Cliff Richard ‎– Rock ‘N’ Roll Juvenile (1979)

Rock ‘N’ Roll Juvenile is the 22nd studio album by Cliff Richard, released on September 7, 1979, on EMI. Marked by a hard-edged modern rock sound, the album spawned three singles: “Hot Shot,” “Carrie,” and “We Don’t Talk Anymore,” Richard’s biggest global hit.

The album was largely a project between Richard and Terry Britten, an English-Australian musician/producer who wrote three songs on Rock ‘N’ Roll Juvenile and co-wrote seven with Scottish songwriter Brian Alexander Robertson (aka B.A. Robertson).

Sessions started in July 1978, between the completion and release of Richard’s prior album, Green Light, which contains five writing credits by Britten and two by fellow English-Australian Alan Tarney, who wrote “We Don’t Talk Anymore,” recorded during a separate session with Green Light producer Bruce Welch, the longtime rhythm guitarist of Richard’s on/off backing band, The Shadows.  Though not intended for this album, “We Don’t Talk Anymore” became a last-minute addition after it topped the UK singles chart in August 1979.

Songwriters

Terry Britten started as the guitarist/songwriter of The Twilights, a Sixties Adelaide beat group that featured singer Glenn Shorrock, the future frontman of Axiom, Esperanto, and the Little River Band. The Twilights folded after the 1968 concept album Once Upon a Twilight, which contains the 7/8 rocker “Take Action,” covered by Richard on his 1969 album Sincerely, which also includes a cover of the 1968 Twilights standalone a-side “Always.”

Britten resettled in the UK as part of Quartet, an English-Australian supergroup with future Sky guitarist Kevin Peek (a pre-Britten Twilights member) and the James Taylor Move rhythm section: bassist Alan Tarney and drummer Trevor Spencer. Quartet disbanded after two 1970 Decca singles. Tarney orbited the Seventies-era Shadows with fellow Aussie John Farrar, the guitarist and musical director of Welch’s then girlfriend, English-Aussie singer Olivia Newton-John. Richard befriended Olivia, who used Britten as a studio guitarist for her 1973 third album, Music Makes My Day (aka Let Me Be There). Olivia made fourteen appearances on It’s Cliff Richard, a music variety program that ran 45 episodes between 1970 and 1974 on the BBC.

In late 1975, as Welch gathered songs for Richard’s eighteenth studio album, I’m Nearly Famous, Britten submitted two songs for the project: the haunting ballad “I Wish You’d Change Your Mind” and the melodramatic rocker “Devil Woman,” a strident single that became his first UK Top 10 hit in six years (since the 1970 single “Goodby Sam, Hello Samantha”) and his first ever US Top 10 hit. With Richard now rebranded as a contemporary rock artist, Britten contributed three songs to the album’s 1977 followup, Every Face Tells a Story, which also features two Tarney contributions, including the Welch/Tarney composition “Hey Mr. Dream Maker,” which first appeared on Olivia’s October 1976 release Don’t Stop Believin’, which also contains the first version of “Every Face Tells a Story,” a composition by Michael Allison and Peter Sills, the team behind four I’m Nearly Famous songs, including that album’s title track.

In 1978, Britten contributed two songs to Small Corners, a gospel-pop outing that preceded Richard’s 21st studio album, Green Light, which contains two Tarney contributions and three Britten songs, including the standouts “Under Lock and Key” and “Free My Soul.” Britten co-wrote two additional Green Light tracks: “Count Me Out” (Britten/Welch) and “Start All Over Again,” a collaboration with B.A. Robertson, whose subsequent involvement in Rock ‘N’ Roll Juvenile coincided with his upswing as a performing artist. Robertson’s June 1979 single “Bang Bang” reached No. 2 on the UK Singles chart and signaled three additional Top 20 hits from his Britten-produced third album, Initial Success.

For Rock ‘N’ Roll Juvenile, Britten submitted three solo compositions: “Monday Thru’ Friday,” “Doing Fine,” and “You Know that I Love You,” the last of those first recorded by English-Australian singer Christie Allen for her Britten-produced 1978 album Magic Rhythm. Robertson co-wrote seven Juvenile tracks: “Cities May Fall,” “My Luck Won’t Change,” and the first five songs on Side B, including “Fallin’ in Luv,” one of eight Britten/Robertson numbers also found on Initial Success. Allen covered two Juvenile songs, “Monday Thru’ Friday” and “Sci-Fi,” on her 1980 album Detour, recorded without Britten’s involvement.

On May 29, 1979, just before Britten wrapped post-production on Rock ‘N’ Roll Juvenile, Richard and Welch held a separate session for “We Don’t Talk Anymore,” a breezy synth-laded number written by Alan Tarney. Though intended for an unrealized fourth Tarney/Spencer Band album, Tarney played the demo on a car stereo for Richard, who later recalled having a “gut feeling” about the song. Released on July 6 as a standalone single (b/w “Count Me Out”), “We Don’t Talk Anymore” went straight to No. 1 on the UK Singles chart; his first chart-topper since the 1968 Eurovision entry “Congratulations.” Despite the song’s stylistic clash with the Britten-produced album, the popularity of “We Don’t Talk Anymore” earned it the closing slot on the Rock ‘N’ Roll Juvenile tracklist. In early 1980, the song became Richard’s second US Top 10 hit. Following in that song’s vein, Tarney produced and largely wrote Richard’s two subsequent albums, I’m No Hero and Wired for Sound.

