Entertainment
Sir Cliff Richard to release first Christmas album in nearly 20 years-Tori Brazier-Entertainment – Metro
He’s had four Christmas number ones, including Band Aid II.
Will he be adding to his impressive haul of festive hits? (Picture: Rex/PA)
Sir Cliff Richard has announced he is to release his first dedicated Christmas album in nearly two decades.
The 81-year-old singer and national treasure will release the record, titled Christmas With Cliff, on November 25 and it will feature 13 tracks comprising Christmas classics and new festive songs.
Sir Cliff’s previous festive hits, including Mistletoe And Wine, Saviour’s Day and The Millennium Prayer, have become Christmas staples over the years, with his last Yuletide album, Cliff At Christmas, released 19 years ago in 2003.
‘I have always loved being in recording studios ever since Studio 2, Abbey Road, in 1958,’ he said.
‘I recorded this album in Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida – 4,427 miles away from Abbey Road – and once again I felt that I was in a world of my own!
‘I had the help of two producers, Sam Hollander and Chris Walden. They guided me through the ‘well known’ Christmas songs and freed me to sing them my way.’
Sir Cliff recorded the album in sunny Miami (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
The singer, pictured in 1990, was Christmas number one that year with Saviour’s Day (Picture: Alistair Devine/TV Times/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Teasing something a little different, he continued: ‘They had differing approaches to the songs that I asked them to produce for me, and they gave this album the dynamics that I had hoped for.
‘This album is not just mine, it belongs to all of us involved in creating it, and I hope that we add a little something special to your Christmas season.’
Sir Cliff has enjoyed UK chart success with his previous festive songs, with Mistletoe And Wine bagging the coveted Christmas number one slot in 1988, and Saviour’s Day taking the title two years later in 1990, according to the Official Charts Company.
The new album is out on November 25 (Picture: PA)
In 1960, with backing band The Shadows, the song I Love You was his first Christmas number one.
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Of the 15 UK number one singles he has had, four have reigned supreme at Christmas with Band Aid II – which Sir Cliff sang on alongside Bananarama, Jason Donovan, Kylie Minogue, Chris Rea and Wet Wet Wet taking the top spot in 1989.
Christmas With Cliff will see him ‘bringing together an album of classics’ including songs like It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, Sleigh Ride, Joy To The World, When A Child Is Born, Jingle Bell Rock and more, and new tracks First Christmas, Six Days After Christmas (Happy New Year), and Heart Of Christmas.
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