and everybody was raving about its follow-up, ‘Devil Woman’. But EMI America had no interest in me. They’d never supported me, and decided they wouldn’t both putting the album out in the US.
Elton […] had his own record label, Rocket Records […] ‘your album is fantastic, and “Devil Woman” is amazing’, he said, ‘I want to release them in America.’ Pages 268-9.
Which Elton did, and “Devil Woman” got to Number 6 on the Billboard chart in the US in 1976. Forty years later, the single also got to a wider audience in a perfect scene placement in the 2017 film I Tonya.
At the most difficult part of Cliff’s life, Elton supported him:
“in 2014 I was falsely accused of historic sex crimes, a hideous ordeal which the BBC amplified by live-broadcasting a police raid on my apartment in England. […]
When those awful events began, I went to ground at my home in Portugal. I didn’t know, or understand, what was going on, or even what I was accused of having done. I felt like a leper, a pariah: incredibly alone. And the first person – the very first – who phoned me on that terrible day of the police raid was Elton John. […]
Elton was in bullish mood when he called. He said he knew the allegations against me were rubbish, and urged me to fight back against my accusers and the media. I’m not a big fan of the F-word, but Elton has never minded swearing. His memorable advice for me was this: ‘Cliff – go for their f***ing throats!’
And I guess that’s what I did. My lawyers and I rebutted all of the accusations, the CPS realised that the whole ridiculous case was the work of a fantasist, and I sued the South Yorkshire Police and the BBC and got damages from both of them.” Pages 273-4.
Cliff also chooses “I honestly love you” by Olivia Newton-John. Cliff and Olivia were great friends. When she died he was deeply affected.
“I’m still finding it difficult to get over losing Livvy. It remains an awful shock. I still tear up when I think I’ll never hear that cheery voice say, ‘G’day, Cliff!’ again. But one of the great things about being a Christian is that your faith sustains you. You know, in your heart, that death is not the end.
We will meet again. I’m sure of it.” Page 303.
April 2025
Adrian Vincent