1963 Cliff Richard & The Shadows: The Next Time/Bachelor Boy

In following the chronological progression of Cliff Richard's output, what strikes me to date is just how little progression or change there actually is. Cliff, it seems, found the golden ticket early in his career and made little attempt to break free from its self imposed parameters. His American 'counterpart' Elvis shapeshifted from A to B to C over the same period, but Cliff doggedly ploughs the furrow he carved out for himself; taken from the 'Summer Holiday' film soundtrack, 'The Next Time' and 'Bachelor Boy' is a double A side that's dated 1963 but could just as well be from ten years earlier.

Another thing I've noticed too is that Cliff likes to plough that furrow all by himself. No matter what The Shadows are up to behind him, Cliff prefers to wander all over the melody like a drunk following the white lines home. 'The Next Time' is a case in point - the backing music is a hazy evocation of an empty 1930's ballroom haunted by the ghosts of memories slowdancing to a phantom orchestra (which suits a song that lifts chunks from 'Pennies From Heaven' for it's structure), but Cliff's textbook deep breath, sugar dipped skip remains positively earthbound and detached from the atmosphere about it, and that's despite producer Norrie Paramor dunking it in echo. It's not a bad song, and Cliff always seems more comfortable on the slower stuff than the rockers, but the slightly half finished, slightly half baked feel of the end product is not something I'd ever rush to listen to again.

'Bachelor Boy' is more old school still; despite a jauntier tune (borrowed this time from 'Que Sera Sera'), 22 year old Cliff declaring himself a bachelor boy couldn't sound more Victorian if it pitched up on a penny farthing wearing a top hat and walrus moustache. Which is presumably what his father was wearing when he doled out the advice "Son you are a bachelor boy and that's the way to stay. Son, you be a bachelor boy until your dying day." Why being a 'Bachelor Boy' and ditching girlfriends on the basis of this advice is considered such a virtue or recipe for happiness is never revealed, though the accompanying film sequence of him and The Shadows skipping around in what looks like a clichéd representation of male homosexuality adds several layers of not-inconsiderable sub-text to the plot. But whatever, there's a reserved politeness underneath 'Bachelor Boy's homespun wisdom that grates like a temporary tattoo or non pierced nose ring on some goody goody pretending that they're bad when they're clearly not - even Elvis at his cheesiest would have thought twice about recording this.