| Expresso Bongo | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| EP by | ||||
| Released | 8 January 1960 | |||
| Recorded | 8 September & 19 October 1959 | |||
| Studio | EMI Studios, London | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 8:46 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | Norrie Paramor | |||
| Cliff Richard and the Shadows chronology | ||||
| ||||
Expresso Bongo is an EP by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, released in January 1960. It contains all the songs by the group sung in the film of the same name in which Richard also stars.
The EP features three songs sung by Cliff Richard and the Shadows and one, "Bongo Blues", being an instrumental solely by the Shadows. "Love" and "A Voice in the Wilderness" were recorded on 8 September 1959, whilst "The Shrine on the Second Floor" and "Bongo Blues" were recorded on 19 October 1959. They were all recorded at EMI Studios (later renamed Abbey Road Studios) with producer Norrie Paramor. [1] [2] [3] [4] The EP was advertised for release on 4 December 1959 in numerous magazines and newspapers. [5] [6] [7] However, the release was postposed until 8 January 1960 to coincide with the nationwide release of the film on 11 January. [8] [9] [10]
"A Voice in the Wilderness" was subsequently released as a single on 15 January 1960, peaking at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart for three weeks in February 1960. [11] The EP and single versions of the song are different takes, with some subtle differences in vocals – the single version was recorded on 20 December 1959. [2]
The Expresso Bongo film was extremely successful upon its release in December 1959 and this significantly helped the subsequent EP. The EP entered the New Musical Express singles chart (the canonical official UK Singles Chart) in the third week of January, reaching its peak at number 14 three weeks later and leaving the top 30 chart after the final week of February (thus spending a total of seven weeks on the chart). As shown by the chart run, sales for the EP peaked in February. [11] However, in the second week of March 1960, Record Retailer (whose top 50 singles chart became the canonical official chart) began publishing charts including an EP chart. Expresso Bongo topped the first EP chart for one week before being overtaken by Elvis Presley's Strictly Elvis for five weeks before regaining the top position. It spent a total of 28 weeks on the top 20 EP chart, leaving after the final week of September 1960. [12]
On other charts in the UK, the EP saw varied success. On the Record Mirror Top 20 singles chart, the EP peaked at number 8; yet on the Disc Top 20 singles chart, it only peaked at number 19. [13] [14] It did not enter the Melody Maker singles chart as the magazine had published an EP chart since November 1959. In recognition of the number of advance orders, it entered this top 10 chart in the third week of December, topping it at the beginning of January 1960. [15] [16]
Within three months of its release, the EP had sold over 150,000 copies, which was five times more than the average EP hit sales. [17]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Love" | 2:24 | |
| 2. | "A Voice in the Wilderness" |
| 2:11 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3. | "The Shrine on the Second Floor" | 2:27 | |
| 4. | "Bongo Blues" | Paramor | 1:44 |
| Total length: | 8:46 | ||
On singles charts
| Chart (1960) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (OCC) [11] | 14 |
| UK Disc Top 20 [14] | 19 |
| UK Record Mirror Top 20 [13] | 8 |
On EP charts
| Chart (1960) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Record Retailer Top 20 [12] | 1 |
| UK Melody Maker Top 10 [16] | 1 |
"We Don't Talk Anymore" is a song recorded by Cliff Richard that reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in August 1979, remaining there for four weeks. Produced by the Shadows' rhythm guitarist, Bruce Welch, and written by Alan Tarney, it was Cliff Richard's tenth UK number one and his first since "Congratulations" in 1968.
"True Love Ways" is a song attributed to Norman Petty and Buddy Holly. Buddy Holly's original was recorded with the Dick Jacobs Orchestra in October 1958, four months before the singer's death. It was first released on the posthumous album The Buddy Holly Story, Vol. 2, in March 1960. The song was first released as a single in Britain in May 1960, reaching number 25 on the UK Singles Chart. It was released the following month in the US, but did not make the charts. In 1988, a UK re-release of the recording by MCA, the single reached no. 65 on the UK singles chart in a 5 week chart run.
Cliff Sings is the second album by British Cliff Richard and his first studio album. It was released in November 1959 through EMI Columbia Records and recorded at Abbey Road Studios. It reached No. 2 in the UK album chart. No singles were released from the album in the UK.
Strictly for Grown Ups is an EP by Paddy Roberts, released in 1959. The EP is a 7-inch vinyl record and released in mono with the catalogue number DFE 6584. Strictly for Grown Ups was the UK number-one EP for 19 weeks, having 6 stints at number one between April to November 1960.
"The War Lord" is an instrumental by British group the Shadows, released as a single in November 1965. It peaked at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart.
"The Savage" is a song by British group the Shadows, released as a single in November 1961. It peaked at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart.
"A Voice in the Wilderness" is a song by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, released as a single in January 1960. It peaked at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart and also received a silver disc for 250,000 sales.
"Don't Talk to Him" is a song by Cliff Richard and The Shadows, released as a single in November 1963. It peaked at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart and received a silver disc for 250,000 sales.
"Theme for a Dream" is a song by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, released as a single in February 1961. It peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart and also received a silver disc for 250,000 sales.
"Nine Times Out of Ten" is a song by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, released as a single in September 1960. It peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart and also received a silver disc for 250,000 sales.
"Fall in Love with You" is a song by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, released as a single in March 1960. It peaked at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart and also received a silver disc for 250,000 sales.
"I'm the Lonely One" is a song by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, released as a single in January 1964. It peaked at number 8 on the UK Singles Chart.
"I Could Easily Fall " is a song by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, released as a single in November 1964 from their album Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp. It peaked at number 6 on the UK Singles Chart and received a silver disc for 250,000 sales.
"On My Word" is a song written and first released by American singer-songwriter Chip Taylor as a single in April 1964. It was covered by British singer Cliff Richard and released as a single which peaked at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Dynamite" is a song by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, first released in October 1959 as the B-side to the number one hit "Travellin' Light".
Cliff's Silver Discs is a compilation EP by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, released in December 1960. It topped both the Record Retailer and Melody Maker EP charts.
Dream is an EP by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, released in November 1961. It peaked at number 3 on both the Record Retailer and Melody Maker EP charts.
The albums discography of English singer Cliff Richard consists of 48 studio albums, seven soundtrack albums, 11 live albums, three cast recording albums, 17 mainstream compilation albums, one remix album, 12 box sets, eight gospel compilation albums and 47 EPs. It also includes numerous budget/mid-price compilation albums, repackaged albums, and foreign compilation albums.
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