Rock ‘N’ Roll Juvenile also contains a rare songwriting contribution by Richard himself, who penned the rockabilly-themed title track, an ode to his status as a first-generation rock ‘n’ roller.

Production

Sessions for Rock ‘N’ Roll Juvenile commenced at EMI Studios in London on July 18, 1978, nine weeks before the release of Cliff Richard’s prior album, Green Light. Over the next week, Terry Britten produced and played guitar on the backing tracks, recorded with ex-Deep Feeling drummer Graham Jarvis and former Blue Mink bassist Herbie Flowers, a storied EMI session player with credits on multiple post-psych projects (Rumplestiltskin, Hungry Wolf, Ugly Custard) and classics by David Bowie (“Space Oddity”) and Lou Reed (“Walk On the Wild Side”).

“My Luck Won’t Change” and “Hot Shot” feature a three-piece horn section of journeyman saxophonists Chris Mercer (Juicy Lucy, Keef Hartley Band, Gonzalez), Mel Collins (Circus, King Crimson, Kokomo, Camel), and trumpeter Martin Drover (KHB, Bryan Ferry, Manfred Schoof). Collins takes the solo spotlight on “Carrie.” Select tracks feature keyboards by Billy Livesy (Jess Roden Band) and Green Light sessionist Graham Todd.

Amid Green Light promotions, Richard laid his vocal tracks during the first half of 1979, completing the final song, “Falling in Love,” on June 30, eleven and a half months after the first session. Britten produced Rock ‘N’ Roll Juvenile in sequence with Magic Rhythm and Initial Success. He also played guitar on Frankie Miller‘s 1979 album, coincidentally titled Falling In Love (retitled A Perfect Fit in the US) with a Miller-penned title track (not the Juvenile song).

One month before the Juvenile sessions wrapped, Richard recorded “We Don’t Talk Anymore” with Tarney and Spencer at RG Studios in London. Before Tarney presented the song to Richard, he played it for Bruce Welch, who produced Richard’s three prior albums but was uninvolved in the Juvenile sessions. The song’s chart potential instantly struck Welch, who persuaded Tarney to forgo its use on an (ultimately unrecorded) fourth Tarney/Spencer Band album. At the time of recording, Tarney and Welch were finishing work on the multi-party production Where to Now, the debut of English country-rock singer Charlie Dore, who charted with the lead single “Pilot of the Airwaves.”

A1. “Monday Thru’ Friday”

3:47 | Britten | rock | vintage, neo-Fifties vibe

Verse 1

  • Five days a week I’m just abiding my time
  • Fill in the hours till the weekend’s mine
  • All day long I’ve got my radio on
  • Keeps me going till my work is done

Chorus

  • Monday through to Friday
  • Nothing goes my way
  • Just working staying alive
  • Monday through to Sunday
  • There’s only one day
  • Saturday is rock ‘n’ roll time

Verse 2

  • Work for the man just to get my pay
  • Too many hours in the working day
  • Dead on my feet but I need the cash
  • Roll on Saturday make it fast

[chorus]

Verse 3

I pay my dues to the union man
Don’t get too heavy, that’s the way I am
I live for rock ‘n’ roll and Saturday night
I hear the music and I feel alright, feel alright

[chorus]

Instrumental credits

  • Terry Britten – guitar, backing vocals
  • Herbie Flowers – bass
  • Graham Jarvis – drums, percussion
  • Lance Dixon – synthesizer

A2. “Doing Fine”

3:06 | Britten | rock, funk-rock | 

“Doing Fine” is a mid-tempo rocker that extols simple contentment and self-reliance. The lyrics trace Cliff’s journey toward an uncomplicated peace.

Verse 1

  • Don’t feel bad, don’t feel good
  • Feel alright cause I’m doing as I should
  • Don’t look back, no I don’t have the time
  • I guess I’m doing fine

He’s overcome past emotional extremes and settled into a state of neutral acceptance. His sense of “alright” comes from meeting his own internal expectations and refusing to dwell on the past.

Verse 2

  • Got no bags to slow me down
  • Travelling light but my feet are on the ground
  • Got no message, I ain’t got a dime
  • I guess I’m doing fine

This section emphasizes a minimalist, unburdened existence, both physically (“no bags”) and materially (“no dime”). The speaker is independent of possessions, plans, or communication, yet remains firmly grounded in reality.

Bridge

  • Don’t need no paper telling me bad news
  • No politician giving their views
  • Don’t need no doctor to tell me I’m well
  • I feel like heaven and I’ve been through hell

The bridge is a powerful declaration of autonomy and internal validation. The speaker rejects outside influences—media, politics, or professional judgment—and asserts that their well-being is self-perceived, earned by overcoming past hardships.

Verse 3

  • Talking straight I don’t feel confused
  • Don’t want nothing, I’ve got nothing more to lose
  • Don’t need no credit, don’t show me where to sign
  • I guess I’m doing fine

Here, the speaker connects their clear mental state to their detachment from material wants or debts. Having nothing left to lose creates a powerful freedom that solidifies their self-proclaimed state of “doing fine.”

Outro

  • Don’t come looking for me
  • Cause I’m doing fine
  • No missing persons
  • Cause I’m doing fine
  • Don’t go home
  • Cause I’m doing fine

The final section is a direct, insistent appeal for isolation. The speaker wants to ensure others know they aren’t lost, missing, or in need of rescuing; their “doing fine” is a chosen state that requires them to be left alone.

