Released - October 2023 on https://www.bear-family.com/
Reviewed – October 25th by Rockin Rebel -Host of Slap That Bass Radio Show on Rockabilly Radio
Buy the album here: https://www.bear-family.com/richard-cliff-dynamite-the...
Review When it comes to Vintage music releases then there is nobody better than this label. Every single release gets the full works, from the remastering to the covers. 1975 saw the birth of the label by Mr Richard Weize, a record collector from Bad Gandersheim in Germany. With over 600 releases of which 400+ are re-issues of classic albums from the world’s top artists. For the edition they have chosen the Peter Pan of pop himself, Sir Cliff Richard. The cd includes the best of Cliff’s Rockin career between the years 1958-62. The years when Cliff was top of the charts with his band the Shadows (formally the Drifters). Cliff's look and sneer with a curled lip gave him the name the British Elvis. Here you will find 34 classics from cliff, all remastered to the highest quality and production, it comes with a 40-page booklet with all the Studio recording information and an insight to those classic sessions. Cliff Richard and the Drifters/Shadows Cliff Richard – lead vocals Hank Marvin – lead guitar Bruce Welch – rhythm guitar Jet Harris – bass guitar Tony Meehan – drums Track by track Nine Times Out Of Ten (Hall-Blackwell) The 1960 release of one of cliff best rock n roll tracks. Reached number 3 on the UK charts. According to sources this was the second choice release voted by Cliff’ss fans, who preferred Please Don’t Tease. It features Cliff Richard – vocals, Hank Marvin – lead guitar, Bruce Welch – rhythm guitar, Jet Harris – bass guitar and Tony Meehan – drums. Never Mind A much under played flip side from Cliff, this was a late 1959 release and was chosen to be the flip side to the more Rockin Mean Streak. Still releasing under the name Drifters. My Feet Hit the Ground Written by: Tyron Carlo, Gwendolyn Fuqua, Berry Jnr Gordy. Recorded in October and released in November for this second flip side Rockin track. This was the second release for the band. The A-side was High Class Baby. Pointed Toe Shoes 1960 release as a EP in Spain, featured on a few cliff albums. The Label La Voz De Su Amo , very rare this is played yet it’s a belter of a song. Don't Bug Me Baby First appeared on the 1959 album “Cliff” the original by Milton Allan was from 1957. This is Cliff doing what Cliff did best: sending them girls screaming. Blue Suede Shoes Recorded 1959 at Abbey Road Studios, London. And just like many cliff tracks this was Produced by Norrie Paramor. This remastered version is of very high quality. Mumblin' Mosie 1961 releases and this was the flip side to a “Theme for a Dream” written by J. Otis whose real name is Ioannis Alexandros Veliotis. This is a great hand clapping side slapping track. I Cannot Find A True Love A great Rockin track with a soft tender intro, then Cliff rocks the track. this was the A-Side but the bigger hit was on the flip side, Gee Wizz Its You. Cliff sang this track on his tv show in 1960. Move It Well, what can we say about this awesome track, classed as the first rock n roll track plus influenced numerous artists. A track that is much played and recorded by bands and artist. Tough Enough From the album 21 today released in 1961. A great Rockin track sometimes overlooked due to it being an album track. but it's definitely up there with the hits. Got A Funny Feeling This is my favourite track from all of Cliff's releases. It's catchy, a Rockin ballad. Written by Welch and Marvin from the shads. Released in many formats and different times right up to 1962. Featured in the 1961 The Young Ones. High Class Baby. Great rock n roll track, but at that time cliff didn’t want to record it. It was also banned by the BBC for advertising a certain motor car (Cadillac) Recorded in 1958 Gee Whiz It's You Released only as an album track for this 1961 cracker. it became Cliff's 13th single". And the first European single to chart in the UK. Choppin' 'n' Changin' Never released in the uk as a single of this ABC-Paramount jiver from 1960. It was the flip side to “I Cannot Find A True Love” in Greece in the same year. Livin' Lovin' Doll Another cliff classic from 1959 released in January from a session recording in 1958 (see accompanying booklet) only charted at number 20 in the uk Ready Teddy A song made famous by Little Richard in 1956 and became a track many artists would come to record. Not many know that Sir Cliff recorded and released it as a single in 1964. Mean Streak Cliff’s fourth single from 1959, a great rockin