The Rock Connection is the twenty-seventh solo studio album by Cliff Richard. Released in November 1984 on EMI, the album is a part studio, part compilation album. It includes seven studio tracks recorded exclusively for the album, five tracks from the previous year's limited release album Rock 'n' Roll Silver, one previously released single, and one B-side from 1980.
The album reached number 43 on the UK Albums Chart. Two singles were released to promote the album. "Shooting from the Heart" was released in October 1984 as the lead single, but only reached number 51 on the UK Singles Chart. "Heart User" was followed in January 1985 and it only reached number 46. However, a remix of the hit single "She Means Nothing to Me" - a duet with Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers featuring Mark Knopfler - was also included although released almost two years prior. Originally released in January 1983 and lifted from Phil Everly's self-titled solo album, "She Means Nothing to Me" made it to number 9 on the UK Singles Chart. The remix version increased the volume of the vocals and ends with a held note instead of a fade.
Critical reception Reviewing for AllMusic, critic Bruce Eder wrote of the album "The resulting album was decidedly uneven -- much of it came off as a loud, lean, crisp mix of rock & roll and power pop, Richard's voice surrounded by (and often immersed beneath) in-your-face electric guitars and synthesizers."[ AllMusic review for The Rock Connection]
Track listing "Heart User" (Terry Britten, Sue Shifrin) - 3:40 "Willie and the Hand Jive" (Johnny Otis) - 3:52 "Lovers and Friends" (Jon Sweet, Rod Trott) - 4:32 "Never Be Anyone Else But You" (Baker Knight) - 4:03 "La Gonave" (Cliff Richard) - 3:57 "Over You" (Dave Cooke, Richard) - 3:11 "Shooting from the Heart" (Roger Greenaway) - 3:09 "Learning How to Rock and Roll" (Drew McCulloch) - 3:12 "Lucille" (Albert Collins, Little Richard) - 3:37 "Be-Bop-A-Lula" (Gene Vincent, Donald Graves, Bill "Sheriff Tex" Davis) - 3:15 "Donna" (Ritchie Valens) - 4:21 "Dynamite" (Ian Samwell) - 3:11 "She Means Nothing to Me" with Phil Everly (John David) - 3:34 "Makin' History" (Mark Griffiths, Graham Lyle) - 3:47 Additional tracks Bonus tracks on the 2004 release "Move It" (Ian Samwell) - 3:06 "Teddy Bear" (Bernie Lowe, Kal Mann) - 3:06 "It'll Be Me" (Jack Clement) - 3:13 "Little Bitty Pretty One" (Bobby Day) - 2:42 "Tutti Frutti" (Dorothy LaBostrie, Joe Lubin, Little Richard) - 2:26 "I'll Mend Your Broken Heart" (Stewart Blandamer) - 3:24
Personnel
Tracks 1–3, 6–8 Cliff Richard - producer, lead and backing vocals Keith Bessey - producer, engineer John Clark - guitars Mark Griffiths - bass guitar Stuart Tosh - drums Dave Cooke - keyboards Alan Park - keyboards
Tracks 4, 9–11, 14–19 Cliff Richard - producer, lead vocals Thunder - producer Keith Bessey - engineer John Clark - guitars Martin Jenner - guitars Mark Griffiths - bass guitar Graham Jarvis - drums Dave Cooke - keyboards Alan Park - keyboards Stuart Calver - backing vocals Tony Rivers - backing vocals John Perry - backing vocals
Track 5 Cliff Richard - producer, lead vocals, backing vocals Craig Pruess - producer, keyboards, programming Keith Bessey - engineer John Clark - guitars Mark Griffiths - bass guitar Graham Jarvis - drums
Track 12 Alan Tarney - producer, bass guitar Ashley Howe - engineer Cliff Richard - lead and backing vocals Trevor Spencer - drums Nick Glennie-Smith - synthesizer Michael Boddicker - synthesizer
Tracks 13 & 20 Phil Everly/Cliff Richard - lead vocals, backing vocals Stuart Colman - producer, lead guitar, bass guitar, percussion Rod Houison - engineer, percussion Neil King - engineer John David - guitar Mark Knopfler - guitars Billy Bremmer - guitars Mickey Gee - rhythm guitar Pete Wingfield - piano Terry Williams - drums
Chart performance Chart (1984)PositionAustralia Albums (Kent Music Report)30
Sales and certifications
References
External links