Instrumental credits

  • Terry Britten – Roland guitar synth
  • Herbie Flowers – bass
  • Graham Jarvis – drums, percussion
  • Billy Livsey, Graham Todd – keyboards
  • John Perry, Stu Calver, Tony Rivers – backing vocals

A3. “Cities May Fall”

4:17 | Britten, Robertson | modern rock | ethereal, desolate

These lyrics describe a scenario of survival and rediscovery following a massive nuclear disaster, focusing on a couple’s determination to find meaning in the ruins.

Verse 1

  • The city in defeat
    With no one left to beat
    There’s still a fading desire
    To burn a naked light
    Just to defy the night
    Come on and call me a liar

The first verse sets the desolate scene: the city is “in defeat,” meaning the societal structures and conflicts are over because there is “no one left to beat.” Despite this overwhelming darkness, the narrator mentions a “fading desire to burn a naked light,” a small, defiant act of hope against the night. He challenges anyone to “call me a liar,” implying that this small hope is real, even if it seems foolish given the circumstances.

Verse 2

A crumble tumble down
In fumble bumble town
Our lives a ruin
We reconstruct a bit
And pretty up a bit
We hardly know what we’re doing

In the second verse, the physical state of the world is depicted as a chaotic mess, a “crumble tumble down in fumble bumble town,” suggesting confusion and disarray. The survivors’ attempts to rebuild are clumsy and uncertain: “We hardly know what we’re doing” as they try to “reconstruct a bit and pretty up a bit.” This highlights the human impulse to normalize and create beauty even when their existence is a ruin.

Chorus:

But me and my baby
Make the best of this world
She’s like a diamond
Innocent girl
We watch the sign of the times
Writing on the wall
Cities may fall

The chorus introduces the central relationship that provides meaning and stability. The narrator and his “baby” are making “the best of this world,” with her described as a “diamond,” suggesting purity, strength, and immense value amidst the destruction. Their awareness of the situation is clear; they “watch the sign of the times writing on the wall,” accepting the devastation with the stark line, “Cities may fall.”

Verse 3

Back through the city fog
I was another cog
For the machinery there
Now the machines have gone
The silence hanging on
I sit, I stare

Verse three shifts the focus to the narrator’s past life. He recalls being a small, insignificant part, “another cog for the machinery,” of the former society. Now that “the machines have gone,” a profound silence remains. He is left to simply “sit, I stare,” suggesting a meditative, almost blank state of existence free from the pressures of the old world.

[chorus]

Verse 4

Come on and take your aim
I feel the mildest pain
Protecting something so rare
Cause there’s a gem or two
Inside the human zoo
If only you are aware

The final verse becomes a defensive statement about what is truly valuable. The line “Come on and take your aim, I feel the mildest pain” implies that the narrator is prepared for external threats or challenges to their new life. He is “protecting something so rare,” which he clarifies is “a gem or two inside the human zoo.” This suggests that genuine worth and humanity are rare finds in the post-apocalyptic world, emphasizing that one must simply be “aware” to see them. This sentiment echoes the preciousness he found in his partner in the repeated chorus.

[chorus]

Instrumental credits

  • Terry Britten – guitar
  • Herbie Flowers – bass
  • Graham Jarvis – drums, percussion
  • Martin Dobson – saxophone
  • Billy Livsey – keyboards
  • John Perry, Stu Calver, Tony Rivers – backing vocals

A4. “You Know That I Love You”

2:54 | Britten | pop-rock | moderate boogie tempo

Wild woman put a spell over me
Gave me your love and now I’ve lost my-sanity
Can’t think straight now, I’ve lost my mind-my mind
Believe me now honey, you’re just one of a kind

Chorus:

You know that i love you, you know so well
You know that i love you, oh can’t you tell
I want to be with you, come rain come shine
Oh won’t you tell me honey you’ll be mine

You can’t change the lord done made you that way
I am laying no blame, that’s how i want you to stay
Ain’t my luck to find a woman so fine-so fine
Luck has changed thrown a seven this time

You know that i love you,you know so well
You know that i love you,oh can’t you tell

Chorus repeated

Instrumental credits

  • Terry Britten – guitar, percussion
  • Herbie Flowers – bass
  • Graham Jarvis – drums, percussion
  • Graham Todd – keyboards

A5. “My Luck Won’t Change”

4:13 | Britten, Robertson | Rock

https://open.spotify.com/track/0GXQchGDUM9baa65qN1rGs

A6. “Rock ‘n’ Roll Juvenile”

2:47 | Richard | rockabilly | vintage, retro rocker

In this song, Cliff, an original 50s rock star, reflects on 20 years in the game and his conversion to Christianity along the way. The lyrics offer a playful self-assessment of the singer’s journey from a defiant rock and roller to a Christian evangelist, merging his musical identity with his faith.

  • I’m a rock ‘n roll juvenile
  • Watch me run a mile
  • When they play Beethoven
  • I’m a rock ‘n roll groovy mover
  • I only dig Beethoven
  • When he’s been rolled over
  • (Roll over Beethoven)

Cliff begins by referencing his rock and roll roots, particularly the classic phrase “Roll Over Beethoven,” symbolizing his rejection of classical, established tradition in favor of youthful, rebellious music. He identifies himself as an energetic, enthusiastic figure of the original rock era.