track that remains still being played today. This remastered version is very nice. She's Gone Track five from the 1960 album, Me and My Shadows, no singles were planned for the UK. All details are contained in the booklet supplied. What'd I Say Opening track on the third studio album “Listen to Cliff” a great version with a different intro than most. Apron Strings Recorded on February 9, 1959, Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London (Live in the studio)used by shakin stevens as the flip side to his 1980 hit Hot Dog. Down the Line From the album “Cliff" from 1959, the album release is mono and the single release on the EP, was in stereo. Twenty Flight Rock A rendition on the 1959 debut album Cliff Sings. All details found in the booklet. Dynamite Once again, a great rock n roll classic from cliff, it was the flip side to “Travelin Light” in 1959. written by Ian Samwell, who wrote several songs for Cliff and the group. "Dynamite" was also released as an EP in Spain in 1959, Baby I Don't Care Recorded on March 14, 1959. released on the CD, “Let Me Tell You Baby... It's Called Rock 'n' Roll! Album” in 2012. Written By regular writers for the Elvis camp,Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller Mad About You From the 1959 feature film Serious Charge.It was also an EP release in the same year, although in the film you don’t see Cliff singing the track, just audio of the track. We Say Yeah Double hit for this release as both “the Young Ones single and the flip side of “We Say Yeah”reached number one. The flip side however did better across Europe. Please Don't Tease "Please Don't Tease" was included on the EP Cliff's Silver Discs in December 1960. and also was on Cliff's Hit Album, released in July 1963. Mean Woman Blues Featured on the 1959 album “Cliff Sings" plus the EP of the same title in 1960. Whole Lotta Shaking Goin' On Closing track of this 1959 release of this live recording. The Snake And The Bookworm The more obscure of the tracks by cliff, written by the famous duo Mort Shuman and Doc Pomus and only ever maintained as an album track. Forty Days Released in the UK and throughout Europe in 1962, this classic Chuck Berry hit. I believe its slightly more up tempo that the original, brilliant Rockin track Do You Wanna Dance Many believe that Cliff was the original singer of this track, but no it was recorded first by its writer Bobby Freeman in 1958. Cliff and the shadows recorded it some four years later in 1962 and was actually the B-Side to the ballad "I'm Looking out the Window. My Babe Written by the great Willie Dixon and recorded in 1959 by cliff. No Turning Back Released as a single in Denmark with mad about you as its flip side along with the USA released in 1961. It was unofficially released in the uk Summary What an album this is, its so clear you think your in the studio. 34 remastered classics from the then the UKs Elvis. Not forgetting the backing musicians, the shadows formally, the Drifters. The 40-page booklet is so full of information its worth buying just for that. They ruled the pop scene long before the like of the beatles and rolling stones and here is 34 reasons why. Recommendation It's a high quality well produced and re-mastered album by the world's best. Brilliant album of our very own Cliff Richard Bio from label Britain’s top selling beat group was unquestionably Cliff Richard and The Shadows. Starting out as The Drifters, the group pushed Cliff into the spotlight and opened their recording account with Move It!- one of the best and most important British pop records of the 20th century.
By the time the group released their follow-up single High Class Baby, Cliff had been voted the best newcomer in a readers pop poll and the New Musical Express was soon railing against "The most crude exhibitionism ever seen on British TV" and asking "Is Cliff too sexy?". Before the following year was out, Cliff had toned down his 45 releases with Living Doll and Travellin’ Light but he still found time along the way to detonate a few explosive tracks and it is those up-tempo numbers such as Dynamite and Choppin' 'n' Changin' that feature on the latest CD in Bear Family's ‘The Brits Are Rocking’ series. There are no Summer Holidays, no Bachelor Boys, no Mistletoe and Wine and definitely no Living Dolls. Well, there is a Livin' Lovin' Doll but don't panic, she's mean and nasty and bopping at the hop. Let's face it, Cliff, Hank, Bruce, Jet and Tony should have been in the ‘Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame’ decades ago. Here's the proof....
YOUTUBE:https://youtu.be/IwzdkEDt0fs
