Cliff Richard - I'm Nearly Famous (1976)

(U.K 1958 - Present)
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.I'm Nearly Famous is particularly apt for an artist who has rarely been out of the charts since 1958.
Born Harry Rodger Webb, Lucknow India, October 14, 1940, after leaving school, Cliff Richard played part time in a band called "The Drifters" which would later be known as "The Shadows".
Signed to EMI Records, the starting point of his career was in September 1958 with the release Move It. It quickly moved to No.2 in the U.K. Charts, and stayed there for 17 weeks.
Between Move It in 1958 and Devil Woman in 1976, Cliff chalked up 65 hit singles in the U.K., including nine No.l singles, 32 Top 10 - a remarkable achievement.

"Devil Woman" from this CD, I'm Nearly Famous, became one of his most successful singles in the U.S. It reached No.6 on the U.S. Billboard Charts, No.5 in the U.K., and No.3 in Australian Charts in September 1976. It also gave Cliff his first gold disc in the USA.

That year also saw Cliffs recordings released in the USSR and a tour in September, where he received a tremendous reception in Leningrad and Moscow, playing to approximately 91,000 people.
Cliff Richard's career spans two decades, and as we move through the 80's, Cliff continues to dominate the charts in Australia and in the UK. [liner notes]

Album Review (by Dave Thompson)
I'm Nearly Famous is the album which marked Cliff Richard's return from the commercial and, in many ways, creative void which had consumed him since the end of the 1960s. 

Recorded with former Shadow Brian Bennett in the production chair and boasting the most consistently excellent clutch of songs and performances Richard had mustered in over a decade, the album was previewed by the lovely "Miss You Night," opened with the neo-disco "I Can't Ask for Anything More," and peaked with "Devil Woman," a rocker which became his first ever U.S. Top Ten hit. 

But they were simply the best-known standouts. "It's No Use Pretending" was an anthemic ballad with more than a hint of Elton John around its execution -- quite coincidentally, it was John's Rocket label which oversaw the album's American release. From the same writing team of Michael Allison and Peter Sill, the riff sodden rocking title track, too, has ghosts of John around it -- think "Crocodile Rock" meets "Bennie & the Jets." 

The tide flows both ways, however. Of course the two artists sound alike, but there was a time, when John was first breaking through, when a lot of people thought he sounded like Richard. Chicken? Meet the egg. There are a couple of less than stellar moments -- "Lovers" is basic big ballad by numbers, "Junior Cowboy" is the kind of ersatz country rocker which Richard had done much better in the past. What's important, however, is that once these would have been the highlights of a new Richard album; either that, or indistinguishable from all the other ballads and country rockers on board. 

This time around, they were simply a lull before the next masterpiece rolled out. I'm Nearly Famous rates, alongside David Cassidy's The Higher They Climb, among the most surprising albums of the mid-1970s, a record which was made in the face of both critical hostility and public indifference, yet managed to completely redefine its creator in the eyes of both. Cassidy, of course, never followed up his renaissance. Richard, on the other hand, hasn't looked back since.

This post consists of FLACs ripped from my CD copy but includes full artwork for both Vinyl and CD.  When I heard "Devil Woman" played on the radio for the first time, I didn't realise it was Cliff Richard singing as he had disappeared from the Australian charts during the early 70's and was pleasantly surprised when I learn't it was Cliff behind this catchy tune.  Of course my interest in his music was rekindled and have enjoyed many of his later releases since. 

Track Listing

01 I Can't Ask For Anymore Than You 2:48

02 It's No Use Pretending 3:21

03 I'm Nearly Famous 3:51

04 Lovers 2:54

05 Junior Cowboy 2:43

06 Miss You Nights 3:55

07 I Wish You'd Change Your Mind 3:01

08 Devil Woman 3:36

09 Such Is The Mystery 5:08

10 You've Got To Give Me All Your Lovin' 3:04

11 If You Walked Away 3:00

12 It's Alright Now 2:28

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Cliff Richard FAC Link (183Mb) New Link 12/10/2023