  • I’m a rock ‘n roll holy roller
  • I love to sing ’bout Jesus
  • Cos he saved my soul-a
  • I’m a rock ‘n rolling believer
  • Roll a rock at the Devil
  • He’s just a deceiver
  • (Roll the rock)

He introduces his spiritual conversion, seamlessly blending his musical style (“rock ‘n roll”) with his faith (“holy roller,” “believer”). Cliff uses rock and roll language to express his devotion, proclaiming that his music now serves to celebrate his salvation and defy evil.

  • Look at me, I’m your rock ‘n roll man
  • Been a rock ‘n roll fan since it began
  • Look at me, follow me if you care
  • I’ve found a rock ‘n roll heaven
  • I’ll take you there

Cliff asserts his authenticity, reminding the listener that he has been a consistent figure in rock and roll since its inception. He then extends an invitation, promising that his personal, spiritual fulfillment—his “rock ‘n roll heaven”—is accessible to anyone who chooses to follow his path.

  • Look at me here I am
  • Get a rock ‘n roll band
  • I am a rock ‘n roll frontman
  • Love a solo guitar
  • It could take you far-take it-take it away

The final section is a confident declaration of his role as an entertainer and spiritual leader. He embraces his position as the “frontman” and suggests that the energy and passion of his music, particularly a vibrant guitar solo, can guide the listener toward that better life.

Instrumental credits

  • Terry Britten – guitar, backing vocals
  • Herbie Flowers – bass
  • Graham Jarvis – drums, percussion
  • Billy Livsey – keyboards
  • Bryn Haworth – slide guitar
  • John Perry, Stu Calver, Tony Rivers – backing vocals

B1. “Sci-Fi”

B2. “Fallin’ in Luv”

3:11 | Britten, Robertson | pop-rock ballad | innocent, vintage

“Fallin’ in Luv” is a boyish neo-Fifties love song sung with crooned restraint, set in a small-world backdrop of social pressure and familial expectations. The lyrics explore a casual, mutually agreed-upon relationship that unexpectedly deepens into genuine romantic feeling, causing confusion and regret when it ends.

Me and my baby we’re just going round
Not getting on luv,not puting it down
We had the kind of sweet affair
We both felt we needed

Cliff describes the initial relationship as lighthearted and non-committal, simply “going round.” It was a mutually satisfying, “sweet affair” designed to fulfill a temporary need rather than establish a serious commitment.

Verse 2

No psychic fusion,just a steady date
No grand illusions of the romantic fates
She looked for her,I looked for me
Don’t know why we conceded

The relationship was explicitly kept pragmatic, avoiding intense emotional connection (“no psychic fusion”) or belief in destiny (“no grand illusions”). They were both focused on their individual lives, yet something caused them to give in (“conceded”) to deeper feelings.

Chorus

‘Cos we were high,now we’re low
Tell me why did we go
Falling in luv
Falling in luv

The chorus captures the paradox and pain of the situation: the happiness (“high”) of the casual affair was replaced by the sadness (“low”) of a breakup. The speaker is confused as to why they allowed themselves to cross the line and experience the emotional risk of “falling in luv.”

Verse 3

Under pressure from family and friends
They seem to treasure a storybook end
One look at them I realise luv is real overated

Cliff acknowledges external pressure from people who value traditional, permanent relationships (“storybook end”). Observing this external standard, he concludes that “luv is real overated,” suggesting he believes the concept of deep romantic love is often overvalued, likely as a defense mechanism against his own recent heartbreak.

Chorus repeated

The repeated chorus emphasizes the central theme of regret and confusion. The transition from a pleasant, low-stakes situation to an emotionally painful one confirms the narrator’s belief that deep attachment should have been avoided.

Instrumental credits

  • Terry Britten – guitar, backing vocals
  • Herbie Flowers – bass
  • Graham Jarvis – drums, percussion
  • Graham Todd – keyboards

B3. “Carrie”

3:43 | Britten, Robertson | 

The song tells a brief, poignant story about a search for a missing young woman named Carrie, revealing themes of freedom, anonymity, and loss.

[Verse 1]

  • Sorry to disturb you
  • But I was in the neighbourhood
  • About a friend, I’ve her picture
  • Could you take a look?

Cliff sets the scene with a polite, slightly hesitant approach, establishing the narrative frame as a concerned person looking for a missing friend. The act of presenting a picture emphasizes the seriousness of the search.

[Verse 2]

  • Oh, I appreciate you’re busy
  • And time is not your own
  • Yeah, maybe it would be better
  • If I telephoned

This verse shows the narrator being mindful of the person he’s disturbing, perhaps a landlord or neighbor. The suggestion of leaving shows his search is encountering initial difficulty and he’s not getting an immediate answer.

[Chorus]

  • Carrie doesn’t live here anymore
  • Carrie used to room on the second floor
  • Sorry that she left no forwarding address
  • That was known to me

The first chorus delivers the core piece of information: Carrie is gone. The tone is matter-of-fact and unhelpful, reinforcing her complete disappearance and the lack of a trace for the searching party.

[Chorus 2]

  • Carrie doesn’t live here anymore
  • You could always ask at the corner store
  • Carrie had a date with her own kind of fate
  • It’s plain to see

The speaker offers a minimal suggestion for a lead but then shifts to a fatalistic, almost judgmental summary of Carrie’s disappearance. The idea that she met “her own kind of fate” suggests her lifestyle or choices led to this outcome.

[Verse 3]

  • Another missing person
  • One of many we assume
  • The young wear their freedom
  • Like cheap perfume

Cliff broadens the story from Carrie to a societal observation. He suggests Carrie is one of many young people who embrace a reckless “freedom” that, like cheap perfume, is initially attractive but ultimately leaves an unpleasant or common residue of anonymity and loss.

