They’re never going to break me, says Sir Cliff as he returns to music after BBC legal battle
Singer releases first album of new tracks in 14 years to celebrate escape from ‘quagmire’ of privacy row
SIR CLIFF RICHARD is to release his first album of new songs in 14 years, inspired by the “traumatic and draining period in his life” which saw him take on the BBC over privacy.
Sir Cliff, who said he hoped new audiences would now come to his music, has chosen the title Rise Up, with lyrics proclaiming “they’re never gonna break me down”.
The singer, 77, was awarded £210,000 in damages and £850,000 in costs after a court ruled that the BBC had breached his privacy by broadcasting a police search of his home.
Rise Up, recorded at Abbey Road Studios where he recorded his debut single, Move It, 60 years ago, will express his “renewed feeling of freedom”, a spokesman said.
Marketing material for the album, to be released on Nov 23, states: “Drawing on new songwriting talent as well as some of his biggest hit writers, Cliff not only chose songs with immediate impact, but also those that reflected his own personal sentiments.”
Sir Cliff said: “I chose Rise Up as the title track because after the bad period I went through in my life, I’ve managed to ‘rise up’ out of what seemed like a quagmire.
“I love the lyric ‘They’re never gonna break me down, they’re never gonna take me down, they know I’m gonna rise up feeling stronger’. It is always great to sing lyrics you can feel and I really felt those words.
“I loved singing every track. To have these great writers supplying me with their songs is an honour.
“It has been put to me that a new audience might give me a listen, and that is an exciting thought, and if they do and don’t like it they can buy something else. “Give me a chance, that is all we can ask… close your eyes and tune in. My longevity should be considered a plus, not a drawback. It was 14 years ago that I last made a record of original songs. That’s quite a gap and I thought that was behind me, I thought I’d never get a chance to do it again and there it is – Rise Up is here.”
‘My longevity should be considered a plus, not a drawback’