CLIFF RICHARD AND THE SHADOWS/CLIFF SINGS 33SX 1192 (-59) UK MONO

Sir Cliff Richard (OBE) is one of the most renowned and biggest selling British artists with fifty years of high charters and a total sale of over 20 million in UK and 250 world wide. Debute '45 - the 1958 "Move It" - reached #2 in UK and is considered the first British rock'n'roll record. "Living Doll" became #1 the following year and the first of a long line list toppers up to the 1999 "The Millenium Prayer". In the new millenium so far he's had eleven list entries whereof "21st Century Christmas" at #2 2006 and "Thank You For A Life Time" at #3 2008. So even if I don't listen to this LP a lot there's so much music history here and such a beautiful issue I could never let it go. The debute album "Cliff" (Columbia 33SX 1147) was recorded live at Abbey Road before 250 invited guests and minimal production. This second is more of a studio product with first four tracks on each side being rockers backed by The Shadows and the remaining four orchestrated ballads/evergreens with strings from producer Norrie Paramor's (1914-79) studio musicians. Today I get more joy from listening to the eight string driven cuts. The rock tracks comes through neat and almost well-behaved in comparison to many contemporary US acts. It's more cajoling than beating and leaves me unconcerned. The ballads on the other hand are perfectly arranged and produced and the audio has that fifties warm glow, depending on old type valve (tube) equipments and analog handeling. Originally mixed in both mono and stereo, but this first issue was mono only. Premiere UK had label as shown here and laminated flip/back cover. (MÖRS*)(FÖGÄ*)(CXÄ*)