A Head Full of Music: The soundtrack to my life

by Cliff Richard

Foreword by Bob Stanley

On a sunny Saturday morning in May 1956, a fifteen-year-old, then called Harry Webb, was mooching down Waltham Cross High Street. He heard some music blaring out of a parked car. It stopped him in his tracks.

The song was 'Heartbreak Hotel' by Elvis Presley. It sounded like nothing he had ever heard before. In that instant, the schoolboy who was destined to take the hit parade by storm as Cliff Richard fell in love with rock and roll. It gave him the thrill, the purpose and the mission that has shaped his life ever since.

Cliff lives in and for music. And with 65 years as a hitmaker, the music filling his head is a broad category. His soundtrack begins by blasting us all back into that first life-changing explosion of rock and also includes great soul soul stars such as Aretha Franklin, longtime colleagues like Elton John, and much-missed close friends Cilla Black and Olivia Newton-John.

This book is meaningful to Cliff on many levels. The 30 or so songs here that make up the soundtrack to his life have each moved him deeply, but it's also about the legendary artists he met, and often got to know. He shares those stories and memories with you, too.

A Head Full of Music is a vibrant personal journey for Cliff, and it's a joy to accompany him on it. Get wired for sound with him and read on.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Music, Autobiography

327 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 26, 2023

About the author

Sir Cliff Richard is an English singer who has total sales of over 21.5 million singles in the United Kingdom and is the third-top-selling artist in UK Singles Chart history, behind the Beatles and Elvis Presley.

Reviews

[Sean Peters (A Good Thriller) · Rating 3 out of 5]

On a sunny Saturday morning in May 1956, a fifteen-year-old, then called Harry Webb, was mooching down Waltham Cross High Street, with two mates. They heard some music blaring out of a parked car. It stopped them in their tracks.

The song was 'Heartbreak Hotel' by Elvis Presley. It sounded like nothing they had ever heard before. In that instant, the schoolboy who was destined to take the hit parade by storm as Cliff Richard fell in love with rock and roll. It gave him the thrill, the purpose and the mission that has shaped his life ever since.

Cliff lives in and for music. And with 65 years as a hit maker, the music filling his head is a broad category. His soundtrack begins by blasting us all back into that first explosion of rock and roll, as it redefined youth culture and changed so many lives, including Cliff's own, and also includes great soul soul stars such as Aretha Franklin, long-time colleagues like Elton John, his all-time favourite band the Bee Gees, amazing gospel artists and much missed close friends Cilla Black and Olivia Newton-John.

This book is meaningful to Cliff on a number of levels. The 30 or so songs here that make up the soundtrack to his life have each moved him deeply, but it's also about the legendary artists he met, and often got to know. He shares those stories and memories with you, too.

A Head Full of Music is a vibrant personal journey for Cliff, and it's a joy to accompany him on it. Get wired for sound with him and listen on.

A fun, light, entertaining read, a quick read and interesting stories, sometimes you forget, they love music and other artists as well.

[Joy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Found this in the library and thought I'd give it a look - I've followed Cliff's career mostly from some distance over the past 50 years, and I'm interested in music, and I have a copy of a much earlier autobiography he 'ghost wrote' in the 70s (Which one's Cliff), mostly focussing on his Christian faith and the impact that had on his life.

But rather underwhelmed by the style. He does not come across as a very nice person - so full of himself, and very very shallow. I hope that this reflects at least partly on whoever wrote it with him, rather than Cliff himself.

It did inspire me to listen to several of the tracks he wrote about though, so its been useful in a way to educate me about music I was unaware of!!

[Stuart Ovington · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a slightly unexpected Christmas gift from my wife. I've always been a big fan of 80's Cliff, which may explain why she bought it for me. Much of this book is talking about songs from the 50s or the 60, with each one having a chapter devoted to it. I didn't know many of them but would listen to them on Apple before I began each chapter. As you would expect, he has good taste, and many of the stories of his interactions with the artists of the years are very interesting. Always frank and honest, I found this book an enjoyable read.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about the top thirty or so songs that are Cliff's personal favourites and those which he feels shaped his life and career. Not only does Cliff share why each song is important to him, but he also provides a little history of the song and the artist, which I found really interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I listened to the audible book as I always like those books that are narrated by the author.

[ElaineY]

Not as interesting as I thought it would be. I found his autobiography, The Dreamer: An Autobiography much more interesting though even that lacked I was hoping for - his relationship with his ex-priest, now property manager, boyfriend (?).

[carol fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 1960's were fabulous

Always been a fan. Absolutely loved Cliffs music from a Teenager . Enjoyed the book remembering all those Singers took me back to the 1960 Those were the good times I still play Cliffs CD's.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

An entertaining read

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to actually hear Cliff speaking about his faves and going into little details, which encompassed his repertoire, or influenced his choices. Thought he did a bang-up job !!