[Bridge]

  • (It’s useless information) Returning my call
  • (To help the situation) They’ve nothin’ at all
  • You’re just another message
  • On a payphone wall

The bridge represents the frustrating dead ends of the search, with every attempt leading to “useless information.” The narrator is reduced to an unheard plea, just one of many forgotten pleas scrawled on a public notice board.

[Chorus]

  • Carrie doesn’t live here anymore
  • Carrie used to room on the second floor
  • Sorry that she left no forwarding address
  • That was known to me
  • Carrie!

The re-stated chorus hammers home the finality of Carrie’s departure and the complete lack of a way to contact her. The shout of “Carrie!” is an emotional burst of frustration over her total absence.

[Solo] 2:19 – 2:35

The musical solo serves as an instrumental moment of reflection, allowing the tension and sadness of the unresolved mystery to be expressed without words.

[Chorus 3]

  • Carrie doesn’t live here anymore
  • (Carrie doesn’t live, doesn’t live anymore)
  • Carrie used to room on the second floor
  • (On the second)
  • Sorry Carrie left no forwarding address
  • It’s a mystery

The final chorus adds the word “mystery,” perfectly encapsulating the theme of the song. Carrie’s disappearance is not just a departure, but a complete, unexplained vanishing act.

Instrumental credits

  • Terry Britten – guitar, backing vocals
  • Herbie Flowers – bass
  • Graham Jarvis – drums, percussion
  • Billy Livsey – keyboards
  • Tristan Fry – percussion
  • Mel Collins – sax solo

B4. “Hot Shot”

3:23 | Britten, Robertson | 

These lyrics paint a vibrant picture of a confident young man in a 1950s working-class family, preparing for and then enjoying his weekly social triumph on the dance floor.

Ready steady gonna meet you on the ballroom floor
Brother Eddie quit your banging on my bathroom door
After shaving yeah and after three
I’m after having me some fun you see
I’m getting ready for the night to come
And here I come

Cliff immediately establishes the scene: the domestic chaos of a multi-generational, working-class household where privacy is scarce (“Brother Eddie quit your banging”). The narrator’s focus is entirely on his appearance and the impending excitement of a night out, a key ritual of teen life.

Chorus:

I’m just a hot shot hitting town
(Have a little fun)
Just a hot shot getting down
(Ready steady run)
I’m just a hot shot looking around
(Loving on the run)
I’m having fun

The chorus reveals the narrator’s self-image as a local celebrity and confident dancer (“hot shot hitting town”). The parenthetical phrases suggest the energetic, hurried, and flirtatious nature of the youthful weekend on the town.

Get the recognition each and every place I go
Fashion leader in the cuban heel and pointed toe
My Italian suit is pressed and clean
I’m the Latin lover of thelocal scene
I’m getting ready for the night to come

This section focuses on the specific details of his meticulously crafted appearance, typical of the era’s youth culture. The “Italian suit” and distinctive “cuban heel and pointed toe” show he invests heavily in his look to be a self-proclaimed “fashion leader” and a local legend.

Chorus Repeated

The repeated chorus reinforces the narrator’s immense confidence and the exhilarating, fast-paced fun he anticipates having. His status as a “hot shot” is a core part of his weekend identity.

A faded picture on the mantleshelf
My older brother looks like myself
Remember Donny dated Susie
And Susie rated Johnny
Johnny’s into Susie
But Susie’a into Ronnie
Ronnie waits for Louie
But Louie’s singing Louie-Lou-i

Cliff shifts to a nostalgic, observational tone, using the “faded picture” to connect his current experiences to past generations of the family. The rapid-fire listing of neighborhood names and tangled relationships reveals the complex, overlapping social history and local lore of the community.

Instrumental credits

  • Terry Britten – guitar, backing vocals
  • Herbie Flowers – bass
  • Graham Jarvis – drums, percussion
  • Billy Livsey – keyboards
  • Chris Mercer, Martin Drover, Mel Collins – brass
  • Madelaine Bell – backing vocals

B5. “Language of Love”

4:40 | Britten, Robertson | 

The song is a humorous, flirtatious tale of an English traveler attempting to woo women from different countries by leaning into national stereotypes and declaring love to be a universal language.

Excusez-moi, my pretty Mademoiselle (Excuse me, my pretty young lady)
You are a French girl it’s easy to tell
Me, I don’t smoke not even a French cigarette
But I love my pomme de terre (potato)
And always croquette
I am from Angleterre (England) and you are from France
And you will honour me by having a dance

Cliff immediately uses simple French phrases to flatter and identify a woman as French. He contrasts this with his very English preferences (potatoes and croquettes), setting up a playful international theme and requesting a dance.

Chorus:

Straight away!
I’m getting ready for a new sensation
Never kissed them in another nation
Internationally I’m in clover
I was a native on the boat ride over

Straight away!
I’m getting ready for my new vocation
I am the man who will unite the nations
Ooh la la/how you say it/ca va (it goes)-this is love
La la la la la la la language of love
La la la la la la la language of love
La la la la la la la language of love

The chorus establishes the narrator’s grand, comical ambition: to kiss women from different nations as a “new sensation,” portraying himself as an accidental unifier of nations. The mix of simple French exclamations and the repetitive “language of love” emphasizes his belief that love transcends verbal communication.

