Search - Richard Cliff :: 21 Today 32 Minutes & 17 Seconds

Rock'n' roll will never die

Paul André WHITE | st,elie, canada | 03/25/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"when I attended an rock'n'roll show in Montreal, in the fall of 1958,

there were well known stars like Buddy Holly, Dion and the Belmont,

Frankie Avalon, Fabian, Duane Eddy, etc....but the ones that shook the

arena were Cliff Richard and the Shadows, unknown to that day in America.

Cliff Richard is to Europe what Elvis was to America.

Those two albums cd, are part, middle of the road with orchestra, and

part rock'n'roll with Cliff and the Shadows, and for me, it's the rock'n'

roll section that is really worth listening to, especially "40 days" and

"tough enough". The intro theme " happy birthday" with the Shadows has

been a family favorite since the early sixties, as the mother would bring

the birthday cake with candles, we would play the "happy birthday" tune

from the 21 today album.

Two years ago, my 3 sons and I came to a Mark Knopfler concert in

Montreal, and Mark Knopfler told us his all-time hero was Hank Marvin,

lead guitar of the Shadows, and his red strat guitar, the same as used

by Marvin, and since then, the kids have dug out my old albums of Cliff

and the Shadows, and have learned to really like the British king of

rock'n'roll and the Shadows.

I highly recommend this album to fans of rock'n'roll guitar playing

groups of that period, as its influence can be heard around again, today,

and to us, old rockers, it shows us that rock'n'roll will never die."

Cliff rocks and croons

Visigoth | Belton, Tx USA | 06/14/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For Americans lucky enough to have been exposed to Cliff and the Shadows back in the early 60's, this is an excellent cd, which shows what the guys are all about. Although for some crazy reason/reasons, America was strictly Elvis, as I was before going to Germany with the armed forces and hearing Cliff and the Shadows on Radio Lux at night. I purchased all of their music at the local German record stores and consider myself lucky. Cliff is not Elvis. He is Cliff and as far as I am concerned, he stands right beside the King of Rock'n Roll. Whether he's rockin' or delivering a ballad, he is just as good as Elvis. The Shadows have no peers, either. I have been offended by reviews of Shadows'

music in that they are called Ventures sound alikes. The Ventures imitated but were never as good as The Shadows. If you want to know what good British rock sounds like in those wonderful formative years before the Fab Four, then get your hands on Cliff and the Shadows. You won't be sorry.

"

Cliff and the guys always thrilled the masses--what a happen

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 02/25/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Cliff Richard has often been referred to as Britain's version of Elvis Presley; and they are right. Cliff's voice is rather striking; it has a strong masculinity yet there is just a hint of vulnerability that endears him to millions of people. This two-fer CD has all the songs from two of Cliff Richard's record albums entitled 12 Today and 32 Minutes & 17 Seconds. We get a whopping thirty tracks on this CD; and the artwork is very well done, too.



A lot of these tunes were recorded when Cliff Richard worked with The Shadows; and their work is very memorable. "Forty Days" has an early rock and roll sound that is absolutely irresistible and I love it! "How Wonderful To Know" is a striking love ballad that places Cliff squarely in the spotlight--right where he belongs! "How Wonderful To Know" is a major highlight of this album. "Fifty Tears For Every Kiss" is just right for slow dancing with your sweetheart all alone late at night in your living room; and I really like Cliff Richard & The Shadows performing "Poor Boy." "Poor Boy" has an elegant arrangement that mixes early rock with a classic pop vocal type of tune and I'm very impressed. Moreover, "Tea For Two" by Cliff Richard & The Shadows charms me with its beauty; Cliff Richard & The Shadows never miss a beat and they prove their wide range of talent by again taking a classic pop vocal tune and mixing it with a touch of early rock and roll. Great!



"My Blue Heaven" is another major highlight of this album; I really like "My Blue Heaven." Cliff Richard & The Shadows do this without a superfluous note and they really put their hearts and souls into this ballad. Listen also for "How Long Is Forever;" "How Long Is Forever" showcases Cliff's very special ability to perform a love song and charm the birds right out of the trees. "Blueberry Hill" by Cliff Richard & The Shadows would make any American rocker green with envy--not to mention Louis Armstrong, too! "When My Dream Boat Comes Home" again highlights the way Cliff Richard & The Shadows could bat a tune straight out of the ballpark; and it has a very good arrangement for the piano. "Spanish Harlem" is a great hit and very pretty; and there's also "Falling In Love With Love" which has Cliff outdoing even himself--the musical accompaniment is both lush and just right to go along with Cliff's vocals. "Who Are We To Say" gets the royal treatment from Cliff and the percussion enhances the arrangement; and the CD ends quite nicely with Cliff Richard performing "I Wake Up Cryin'." "I Wake Up Cryin'" is a torch song that leaves me wanting more.



Cliff Richard did great work both solo and with The Shadows; goodness knows how much better we are off for their sharing their talents with us. It's a shame that Americans didn't know Cliff Richard much, much sooner; but now that people like me have discovered him hopefully his legendary status will grow even bigger."