Cliff Richard

Harry Rodger Webb

Cliff Richard was born Harry Rodger Webb on the 14th of October, 1940, in Lucknow, India. Like several other of Britain's first rock and roll artists, Cliff Richard's professional career started at the 2 ' I 's Coffee bar in London. After a brief spell as a skiffler he began to model himself on his idol, Elvis Presley. With his group, the 'Drifters', a recording opportunity arose with Norrie Paramor- a producer at EMI. Paramor decided to use the young singer's talents to produce a version of the American teen ballad 'Schoolboy Crush'. Fortunately, it was the other side of this disc that caught the attention of disc jockeys and the rock and roll entreprenuer Jack Good. The record, 'Move It', reached #2 in the UK chart and is now widely regarded as one of the finest examples of early UK rock and roll ever made. It had been written by one of the Drifters (later The Shadows, Ian Samwell although the single used session musicians and not the group. Producer, Norrie Paramor, had little faith in the Drifters and consequently brought in two experienced session men, Ernie Shears & Frank Clarke, to provide backing on lead guitar and bass

Jack Good promoted the new star on his groundbreaking TV show 'Oh Boy!' alongside the UK's, hitherto, top rock and roller 'Marty Wilde'. The Drifters changed their name to the 'Shadows' to avoid confusion with the American group of the same name. At this time Cliff Richard was following the 'Elvis' model very closely - hairstyle, curled lip and gyrating hips. It would be a year or two before he gradually re-adjusted to the clean cut image that he has long since portrayed.

Cliff - 1959

Cliff Sings - 1959

Me And My Shadows - 1960

Listen To Cliff - 1961

21 Today - 1961

The Young Ones - 1962

The 2i's Coffee Bar

The 2 i's was packed. The 2 i's was hot. The 2 i's was rockin'! It was also very, very small. I don't remember getting there, and I don't remember what happened after I left, but I remember being there like it was yesterday. Even from the street you could tell that there was something going on, something special in the air that night. Maybe it was the muffled beat of rock 'n' roll booming up from the basement. Maybe it was the energy of the teenagers hanging around outside. I remember seeing two of them leaning against the wall close to the basement delivery hatch listening intently to the music. They probably couldn't afford the shilling entrance fee, but they wanted to be close to the action and excitement.

-Ian Samwell from his book Move It!

Cliff Richard and The Shadows - Please Don't Tease

(Released 30th July 1960)

- 3 weeks at #1 - 18 weeks on chart

You tell me that you love me baby
Then you say you don't
You tell me that you'll come on over
Then you say you won't
You love me like a hurricane
Then you start to freeze
I'll give it to you straight right now
Please don't tease

You come right out and tell me
You're out with someone new
You play it oh so doggone cool
I don't know what to do
You never seem to answer me
You just don't hear my pleas
I'll give it to you one more time
Please don't tease

Oh please don't tease me
You know it hurts so much
Come on and squeeze me
You know I need your tender touch

But you tell me that you love me baby
Then you say you don't
You tell me that you'll come on over
Then you say you won't
You love me like a hurricane
Then you start to freeze
I'll give it to you straight right now
Please don't tease

Oh please don't tease me
You know it hurts so much
Come on and squeeze me
You know I need your tender touch

But you tell me that you love me baby
Then you say you don't
You tell me that you'll come on over
Then you say you won't
You love me like a hurricane
Then you start to freeze
I'll give it to you straight right now
Please don't tease