Customer Reviews

Cliff Richard - Private Collection (1979-1988)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This collection contains all except one (a re-recording of Living doll made for charity) of Cliff's UK top twenty hits during the period 1979 to 1988, which was a very successful period in Cliff's career. The tracks include True love ways (with the London Philharmonic Orchestra), Suddenly (with Olivia Newton John), She means nothing to me (with Phil Everly) and All I ask of you (with Sarah Brightman).

Of the solo tracks here, We don't talk anymore (a UK number one hit in 1979 - the oldest track here) and Mistletoe and wine (a Christmas song and a UK number one hit in 1988 - the newest track here) are the most famous but there are many other great songs including Dreaming, Some people and My pretty one.

Of course, the committed fans will (if they can afford it) already have the six-CD singles boxed set, but that omits all the duets that I mentioned earlier. Until a compilation of Cliff's duets is released, even committed fans may want this collection for those tracks.

Cliff had a few minor hits during the eighties that aren't included but this is a fine collection, proving that Cliff was able to adapt his music to appeal to a new generation of fans.

If you enjoy Cliff's music of the eighties and aren't bothered about (or already have) his other music, you'll love this set. If you buy this together with 40 golden greats (covering his earlier music), you'll have the majority of Cliff's hits from his first thirty years of music.

And I mean that! Cliff Richard has one of the most incredible voices I have ever heard in my life! If you like good 80s pop songs (from 1979-1988); you are missing out on a tremendous talent by not having this CD. Like me; several of you will remember three songs here. The outstanding duet with Olivia Newton-John called, Suddenly, plus you will also remember, Dreamin, and, We Don't Talk Anymore, but I think there are songs here that are just as good or even better than those three so I'll list a few of them. Little Town, and, Mistletoe And Wine, are beautiful tunes for the Holiday Season. The songs, Some People, True Love Ways, and his stunning duet with Sarah Brightman called, All I Ask Of You, are three more that are great and Sir Cliff's voice will send chills down your spine on, Daddy's Home, and, Ocean Deep. Speaking as a customer; I'm saying these songs are gorgeous. Several of these tunes are perfect to share with that special someone in your life.....Yes they are that romantic. I know my spouse sure loves this music.....Highly Recommended.
Final Note: Like the songs; the sound quality on this Disc is super!

Hi,this one is a great album from the man who dominated the U.K rock 'n roll and pop music for almost 3 decades.He made some alltime hits with the unforgettable songs in 60's and 70's.In 80's also he released some great tracks,which are very much in sync with that time.If you like 80's melodious pop and rock, this one is the right album for you.Every song from this album is great and you'll enjoy listening to it.

In the 1980s, survivors of the 1960s and 1970s changed their styles drastically to appeal in the new decade. The Rolling Stones became much more dance-oriented (just listen to 1980's 'Emotional Rescue' and 1986's 'Dirty Work' for proof). The Who added many more synthesizers than had been used before to appeal. David Bowie changed from glam rock to new wave, as did punk legend Iggy Pop (although his sound was much more danceable, but that's another review). The same goes for Cliff Richard, who was never big in America, but in England, he was (and still is) a musical icon and was the first rock star to get knighted. Yes, a BIG deal.

Richard's career had been in a slump from 1968-1975, when his work was inconsistent and at times rather shoddy. Then, in 1976, suddenly, Richard was reborn. 'I'm Nearly Famous' was released, and while it was not necessarily a hit in America, 'Devil Woman' did manage to squeeze in some radio airtime here. From that point forth, Richard was an icon in Great Britain, and everywhere else in the world -- except America, of course.

'Private Collection 1979-1988' spans Richard's work from that decade. It features some great tunes (including one of Richard's only American million sellers, 'We Don't Talk Anymore,' as well as the English Christmas classic 'Mistletoe and Wine,' 'Wired for Sound' and his cover of Buddy Holly's 'True Love Ways') and some not-so-great tunes ('Daddy's Home' is dreadful; I personally cannot stand 'Suddenly,' but that's all Olivia Newton-John's fault and not Cliff's). So, like almost every other veteran artist in that decade, the work was inconsistent. Cliff certainly falls under that category.

On the DualDisc version I'm reviewing, the sound is excellent. Not too loud, distorted, or compressed -- just perfect. It's crisp, clear, and just sounds good. The problem with the disc is it is (as I said above) just too inconsistent in quality. Richard should have added the hard rocking 'Lucille' (which is a 1950s rock standard, and Richard just rocks the crap out of it) and the mellow ballad 'The Water is Wide' (which Cliff covers beautifully -- the song perfectly suits his voice and the track is among his finest of the decade) instead of 'Suddenly' and 'Daddy's Home.' So, to sum it up, my problem with 'Private Collection' is that it does not do that great of a job trimming all of the fat.

Overall, truth be told, the 1990s (and this is my opinion -- everyone is entitled to theirs) were a much better decade for Cliff. There were a lot less studio gimmicks (and some of which, including some on this record, just sound plain dated in 2011 and will be probably sound even more so by 2021) and a lot more of Cliff being, well, Cliff. He released some of his finest work in the 1990s ('Cliff Richard - The Album' remains perhaps my favorite studio album of his to this day, tied with 1979's 'Rock and Roll Juvenile'), and it was a much more consistent decade for him, too. He stayed current and fresh, but didn't need all the tricks to do it.

So I will say this: buy 'Private Collection 1979-1988' after you have his early years (1950s and 1960s) covered, and after you have listened to some of his 1990s stuff. There's TONS of good stuff on here, but the problem is, there's plenty of mediocre stuff on here as well. They could have done a MUCH better job compiling this, as Cliff put out plenty of better songs in that decade than, let's say, 'Daddy's Home.' That's my opinion. Buy this if you are a curious Cliff fan who wants to hear what Cliff was up to in the "decade of excess."

This compilation is nice to have. Most of all the wonderful songs are in this CD. If you just want to get one CD of Cliff Richard's songs, you can consider this one.

This is a wonderful collection of his music. I listen to it every time that I play poker online! I used to listen to Cliff Richard as a teenager a long time ago, but there was only a few of his songs that made it to the airwaves in the states. This totally brings back good memories for me. Highly recommended to any fan

I've loved Cliff Richard's "Dreaming" "We Don't Talk Anymore" and "A Little In Love" for 25 yrs. With this, I finally have all three (plus more great songs) on one CD. Now if only I could get DVD videos of Dreaming and We Don't Talk Anymore (of younger yrs) and a few others. I'm Dreaming.