"Never Say Die (Give a Little Bit More)" by Cliff Richard

Song#:  1641
Date:  10/08/1983
Debut:  95
Peak:  73
Weeks:  7
Genre:  Pop



Pop Bits:  In 1983, Richard was celebrating his 25th year as a recording artist. His very first single, "Move It," credited to Cliff Richard and the Drifters (not the US R&B Drifters), hit the UK chart in 1958 and reached #2. Over the next 25 years, Richard would rack up fifty-four UK Top 10 singles with ten of those going to #1. He was the UK chart king. His career in the US wasn't nearly that prolific, but he did manage to gather three Top 10 hits during a late 70s/early 80s resurgence. To celebrate the anniversary, Richard recorded a new album titled Silver. In addition to the regular LP, a limited edition box set was created with a second album title Rock 'n' Roll Silver that contained new recordings of rock classics like "Tutti Frutti." He also did a new version of his first hit "Move It." To promote Silver, this first single was issued and it did well reaching #15 on the UK chart. A second single, "Please Don't Fall in Love," would become his 55th Top 10 hit peaking at #7. In the US, his anniversary wasn't a big deal and so a modified version of Silver was released and retitled Give a Little Bit More. The title-track song was issued as a single, but disappeared after a few weeks on the Pop chart while going to #23 at AC. It would be Richard's final Pop chart single in the US. A follow-up single, a remake of Richie Valens' 1958 #2 hit "Donna" would get to #17 at AC to become his last AC chart song.

ReduxReview:  I like this song, but it sounds like it arrived a few years too late. It has a real late-70s Bee Gees/pop-R&B feel to it. Whatever decade it could have been released in, I don't think it was strong enough to really conquer the Pop chart. It's a worthy Top 40 entry, but that's about it. Richard gets a little lost in the production as well. It could have been anyone singing this. A likable song, but nothing outstanding.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) Despite being shut out of the US charts in the following years, Richard would continue to score hits in the UK. He would gather seventeen more Top 10's there with four of those going to #1. His last UK Top 10 (thus far) came in 2008 when "Thank You for a Lifetime" hit #3. That song and subsequent album celebrated his 50th year in music.  2) This song (and the US album) should not be confused with his 1981 single "Give a Little Bit More." That single just missed out on the US Top 40 reaching #41. It went to #20 in the UK.

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