We’ve been together now for more than a day
And I am waiting to hear what you say
Come on, come on, I think you’re telling me lies
You are Italian, I can tell by your eyes
I love Chianti and I hope you’ll agree
That Zefferelli makes the movies for me

The scene quickly shifts as the narrator re-evaluates the woman’s nationality, humorously deciding she is Italian based on her eyes and perhaps her temperament. He continues to try and impress her by mentioning Italian cultural icons (Chianti wine and director Franco Zeffirelli).

Chorus Repeated

The repeated chorus reinforces his excitement about his new “vocation” as an international lover, highlighting his readiness for a “new sensation” in courtship.

Instrumental

The instrumental break serves as a high-spirited dance interlude, reflecting the energy and fun of his attempted conquests.

I try my French, Latin, Spanish and Greek
This is the language of love that I speak
I never know if they’re from Paris or Rome
We stop the talking when I’m walking them home
One little kiss and then heavens above
This is the universal language of love

Straight away!
Are you ready for a new sensation
I’m gonna kiss a girl from every nation

(Rest of chorus as before)

This is love-the language of love

Cliff summarizes his technique, admitting he barely knows the women’s origins and speaks only rudimentary phrases in various languages. His ultimate point is that true communication happens through physical affection—a simple kiss—confirming his thesis that love is a “universal language” that negates the need for conversation.

Instrumental credits

  • Terry Britten – guitar, backing vocals
  • Herbie Flowers – bass
  • Graham Jarvis – drums, percussion
  • Bill Livsey – keyboards
  • Peter Skellern – Mellotron, piano
  • Tristan Fry – percussion
  • Cliff Richard, John Perry, Stu Calver, Terry Britten, Tony Rivers – backing vocals

B6. “We Don’t Talk Anymore”

4:12 | Tarney | pop, synthpop | breezy, mid-tempo, modern, harmonized

The lyrics depict a relationship’s sudden end, with the narrator masking his confusion and pain behind a facade of casual indifference and feigned acceptance.

  • Used to think that life was sweet
  • Used to think we were so complete
  • I can’t believe you’d throw it away

Cliff begins by expressing genuine shock and disbelief over his partner’s sudden decision. He contrasts his past belief in their perfect, complete life with the abrupt reality of her ending it.

  • Used to feel we had it made
  • Used to feel we could sail away
  • Can you imagine how I feel today?

He continues to lament the loss of their shared vision for the future, highlighting the dramatic shift from their dreams to his present emotional turmoil. He challenges her to comprehend the pain she has caused.

  • Well, it seems a long time ago
  • You were the lonely one
  • Now it comes to letting go
  • You are the only one
  • Do you know what you’ve done?

The narrator observes a painful reversal of roles: he was once the supportive one, but now she is the agent of separation. He questions her awareness of the consequences of her actions, hinting at a sense of betrayal.

  • It’s so funny how we don’t talk anymore
  • It’s so funny why we don’t talk anymore
  • But I ain’t losing sleep
  • And I ain’t counting sheep
  • It’s so funny how we don’t talk anymore

The chorus introduces the central, repeated expression of feigned indifference. Cliff calls the silence “funny” and insists he is not heartbroken, desperately trying to convince himself (and her) that he is unaffected by the loss of communication.

  • Ohh-oh, oh, we don’t talk
  • Ooh-ooh, ooh

This short break reinforces the awkward, unnatural silence that now defines their relationship.

  • Well, it really doesn’t matter to me
  • I guess your leaving was meant to be
  • It’s down to you now, you wanna be free

Cliff attempts to adopt a philosophical, detached attitude, claiming her leaving is a matter of destiny or choice that doesn’t concern him. This is part of his effort to dismiss his hurt and accept the reality.

  • Well, I hope you know which way to go
  • You’re on your own again
  • And don’t come crying to me
  • When you’re the lonely one
  • Remember what you’ve done

The narrator shifts to a warning, casting doubt on her ability to succeed alone. He predicts her regret and loneliness, setting a condition that she cannot return to him for comfort, reiterating his anger over her choice.

  • It’s so funny how we don’t talk anymore
  • It’s so funny why we don’t talk anymore
  • But I ain’t losing sleep
  • And I ain’t counting sheep (Sheep), no, no, no
  • It’s so funny how we don’t talk anymore

The chorus returns, emphasizing the absurdity of their silence while Cliff repeats his defense mechanism: the insistence that he is completely fine and sleeping soundly, which highlights his internal struggle.

  • Ohh-oh, we don’t talk
  • Woo-ooh-ooh, woo-ooh, ooh, ooh, we don’t talk
  • This repeated vocal phrase underscores the painful, awkward void where their conversation used to be.
  • But I ain’t losing sleep, no
  • I ain’t counting sheep (Sheep), no, no, no, no
  • It’s so funny how we don’t talk anymore

The final lines narrow the focus to his central denial of grief. By insisting so strongly that he is not sleepless, Cliff ultimately reveals that the end of their communication is still very much affecting him.

Instrumental Credits
  • Alan Tarney – guitar, bass, keyboards, backing vocals
  • Trevor Spencer – drums

13. “Walking in the Light”

3:17 | Britten | lucid modernist ballad | minimal, desolate, hypnotic

The lyrics offer a minimalist, meditative perspective on life’s journey, focusing on finding peace through acceptance and spiritual conviction.

Hold on to what you believe
The only way to calm your sea, yeah!
Look back at the end of the day
Another step along the way
Some things, they never change
Don’t have to fight to rearrange your life
It has mind of its own
So don’t you worry, ’cause you’re not alone

Cliff opens with advice for inner peace: stability comes from faith and acceptance. He suggests that life’s major movements are autonomous and uncontrollable, requiring a surrender to what is, and reminds the listener that this struggle is a shared human experience.

