Cliff Richard's EP "La-La-La-La-La"

[iefje]

I was wondering about the track "Never Knew What Love Could Do" on the 1966 EP "La-La-La-La-La". It was written by Hank, Brian and John (Rostill), but the sleeve doesn't mention any other involvement from The Shadows. During the chorus of the song, Cliff sings "Baby...", during which additional voices can be heard. These voices very much sound to me like they are from Hank and Bruce. The track "Solitary Man" on the same EP IS billed as featuring Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch on backing vocals. Does anyone know more about this track?

[Arpeggio]

"Solitary Man" (a Neil Diamond composition) - definitely Hank and Bruce supplying the vocal harmonies. "Never Knew What Love Could Do"......could be Hank and Bruce although Cliff was also working with the Mike Sammes Singers at this point in time.


Bests....Rob

[BrianD]

I thought this was a great EP. I particularly liked Solitary Man and Never Knew What Love Could do. There is some blistering guitar work in the latter and although the song is credited to the Shads it didn't sound like Hank playing. I have always wondered whether it was or not.

Brian

[Moderne]

The guitar on Never Knew What Love Can Do sounds like Mick Green to me but the backing vocals sound like Hank and Bruce. I agree, "Never Knew..." is a great song - one of a number of good Shadows compositions recorded by Cliff in the mid to late 60s which remain largely unknown or unrecognised.

Cheers,

Clive

[Arpeggio]

Checking through Pete Lewry's and Nigel Goodall's "Cliff Richard - The Complete Recording Sessions 1958 - 1968", the Shadows didn't officially record with Cliff between June 4th 1966 - "This Day" - for "Finders Keepers" and October 14th 1966 (tracks for "Cinderella"). "Never Knew What Love Could Do" was recorded on September 21st 1966. 5 takes (2 false starts) - with take 5 being the 'best'. The backing was provided by the Mike Leander Orchestra. There are no other musicians listed - so I surmise that the guitarist (likely a top session man) was working with Mike Leander at the time. It's not impossible that the guitar soloist was Jimmy Page as Leander certainly worked extensively with him. Mike Leander had an impressive career and his Wikipedia entry and obituaries (he died aged just 54 in 1996) make for fascinating reading. He famously did the beautiful arrangement for "She's Leaving Home" on "Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band". There are no backing singers listed on the session. If the backing singers are indeed Hank and Bruce then they must have done this as some kind of favour - as their potential contribution isn't officially documented anywhere.

Bests.....Rob

[iefje]

Checking through Pete Lewry's and Nigel Goodall's "Cliff Richard - The Complete Recording Sessions 1958 - 1968", the Shadows didn't officially record with Cliff between June 4th 1966 - "This Day" - for "Finders Keepers" and October 14th 1966 (tracks for "Cinderella"). "Never Knew What Love Could Do" was recorded on September 21st 1966. 5 takes (2 false starts) - with take 5 being the 'best'. The backing was provided by the Mike Leander Orchestra. There are no other musicians listed - so I surmise that the guitarist (likely a top session man) was working with Mike Leander at the time. It's not impossible that the guitar soloist was Jimmy Page as Leander certainly worked extensively with him. Mike Leander had an impressive career and his Wikipedia entry and obituaries (he died aged just 54 in 1996) make for fascinating reading. He famously did the beautiful arrangement for "She's Leaving Home" on "Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band". There are no backing singers listed on the session. If the backing singers are indeed Hank and Bruce then they must have done this as some kind of favour - as their potential contribution isn't officially documented anywhere.

Bests.....Rob

Rob, thank you for your detailed information, very interesting to read!
This brings me to another subject, for which I will start another thread.

[Arpeggio]

You're most welcome Ivo. These questions get me thinking back and then i just use a mixture of my own memory and things i've read before researching as far as possible. Some of the info for that reply was in Peter L & Nigel G's fabulous book & more was gleaned from the photocopy of a session which they'd included (but not documented in the main text). I also remembered the Mike Leander connections with "Sgt Pepper" and Jimmy Page - so it all came together. Re: Jimmy Page - I'm just surmising - but it's, shall we say, a strong possibility. Your new thread also looks interesting. I'm handing over to Jim or george on that one!!

Rob

[JimN]

"Never Knew What Love Could Do" was recorded on September 21st 1966 ... The backing was provided by the Mike Leander Orchestra. There are no other musicians listed - so I surmise that the guitarist (likely a top session man) was working with Mike Leander at the time. It's not impossible that the guitar soloist was Jimmy Page as Leander certainly worked extensively with him.

Unlikely. By that time, Jimmy Page had joined the Yardbirds and was part of the fondly-remembered Relf / Beck / Dreja / McCarty / Page line-up which can be seen in the film "Blow Up". In the "late summer", the group toured the USA and the UK, as well as finding time to make a cameo appearance in the above-mentioned movie. See:

http://www.angelfire.com/rock3/yardbird_sect/Ybhistory3.html
http://www.chromeoxide.com/yardbird.htm#Beck+Page

Another guitarist who could have done the session would be Big Jim Sullivan, who records on his own website that he played on several Cliff sessions: http://www.bigjimsullivan.com/Pamra.html

JN

[Arpeggio]

Ah! Thanks Jim. As ever...you're probably right....Jimmy Page was clearly moving away from the session scene by then. Your suggestion of Big Jim Sullivan (who, let's face it, could play in any style required) is much more sensible and much more likely. Does anyone out there know when J P played his last official session / s??

Bests......Rob

[Bill Bowley]

According to 'Cliff Richard - The Complete Chronicle' by Read-Goodall and Lewry that 21 September 1966 session did include the following:

21 September 1966
ABBEY Road
Film soundtrack recordings for Thunderbirds are Go!/Studio Session

Thunderbirds Theme for Thunderbirds are Go EP
Zero X Theme for Thunderbirds are Go EP
Lady Penelope for Thunderbirds are Go EP

Never Knew What Love Could Do(5) for La La La La La EP
La La La La La (2) Unissued
One Fine Day (3) unissued
I Saw Her Standing There (6) for Don't Stop Me Now

Lead Vocal: Cliff Richard
Guitars: Hank Marvin/Bruce Welch
Bass: John Rostill
Drums: Brian Bennett
Orchestra: Mike Leander
Engineers: Peter Vincent/Richard Lush
Recorded in: STudio 2
Session Hours: 2.30pm-5.45pm (Shadows)/7.00pm-10.15pm

Now, as for 'Solitary Man' the version released on the LLLLL EP was recorded here:

11 October 1966
ABBEY Road
Sudio Session

One Fine Day for Don't Stop Me Now
You Gotta Tell Me for Don't Stop Me Now
Things We Said Today for La La La La La EP
It's All Over- A side
La La La LA LA for La La La la La EP
Solitary Man for La La La La La EP

Lead Vocal: Cliff Richard
The Bernard Ebbinghouse Orchestra
Vocals: Hank Marvin/Brice Welch

Producer: Norrie Paramour
Engineers: Peter Vince/Richard Lush
Recorded In: Studio 2
Session Hours: unknown

Hope that helps.

Regards