Cliff Richard • Gee Whizz, It's Cliff! The Chart Hits 1958-62 LP (vinyl)
Gee Whizz, It's Cliff! The Chart Hits 1958-62 takes us back to the formative years of Cliff Richard, when he exploded onto the British music scene as one of the country's first genuine Rock 'n' Roll stars. This 20-track LP follows his remarkable early progression from the raw, rebellious energy of 1958 through to the increasingly polished pop sound of the early 1960s. It's the Rock 'n' Roll beginnings that make this particularly interesting, with Cliff helping to establish a homegrown British alternative to the American records dominating the charts at the time.
The first side gets straight down to business with the landmark Move It, followed by High Class Baby, Livin' Lovin' Doll and Mean Streak, before moving through Living Doll, Travellin' Light, A Voice In The Wilderness and Please Don't Tease. The second side demonstrates just how quickly Cliff's musical territory was expanding, with I Love You, Theme For A Dream, Gee Whizz It's You and It'll Be Me sitting alongside later chart favourites including The Young Ones, I'm Lookin' Out The Window, The Next Time and Bachelor Boy.
For anyone interested in British Rock 'n' Roll, Gee Whizz, It's Cliff! is an excellent snapshot of a crucial period. The 20-track selection brings together the raw early hits and the increasingly sophisticated records that followed, making it particularly useful for customers who want to hear how quickly the British music scene was changing between 1958 and 1962.