Walking in the light
No fear of the night
Walking in the light
No fear of the night, no

This is the central refrain, a metaphor for spiritual confidence and protection. The “light” represents truth or faith, which completely eliminates the fear associated with the unknown or darkness (“the night”).

Walking so silently
See my troubles, I let them be
Living on Lonely Street
Where the life is bittersweet
It’s not just another dream
Another play, another scene, yeah
Shifting sand beneath my feet
Ever moving, oh-so deep

The narrator describes a quiet, contemplative existence, one where he observes his problems without reacting (“I let them be”). He acknowledges the inherent mixed nature of life (“bittersweet”) and the constant, unsteady change beneath him (“shifting sand”), affirming this reality is not a fantasy but a profound truth.

Walking in the light
No fear of the night
Walking in the light
No fear of the night
Walking in the light
No fear of the night
Walking in the light
No fear of the night . .

The extended repetition of the chorus solidifies the theme of total spiritual security. It functions as a hypnotic mantra, confirming that the commitment to faith is a constant, unwavering safeguard against existential fear.

14. “Moving In”

3:26 | Richard | power ballad |

The lyrics express a narrator’s commitment to moving forward with a partner, crediting her transformative love for allowing him to leave behind a negative past, even as he marvels at her selflessness.

  • I’m thinking ’bout moving in
  • Commit myself to you, forget where I’ve been
  • I’m thinking thinking ’bout moving in
  • I’m thinking ’bout making my stand
  • And I know I could do it
  • If you give me your hand

Cliff reveals his decision to deepen the relationship, using “moving in” as a metaphor for full commitment and leaving his past behind. He feels empowered to take this significant step, but only with her full support and acceptance.

  • I’m thinking ’bout making my stand
  • Making my stand
  • You changed my world
  • And you stood in my doorway
  • You changed my life
  • When you stepped into my mind
  • Used to think that there was no future before me
  • Now you say that I can leave my past behind
  • Now you say that I can leave my past behind
  • Behind

The narrator affirms his dedication, detailing the profound, life-altering impact she has had on him. She gave him hope where he saw only bleakness, offering a spiritual and emotional freedom from his history.

  • Don’t understand why you do what you do
  • You keep giving your love
  • We give nothing to you
  • You keep giving your love
  • We give nothing to you
  • Used to think that there was no future before me
  • Now you say that I can leave my past behind
  • Now you say that I can leave my past behind
  • Behind

Cliff expresses genuine confusion over her unconditional love, feeling that he and his cohorts have not given back in equal measure. He repeats the theme of his redemption through her love, emphasizing that her gift is enabling his fresh start.

  • Don’t understand why you do what you do
  • You keep giving your love
  • We give nothing to you
  • You keep giving your love
  • We give nothing to you

The repetition of this section highlights the narrator’s awe and humility regarding her seemingly boundless, selfless generosity in the face of his perceived lack of reciprocation.

  • Here I am thinking ’bout moving in
  • Making my stand
  • Here I am thinking ’bout moving in
  • Making my stand

The song concludes by reiterating the narrator’s commitment. He ends where he began, confirming his firm intention to move forward with the partner who changed his life.

Singles and Videos

On July 6, 1979, one week after sessions wrapped on Rock ‘N’ Roll Juvenile, EMI released “We Don’t Talk Anymore” as a standalone single, backed with the Green Light track “Count Me Out.” In the video, Cliff sings straight to the camera amid zoom-ins and pan-outs in a dark, fog-laden studio space where sideman mime the backing track.

“We Don’t Talk Anymore” climbed to No. 23 by its third week, when Cliff mimed the song for the July 26 broadcast of Top of the Pops, which also featured in-studio numbers by The Buzzcocks (“Harmony In My Head”), Judie Tzuke (“Stay With Me Till Dawn”), The Police (“Can’t Stand Losing You”), Spyro Gyra (“Morning Dance”), and Telex (“Rock Around the Clock”). The single reached No. 2 by the week of August 6, when TotP re-aired Cliff’s segment amid in-studio promos for climbing singles by Joe Jackson (“Is She Really Going Out With Him?”) and The Flying Lizards (“Money”).

On August 26, “We Don’t Talk Anymore” reached No. 1 on the UK Singles chart, where it ended the four-week reign of “I Don’t Like Mondays” by The Boomtown Rats. This was Cliff’s tenth UK chart-topper and his first since the 1968 Eurovision entry “Congratulations.” Cliff held the summit for four weeks and bowed on September 22 to “Cars,” the second of two No. 1 hits that year by synthpop pioneer Gary Numan.

During its peak, “We Don’t Talk Anymore” stymied the Britten-produced B.A. Robertson single “Bang Bang,” which peaked at No. 2 on September 8, one day after the Britten-produced Rock ‘N’ Roll Juvenile hit shelves with the Tarney-penned, Welch-produced single appended to the tracklist at EMI’s behest.

On October 19, EMI lifted “Hot Shot” as the second single, backed with the non-album “Walking in the Light.” The single peaked within the Irish Top 30 but stalled at No. 46 in the UK. Meanwhile, Rock ‘N’ Roll Juvenile reached No. 3 on the UK Albums chart.

