C'mon pretty baby - let's a move it and a-groove it

Continuing my trip back through the 1959 album charts.

15/11/59 : Cliff - Cliff Richard And The Drifters


No Elvis or Frank so far this year and we're already on to our second Cliff album - I'm not aware I've ever had to endure one of his albums with The Drifters, so I'm at least intrigued to see whether that makes any difference.

Well, I wasn't expecting a live album - but the screams are way too high in the mix and get really annoying very quickly. If only they'd put as much effort into recording Cliff, who often gets kinda lost in the mix - despite not being his hugest fan, I will admit he's got a decent enough voice but it could be anyone singing on this. The tracks are mostly rock and roll covers and include some instrumentals - there's nothing wrong with them (and some of the guitar playing is pretty good) but it's not something I feel the need for in my life and it just kinda passed me by. But check out that hair on the album cover though!

We're all the way down at #10 in the charts this week on his third week of a three week run, but he'd already had runs of 21 and 5 weeks earlier in the year, with #4 being as high as it got. The top five this week were South Pacific, Gigi, Cliff , My Fair Lady and Peter Sellers with no new entries or named women in the chart.

Wikipedia tells me that this is his debut album and that The Drifters are basically The Shadows before they decided to change their name. It is, as I perceptively noticed, a live album, but it's not what you'd think of as a live album these days because was recorded live in a studio in front of a couple of hundred fans. And that's about all there is to say on the matter and I'm happy enough with that.

"Customers also listened to" other Cliff Richard and Shadows albums - some people just have no idea what's good for them. This isn't a typical Cliff album though and it's neither bad nor good - I guess he was still working out his schtick, but it could be anyone really.

08/11/59 - An educational experience
22/11/59 - Surprisingly enjoyable

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