Main content

Sir Cliff Richard

Sir Cliff Richard shares eight discs, book and luxury he would want with him if cast away to a desert island. With Lauren Laverne.

Sir Cliff Richard makes a second trip to the island he first visited 60 years ago, when he had just turned 20, but had already topped the UK charts three times.

Over the course of his career, Sir Cliff has released over 100 albums and sold well over 250 million records. His chart success in the UK has been eclipsed only by his hero Elvis Presley and one-time rivals, the Beatles.

Born Harry Webb in Lucknow, India, Sir Cliff returned to the UK with his family in 1948: money was tight and the family of six shared a room until they were able to move into a council house. Sir Cliff鈥檚 father bought him a guitar for his 16th birthday and he initially performed in a skiffle band until he discovered rock 鈥榥鈥� roll and started a new band called the Drifters which later became the Shadows. His first hit single came in 1958 with Move It 鈥� often credited as being the first authentic British rock 鈥榥鈥� roll track 鈥� and he dominated the home-grown music scene of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

During his long career Sir Cliff performed on screen in films including Summer Holiday and The Young Ones. He has fronted television shows, twice performed Britain鈥檚 entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and starred in two stage musicals. Today, at 80, he is still recording new songs and itching to get back on tour to perform his music in a post-Covid world.

Sir Cliff's return to Desert Island Discs after 60 years is record-breaking: it's the longest time between appearances in the programme's eight decade history.

DISC ONE: Rolling in the Deep by Aretha Franklin
DISC TWO: What's Love Got To Do With It by Cliff Richard
DISC THREE: Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley
DISC FOUR: I Honestly Love You by Olivia Newton-John
DISC FIVE: It Is Well by Sheila Walsh Featuring Cliff Richard
DISC SIX: I Can't Make You Love Me by Bonnie Raitt
DISC SEVEN: Stayin' Alive by Bee Gees
DISC EIGHT: High Water Everywhere by Joe Bonamassa

BOOK CHOICE: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bront毛
LUXURY ITEM: A Gibson acoustic guitar
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: It Is Well by Sheila Walsh Featuring Cliff Richard

Presenter: Lauren Laverne
Producer: Paula McGinley

Available now

36 minutes

Last on

Christmas Day 2020 08:00
91热爆 Radio 4

More episodes

Previous

Minette Batters

Next

Colonel Lucy Giles

See all episodes from Desert Island Discs

Music Played

  • Aretha Franklin

    Rolling In The Deep

    • Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics.
    • RCA Records.
    • 2.

  • Cliff Richard

    What's Love Got To Do With It

    • Wanted.
    • Chrysalis Group Plc.
    • 3.

  • Elvis Presley

    Heartbreak Hotel

    • All The Best From Elvis Volume 1.
    • RCA.
    • 1.

  • Olivia Newton鈥怞ohn

    I Honestly Love You

    • Back With A Heart.
    • Universal-Island Records Limited.
    • 11.

  • Sheila Walsh

    It Is Well (feat. Cliff Richard)

    • Braveheart Worship.
    • Venture3 Media.
    • 11.

  • Bonnie Raitt

    I Can't Make You Love Me

    • The Best Of Bonnie Raitt.
    • EMI Records Limited.
    • 6.

  • Bee Gees

    Stayin' Alive

    • Bee Gees Number Ones.
    • Polydor Limited.
    • 11.

  • Joe Bonamassa

    High Water Everywhere

Broadcasts

  • Sun 20 Dec 2020 11:00
    91热爆 Radio 4
  • Christmas Day 2020 08:00
    91热爆 Radio 4

The Desert Island Discs podcast

The Desert Island Discs podcast

Subscribe or download individual episodes.

Listen to over 2,000 programmes

Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.

Articles

Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.

Podcast