On December 1, “Carrie” became the album’s third UK single, backed with the non-album “Moving In.” In the video, Cliff plays sleuth on a dark sound-stage, flanked by his sideman, including a typically camera-shy Britten. Richard filmed both videos with Brian Grant, who also directed early clips for M, Sparks, and The Tourists.

“Carrie” peaked at No. 4 in the UK and Ireland and No. 5 in South Africa. Abroad, it reached No. 8 in New Zealand and No. 18 in Australia, but stalled at No. 89 in Canada, where the French-Ontarian band CANO released a competing version.

Meanwhile, “We Don’t Talk Anymore” appeared in the US, where it reached No. 6 on the Cashbox Top 100 and No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. This was the second-ever US Top 10 hit of Richard’s 22-year career. Its January 1980 peak ushered a 26-month span where Cliff placed seven singles on the Billboard Top 50. The second of these, “Carrie,” peaked at No. 39. Richard consolidated his newfound stateside profile with a spring 1980 US tour, his first since 1963.

EMI America repackaged Rock ‘N’ Roll Juvenile as We Don’t Talk Anymore. This version places the hit at the start of a ten-song tracklist that omits the original album’s two edgiest numbers, “Cities May Fall” and “My Luck Won’t Change.”

On August 1, 1981, “We Don’t Talk Anymore” became the sixth video aired by MTV on the US cable music channel’s first day of broadcast, which slotted the clip between videos by PhD (“Little Suzi’s on the Up”) and The Pretenders (“Brass in Pocket”).

Complementary 1979 Albums

Tarney & Spencer – Run for Your Life

Charlie Dore – Where to Now?

Hall & Oates – X-Static

Robert Palmer – Secrets

Rupert Holmes – Partners In Crime

Bliss Band – Neon Smiles 

John Miles – More Miles Per Hour

Chris Rea – Deltics

Sad Cafe – Facades

Tracklist:

A1. Monday Thru’ Friday (3:46)
A2. Doing Fine (3:05)
A3. Cities May Fall (4:16)
A4. You Know That I Love You (2:52)
A5. My Luck Won’t Change (4:12)
A6. Rock’n’Roll Juvenile (2:46)
B1. Sci-Fi (3:47)
B2. Fallin’ in Luv (3:09)
B3. Carrie (3:42)
B4. Hot Shot* (3:22)
B5. Language of Love (4:39)
B6. We Don’t Talk Anymore (4:12)

*b-side: Walking In the Light

Credits:

Cliff Richard – vocals, guitar, backing vocals
Terry Britten – guitar, Roland guitar synth, backing vocals, production
Herbie Flowers – bass
Graham Jarvis – drums, percussion
Billy Livsey, Graham Todd – keyboards
Lance Dixon – synthesizer on “Monday Thru’ Friday”
Martin Dobson – saxophone on “Cities May Fall”
Bryn Haworth – slide guitar on “Rock ‘N’ Roll Juvenile”
Tristan Fry – percussion on “Carrie” and “Language of Love”
Chris Mercer, Martin Drover, Mel Collins – brass on “My Luck Won’t Change” and “Hot Shot”
Peter Skellern – piano on “Language of Love”
Alan Tarney – guitar, bass, keyboards, backing vocals on “We Don’t Talk Anymore”
John Perry, Stuart Calver, Tony Rivers, Madeline Bell – backing vocals
Richard Hewson – strings arranged and conducted on “Sci-Fi” and “Language of Love”
Trevor Spencer – drums on “We Don’t Talk Anymore”

Bruce Welch – production in “We Don’t Talk Anymore”

Artist/Album Pages:

Mike Harvey ‎– Great Expectations (1979)
Great Expectations is an album by Kiwi musician/composer Mike Harvey, released in 1979 on EMI. ...
Gang of Four - Entertainment! (1979)
Entertainment! is the debut album by English punk-funk band Gang of Four, released in 1979 on EMI/Wa...
Tin Huey ‎– Contents Dislodged During Shipment (1979)
Contents Dislodged During Shipment is the singular album by the Akron new wave/art-rock band Tin Hue...
Dry Jack ‎– Magical Elements (1979)
Magical Elements is the first of two back-to-back albums by American jazz-rock combo Dry Jack, relea...
The Tarney/Spencer Band ‎– Run for Your Life (1979)
Run for Your Life is the third album by the Tarney/Spencer Band, produced by David Kershenbaum and r...
Wooden Ear ‎– Fantasy (1979)
Fantasy is an album by French jazz-rock combo Wooden Ear, released in 1979 on WM. Tracklist: ...
Manfred Mann's Earth Band ‎– Angel Station (1979)
Angel Station is the ninth studio album by Manfred Mann's Earth Band, released in 1979 on Bronze and...
SFF ‎– Ticket to Everywhere (1979)
Ticket to Everywhere is the third and final album by German symphonic-rock trio Schicke, Führs and F...
L'Orchestre Sympathique ‎– En Concert à la Grande Passe (1979)
En Concert à la Grande Passe is an album by Quebecois avant-garde jazz foursome L'Orchestre Sympathi...
Bijelo Dugme ‎– Bitanga I Princeza (1979)
Bitanga I Princeza is the fourth album by Yugoslavian rock band Bijelo Dugme, released in 1979 on Ju...
Gary Numan ‎– The Pleasure Principle (1979)
The Pleasure Principle is the third album by Gary Numan, released in September 1979 on Beggars Banqu...
Supertramp ‎– Breakfast in America (1979)
Breakfast in America is the sixth album by English art-rock/pop band Supertramp, released in 1979 on...

Leave a Reply