When it comes to the artists who have delivered hits within the yacht rock genre, few can claim to be as decorated as Cliff Richard, who hit the U.S. Top 10 in 1979 with “We Don’t Talk Anymore.” Most of that success, however, came in his native Great Britain, and it was only late in his career that he started to figure out how to dent the U.S. charts.
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A hint of disco, some new wave trappings, and a soft-rock feel, combined with a fetching melody: Richard seemed to have the formula down pat. Here’s how some collaborators helped him rise into the yacht rock stratosphere with this ultra-catchy track.
A UK Legend
When you can claim you influenced The Beatles and not have that sound like utter insanity, you know you’ve had an amazing career. Cliff Richard can make that claim, because members of The Fab Four have admitted it in interviews. Such was the impact of The Shadows, for whom Richard was the lead singer.
Over and over again, Richard reliably cranked out British hit singles as the years passed and musical tastes shifted. For whatever reason, he never could cross over to the U.S., at least not in the early stages of his career.
As time wore on, he stepped out on his own, even as The Shadows stuck together and enjoyed success without him. By the mid-‘70s, he had moved toward a sound with a harder rock edge. It was with this style he scored his first big U.S. hit, “Devil Woman,” in 1976. Indeed, “We Don’t Talk Anymore” was a bit of a departure from him when it came down the pike a few years later.
Loose “Talk”
Richards’ connection to The Shadows came in handy when it came to recording what would turn out to be the biggest worldwide hit of his career. Alan Tarney was a songwriter who led an outfit known as the Tarney/Spencer Band. He wrote “We Don’t Talk Anymore” with the intent of recording it with this group.
However, Bruce Welch, who was producing the sessions for Tarney, heard the demo and immediately realized it would be ideal for Richard. Welch was a member of The Shadows, so he knew better than anyone Richard’s strengths as a singer.
Welch ended up producing the recording for Richard. The singer’s vocal improvisations toward the end of the song allegedly came about because he got a bit lost in the arrangement. Nonetheless, it all came out sounding wonderful, and Richard had a monster hit at the age of 38.
What is “We Don’t Talk Anymore” About?
It’s so funny how we don’t talk anymore, Richard sings in the refrain. That phrase truly captures the measured mood of the song. The narrator isn’t exactly broken up by the separation. But I ain’t losing sleep and I ain’t counting sheep, he insists.
But he does show concern for the girl, in that she might have done more damage to herself than she realizes: Now it comes to letting go / You are the only one / Do you know what you’ve done? Although he can no longer be responsible for her, he doesn’t wish her ill: Well I hope you know which way to go / You’re on your own again.
Cliff Richard enjoyed a mini run of success with a few more singles in the U.S. following this track, while in the UK his incredible run continued almost into the new millennium. With “We Don’t Talk Anymore,” he could add performer of a yacht rock classic to his long list of accolades.
Photo by Rob Verthorst/Redferns
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