Cliff Richard "Let's have a ceilidh" ? ?

[EileenH]

I'm a fan but I have to admit I haven't read his 'official biography'. When did that come out? At the end of the day, he's a singer, a 'pop star'. What does it matter what his opinions are really? I notice no ones' actually criticising his singing ability. And as for his christian beliefs, everyones entitled to their own opinions on that one. Personally, I don't get drawn into arguements over religion, no matter who it involves. Not worth the hassle.

[bill]

Holidaying Blair in conflict of interest over copyright law
By JAMES CHAPMAN, Daily Mail
Last updated at 22:00 30 July 2006

Sir Cliff has given Blair and his family free use of his £3 million villa in Barbados for the past three years.
Tony Blair's fondness for 'freebie' holidays was again in the spotlight last night as it emerged he singled out Sir Cliff Richard's campaign to change Britain's copyright laws as a priority.


A leaked record of an internal Labour meeting reveals the Prime Minister highlighted the campaign as a key issue for ministers.

At a meeting of Labour's ruling national executive committee last year, Mr Blair said that despite the 'dominating global headlines' and recent terror attacks, Labour should not lose sight of the domestic agenda.

He 'addressed concerns' about copyright laws 'whereby Cliff Richard and the Rolling Stones only receive 50 years' protection compared with 70 years in the rest of Europe', according to one member's detailed written record.


Last night the revelation that Mr Blair has taken up Sir Cliff's campaign prompted accusations that he may have breached ministerial rules.




No such thing as a free meal.

[EileenH]

Obviously nothing came of it. Maybe it's something that would have been campaigned whether Tony Blair stayed at Cliff's place or not. And it wasn't just Cliff that was campaigning here, there were alot of other stars/groups fighting this corner.

[Govangirl]

I'm not one to be speechless but that took my breath away, the bluddy cheek of it. They're all the same, their noses in each others' troughs.

[Mary G]

Hey – steady on there, Govangirl This is the Daily Mail, after all! As EileenH says, there were lots of musicians campaigning on this, including many Scottish artistes, traditional musicians and songwriters who are not as well off as Cliff. Many were delighted that he backed the campaign.

But if there were 10,000 signatures of musicians supporting that campaign you can bet your last dollar that the Daily Mail editor was only looking for one – Cliff’s – to be able to spin the story the way he wanted. In fact, I don’t think the Daily Mail would have reported the story at all had they not found some excuse or other to bash a Labour figure, and so that was probably the sole reason for them covering this campaign at all, in my view.

Having been wholly and totally mis-reported by a journalist in the past [it belongs in Sports Chit Chat - so I won't repeat it here], I am sceptical about lots of this stuff. My story was a bit funny, but it can be devastating when so-called journalists write what they want, then make up entirely some quotes that fit their story, and attribute them falsely.

[Govangirl]

You're quite right, Mary. I had ma wee 'Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells' hat on there for a minute. And I have experiences myself of journalists twisting the truth (which I have discussed with Jimmy Young Live on Radio 2, by the way ).

I don't even know why I've got all het up about Cliff. I used to be a fan many years ago but he's kinda disappointed me, the Blair 'friendship' being the worst. But I won't metaphorically beat him again and I'll go now and spend a couple of hours in a darkened room and listen to every song in his catalogue to cleanse me of my shame.

[Mary G]

And the "Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells" hat doesn't really fit you so well, I would have thought

Anway, away and watch Summer Holiday on video - that should cheer you up. I am sure that you can identify with Una Stubbs in that film

[Govangirl]

Mary, there was a time long ago when I DREAMED of being Una Stubbs! That was around the time when I decided I was going to marry Cliff!

[Mary G]

Yep - I had you down as a sort of "Una" type of gal

[bill]

The Independent 02/09/08

"Sir Cliff Richard's squeaky clean image as the Peter Pan of British pop grows ever more tarnished by the day.


Two years ago, the usually mild-mannered crooner managed to shock his middle-of-the-road fans when he appeared on Gordon Ramsay's Channel 4 programme, The F-Word, where he told the potty-mouthed chef to "fcuk off".

Now, I'm told that he will break further taboos with the forthcoming release of an eight-CD commemorative box-set entitled And They Said It Wouldn't Last: My 50 Years In Music.

Among the songs included in the track listing is an alternative version of Sir Cliff's controversial cover of "Honky Tonk Angels", a country song about prostitutes.

It is a surprising inclusion since, not long after the song was released in 1975, Sir Cliff himself backed calls for the BBC to ban it from the airwaves. For some bizarre reason, he was originally led to believe the song was about the Salvation Army. It was only when he was told it was actually about prostitution that he decided to disown it.

When I call to find out whether the track's inclusion was the result of a careless record company employee, a spokesman informs me it was all Sir Cliff's doing. Apparently, his attitude towards the record has softened over the years. "

And the offending lyrics...................


When was the last time you kissed me
And I don't mean a touch now and then
It's been a long time since you felt like my woman
And even longer since I felt like your man

So tell me if you think it's over
And I'll leave it up to you how it ends
'Cause if you don't want the love I can give you
Well there's a honky tonk angel who will take me back in

You never look at me and say "I love you"
How much more do you think I can stand
Oh, there's an old friend out there and she's waiting
Lord, she's happy just holding my hand

So tell me if you think it's over
And I'll leave it up to you how it ends
'Cause if you don't want the love I can give you
Well there's a honky tonk angel who will take me back in
Yes, there's a honky tonk angel who will take me back in

WOW how controversial was that?

[EileenH]

We have a closet Cliff Richard fan here!!! Bill, I'm a fan but I couldn't sit and type the lyrics to Honky Tonk Angel. You're talking about a song that was released and quoted on, 33 years ago! Is that the best you can do? I notice all you do is print quotes from newspapers and other peoples opinions on it. That's just typical of a man when it comes to Cliff! Do you think he's a good singer? Do you think he's a good entertainer? If you don't like what you see when he comes on tv, then change chanells. To think that all this came of someone putting a daft wee clip on the internet!

[Bobh]

Maybe i'm going through the male menopause- i thought it was brill and very funny. Strange that!

[bill]

Point I was trying to make about Honky Tonk Angel is that there is nothing whatsoever in the lyrics to find offence with.

Personaly I had never even heard of this song till reading the article in The Independent,then it was an easy matter of Googling to find the said lyrics.I was expecting something a bit risque and was dumfounded at what I found.

Maybe I should have posted the clip where Gordon Ramsey gets his opinion of the wine he produces .

Incase you've never seen it here it is.................


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfTTMoGxvk4

[bill]

Cliff's attempt to hit the No.1 spot, by encouraging his fans to buy multiple copies of his new single, has ended in failure.

I feel sorry for the relatives of the woman in Birmingham who purchased 400 copies,they know what they're getting for Christmas.

[bill]

Can't believe I am going to say this but my opinion of Cliff has risen with his admission that he voted for Margaret Thatcher.

So now I know I am not alone.