This week sees the release of a new 38 track 2CD and digital collection of Cliff Richard's hits, Stronger Thru The Years.

Cliff of course is Britain’s all-time greatest hit-maker. He holds the record (with Elvis Presley) of being the only act to make the UK singles charts in all of its first six decades (1950s–2000s). He is also the only singer to have had a No. 1 single in the UK for five consecutive decades. Indeed, he has occupied a place in the UK charts for the equivalent of over twenty years!

Stronger Thu The Years goes back to classic early hits like "Living Doll", "Summer Holiday" and "The Young Ones" (which of course was used as the theme for the TV show of the same name starring Rik Mayall and mates in the '80s) and, and perhaps of most significance to ILYOS readers, that great run of late '70s and early '80s hits including "Devil Woman", "We Don't Talk Anymore" and "Dreamin'"

Of course, there was a strong Australian connection to some of Cliff's biggest tracks of this period. Songwriters Terry Britten and Alan Varney - although British born - both cut their teeth on the great Adelaide rock scene of the '60s. Britten was the guitarist with chart-toppers the Twilights (who also featured Glenn Shorrock), while Varney was a member of the less popular James Taylor Move. They ended up in the same band together - Quartet - and moved to the UK. 

Britten, who also wrote "What's Love Got To Do With It" for Tina Turner, was responsible for Cliff's big 1976 comeback hit "Devil Woman". He became Cliff's guitarist and was the co-producer and main songwriter for Richard's 1979 album Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile, which reached No. 3 in the UK Album Chart and which included Terry's song "Carrie", which reached No. 4 in the UK.

Varney ended up co-writing both "We Don't Talk Anymore" (No. 1 in the UK and Australia and Top 10 in the US) and "Wired For Sound" (No. 2 in the UK, No. 4 in Australia) 

It's been fun revisiting some of these great Aussie-connected Cliff hits, as well as Cliff's '80s rerecording of "Living Doll", featuring the Young Ones as guests.

Listen to the brand new Cliff Richard album Stronger Thru The Years here on Spotify...