Cliff Richard will be 86 in a few weeks’ time and Britain’s original rock n’ roller is still working and releasing records. In fact, he’s announced that he’s got a new covers album later this autumn.
And it has a theme. Only Number Ones features twelve songs by other artists that have reached Number One in the UK singles charts. In a statement Cliff said: "I suggested to Warner Music that I record an album of songs that made it to number one. Thank heavens they agreed! I listened to dozens of songs and chose 12 of my favourites.”
"This record is my tribute to fabulous artists who had recorded wonderful tracks that achieved the number one position."
So with 1457 different songs to choose from, what has the singer gone for? Well, he’s included tracks by his contemporaries: Return To Sender by Elvis, All I Have To Do Is Dream by the Everly Brothers and Roy Orbison’s Oh Pretty Woman. The most recent inclusion is Harry Styles' 2017 chart topper Sign Of The Times.
There are also a few choices that nod towards Cliff’s own spiritual beliefs - Spirit In The Sky, I’m A Believer (made famous by The Monkees) and George Harrison’s My Sweet Lord - as well as a song that you cannot believe has never elicited a high profile cover until now: David Soul’s 1977 chart topper Don’t Give Up On Us.
In other Cliff news, his 1976 hit Devil Woman has been included on the soundtrack to the much-anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6. This time around the series which, among other things, is known for its hipper-than-hip soundtracks, has decided to include a few selections which might leave some older gamers open-mouthed.
Along with Devil Woman, mid-1970s MOR duo Captain and Tennille are in with their 1980 deep cut But I Think It’s A Dream, as are the Bellamy Brothers with Let Your Love Flow and Wang Chung with Everybody Have Fun Tonight.
Many of those have already received huge boosts in terms of Spotify plays just by being included in the GTA6 trailer, which is up online now. Devil Woman has increased its plays on the platform by 325%. Another surprise inclusion, Prefab Sprout’s 1988 single Cars And Girls, leapt by 530% and the Captain And Tennille track went up by a whopping 130,730%.
Proof, if proof were needed, that among Gen Z at least, musical snobbery is increasingly a thing of the past.
