Cliff Richard today announced that he will release Rise Up, his first album of new material in 14 years, on 23 November. Sir Cliff Richard made the announcement from Abbey Road Studios where he recorded his debut single "Move It", which was released 60 years ago today. It was also announced that the debut single from Rise Up will be released on limited edition numbered 7” vinyl which also includes his original 1958 b-side "Schoolboy Crush".
Surely there can be very few people who can clearly remember a time when Cliff Richard wasn't singing and entertaining. For 2018 is the 60th anniversary of the release of Cliff's first single and his embarkation on an extraordinary life in show-business.
Rise Up is Cliff's 104th official UK release, and 44th studio album, although it's the first album for 14 years, since 2004's Something's Goin' On, that features completely new material rather than Cliff's unique interpretation of classic songs.
Cliff Richard's longevity in the music business has outstripped all of his 1950s contemporaries. He is not merely a singer, someone who visits a recording studio, sings a few songs and walks away. Cliff has endured show-business because he has so many talents; as a singer, actor, guitarist, composer, producer, and entertainer.
It was in August 1958, when Cliff was just seventeen years old, that "Move It" exploded on the somewhat staid British music scene, racing up the charts to number two; a considerable achievement given that it was written by a member of Cliff's backing band The Drifters, Ian Samwell, and the received wisdom was that American was best. Most artists were recording covers of tracks by American rock and roll or country singers to be released as their singles. This was the intended direction that Cliff's record company wanted him to take, lining up a cover of a minor Bobby Helms hit, "Schoolboy Crush"; but Oh Boy!'s Jack Good insisted that, while he really wanted Cliff on his television show, it would only be with the intended B-side, "Move It", or nothing. It was a shrewd move, because reversing the single to push "Move It" as the A-side ensured the song stormed the charts. It was fresh, it was innovative. And it was British.
