Vox Rock Limited

Release Date: November 3rd 2023

Reviewed by: Joshua Andre

Cliff Richard– Cliff with Strings – My Kinda Life (iTunes/JB Hi-Fi)

Track Listing:

1. The Best Of Me
2. Carrie
3. My Kinda Life
4. Wired For Sound
5. Living Doll
6. Marmaduke
7. Everything I Do (I Do It For You)
8. Suddenly
9. Peace In Our Time
10. Summer Holiday
11. The Young Ones
12. We Don’t Talk Anymore

Everybody knows Cliff Richard. And I’m sure everyone loves Cliff’s music. And if you don’t know Cliff and his long-lasting influence, impact and reach throughout the last 8 decades… then I guess you’re really missing out on some very poignant, honest, moving, and vulnerable music. Known for his smash hit singles “Mistletoe And Wine”, “Wired For Sound”, “The Best Of Me”, “Saviour’s Day” and the iconic and legendary “The Millennium Prayer”; Cliff has been gracing the airwaves and our hearts for a long, long, time. We will be blogging about Cliff in 2024 (I know I promised sometime in 2023… but life happens so, there’s that…) but before we do, shall we talk about Cliff’s new compilation album Cliff with Strings – My Kinda Life, which released this past week. Comprising of 12 songs across 65 years with both original and new recordings complete with orchestral arrangements; this album is a must if you’re a fan of Cliff and also if you’re just an objective fan of music in general and the impact that timeless classics have on the general public as well as human history.

To be honest, there’s only a handful of Cliff Richard songs that I know. For a career that has started in the 1950’s (159 UK singles, 22 German singles and 20 other singles), I know… probably only 5-10 songs. That’s quite shameful in my opinion- but it was really “The Millennium Prayer” in 2000, that cemented my opinion that Cliff’s body of work throughout the years ensures his sustained influence across all time. And though I will personally do a deep dive into Cliff’s music very soon, is there no better album to start with when listening to Cliff than 12 of his classic songs of which some I know and some I don’t? If you’re a casual fan of Cliff, this reimagined album is the perfect place to start with a collection of some of his hits, while if you’re an avid fan, this project will impress upon you greatly. And essentially, this album doesn’t need to be analysed in an in-depth way. Cliff is iconic, Cliff is influential, and his music transcends generations and time. “The Best Of Me”, “Wired For Sound”, “My Kinda Life”, “Living Doll”, “Suddenly”, “Summer Holiday”, “The Young Ones”, and “We Don’t Talk Anymore” are some of the moving and inspiring songs here, while Cliff has also covered Bryan Adams’ song “Everything I Do (I Do It For You)” as a surprise inclusion.

Cliff Richard is a living legend and an icon. Simply put, there’s nothing more to be said… until my blog about him, of course! Cliff with Strings – My Kinda Life is a joy to listen to, while it is calming and soothing as well. And as Cliff reminds us of why he is one of the most influential artists of all time with his longevity and durability- we should all strive to be as humble and as unassuming as Cliff. With Cliff delivering to us a stellar and near-flawless effort (which may or may not include re-recorded vocals!), this album is a must listen. Well done Cliff, I can’t wait to dig into your discography and I also can’t wait to hear what’s on the horizon in the future!

After 65 years in the business, it is really an emotional journey to listen back to some of my original vocals and hear just how young I was and how my style changed over the years.

These tracks mean a lot to me, and they are so refreshed with the orchestral arrangements. The most emotional track on the album for me is ‘Suddenly’ with my dear friend Olivia Newton-John. We recorded this version together live for my 75th birthday in 2015 and it always strikes me how well our voices sounded together and the crystal gentility that Olivia always managed to exude. I’m glad I was able to highlight this great performance again.

3 songs to listen to: The Best Of Me, Wired For Sound, Everything I Do (I Do It For You)

Score: 4.5/5

RIYL: John Farnham, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Lionel Richie, ABBA